the placebo effect ✘ jaywon

14: TURN TABLES

He hated him so much he wanted to cry. That he wanted to scream at his face. He hated him so much that he felt so much pain when he realized all their whispered promises were gone as fast as a blink of an eye.

Jungwon hated him. And Jaeyun, being his first everything, was also the first person to make him ever feel that way.

✘

"Riki!" Jungwon beams as Riki closes the door behind him. The younger instantly gets pulled in a bear hug.

Riki chuckles, letting go of his luggage as he holds Jungwon. "Hyung!!" Despite his taller height, he crouches down to rest his chin on Jungwon's shoulder. His black hair had silver highlights, nails painted black. His black printed t-shirt complimented his ripped jeans and accessories. It suited Riki so well like that, and despite his style evolving through the years, Riki still stayed the same. The same sweet, funny and confident friend Jungwon grew up with. And he had a distinct scent that never left, maybe the Nishimura family never changed their laundry detergent, and needless to say, he smells like home. Whatever it was, being with Riki feels like his childhood.

"Gosh, I missed you so much. You never visit that much anymore," Riki says, pulling away from the hug.

"Well... You know, college," Jungwon sheepishly says, helping Riki with his things as they settle his luggage against the wall near their bedrooms for now. "Sorry. I've been trying to visit, really, but sometimes my schedule is all packed and running."

"Yeah, I get it," Riki smiles a bit. "How are you?!" He chuckles, a box-like grin appearing as he pats Jungwon on the back, his arm sliding around his shoulder as he pulls him again for a side-hug.

"Good," Jungwon laughs softly.

Riki stares at him for a bit as he slowly nods, and Jungwon can tell that he's just glad he's doing alright after the breakup. Jungwon softly sighs before nudging him with his elbow. "Seriously. And... I'm dating someone now."

"Oh?" Riki's eyebrow raised and a teasing grin flashes in his face. "Whooo~?" He giggles, letting go of Jungwon as he gives him his 'TELL ME THE TEA, HYUNG!' face.

"It's a secret," Jungwon sticks his tongue out and they both go to the couch, sitting down beside each other.

"So mysterious," Riki jokes.

"Whatever. Enough about me," Jungwon shakes it off. "What's with all the luggage?"

"Oh, I'm actually staying here before my flight tomorrow," Riki says. "That's why I needed a place to crash in. Because I'll be leaving in the morning."

"Where to?" Jungwon curiously asks.

"Japan," he murmurs.

"Huh, really? What about school?"

"It's not like I'm having a vacation or anything. It's just a quick visit," Riki tells him, slowly nodding his head. He heaves a breath and says with a serious tone. "So, my grandfather's old man died."

"Jeez, what? Great granddad Riki?!" Jungwon exclaims, and it was always an inside joke to them about Riki being named after his grandfather's father who was still alive, until, well, recently, though now they couldn't bring themselves to laugh about it for obvious reasons.

"Yyyeah," Riki sighs, crossing his arms as he leans on the couch.

"Sorry," Jungwon frowns. "My condolences..."

"It's fine," Riki shrugs his shoulders. "I mean, he's very fuckin' old. Everybody was expecting it at this point. I'm gonna miss wrinkly great granddad Riki though. It's gonna be weird not seeing him there in Japan when we visit again."

Jungwon nods, patting his shoulder comfortingly.

"Anyway... So tell me about this new boyfriend of yours!" Riki grins, eyebrows raising up and down. "Is he hot~?"

"Well," Jungwon laughs a little, scratching his head.

Just as he was about to say something again, knocks erupt from the door. Riki stands up, "must be Sunoo-hyung," he says with a voice tinged with excitement, and he runs up to the door and swings it open.

"Jungw-" Jay stops when his eyes meet Riki's. He was expecting to see Jungwon, not some emo boy. An emo boy who looks incredibly familiar...

"Wait! You!" Riki's jaw drops and he looks back at Jungwon on the couch and again at Jay. "Y-you! What are you... Oh my god. You two... YOU TWO GOT TOGETHER?!"

Jay sheepishly smiles when he remembers Riki back when they were kids. After all, it was Riki who became the reason for their first encounter together. Where it all started.

"Oh god," Riki steps back to allow Jay in, but his sole intention of doing that was so he could pace around the room while dramatically taking deep breaths. "Jungwon always used to complain about you. Always rolled his eyes when you two met. And now you guys are swapping spit?!"

"Riki!" Jungwon groans as he rubs his face with his palm, embarrassment filling in.

"Yeah," Jay proudly tells Riki, and Jungwon resists the urge to glare at him because no, they're not swapping spit, and also, Jay's staring at him with a huge grin, finding the whole situation hilarious.

"Oh my god! That's so," Riki pauses for added dramatic effect, "enemies to lovers shit!"

"I know right," Jay sits down beside Jungwon and puts an arm over his shoulder, while Riki sits on the chair in front of them.

"How did it happen?" With widened eyes, Riki looks at them, eager to know all there is to know.

"Well, you know," Jay shrugs.

"Oh my god!!" Riki squeals and stands up, pacing around the room again as Jungwon facepalms.

Jungwon finally stops covering his face and glances at Jay who looks at him back, giving him a little glare. "Why are you here?" He mutters.

"I told you I wouldn't make you miss me too much, didn't I?" Jay grins.

Before Jungwon can retort, Riki once again sits in front of them and crosses his arms. "Okay, but how do I know you're not actually faking it? What if you guys are just messing with me?"

The two glances at each other as if they just communicate telepathically. 'Damn, how does this kid know?' Jay thinks to himself.

"What makes you think that?" Jungwon asks, as if Jay's mind got read.

"I mean, c'mon, it's sooo random, dude. I mean, I just didn't think you two would hit it off well," the younger says, running his fingers through his hair. "But you could prove that wrong, though," he raises his eyebrows up and down, a huge smile forming on his face.

Jay glances at Jungwon who also does the same, Jungwon shrugging his shoulders. Jay sighs, muttering softly, "okay, well, what do you want us to do?" By his question, it looks as though Riki's huge smile widened, if that was even possible. Jungwon knows this face- he calls it the Riki's Grinch face, and he knows whatever Riki is about to say now is something he'd very much enjoy menacingly.

"Kiss!" And there it was, Riki's loud laughter as he looks at them expectantly, and Jungwon swears he almost fell off the couch and Jay looks at him with wide eyes.

Riki crosses his arms, looking at them with anticipation. "Well? I'm not kidding around. I mean, if you two really are a couple, you two should totally kiss. Come on!"

"Is he serious?" Jay murmurs under his breath, and Jungwon could only gulp.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Riki chants.

The two stare at each other, eyes screaming for help.

"Kiss, kiss!"

It seems like Riki's not letting them go anytime soon.

a/n ::

i got super busy 😢 ANYWAYS i didn't proofread this. MISS U GUYS