"You look just like the boy I saw in my dreams." Jisung jabbed a finger at the blonde's chest.
He certainly wasn't expecting the other to grab his hand, wrapping his fingers on top of Jisung's.
"Dreams?" A small smirk edged the corners of his mouth...
Before he knew it, Jisung was standing on the platforms that lined the mansion.
Why do I always find myself here?
With his socks and shoes in hand, he ascended the steps. The air was chilling down by the water, but he didn't mind. The goosebumps felt refreshing—a break from the usual heat.
On his way over, he'd stopped by the mudflats, and sure enough, there was his missing sneaker. So now he had to manage carrying three shoes around. It wasn't the most convenient, but it wasn't like he had another choice.
Jisung used his free hand to push open the gate, although he didn't really need to do that considering it had already fallen off its hinges. Still, he'd open it the correct way, just to be polite.
He passed through the garden, reminiscing about his make-out session with Minho. He really wanted to kiss him again, but first, he had to find him.
Jisung sauntered over to the double doors, peering in through the glass. To his dismay, it was empty. He vividly remembered the back room to be prim and polished, but once more, the tiles were broken and the sofas were covered in white sheets.
All hope drained from Jisung as his smile morphed into a frown.
I don't think I'll see Minho today.
And so he decided to head back home, possibly trying again later.
✧
When Setsu spotted him moping about the house with nothing to do, she suggested Jisung join her in the garden. He really had nothing better to do, and so he took her up on her offer.
It was nice to be in the sun, and it felt a bit rewarding to break out into a sweat because of manual labor. The sun shone down on his neck as he worked, trimming the weeds that were beginning to sprout close to the strawberry bushes.
Setsu was harvesting some more tomatoes, as they'd grown plenty this season. She offered one to Jisung, allowing him to take a small break. He graciously accepted the fruit, biting down into it and ripping a piece of it with his teeth. It was big, red, and juicy. It felt cool in his mouth and very refreshing.
"Wow." Jisung murmured, which in turn made Sestu laugh.
"Not only are they giant, they're sweet and delicious too." She bit down into her own tomato, wiping the juice with the back of her gardening glove.
And she was right. He'd never tasted a tomato this good before. They definitely did not grow like that in the city.
He allowed himself to relax for a few moments, appreciating all the hard work he'd just done. The garden looked a lot neater now and less overgrown. Maybe Setsu would reward him with an ice cream bar.
Jisung fixed the baseball cap he was wearing, making sure the sun didn't directly shine in his face. With a lazy grin on his face, Jisung got back to work, kneeling in the grass and snipping away at the weeds.
✧
Setsu had called it a day when the heat had become too much. The two of them retired back inside, and they were now preparing a delicious lunch. Jisung wasn't sure where Kiyomasa had gone, but he didn't bother asking. He was busy in the kitchen now, chopping up the tomatoes they'd just harvested and turning them into a nice salad.
Setsu was boiling some noodles, and the steam that rose from the pot filled out the room, only adding to the heat. They did have air conditioning in the home, so a small electric fan was rotating on top of the fridge, set to the highest power.
Jisung had complained about his bangs being overgrown, and so Setsu gave him a set of clips he could use to pin back the strands. And so now, a pretty pink heart clip kept the hair from getting in his eyes.
He chopped up the tomato with precision he didn't know he had. Jisung hadn't bothered to learn how to cook, and his auntie never let him near the stove, much less let him wield a knife.
Setsu shuffled closer to Jisung, observing how he cut. "You're good with the knife."
Jisung couldn't help but flush. Compliments made him weak and flustered, but they also boosted his self-esteem. "Thank you."
Setsu smiled at him, returning to the stove and giving the noodles a gentle stir. "You're so polite, Jisung-kun."
Really?
He didn't think he was, but he wasn't about to argue with Setsu. "My daughter could learn from you." She let out a soft laugh, placing the lid back on the pot.
Isn't her daughter twice my age?
He continued to dice the tomatoes, and once that was done, he'd begun to wash the lettuce, which also came from Oiwa's garden.
"I remember when you first came to Yoriko's place, Jisung-kun." He watched as she poured chicken stock into the noodle mixture.
Jisung himself didn't remember much about when he moved in with his auntie, only a little before that and after. "She was so ecstatic."
Jisung frowned, guilt blossoming in his chest. He felt bad about his relationship with his auntie, unsure of where they stood.
"She said she wanted to make up for the five years she didn't have with you, Jisung-Kun."
He hummed in response, not knowing what to say. Setsu didn't know about the complications he and his auntie had. They'd once been so close, but as he grew older, they'd grown distant.
"So she thought of all kinds of things to teach you."
It was different hearing someone else besides himself speak about his auntie. It made Jisung realize that not everyone had bad experiences with her. Maybe it was just him. He set the bowl of lettuce down in the sink, matching as his reflection wobbled in the water.
"I think your knife skills must have been one of those things." Little did Setsu know, his auntie would've thrown a fit if she knew he'd been allowed to use a knife. It took every bit of willpower for Jisung not to start crying. He desperately blinked back tears, not wanting to cry in front of Setsu.
Where did I go wrong? How come she doesn't love me anymore?
"But she worried too much." Setsu tutted, lowering the heat of the stove. "Always calling me for help."
Was I really that much of a burden?
Jisung didn't want to hear anymore. He wanted to lie down in bed and let his pillowcase soak up his tears.
"When I told her I was busy, she'd start pouting."
Setsu noticed that Jisung was beginning to space out. She frowned, watching the boy.
"Oh, I shouldn't share this about your mother."
She was never really a mother to me.
End of Chapter 17 ◂⊱✧⊰▸
Oops! Această imagine nu respectă Ghidul de Conținut. Pentru a continua publicarea, te rugăm să înlături imaginea sau să încarci o altă imagine.
TBC c:
authors note 2/24/24: poor jisung. minho actually needs to come comfort him rn
