What if...? || Markhyuck

-2-

[may/june 2019]

[donghyuck]

For a long time, Jeno avoided talking to me in every available way. He didn't go to school, he told his mother to say he was terminally ill, he didn't reply to messages. He talked to me on the phone only once and he was ashamed to admit that his brother had been in a correctional and then therapeutic institution for three yearsin total. Educators at the clinic said they had done their best in the field of aggression inhibition workshops and the therapists at the center reportedly improved his emotional functioning. From what I understood, the boy had huge deficits in understanding and feeling any emotions and the only way to release the tension he felt because of the inability to name different states occurring in the head and body was active aggression. All the discharges indicated that he was all right now but Jeno claimed once a psycho - for the rest of his life  a psycho. He didn't want to reveal the reason why Minhyung was placed in such an institution but I didn't care, so I didn't put pressure on it.

I looked out the kitchen window, from where I had a perfect view of Lee's porch. I never thought I would take advantage of this convenience but the perfect opportunity came. Nothing stimulates nosiness like a new neighbor.

Minhyung stood on the porch and leaned against one of its pillars just by the stairs leading to the house. He smoked a cigarette calmly, looking at the estate bathed in the colors of summer evening. I managed to notice that this shaded terrace is the furthest point on this earth where he could reach by himself. I felt sorry for him because I didn't see any madman in this man. Of course, it was likely that I was wrong but I saw in my life a lot of fucks and the Jeno's older brother was hardly among them. I felt that Jeno wasn't without guilt. My friend definitely has something on his conscience but at the moment I couldn't say what it was.

Suddenly a girl appeared outside the neighbors' house. I'd have given my right arm that I had seen her somewhere before and it wasn't school but I couldn't recall the specific place and time of our supposed meeting. The blonde was wearing a pullover and shorts, apparently ignoring the rather cool evening. Despite the large, black backpack on her shoulder, she quite efficiently flinged herself at Minhyung, wrapping arms around his neck like an anaconda choking her prey. Black-haired man just started laughing, throwing a cigarette butt on the lawn in front of the house, then slapped her on the ass. The girl didn't think for a long time, slapping him hard that I winced myself, being only an ordinary observer from a distance. The blonde entered without further ado, leaving the black-haired man holding his face on the porch. Her leeway implied me that these two have obviously known each other for a long time. I had to write it down somewhere in my head.

I felt a slight tap on my shoulder, which forced me to turn my head away from Lee's house and pay attention to my mother, who otherwise couldn't require my focus.

"Why are you shamelessly peeping at your neighbors?" she asked, showing it in sign language.

"Easy" I smiled, brushing her hair from cheek. "I just found something that finally interested me."

~ * ~

[minhyung]

"Documents" the girl announced, throwing me some books and papers in the face. "Work phone, new sim card,  wallet with cash," she continued, dumping everything on the bed. "Suit for company meetings and family dinners," she continued with a smile, as if she really enjoyed making me mess in the room. In fact she really did. This woman is a real imp. There was one thing in her head and I wasn't going to wait any longer.