friend-zone | jihan

26. Faggot

"Please. Leave!" Jeonghan pushed Jisoo away. "You don't want to have a faggot best friend."

"You're not a faggot, Jeonghan."

"Yes I am."

"No you're not."

"Why are you so sure?"

"You liked this girl in middle school."

"Then a bisexual maybe?"

"Jeonghan? Why are you acting like this?" Jisoo grabbed his arm. "You're a straight man, they have no right to call you gay. C'mon lets wash this up and go home."

"I don't wanna go home."

Jisoo took out a handkerchief from his pocket and tried to soak it from the tap water. "Ughhh, there's no water." He muttered. "Wait here." He said as he dashed out, leaving Jeonghan.

He came back with his water bottle in hand. He soaked it and started carefully wiping Jeonghan's face. The stains weren't coming out.

"Those fuckers. They used a permanent marker. I swear I'd kick their asses when I see them again." Jisoo cursed.

Jeonghan held Jisoo's hand and started rubbing it. It was a way to calm Jisoo down. Jisoo wasn't the kind to get mad easily. Whenever he did however, he'd start rubbing
his hands to calm down. "You don't need to, just... go home." He said, tracing circles on the palm of his hand.

"Like hell I would. I won't go unless I get these ugly scribbles washed off your face. Permanent ink cannot stay on one's skin forever. Come on, get up. Lets go home together, I'm sure my mom's face wash will surely get this shit off." Jisoo said, helping Jeonghan to stand.

"I don't want to go outside. They'll see. They'd talk about it, they'd make fun of me." Jeonghan shivered.

"Who are the they you're afraid of?"

"Everyone."

"You don't need their opinions to affect you." He said taking off Jeonghan's blazer and throwing it over his head. "Hide underneath that thing and just come."

He grabbed Jeonghan's hand as he wiped away his tears. Jisoo knew something was up since the last few months. The way Jeonghan would just start shivering whenever he came up to him out of nowhere just to playfully scare him. They way he shouted that day how he used to get called a faggot by everyone. Especially after that guy who purposely stumbled onto him and called him a homo out of no where. Who was he anyway? Jisoo had been with him at all times, how did he not notice?

He wasn't being a good friend.

He needed to be there when Jeonghan needs him the most.

The school campus was almost empty since it was getting late. Jisoo grabbed both their bags and lead the way. He held Jeonghan's hand tighter as they walked down their alley. Jeonghan didn't realise before that Jisoo's hand was so big, so much bigger than his. It was warm and comfortable.

*

"Woahhh it's coming off!" Jisoo excitedly shouted. "...Slowly though." He was sitting on the tiled bathroom floor with Jeonghan aggresively wiping Jeonghan's face with his handkerchief which had now caught a dull colour.

"Jisoo... just let that be."

"I am in no way letting you go home with those scribbles on your face."

"Leave them. They are accurate."

"How in the world—? Just because you look like a girl doesn't mean you're gay."

"What do you even know about me? Liking isn't just a thing between men and women. Hearts can beat fast between men too. And apparently... mine does."

"Your heart beats for a guy?" Jisoo paused.

"Yes. It does. What are you gonna do about it? That is why I asked you to leave me alone. You can laugh at me all you want. I'm used to it." Jeonghan said, pushing Jisoo away.

Jisoo just stood still, biting his lip.

Yoon Jeonghan was gay. Well, not exactly— he was bisexual...

"What now? Laugh at me. Go ahead." Jeonghan said as he let out a cute sneeze. It was really cold for him since his uniform was all wet. Jisoo had brought him some change of clothes but he refused to change into them.

"Come on Jeonghan! You already seem to have caught a cold." Jisoo said, handing him the clothes. Jeonghan just pouted like a little baby, with his eyes swollen and red. Jisoo sighed and started unbuttoning Jeonghan's shirt himself.

"You're not saying anything..." Jeonghan said as he slowly leaned closer.

"I don't know. It really is a bit awkward to hear that from your own mouth. I already guessed it! Well— I mean, not exactly but... ughh" he stopped as he proceeded to reach out for the shirt Jeonghan could change into.

"You're such a jerk." Jeonghan huffed.

"What did I even do to be called a jerk?" Jisoo asked, sliding off Jeonghan's shirt and pausing to examine every detail of his bare upper half. Even though Jeonghan looked like a girl, he had a manly built with broad shoulders.

"You're an asshole. I hate you so damn much!" Tears started falling from Jeonghan's eyes again. "Y-you deserve to just— I just hope you drown in a puddle. You are an idiot, a big idiot. I- I—"

"Your nipples are so pink—" Jisoo unconsciously blurted out without thinking, cutting Jeonghan's statement.

Jeonghan froze.

"Ah no I mean—" he immediately regretted his words and apologised.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE. I'LL CHANGE MYSELF!!" Jeonghan shouted as he pushed Jisoo out of the bathroom, locking it from inside. Jeonghan sank to the ground and sighed. "T-that pervert." He muttered as he bit his bottom lip.