rumble fish #gingerwoo

#10

"I need to go home," Gingerboy started before a silence could fall between them. He really didn't know where to start the conversation with Youjin and neither did the older. Besides, he really needed to be home before his father would lose it.

"Let me walk with you there," Youjin said and walked them out of the backroom. He realized he couldn't hold Gingerboy back, having figured how his new foster home was. He turned the lights off and they stepped out, beginning to walk towards the direction Gingerboy led them to. "Your new place is not any good?"

"At least I don't have to make bags," Gingerboy sounded fake humorous and Youjin glanced at him.

"What happened after I left?" Youjin continued questioning him, wanting to know every detail about how Ginger had been doing since they parted, even though he knew it would probably make him feel guilty and sad.

"Social workers came and took all of us out a few days later, I got placed in this home where they would lock me in my room from five 'til morning. Couldn't take it for long so I trashed the room a couple times before they finally got rid of me. Then, for a year I was in this really great home, they had two biological kids too. I really thought they loved me and I'd get adopted."

Youjin listened to Gingerboy's story silently, not bothering to interrupt and just enjoying the fact that he was opening up so much.

"Didn't work out. Maybe I was too much to handle for them. They said they couldn't 'afford me'," Gingerboy sounded bitter talking about that. Youjin wanted to say that it wasn't his fault but Ginger continued before he had the chance to. "After that I moved here. I'm enduring it 'til I'm legal just 'cuz I'm tired of moving around anymore and it could never get any better. I'd rather live a lil' harder life than to give up the friends I have here."

"I'm glad you have something to hold you down," Youjin said and his heart ached, just as he had predicted. He looked at Gingerboy with pitiful eyes and didn't know what to say. They stayed quiet for some time.

"You could technically take me in, couldn't you," Gingerboy said, not being serious about it but just voicing out a sudden thought.

"Technically," Youjin laughed. "I don't have a stable income."

"Right..."

It became silent between them again as they continued walking. Youjin was thinking about what Gingerboy said way more seriously than the younger had meant it to be. He hadn't thought Ginger would be this open with him so quickly and had expecting to get yelled at for taking this long to tell who he was so he was feeling overwhelmed. It seemed like it hadn't even been that long since they got separated.

"We're here," Gingerboy announced as they arrived in front of his house. He didn't want to leave Youjin there after their reunion had been so short but at the same time he knew he needed to sort out his head a little after so many things had happened all in one night.

"I really feel bad to see you go in there," Youjin said, glancing towards the house. Gingerboy did so too, looking for a figure in the windows. "Will you come to Spotlight tomorrow?"

"Sure," Gingerboy exhaled heavily, turning back to Youjin. "I'm going now," he waved his hand and started walking towards the front door.

"I'll see you there," Youjin called after him and watched him until he was inside. He saw the figure, previously visible in a window, now gone. He sighed and started walking back.

-

Gingerboy closed the door behind and started taking his shoes off slowly while listening closely to hear any steps coming closer. His foster father appeared in his vision and he waited to be complained about something.

"Your new phone is in your room," he started with a normal tone. Gingerboy gave him a questioning look. He was sober, which was surprising even though it was Thursday.

"Thank you," Gingerboy said.

"I won't be home tomorrow so-"

"Why?" he couldn't help but interrupt.

"None of your business. Happy birthday in advance," he walked away, seeming like he was as embarrassed to say such a thing as Gingerboy was to receive it.

The boy went to his room and saw the package of the phone he had wanted on his bed. He was surprised to have actually gotten the one he wanted and that his father had remember his birthday, regardless of Ginger having carefully mentioned that he could get that phone for his birthday. Maybe the man had felt some sort of remorse after breaking the previous one.

He sat on his bed and took out his old phone that now only worked to the level where he - if he managed to see anything through the broken glass - could use it for a few minutes and hope it doesn't turn itself off. He turned it on and saw that Hyunwoo had left him a message, asking if he was okay, and remembered he was supposed to call when he was home and his way there had now lasted a long time.

He selected the number and started calling, knowing Hyunwoo was most likely worrying.

"Are you home?" Hyunwoo asked as he picked up the phone after only one ring.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't call. I met up with Youjin at Spotlight," Gingerboy explained, wondering how much he should tell over the phone. He wanted to tell Hyunwoo everything but would rather talk to him face-to-face.

Hyunwoo was silent for a moment and he was worried. He had felt weird after finding out Youjin had given a skateboard and his number to Gingerboy. He seemed nice and all but he was six years older so Hyunwoo couldn't come up with any good motive to explain Youjin's actions.

"I'mma talk to you 'bout it tomorrow. This phone ain't gonna last for long," Gingerboy said even though he wanted to tell the older everything and empty his mind a little.

"Did you get the new phone?" Hyunwoo asked, not wanting to lurk too much even though he was concerned and dying to know what had happened.

"I did. Gonna set it up soon," Ginger glanced at the small package next to him. "Hyunwoo... My head is so full I think I might explode."

"Is it because of me and us?" Hyunwoo was even more concerned now because Ginger's tone of voice revealed that he really felt helpless.

"Partly," Gingerboy revealed since alongside finding the brother he missed, what happened with Hyunwoo also played a big part as the reason behind his overwhelmed feelings.

Hyunwoo wasn't sure if he should apologize in that situation. "I'll meet you after school tomorrow. Try to get some sleep."

"Thanks, Hyunwoo," Gingerboy said but at that point the line was already quiet. He looked at his phone and noticed that it had turned off. He started to set up the new phone, knowing there was no point in reviving the old one.

-

this was hella short and useless chapter but whatevs