alone | minsung

LXXXIX

Up until lunchtime, the stares from Jisung's classmates don't bother him too much. No one tries to talk to him about where he's been, and thankfully their whispers aren't too loud.

As soon as the bell rings though, Jisung shoves his stuff into his rucksack and practically takes off in his eagerness to leave the stifling classroom.

Honestly, the day hasn't been as bad as it could've been so far. In Geography, he was pulled out by his teacher to ask where he'd been, but Jisung managed to just evade the question until the teacher gave up and let him back in the room. Aside from that, no one has asked him about the past two months, which makes Jisung heave a sigh of relief.

Jisung ventures through the halls towards the history stairs, stopping briefly at his locker to shove a folder inside that he'd been given in geography. He walks with his head lowered and his hair and Minho's beanie covering his eyes, so when Minho steps off the last step at the same time he reaches the bottom, Jisung doesn't notice and walks straight into him. His head whips up, eyes wide and ready to quickly walk away, but when he recognises the boy in front of him, Jisung smiles.

"Sorry," he laughs, scratching the nape of his neck and stepping back.

Minho chuckles and shakes his head, before he starts walking ahead, grabbing Jisung's hand as he passes him. He pulls the younger closer to him, so they're walking side by side. "Shall we go up to the roof? I know the code," Minho says as he swings their entwined hands between them.

Jisung raises his eyebrows, "How did you manage to get the code? I thought only the caretakers and a few teachers know it."

Shrugging, Minho pulls him along faster, "I think I overheard it somewhere – I can't remember, but I've known it since first year."

"Okay," Jisung says, "It'd be nice to get away from the crowds for a bit."

Minho nods in agreement. Soon enough they reach the door and, after checking for staff, Minho punches the password into the keypad on the door. It beeps to signal that the alarm's been turned off and the door unlocks. "Race you to the top."

The two boys sprint up the stairs, the lights flickering on above them as Minho chases Jisung all the way up, and both of their yells bounce off the walls. Having come from the ground floor, their breaths are as loud as their yells as the stairs go up and up, four stories feeling like ten – especially when Jisung can feel Minho hot on his heels chasing him.

Finally, Jisung pushes through the top door and runs out into the sunlight. "I win!!" Minho follows closely behind, running up behind Jisung and wrapping his arms around his waist, spinning him round and round.

"Fuck!" Jisung screams at first, but it eventually turns into laughter and it continues even after Minho drops him. Minho, also with a gleaming smile on his face, puts his arm over Jisung's shoulder and pulls him over to the other side of the roof, where they'll be somewhat hidden if a teacher comes up.

They collapse on the gravel. Jisung using his blazer to sit on while Minho uses his jacket. Minho pulls his bag open and gets out some food, and when Jisung sees it he groans. Minho glances up at him, frowning. "What's up?"

"I forgot to pack lunch." Right then, his stomach growls. While Jisung huffs in annoyance, Minho tries very hard to hold in his laugh before he holds out half of his sandwich. Normally, Jisung would've refused, but truth be told, his stomach is starting to hurt. "Thanks."

They eat, and Jisung finds that his eyes can't stop drifting just past the edge of the building, where the rest of the city spans out below them. Beyond that he can see rolling hills and green fields, as well as a few villages nestled between them  "The view's beautiful up here."

Minho nods, "I used to come up here most lunches before I started getting caught. After that I only came up when I was angry, or upset. Looking over the city from so high up calms me down."

"That's why I liked the cliff in the reserve on the outskirts," Jisung says, "There's something really nice and peaceful about it. It gave me a chance to think. Although," he adds, eating the last piece of Minho's sandwich, "I don't know if I want to go up there for a while."

"That's fine," Minho mumbles, "We can share this spot."

Jisung offers him a grin, his mouth still full of food. Minho laughs at him, before pulling out his laptop. "We've still got half an hour. Do you want to stay up here?" Jisung nods, his blonde hair fluttering in the breeze as he takes off Minho's beanie, feeling too hot from the sun shining down on them.

After a few seconds of watching Minho type away, Jisung also gets out a notepad, leaning back against the wall and looking at the boy across from him with his pen between his teeth.

"You better not be thinking of drawing me." Minho teases.

"Why, do you want me to?"

He shrugs, "I don't mind."

Jisung scoffs, "Well, be warned – I can't draw for shit."

"I don't believe that." Minho narrows his eyes at him through his hair. "Isn't one of your cartoons on the display board by Art?"

He grins as Jisung instantly drops his gaze, "Well- yeah, but..." He stops talking when he catches Minho's knowing look. "Don't stare at me like that!" Minho giggles to himself before carrying on writing. Jisung rolls his eyes and also looks back at his notepad, smiling to himself. He balances the pad on his knees, which he brings closer to his chest, and uses his left forearm to hold it in place while he holds the pen in his right.

"God, this is so awkward," he mutters, trying to reshuffle himself so he's comfortable. It takes him a few tries, but eventually Jisung ends up just bending over his lap and giving himself a bad neck. He's working on the hopes that either he'll regain some sort of movement in his hand, or he'll just get used to it quickly. He knows the former isn't likely, but he still has hope.

Minho and Jisung sit in silence for the rest of lunch, Minho typing rapidly on his laptop while Jisung draws him, along with writing a few things down.

"When do I get to see it?" Minho asks as he dances aimlessly around Jisung, watching him pack his things away into his bag.

"When I'm ready for you to see it." Jisung answers simply when he stands up, giving Minho a smile before walking ahead.

Looking after him, his mouth parted slightly, Minho shakes his head and follows Jisung. "But that's not fair! Come on Hannie, I wanna see it!" Jisung turns and watches Minho as he walks backwards towards the door, shaking his head at the elder with a bright grin on his face.

"Life isn't always fair, Minho."