Strawberry Milk - Jeonglix

35

Felix's eyes were red and his throat was raw from all of the crying he'd done. He hadn't wanted to cry again. When he walked home from the park he felt fine and thought he'd get over it soon, but he was wrong. The second he was in his bedroom and looking at all the places he'd sat with Jeongin; laughing, holding his hand and kissing him, the memories hit like a ton of bricks and he fell to the floor in front of his door.

He'd sobbed into his hands, thinking he would never be allowed to see Jeongin again. He missed him already. He missed the bright smile Jeongin sported when he was around him. He missed the way his hands encapsulated his own, making him feel comfortable and calm. He missed the taste of strawberries on his lips, running his tongue across his bottom lip and savouring the flavour. He missed everything about Jeongin who had never felt so far away, not even when Felix admired him from afar in the skatepark.

Seungmin was like a wall between the two. Sturdy, strong and rigid in place. Felix knew Seungmin wouldn't be swayed by him and Jeongin seemed too disconnect from the world to speak up. Felix knew that was his fault. He'd caused Jeongin to be so detached and the thought of that alone caused a loud, heartwrenching sob to leave his lips before he clasped his hands over them, hoping his parents hadn't heard.

Felix didn't think it was possible to cry for so long, but after stumbling over to his bed and muffling his sobs with his pillow, the sun was starting to set outside. It had been midday when he left the skatepark. The withering sunlight filtered through the window and painted his room in comforting hues of pink, calming Felix as his blubbering died down into soft hiccuping. His pillow was wet under his head but he was still. For the first time in a week, everything felt ok, but he knew the pain would hit him again soon.

🍓🍓🍓

"Are you ok?"

Chan had been sitting in the back garden for hours. It was pitch black outside and he seemed to be watching the stars, but the distant look on his face was worrying, even to Minho who didn't want to care about Chan, but he still did. If Hyunjin was home, he would have made him go out and check if Chan was ok, but he wasn't and Minho knew the whole avoidance and arguing thing was getting petty. He decided to be the bigger person and walked outside to sit next to Chan on the bench.

"What?" Chan snapped his eyes away from the sky and noticed Minho beside him. A look of disappointment passed over his face, perhaps hoping it had been Hyunjin instead. He scoffed, looking back up at the sky, "as if you care if I'm ok."

Minho rolled his eyes, "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't care, so what's wrong?"

Chan let out a heavy exhale. "Fine, I'm not ok. Seungmin broke up with me."

"Oh...what happened?"

"I don't know. We were fine and then something happened between Felix and Jeongin and I guess he blames me because I'm Felix's best friend so now it's over."

Minho frowned, "that's so stupid. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? I thought you hated me?" Chan asked, sneaking a side glance at Minho who had also turned his head up to the stars.

"Hate you? Why on earth would I hate you?"

Chan shrugged, "we've been arguing a lot. I just assumed you didn't like me anymore."

"Does that mean...you don't like me anymore?" Minho asked, looking back down and meeting his eyes.

"No, of course not, it's just...I don't know. We've been acting so childish and I'm sorry. I never meant for it to go this far."

Minho nodded, "yeah, but it's my fault. I shouldn't have been such a dickhead, but I'm trying to be better now, I promise."

A small smile spread across Chan's face and he held his hand out towards Minho, "shall we agree to put this in the past?"