Hanahaki Strings • seventeen jihancheol

Chapter 21: Revelation

Seungcheol

"So, how are you boys?"

I gulped nervously as my eyes met Mrs. Hong's. Her stare at me and Jeonghan was intimidating unlike the stares she's giving at Joshua, full of warmth and adoration. But her voice was soft, contrary to her gaze. However, that doesn't make me less nervous.

Jeonghan is just calm beside me. I am too but my insides were near to exploding.

Why am I so nervous of facing Joshua's mom when I don't even feel scared at a whole group ganging up against me?

Am I really insane?

But then again, she is Joshua's mom. My friend's mom. A friend of mine who experienced something horrible because of my delinquency.

And the guilt of it never left me at all. That must be the main reason why I'm so nervous in front of Mrs. Hong. I saw how furious she was when she saw Baekho. Even her husband can't calm him down. The sight of her furious face and her venomous voice was just so terrifying that it even got me scared.

"We're fine, Mrs. Hong. The results came out well. Joshua and Seungcheol alternatively aced all the exams!" Jeonghan happily announced.

Mrs. Hong looks delighted, but there's a slight pout on her lips which made her resemble Joshua's even more.

"Really, Josh?" She asked her son who choked on his food. Joshua looked embarrassed as his ear slowly turned red, but he nodded nonetheless. "Well, I wasn't even surprised! As expected of my son."

"He's my son too," Mr. Hong's voice suddenly erupted from the side. He was just quiet ever since we started eating. If Joshua got her features from his mom, he definitely got his appeal from his dad.

Hong genes.

Mrs. Hong raised an eyebrow at Mr. Hong's direction, "Shut up there, Jisung. I'm not talking to you."

"Aren't we fine already?" Mr. Hong whined like a child.

"Shut up, Ji. Act your age in front of the kids," Mrs. Hong sharply retorted at the old man who just pouted. Her eyes then darted to me, catching me off-guard as she asked, "You're Seungcheol, right?"

I absent-mindedly nodded, too nervous to form coherent words.

She lets out a smile, "Congratulations, sweetie. You did a great job."

I felt myself reddened in both embarrassment and gratitude. I wasn't used to talking with elders, more importantly being congratulated. So what she said caught me off-guard. She even called me 'sweetie'.

"T-thank you, Mrs. Hong." I stuttered.

Mr. Hong suddenly burst out laughing while Mrs. Hong's brows furrowed.

"M-mrs. Hong? Sounds so old, Hae Jin!" Mr. Hong exclaimed while laughing. One sharp glare from his wife made him shut his mouth and continue eating.

Rolling her eyes, Joshua's mom turned to me and Jeonghan, "Please just call me aunt. I feel so old when you address me like that. I'm not that old compared to that old man sitting there."

"Excuse me, we're just four years apart." Mr. Hong quickly defended himself.

"You're in your 50's already, I'm still in my 40's. You're older." Mrs. Hong replied.

"That doesn't make you younger."

"At least I'm not yet in my 50's."

"But you're still old."

We just watched silently as the two elders bicker around who looks much older.

Now I know where Joshua got his attitude of bickering around on nonsensical things. He got it both from his parents.