Yihai couldn't believe himself thinking this but he missed school. At least there he could meet more people his age and try and see if he could find a friend. Tho he didn't think he would find anyone like Jian. He missed his best friend.
Jian was really the best he could ever ask for, and Yihai wasn't even sure he deserved a friend like him.
He'd met him when they just moved to Hong Kong and he was enrolled in a new school. Yihai was an angry little child then (still is) that was always invited to the teacher's desk after every class to settle whatever trouble he'd caused.
He didn't know how it happened, but his memory of being close to Jian started when he pushed Jian out of his way because he was being to slow to pack his books into his power rangers themed bag and Yihai was extremely hungry and needed to go eat. The other male had fallen and scraped his knee on the edge of a chair.
He didn't cry but he looked pained, apologizing to Yihai for blocking his way. An apology that made the hungry boy feel extremely guilty that he stuttered out his own apology.
Somehow from there, they started hanging out and Jian had always tolerated Yihai's violent temper when it occurred whereas others ran from him.
Yihai however did promise to try and tone down his temper like a million notches down when one day when he was fifteen after a fight with his father about his career path. His old man had wanted, like every other business father, him to handle the family business right after college but Yihai wanted to do music.
They'd fought over it, his father telling him how very useless and trivial his dreams were, that he was just following the thrill of the current youth. That he would soon pass through that phase.
Yihai had been trying to convince him that it wasn't a phase. Tell that to the hundreds of sheets where he poured out his heart. Tell that to the feeling of accomplishment he got when he composed a new rap beat.
He'd gone straight to his second home; Jian's house, which was starting to feel like his real home anyway. They were alone and he was furious, his temper taking over him.
There was this ceramic figurine of a cat that was very heavy and Jian had gotten it from his mother. He treasured it so much. But violent Yihai didn't as he, out of anger, frustration and pain launched it randomly across the room. Tho it wasn't random as it got Jian's shoulder, dislocating it immediately.
The ceramic cat had shattered once it hit the floor, along with Jian who was holding his shoulder in pain, eyes squeezed shut. It was so severe they had to go to the hospital where Jian lied that he fell.
Yihai knows he doesn't deserve a friend like Jian who keeps up with all his shits no matter how much he'd hurt him. And he hurt him a lot because that day he took away important things from him.
That day Yihai took away two things;
The last gift of a mother to a son. And the dreams of someone who wanted to make it to the Olympics.
Jian had wanted to be a professional swimmer. He was in the school swim team and was undoubtedly the best they had.
But because of the severe dislocation, he had to drop out of the team and forgo his dreams because the doctor said it would be far more worse if he continued the sport.
Yihai still hasn't forgiven himself till this day. He promised himself that he wouldn't ever lose control again, even tho that was difficult to keep.
Maybe he didn't even deserve his own dreams, cos he took away another's.
No. Not maybe.
He did not deserve chasing his dreams.
Two weeks inside the house was the boiling point for Yihai to finally feel suffocated and want to desperately meet the outside world once more. He headed out in simple black slacks and red, white checkered shirt with simple flip flops. The cool autumn weather was tolerable enough, and nice enough for a walk. When Yihai headed out the house and started making the long journey to the gate with no one stopping him, he wondered where in the world he was going because the mansion was situated miles away from civilization. He may probably even get kidnapped by cannibals and no one would ever know. He shook the thought out his head when, ten minutes later he got to the gate and the gateman paid not much attention but a short glance as he pressed a button and the single gate for people to pass slides open. Yihai walked out. He stretched immediately he was outside the house, smiling at the golden colors of the miles and miles of trees around him. He shut his eyes and appreciated the light b
"Okay Jaesung, who are you?" Yihai asked. Jaesung frowned, but still answered anyway. "I just said I'm Kim Jaesung." Yihai raised his face to the sky and released a breath then looked back at him. "I mean your identity, who-" Suddenly Jaesung's eyes went wide and he pointed behind Yihai, shouting. "Look! A Phoenix." Yihai did look back but then frowned as he turned back, realizing something and feeling utterly stupid. "Phoenix's don't-" He was met with Jaesung offering him a huge ass red apple with a really cute laugh that his ears liked the sound of. "You fell for it. Here, let me be a good host. Welcome." Yihai was wary but he collected the apple, rolling it around in his palms. "You didn't answer my question." Jaesung grinned as he went deeper into the woods. "I'm Kim Jaesung the first, son of queen mother Jeongyeon." Yihai wanted to bite something at how frustrating Jaesung was as he followed him, his steps tentative and slow while Jaesung kept greeting every bird he saw wi
They arrived at a tiny waterfall with a beautiful lake glistening in the evening sun. Jaesung had taken Yihai's hands again and led him up some small rocks as the gingerly made their way behind the water fall. There was a small cave there. The evening sun reflected an orange light in and it smelled like damp dust, but not too bad. "This is my favorite place to watch the sunrise or sunset," Jaesung said. "It's beautiful through the waters." Yihai looked out through the waterfall and was captivated by how beautiful the rays of the sun looked through it. "It's good." Jaesung found a dry patch of ground and sat down while Yihai stood awkwardly, toeing at the ground. "How was China? "It's good," Yihai said then corrected himself as he sat down beside Jaesung, watching the dimming sun through the waterfall. "It was good." "You changed a lot, Yihai," He could feel Jaesung's stare burning into the side of his face. "You're nicer for a start." Jaesung laughed, a melodious sound Yihai w
Yihai being the rebellious child he was had not come downstairs for dinner with his dad and stupid business partners but instead he stayed locked up in his room, chatting with Jian on Line. He was informed that his ex-girlfriend, Irene had moved on with a senior, Sicheng. Not that he really cared anyway. If anything, he was happy she found someone who liked her because he didn't have an ounce of feeling towards her during their depressing relationship. After his chat with Jian, he tried to replay the sound of Jaesung's giggle-like laughter in his head. There was nothing weird about it, right? He just loved the sound of another human's laughter. The next day, some maids had brought in numerous sets of a school uniform for him. Apparently, his dad had already registered him in a notable prestigious school he had a satisfying share in. Yihai couldn't be any more happier to start school. Which explains why the next Monday he was ready by 6am and too nerve wracked to eat breakfast. H
When they got into the school's huge silver gates, Jaesung grabbed his bag and got down first and went ahead into the building without glancing at Yihai who felt infuriated and disappointed at the same time. He got down also, slamming the door and angrily adjusted his bag on his shoulders. It was his first day at school and he knew he'd broken at least seventeen rules in the school book. His shirt was flown out and a button undone, revealing his white undershirt, he was wearing a chain bracelet on his wrist, his hair still had leftover silver dye, he was wearing hazel contacts but he was going to lie and say he had an eye problem. At least he was early and there was no disciplinarian teacher outside yet. Class 5C was where he was placed and he managed to find it without asking anyone for directions. The class was noisy when he entered with half the girls taking selfies while making weird faces and noises at the phone. The boys were the ones making the most noise, hollering loudly
"I already don't like the new guy." Saint declared during Lunch in the cafeteria, writing some lyrics into his notebook and ignoring the tasty bibimbap in front of him because he was planning to go for an audition and looking good is one of the necessities. "He acts too snobbish." "Everyone in this school acts snobbish," Minsoo sighed as he ate and went through his phone at the same time. "His own is on a whole new level," Saint tsked disapprovingly. "First day in school and he's already picking a fight with Yejun and Jay. Who does that?" "I heard Yejun bumped into him first." Minsoo said. Saint dropped his pen exaggeratedly and faced Minsoo. "Why are you siding with him?" Minsoo shrugged, "He looks good." "You're siding with him cause he looks good?" "And his dad is Chairman Wong." "Screw that." Saint said and faced Jaesung who has been quiet the whole while. "Why did you stand up when Yejun grabbed Lucas' shirt? Like you wanted to go join in the fight or something." Minsoo p
The rest of the day was uneventful for Yihai and apart from two girls having a little cat fight because they were in different fandoms (and that somehow meant naturally hating their guts) nothing interesting happened. Junho and Changmin had gone back to their class after lunch with a little "see you later" but it's school over and Yihai hadn't seen any of their shadow.Yeah, he somehow wished they were around because they were the only people who seemed not to dislike him. Changmin especially tho. He didn't know what was wrong with Junho. Jaesung hadn't returned to class after lunch so it was pretty much only Yihai sitting alone with some guy in front he didn't know subtly looking back at him and sighing dramatically. So now it was school over and Yihai was packing his already doodle-and-lyrics-filled notebooks into his bag when someone approached him, sitting in the chair in front of him, facing him. "Lucas, right?" The guy with a little accent asked and Yihai eyed him without ans
They'd walked home together the previous day. Talking about anything and everything.Jaesung was the most enthusiastic one, asking Yihai everything about his life in China. How his school was? Okay. Did he have a lot of friends? Only one. A girlfriend? A few but the one before he came to South Korea was the longest.Yihai also did find out that the other was a little bit older than him, with months. He had a part time job somewhere that closes late at night, tho he didn't specify. And he had a girlfriend at school.That last piece of information had Yihai feeling something he couldn't understand. It was like his heart dropped from the highest building in the world and fell onto the cold hard floor in a sad lump.Like earlier said, he didn't understand why he felt like that. But he did not like it.It didn't help that Jaesung promised to introduce him to her tomorrow at school.Yihai had shrugged in response.When they'd