Cigarette | Song Mino |

| 7 |

Saturday, June 3rd 2017.

Both Junhee and Mino were enjoying their day off as they were sitting on the couch playing Mario Kart, or well at least they started that way. Since neither of them were any good at games they stuck with the only game they are actually good at. If one of them was about to win from the other- then they would sabotage the win by either poking the other, or going as far as sitting on each other.

Right now Junhee was sitting on Mino's back, and he was winning.

His tongue stuck a little out of his mouth, being focused on the screen. So focused that he didn't hear his friend begging him to get off him since he couldn't breath.

"YES I WON" Junhee yelled as he jumped off his roommates back.

Mino quickly rolled away, afraid that his friend would sit on his back again. He let out a soft sigh as he eyed Junhee, who by now was doing his victory dance.

"You almost killed me" Mino complained as he rubbed his back, "you weigh like a ton".

Junhee on the other hand just rolled his eyes, not ready to stop his victory dance. If he lost then it would have been Mino who would have rubbed it in his face, that's why he was enjoying this moment since Mino won the last two races.

"Jealousy is not a good colour on you Song Mino" his friend commented.

Mino on the other hand couldn't care less if Junhee called him jealous, no Mino was rarely jealous of someone. He didn't care that he lost the game, it's the way life goes. No what he did care about was whining pain in his back.

He stood up to stretch his back, seeing Junhee make funny faces at him from the corner of his eyes.

He caught a small chuckle escape from his lips.

"Can you stop, you look like an idiot".

Junhee shook his head, "bro I could be a professional dancer if I wanted to, I just choose to work at an office every day" he said as his voice got softer and his dance stopped, "seeing the life get sucked out of me".

"I know that pain, but if you're not happy with your job then look for another one".

Junhee raised his eyebrows, a frown appear on the boys forehead as he was thinking about Mino's words. Of course it's easier said then done.

"That's something you should be thinking about too, you hate it in that store but still you don't look for a new job".

Of course Mino knew that his roommate was right. He hated working in the grocery store, even though his boss is nice, it wasn't worth it. He can't be stocking isles until he's sixty and he knew it, he just didn't know where to start.

The both of them were conflicted, both not working in a place that made them go to work with a smile on their face.

"Maybe we should make a deal" Junhee started, "we will both be looking for another job, by the time it's summer we already found a job that doesn't make us miserable".

Mino took a seat on the couch, "but it's already summer Jun".

Junhee rolled his eyes as he threw a pillow at his friend, "fine before August, how does that sound?".

Even though he found it a good idea, finding a job where he would feel appreciate and would like what he would be doing- he was still hesitant. He wasn't sure if anyone would hire him after working in a grocery store for years.

But Junhee is right, at least he should take the chance to find something else.

Still not sure of his words he nodded, "yeah sure, before August".

The two sealed the deal with a handshake.

There was a nervous feeling going through his body, still he was glad he agreed. It was time for a change.

Junhee let himself drop on the couch, grabbing his phone out of his back pocket.

"Gosh it's my sister again" he muttered before reading the text, "apparently someone didn't want to display her painting because the meaning is to ban smoking from the world".

Curiously Mino took a seat next to his friend, "why does she hate smoking so much?".

"It's" Junhee started, swallowing the lump that was forming in his throat away, "it's because our mother passed away around Christmas time. You see she was a smoker and one day she promised Sohye that she would quiet, however she would still secretly buy cigarettes and smoke them outside thinking that we wouldn't figure it out" Junhee said bitterly, "two months before Christmas she suddenly started coughing up blood, it all happened so fast and before we knew it she was gone".

There was a moment of silence, in which neither of the two guys dared to open their mouth. Mino didn't know what to say, it was tragic the two of them lost their mother in this kind of way.

"Did she-".

"Yeah lung cancer, it spread" Junhee said silently, "you know, Sohye used to hide moms cigarettes like she does with yours, but mom wouldn't even look for them but buy new ones instead".

"I'm sorry" Mino said softly, it was almost a whisper.

Junhee waved his apology away, "it's okay, you didn't know. It has been hard, but I'm glad I can finally talk about it without crying like a baby, that's like the least manly I can get" he joked.

His friend smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Mino understood that it's hard to deal with a sudden lose like this, especially if it went fast in the last two months. He couldn't imagine going through something like that and end up as strong Sohye and Junhee.

His eyes wandered to the pack he left on the coffee table, the urge to smoke was getting less.

He wondered how his taste for cigarettes got less in just a few weeks.

"Wanna get some chocolate milk and cakes" Mino asked as he stood up, not knowing how else to deal in a situation like this. He knows how much his friend loves anything chocolate related.

The head of the boy shot up, "do you even have to ask".

Mino chuckled as the two of them made their way towards the door, putting their shoes on before going out.