boys like boys ✔ luwoo

|7|

|| Kim Jungwoo ||

Sasung stopped in front of the lobby entrance waiting for me to say something. I don't know what else he wants although I've already vocalized my gratitude. I simply unbuckle myself and proceed to remove my presence from his car.

"Jungwoo, it's not too late to just chill the weekend with me. Injoon and Jeno are coming over tomorrow for games. It's a free day with no girls and no homework. We really want you there."

Jungwoo looked down to Sasung as he clung to his wrist and pleaded. "My parents need me here." With that, I got out the car and closed the door. He watched me go in the building and didn't leave until the glass doors closed behind me.

I walked past the front desk lady who was used to my graying expressions. The elevator trip was dreadful and filled with aimless thoughts. Then I stopped in front of the door waiting for the signature noise of my mother screaming or the sounds of glass hitting the floor.

The other side of the door was completely silent. Every negative thought rose in my head as I unlock the door faster than I should have been. "Mother!" I called out the second I burst into the dark hallway. I kept walking until I saw the living room is dimly lit by the tv that no one was watching. I turned it off after the adrenaline made it's way out of my body and into the air.

It felt weird coming into a clean home and not having to wipe the tears from my mother's face after yet another argument. What made the situation worse was that no one was here and it's already past eight. Unless they were too busy enjoying their time with their other lovers, I had no clue where they could have gone.

I found myself staring at the black screen as if something was going to appear before my eyes. After a while, I took my jacket off and dropped it on the floor right next to my feet. I didn't bother taking my shoes off as I curled onto the couch using the throw blanket for warmth.

Maybe when they got back they would wake me up, but for now, I needed to just sleep.

"Take me to the bed, honey." I sit back up slowly when the sound of the front door being thrown open sends my plans left. "No, wait! The restroom. This wine is coming back up!" I sit still and watch as my father throws something on the counter then assisted my wasted mother to the restroom. They didn't even look my way to check if I was home.

Once their bedroom door shut, I peeked over to the house phone to see the lines were still cut and her battery was still on the kitchen floor where she threw it this morning. I should have done a thorough investigation of the house before I thought twice about really settling in.

Instead of peace and quiet, I heard the crashing and fumbling of objects and humans in the restroom. My father was cursing drastically and the sound of my mother's vomit hitting the toilet water made me want to throw up myself.

How long could I block out the nonsense before I decided to confront it? The chances of that were slim. Every day I fear I might go off and get kicked out. Or one day my father will realize how much of a slob my mother is and he'll leave us. Like I said before, he's the only one with a job and the money. My mother and I would be homeless and I don't think he'd care.

"You're missing the toilet!" he shouted probably in her left ear. That was my cue to get out of here before I end up having to get the mop and bucket. Luckily I had my shoes on so I wouldn't waste more time than I already have sitting there listening for them.

"Jungwoo!" my mother says as I sneak past the counter. But something made me stop. It was the delicate smell of those cliche flowers she would ask for when her birthday, valentines day, or worse, their anniversary comes up. I couldn't help but look down and see the simple pink roses in a glass vase. Something he did for her often and they died days later.

I wish I could have remembered today was their anniversary. I could have celebrated their thirteen years of hidden happiness at Sasung's.

"Jungwoo!" I slammed the door shut instantly feeling the cold chill of the condominium. No one else was standing around their front door but me. Probably because they had somewhere to go or a house not filled with nonsense.

xx-xxx-xxxx u know the air is better outside the building

I couldn't help but sigh as I turn around to see Lucas stepping out of his house slowly. His pink fuzzy slippers are the first thing that caught my eye when he strode out in his matching pajama set. "Don't mean to be a bother. I just heard some noises from out here and I lost the rock, paper, scissors game to check it out." I look away from his clueless eyes. "You've been out with your friends all day I see. I went home straight after the burgers. Where'd you go?"

"Why?" I mumble whilst peering back over at him.

Lucas bounced on his toes for a while. He then sucked in a sharp breath of air to avoid the silence. "I feel like such a loser for sleeping early." His chuckle makes my shoulders tense. How could he laugh for just anything? Nothing was funny. This entire moment was kind of annoying.

"Oh! Now is a good time to set up when we can chill, you know. I won't drag Taeyong along like I've been thinking about or even Chittaphon. I also kind of think Taeyong assumes I have something to so with Taeil's arrest. I don't, by the way! I only told Siyeon who could be the culprit."

"Siyeon?" I face him slowly. My hands dig deeper into my pockets trying to reach for some sort of memory of her name. "Siyeon... the girl who was with you today?" Lucas nods with his wide smile and eyes closed. "Your girlfriend?" Why I asked that is beyond something I could answer.

"Ah! No... Mark is more her type. I keep telling him to make a move but everyone knows he can be a big baby." Lucas clapped his hands like a kid while in the midst of daydreaming. "Maybe I shouldn't have said that," he covered his mouth quickly. "Do you... like Siyeon?"

"What? No! Where'd you—"

He shook his hands in the air to let me know I didn't have to be offended. "It's fine if you do. I won't tell a soul. I know how stressful us guys liking someone can be. You never know the background and especially who he's dated—"

"He?" I was now the one in pure shock. "Are you gay, Lucas?"

"Why... I think— no, I'm sure! But it's fine. Your crush on Siyeon is between the two of us, alright? No one knows but me."

I comb my dark blue hair out of my face with my hands trying to cool the sweat forming on my forehead. This makes everything picture perfect for me. He obviously likes me which is why he can't leave me alone. I'm giving off this idea but I'm not sure how. I avoid people, these type of conversations, and Lucas in general. What could he possibly want from a guy who clearly wants nothing from him?

"Why do you slap me with this information? And why do you think I like Siyeon? I don't even know who she is!" My hands were flailing dangerously but Lucas didn't flinch. I sure would have if someone was coming at me like this.

Instead of peeling away, he pushed himself forward with a sincere smile. "Jungwoo, people talk about you all day. It's almost like you're not even human. I just want to prove to them that you are. I want to be your friend. If my sexually makes you uncomfortable then maybe they're right. You are a freak show."

"I'm the freak show for sporting straight? Can you look again or is there something blocking your vision?" Lucas gasped. "I'm not saying being gay is a crime but it is something not everyone grew up accepting. Think about religion, parents, and friends. You expect all those opinions combined to make world peace."

"No, but—"

"It doesn't exist! This little dream world of me and you being friends to prove the public wrong... it. Doesn't. Exist." I pull out my phone and delete his number that wasn't saved anyway. "And like I said before, I was forced to follow you in the restroom. How about you keep this between us and never contact me again."