𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ☾︎ soonhoon

C H P - 8

He just sat there, allowing the wind to absorb the emotions between them.

----

Since that moment, that moment where he was stupid enough to recall memories and crumble, he had hated himself. In fact, maybe hate was an understatement for a word that was too strong to be a part of his vocabulary. 

He had promised himself long ago that he would never break down in front of Jihoon, as to not force him to have to endure such a stressful situation, yet here he was: broken, selfish, and as pitiful as ever. 

He had broken his promise, and now he hated himself.

His thumb swiped thoughtlessly over a crimson flower petal, as he was completely immersed in his own thoughts and feelings of self-loathing. He could only vaguely hear the conversation his friends were having. Their voices sounded far off, like he was trapped underwater, tortured, while they danced along the beach.

"--so honestly, tell me again, just what would you do with a pig when it's fully grown?"

"They're still cute when they're old!"

"And what about the mess they make?"

"Careful cleaning, and it's fine."

"Junhui, just give up. I don't think you'll convince him."

"Minghao, I will win. Trust me, I will stand up for the pigs of this na--"

"The messy pigs, shall I add."

"The pigs'll feel sad if they hear this conversation."

"Who cares?"

"I care!"

"I also care."

"Guys..."

The three engaged in the heated (and quite ridiculous) conversation--Minghao, Junhui, and the ever-loved Boo Seungkwan--simultaneously silenced themselves. Their gazes moved in the direction of the shop owner, of who was still standing in the same position he had been 30 minutes ago: mouth barely hung open, eyes clouded over with a thick mist.

"What is it?" Junhui asked softly.

"Pigs..." Soonyoung blinked very slowly, then looked over to his friends and questioned, "Are they nice?"

They let out a sigh of relief.

"That's what he asks?"

"I thought he was dead!"

"Not dead, just... gone."

"That's not any better...!"

Ding-ding!

Once more, their conversation was cut short when Lee Jihoon, the newest regular, pushed open the entrance door and stepped inside. As they turned to watch him, the beams of sunlight that had been blocked out by the double doors filtered in, making him almost look like some sort of angel. The only things he was missing were his wings.

"Wow..."

"Seungkwan, you're catching flies."

"Shut up; no, I'm not."

"I will literally take a picture."

"You better not."

"Oh, yeah? Bet."

"What? Is this Uno or something?"

Jihoon, sending a simple smile their way, shut the door behind himself and approached the one that he had come to see--the one he always came to see: Soonyoung. It shocked him to find that the male, who was usually well aware of the world around him, was looking completely lost in himself. He was just standing there, staring straight ahead, his irises as foggy as a day in the rain.