Dangerous | Yang Jeongin

2.

After the first session with Mr. Twan, the counsellor,  Mae was able to go home. She was glad that the sessions were only once a week, every Tuesday. 

By the fourth session, Park successfully made at least two friends. The first friend was Yuna, a girl who lost her sister due to cancer. The second friend was Hyunjin. Mae liked talking to Hyunjin because he was so nice to her, and even though his brother had attitude, he didn't. One day after the sessions, Hyunjin asked if Mae wanted to hang out with him and Jeongin.

"Hey, what are you doing right now?" Hyunjin touched Mae's elbow while they were leaving.

"Huh? I'm just going home."

"Oh. Well, if you're free, do you want to maybe hang out with my brother and I? "

"Now?"

"Yeah. Only if you want to, I thought it would be nice after that depressing session."

"..Yeah, sure. Where's your brother?"

"Jeongin!!" He calls.

The boy is the last one to come out of the building. Hyunjin spots him.

"Did he talk to you again?"

"Yes."

Hyunjin sighs.

"Anyways, we're going to hang out with Mae now.  We'll get to know each other."

Jeongin looks at Mae.

"..Whatever."

"Do you guys want bubble tea?"

"Doesn't matter," She says.

"Are you paying?" Jeongin asks.

"Yes I'm paying," he says.

"Ok. Yeah. Let's go."

Soon, hanging out with Hyunjin (and Jeongin but not by choice) became a weekly thing for Mae. It made her feel better, a lot more normal. Because after all, all of the broken kids were the same people. They were more than their struggles.

"How did you do on your English test?"

"Oh that... the one I told you about, I got it back. It was a decent mark. But the one I just wrote today, I probably bombed it."

Hyunjin laughs. Jeongin rolls his eyes.

"Can we go home now?"

"Stop being rude."

Mae looks at him. He'd be a lot more likeable if he just smiled, she thought.

"Listen, because there's no reason for me to be at the sessions, our parents are just gonna make Jeongin come alone. I'll take him of course to make sure he goes, but I won't be there myself. So, starting next week, you won't see me as much. But you can always talk to Jeongin."

They look at each other.

"Only because I don't know anyone else." He says.

"..Okay."

-

"Why do you keep talking to that girl at the sessions?"

"I told you, it's good to make friends while you're there. It makes the experience fun, so you don't have to spend 30 minutes of just depressing talk. You should talk to her too."

"Not happening."

"Come on, you guys are the same age. She's kind of like you."

"Not really. You guys get along way more."

"That's because you're rude to everyone."

"Maybe you like her?"

"She's a friend, Jeongin. Even talking to someone I don't know as much like her, is something that gives me hope. Because she's like us. And like me, she wants to live like a normal person. It's the small things, like conversations that keep you going in life."

"The shit Mr. Twan says is getting to you."

Hyunjin shakes his head.

(2 weeks later)

"And remember, for this week, I want you all to try and do at least one nice thing for someone else every day. It doesn't have to be big, but something positive. It'll make you feel better about yourselves."

Mae walked outside. She waited for Jeongin out of habit.

"Hey," she said.
"Hi."
"What did you think of today?"
"Boring. The same. Maybe 0.1% less dreadful. But only today."

Mae laughed.
"Why?"
"I don't know. His speech got to me."

She smiled. She felt a raindrop on her head.

"Hyunjin said you walk here from home."

"Yeah, I live near this place. Somewhat."

"...Do you want me to walk you home?"

"What?"

Suddenly rain kept falling on the floor.

"Oh no."  The rain got heavier in a matter of minutes.

"..Great."

Mae took out her umbrella. Jeongin watched.

"What are you doing? Come!" She held the umbrella higher for him.

"I don't use umbrellas. And sharing one is weird. It's cheesy too."

"Really? So you'd rather get cold and sick?"

"I'll be a loser if I get under the umbrella with you."

"At least you'll be a loser that isn't sick."

"Ugh," he groaned. "Fine.....Let's walk you home."

-

"You know, I'm surprised you did that."

"You convinced me to."

"No, not the umbrella thing. You wanted to walk me home."

"My brother said I have to be nice to you and everyone if I want the sessions to pass by quickly. And I don't know... I guess this is my nice thing for the day. Walking you home."

She smiles. He sees her face and it gets him to smile, too. But only a little bit. This is the first time in a long time that he's genuinely happy.

"Alright. I'll see you next week." Mae goes to the front door of her house.

"-oh..." Jeongin says. She turns around.

"By the way, um... thanks for being friends with my brother. It makes his life more livable, and it takes away from the shit he has to deal with. With me, and stuff."

Mae thinks while looking at him.

"You're welcome. Tell him I thank him too. For the same reason."

"Oh and........." She looks back again.

"I'm sorry about your parents."

"It's alright." She half smiles.