friend-zone | jihan

35. can I count on you?

"Hong Jisoo! You're thinking too much..." Jisoo said to himself, slapping his face. He groaned. He only had to go visit Jeonghan, tell him he's sorry and everything will go back to normal. It's as simple as that. Why did he even kiss him? He didn't know... all he knew was that was the one thing he wished to do the most at that particular moment.

He walked up to Jeonghan's front door and rang the doorbell. It was monday evening. He must be home. After disappearing for the rest of the day, he sure can explain what was up. Right?

"Hello Jisoo." Jeonghan's mom opened the door. "I'm sorry but Jeonghan isn't home yet."

"Do you have any idea where he might be?"

His mom shook her head.

"Aren't you worried? It's 8 in the evening and your kid still isn't home. Who'd even call you a mom if you can't even take care of your only son?" Jisoo said, with a stern expression on his face. He didn't know why but he always wanted to know why she was like that to Jeonghan. She was always so kind to him and his friends but never to Jeonghan... "do you know how much he gets bullied at school? Do you know? Oh well, how would you even know... have you even tried talking to him about casual stuff? About how his day went... if he ate or not...? Why are you never there when he needs you the most. He came home all beat up on Saturday but you were out for work. He gets called a faggot at school because of his long hair, yet you ask him to keep them long. J-just give him your attention... all he needs and wants is your love..." Jisoo clenched his fists. He probably said too much.

Yup... too much...

Jeonghan's mom just laughed. "Ahh oh my, am I now in such a position that I'd get lectured by a little kid?" She laughed, her laugh was so similar to Jeonghan's that Jisoo at some point forgot she was the boy's mom. "Ayy kid. Do you even know how much a single mother has to work?"

"What do you even do?" Jisoo scoffed.

"Me? I'm a doctor."

"Ohh... I get you must be busy..." Jisoo immediately regretted his attitude towards her.

"Oh boy, why do you look so sad?"

"It's nothing... I'm sorry for taking away your precious time." Jisoo said, ready to leave.

"Oh don't worry, you can come in if you want. Let's just talk."

***

"So? How's school?" She asked, making Jisoo sit in the drawing room.

"Absolute shit."

"Ohhh I see"

"Shouldn't you be asking this stuff to your own son?"

"Look. Do you think I don't love him?"

Jisoo nodded, looking down. He knew he was being super rude right now. Was that how his mom raised him? Definitely not.

"I know it isn't his fault that he was born an illegitimate child. And I'd be lying if I said I never wanted my first child to be a girl." Jeonghan's mother started.

Jisoo just started at the floor, listening carefully.

"You know... Jeonghan once asked me why he didn't have a dad. I told him the real deal since I thought it about time he knows. He got super mad for some reason. He has hated me ever since. I don't know but it's just him who thinks he isn't loved. He liked hanging out with my brother more but he had work too. I thought that maybe if he doesn't want me to be by his side... I should just let him be. He needed personal space. Every kid needs to learn to do stuff on his own. I never liked his attitude towards me. I spoiled him too much." His mother trailed off.

"B-but that doesn't give you a reason to-"

"I think this was for the best. He doesn't like me..." Jeonghan's mother said.

"No. He loves you! He even cried countless times over you. I know I'm in no position to interfere in your family matters but he loves you the most in this world. He even gets jealous when you're kind to me." Jisoo said.

"You care so much for him..." She smiled. "I'm glad jeonghan has someone like you in his life..."

"Ah w-well, he is my best friend after all." jisoo nervously rubbed his neck, looking away.

"Hey... Please take care of him. I may not always be by his side, but you will be..." She leaned closer to Jisoo. Up close... She looked exactly like jeonghan, though her face was quite wrinkled. She was really pretty. She ruffled Jisoo's soft hair, exposing his forehead. She planted a soft kiss on his temple. "Pass it to him. Can I count on you?"

"W-what?" Jisoo looked up, confused.

"I'm home~" Jisoo heard Jeonghan hum as he heard the door behind him slam shut. Jeonghan's footsteps as he ran through the corridor could be heard. "Jisoo?" Jeonghan peeked inside.

"Welcome home." His mother said, turning away, switching back to her cold tone.

"What were you two talking about?" Jeonghan asked, confused.

"None of your business." His mother calmly replied.

"Oh well, why don't you just adopt him already?" Jeonghan snapped. He ran upstairs locking the door to his room from inside. Jisoo didn't get why his mom changed her aura so fast in front of jeonghan.

Why?

***

"I don't know who she thinks she is but she really needs to learn the basics of parenting 101. This just... Doesn't work..." Jisoo complained to Hansol the next day.

"Look. You better not get involved in jeonghan's problems. Leave him alone. He needs some time to himself." Hansol calmly replied, sipping on strawberry flavoured milk.

Strawberry...

Oh how Jisoo hated that flavour.

Leave him alone? Everyone has been saying the same thing to him. How can he just ignore stuff when his best friend is in trouble?