image ⌮ yang jeongin

18 | chimaek

艾儿

Jinha~

The atmosphere is quite nice. Beneath our eyes is a wide view of Seoul and even Namsan Tower, lights surrounding the busy city as the time is starting to run late. The rejuvenating feeling I get whenever the moist air makes contact with my skin, and of course the busking and other people who came here to relax.

I suddenly heard a satisfying sound like a beer can being opened, and see Junkyu sipping down some alcohol while eating a piece of chicken.

"This is so refreshing." He loudly sighed.

Jeongin popped off the lid on his soju bottle, and tried out what Junkyu did. At first, he was shocked by the strong taste but later on got used to it.

"Are you a lightweight?" Jeongin asked him.

"Nah, it's difficult for me to get drunk. Two of these would only make me slightly tipsy." Junkyu explained while chugging down what's left from his first can.

"Can I have the other one?" I asked him to hand it to me, but he refused.

"No way." He opened it, and drank it himself. Once he placed it down, I quickly snatched it and drank about half the can.

"Woah." Jeongin's eyes expanded.

"Wow..." I suddenly felt energized and quickly ate a slice of pizza right after. Junkyu just stared at me with a concerned expression the whole entire time.

"Umm, I shouldn't have bought the pizza. I think it would be better if you guys just bring it home... it's not the best idea to eat it now, especially if you throw up later on..." He nervously laughed.

"By the way Junkyu, why do you always try and hang out with Jinha? What happened to your friends?" Jeongin shamelessly asked.

"Oh, those guys... friends? Since when did I really have friends..." Junkyu took a sip of beer and just blankly stared at the view. "I don't have friends. Maybe Felix, but that's it."

"We're your friends," I honestly told him. "You don't have to force yourself to hang out with those guys. If they're just using you for popularity, then drop them. You don't need to be treated that way."

"It's easier to be said than done. Look at where I am now? Don't I look like a mess to you?" He looked up to avoid letting his tears fall. "Maybe it's me who's wrong, not them. Look- I'm also being a bad influence to both of you. Maybe I just don't deserve friends at all."

"Hey, I also didn't have friends most of my life. It's better to have less friends who actually care about you, than a whole bunch who just use you. Have you never heard about quality versus quantity? We'll always be here for you." Jeongin patted his back.

"Thanks, guys. I'm so sorry for being such a selfish asshole before... I'll become a better person."

We finished up our food while chatting about life, felt the whole mood of the surroundings and even watched the lights change colours every few seconds.

"Minji~ya!" Jeongin suddenly threw himself at me while kissing my forehead.

"What the-" Before I could finish my sentence, his lips were on mine. I just froze in spot, unable to think of what to do.

"You've had enough for t-today." Junkyu panted while trying to get him off me.

"Lee Minji, I love you."

"Who's Minji?" Junkyu stared at me in utter worry. "Oh hell no-"

"He's not cheating on me, it's my twin sister..." I suddenly felt as if a switch was turned on inside me, making me feel very irritated. "That's why he didn't answer my question before..."

"What question?" He laid Jeongin down for a bit, and let me cry on his sleeves.

"Nothing..." I choked on my own tears.

Jeongin loves Minji, not me. He's only dating me for her.

"Don't cry," Junkyu pulled me into his arms and comforted me. "Maybe it's all just a misunderstanding. Don't get mad at Jeongin, he really loves you."

Does he really?

We lifted Jeongin up and dragged him back home, while Junkyu and I stayed silent the whole time. I used this time to think and reflect about my life decisions.

Once we arrived to his place, nobody was home so we just left him alone in his room. He would be fine once he wakes up.

"I'll walk you home, it's dark." Junkyu insisted, since my house is just right across the street.

"I'm tired..." I sat on the doorway steps of my house and rested for a bit. "I don't want to go in yet, because my parents would just yell at me."

"Ahh... I'll join you then," He sat beside me and we just stared down at our shoes. "You have a twin sister? How come I've never met her?"

"Because she's dead. Even so, people still compare me to her... it gets so damn suffocating sometimes. Am I really just a copy of her? Do I not have a chance to be my own self? I left that fucking province to forget about it, but whenever I see Jeongin... it all just comes back. My parents also compare me to her. I don't want to be rude... but how could people compare me to a dead person? As if that wouldn't hurt me."

"I-I don't know what to say... I'm sorry that I asked," Junkyu swallowed the bump forming inside his throat. "I didn't get the chance to meet her, but I bet she's really amazing... if you come to think of it, maybe I was destined to meet you. Because look, I like you for you. Not anyone else."

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This chapter's actually 300 words longer than usual so I'm like agshww quite proud of myself ahaha

Song: NCT U (엔시티 유) — Timeless (텐데...)