𝒐𝒐𝒐. "I didn't write this to forget who I am as a person nor did I write it for money out of desperation. I wrote this because I know, one day, someone will find this story in the corner of a library, squeezed between forgotten stories with a dus...
Kim Hongjoong. October 31st, 1980. | Friday, 1:45 AM.
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After the party, Changho offered to drive Hongjoong home. The blonde didn't decline as Eun had left without saying a word to him and he honestly didn't know if the buses were still running this late. Throughout the entire drive, however, Hongjoong could see how happy Changho made Seonghwa, the black-haired male giggling and smiling, playing with the radio as the two talked.
He stared out the window after a while, dozing off until they arrived at his house. "I'll see you at school on Monday?" Seonghwa asks, earning a lazy nod from Hongjoong, getting out of the car, and bidding goodnight to them both and a thank you to Changho for driving him home. Once he slams the door shut, the car drives away, Seonghwa watching Hongjoong trudge to his house with his back slouched and head down, exhausted from everything that had happened that night.
"I hope he's alright..." Seonghwa softly mutters, turning back forward and crossing his arms over his chest. "I was prepared for an outburst... looks like a lot of things have been weighing him down."
"I'm sure he'll be fine. He probably needs time for himself, a lot of it." Changho reassured, lightly patting Seonghwa's thigh with one hand while the other stayed on the steering wheel.
Seonghwa hums, nodding his head before turning to look out the window. "I hope so..."
The minute Hongjoong opened the door, he was greeted by his angry father and worried mother. "Hongjoong! Where have you been? You said you were going to be home at eleven— It's one in the morning!"
"And why do you reek of alcohol!" His father's boisterous voice echoed throughout the house, causing the blonde to flinch and look down at his dirtied sneakers, mumbling a soft sorry. "Sorry? Is that all you have to say for yourself? Where have you been, Kim Hongjoong!"
"I went to a party..." Hongjoong admitted, flinching when his father yelled at him for lying, grounding him, and sent him to his room for the night.
Hongjoong didn't say a word, allowing his father to release all his anger as he went upstairs to his bedroom, shutting the door and releasing a heavy sigh. He has never felt so exhausted in his life, crying so much that his throat felt dry and his eyes were puffy; his only thoughts were to crawl under the covers and fall asleep until his body was at its best. And that's exactly what he did, not bothering to take off his clothes or taking a shower, crawling under his covers and instantly falling asleep within minutes.
That morning, Hongjoong cracked his heavy eyes open and looked around his room, blinking sleepily a few times before using all his strength to sit up and stretch out his sore limbs. It was already the afternoon, the blonde had taken the whole morning to stay in bed and rest, which he didn't mind because he honestly needed that.
