A Meaningful Sacrifice: One-Shots

Sister Issues, pt. I

The first night without Joonyeong is a restless one.

Cheongsan is sleeping soundly across the room. Who can blame him, when the love of his life is next door? But for Woojin, the absence of his boyfriend is acutely felt. Every night, they slept next to each other, holding each other in different ways, cuddling in different positions. Some nights, Joonyeong would run his fingers through Woojin's hair. Others, he'd just use Woojin as a teddy bear, which soothed Woojin in turn.

Now, Woojin has to learn to live without Joonyeong's touch. No matter how he positions himself, no matter how much he fluffs his pillows, he just can't get drowsy without it.

He wonders if Joonyeong followed his instruction to not open the birthday note till arriving home. Is he reading it now? Does he like what Woojin wrote?

"Happy birthday, Joonyeong-ah."

Woojin leans in, taking Joonyeong's mouth with his own. He presses against him, and Joonyeong grins through the kiss. Woojin pulls away.

"Here."

Woojin gives him a small envelope.

"Open it when you get home."

Joonyeong looks at him in wonder. It looks so adorable.

"Why? That's in two weeks."

Woojin gives his boyfriend a smirk.

"You'll see."

He thinks of the days he spent planning it out. He knew Joonyeong didn't want anything too special considering the circumstances, but he had to give him something. So, he devised a plan set precisely on the Saturday before they'd return to school:

A birthday date.

In the past, he went to Seoul many times for Hari's competitions. Because of this, he knows the city well. Since his parents usually gave him the option to stay in the hotel room, he took it, wanting to explore the city. During one of his adventures, he ran into his favorite idol from GOT7, BamBam, at a mall cafe. It was perhaps the first time Woojin experienced real attraction, and he wasted no time getting a pic. He was thirteen at the time. Five years later, he still remembers the cafe's name.

This cafe where he experienced something so profound is where he plans to take Joonyeong. As Joonyeong is Woojin's best friend and boyfriend, Woojin wants to share that part of himself with Joonyeong. With this, Woojin hopes Joonyeong will know that he trusts him and truly loves him.

When he still doesn't feel drowsy, he mutters, "Fuck it," and throws the sheet off. Then, he slips on his shoes and throws on a jacket, stepping out of the apartment. He heads down the hall, stepping onto the elevator when it comes, and presses the lobby button. As he rides down, he quickly checks his wrist to see if he's forgotten his bracelet, but he sighs in relief when he sees that he hasn't.

JANG WOO JIN
DOB - 2004년 9월 18일
M, 18Y / HYOSAN

Good. He can take a breath of fresh air.

The lobby is lit, but silent. His shoes squeak on the linoleum tiles. Quickly, he makes his way out the building, taking in the crisp air like he's taking a drag from a cigarette. He's about to turn and begin walking down the street when he's jumpscared instead.

"What the fuck?"

Jang Hari stands serenely, leaning against the wall with an actual cigarette hanging from her teeth. She seems peaceful, but knowing her, she carries much turmoil inside that small body of hers. At Woojin's exclamation, however, that peace is gone. She turns suddenly, the cig falling from her mouth to the ground.