HEART ATTACK

scene eight: chan's birthday

"I just finished repairing the engine. Try not to blow it out too much next race."

"Thank you, Minho," Chan thanked his friend as the two observed the motorcycle that had just been repaired. "I'll try not to, but that's how I pay the bills."

"Yeah, trust me. I know," Minho retorted, rolling his eyes. "So are you free to go out to the bar with me, Sungie, and Hyunjin tonight?"

Chan mentally gagged at the nickname.

"Nope," Chan sighed, knowing that Minho would be on his case for this.

"Why not?" Minho asked, taking an old rag from the table next to him to wipe off some excess oil from his wrench. "You've missed 3 outings already."

"I know and I'm sorry," Chan apologized. "But I have to visit Jeongin today."

"Him again?" Minho groaned, not unaccustomed to hearing this excuse. "We haven't seen you in weeks, man. I like the kid, but we miss you, hyung."

"I know, I know," Chan responded exasperatedly. 

He truly did feel bad for neglecting his friends, but Jeongin was important to him as well. 

"I feel bad, incredibly bad, but I just can't not go and visit him, Minho. He's expecting a surgical operation next week on his heart. I know he doesn't like to talk about it, but he doesn't know if he will survive or not. 

"I need to spend these moments with him before we don't have them anymore. 

"Please, Minho. Please understand."

"Fine, but tomorrow is your birthday," Minho reminded him, wagging his finger. "You're gonna be 21, which means you'll be a total of four years older than him."

"Yeah, I know Minho," Chan rolled his eyes. "I can count."

"Hey, fuck you," Minho slapped him on the back of the head. "I'm looking out for you."

"You're looking out for me because you want to collect money after my races," Chan retorted, nudging Minho back in retaliation. "Didn't Jisung ask you to stop gambling at races so much?"

"I'm not doing that as much anymore," Minho scoffed. "And you know that I care about what happens to you. We've been friends since you arrived here and I found you smoking in my usual spot. 

"I know you shouldn't be in jail, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," Chan nodded, reluctantly agreeing. 

He was tired of Minho arguing about his friendship with Jeongin, but he decided to just agree because he knew that if he continued to persist, Minho wouldn't give up his argument.

"You got a light?" Minho asked, holding out a new cigarette. 

Chan nodded and took out a lighter from his jacket pocket, tossing it casually at Minho, who lit his cigarette with ease.

"You know, Chan," Minho said as he exhaled the toxic fumes. "I'm happy for you, really I am. You're happy and I don't want to be the person to squash that, but I still care about you. 

"We usually get off scot free for stuff because we only stay within our own circle, but now that you've broken out of it, you're left at risk. 

"I know it sucks to be confined to one circle of people, especially when you do it to survive, but it's the shitty world we live in, isn't it?