Ganymede | Jicheol

Of darkness and tick-tocks

Song Recommendation:
Blame It on the Rain - He is We (recommended by @geumanji ('・ω・') thank youuuuu! i'm dedicating this chapter to you! ♡) 

Story/Concept by:
vousmecheols

Pairing:
Jihoon x Seungcheol • Jicheol

Words:
907

112416

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The clock read 5:25 am.

"May 35 minutes nalang tayo para mag-usap." Seungcheol informed him as he glanced at the clock sitting on top of a drawer. Nakasandal siya ngayon sa window sill habang si Jihoon naman ay nagbabasa ng libro sa study table niya.

"Bakit ka ba kasi nagbibilang ng minuto d'yan? Pwede naman tayong mag-usap kahit ilang oras natin gustuhin ah." Jihoon rebutted without looking up from the book. He heard the older one heaved a sigh and he couldn't help but smile a little bit at this.

Siya lang naman kasi ang gumagawa ng sarili niyang problema eh. Bakit pa niya kailangang bilangin ang mga minuto bago mag-umaga eh pwede pa rin naman sila mag-usap mamaya? Muntanga lang.

"Eh, papasok ka na kaya mamaya sa school. Tapos maiiwan na naman ako rito mag-isa," Pagmamaktol ni Seungcheol pero hindi pa rin tumitingin si Jihoon. But he could just imagine the older pouting right now. He always does that when he tries to gain the other's sympathy. "Alam mo bang sobrang boring dito 'pag wala ka? Wala naman akong ibang magawa. Pft." Tapos bumuntong-hininga ulit ito.

"Bakit kasi ayaw mong sumama sa'kin sa school? 'Di ba sabi ko naman sa'yong pwede ka roon? Papakausapan ko lang naman 'yung adviser o principal namin eh." Jihoon said, finally looking up. He found Seungcheol gaping out the window with genuine solemnness written all over his face.

Jihoon felt his heart sank.

"Kung pwede lang eh, edi sana hinatid-sundo pa kita?" Seungcheol said, looking back at him with a warm smile on his lips but his eyes said otherwise.

Ganito lagi ang set-up nilang dalawa. They would stay up all night and talk about all the little things in the world before the sun rises. 'Yun lang kasi ang tanging oras kung kalian sila nagkakasama. Dahil pagpatak ng 6:00 am, papasok na sa eskwelahan si Jihoon at babalik kapag gabi na. Pagkauwi naman nito ay marami pa siyang ginagawang mga homeworks kaya hindi siya ginagambala ni Seungcheol.

He would just wait in his room quietly until Jihoon finishes his works. Then before midnight, the latter would join him again.

Ang hindi lang talaga maintindihan ni Jihoon ay kung bakit hindi ito pumapasok sa eskwelahan niya eh gayong pwede naman siya roon kung sumabay lang ito ng enrol sa kaniya dati. Pwede rin naman yata kung ngayon eh. Ang kaso lang ay pinipigilan siya palagi ni Seungcheol. Kesyo ganito ganiyan.

Masipag naman ito, responsible, matalino. In fact, mas matalino pa nga yata ito kaysa kay Jihoon dahil palagi siyang nagpapaturo dito sa mga homeworks na hindi niya alam. So what's stopping him?

"7 minutes." Seungcheol whispered just enough for him to hear.

Pitong minuto nalang pala. He thought.

Jihoon watched him as he jumped from the window sill. Lumakad ito papunta sa kaniya at dahan-dahang kinuha ang libro sa kamay niya.

"Hoy, anong ginaga—"

Jihoon didn't have the chance to finish his sentence as Seungcheol leaned down then pulled his frame against his.

He was hugging him and Jihoon didn't know why but he found himself hugging the older back. Ilang beses na rin naman 'tong ginagawa ni Seungcheol pero bakit ganun? Hindi pa rin mawala-wala itong mga walangyang mga paniki sa tiyan niya kapag nagkakalapit sila?

Seungcheol finally let him go before ruffling his hair. "Umidlip ka muna bago ka pumasok. Buong gabi ka na nag-review eh." He chuckled. May exam kasi sila mamaya at isa ito sa mga mahirap na subjects para sa kaniya kaya naman panay ang review niya buong gabi.

Aangal na sana si Jihoon pero naputol ito nang bigla siyang humikab. Napatawa tuloy si Seungcheol.

"Tara na." Sabi nito at hinila si Jihoon papuntang kama. Wala na siyang nagawa kundi sumunod nalang dito habang papikit-pikit.

Everything got blurrier every minute. Siguro dahil na rin sa antok niya.

After Seungcheol tucked him into bed Jihoon closed his eyes, but he kept holding on to the hem of his shirt to keep him from walking away.

Hindi ba siya tatabihan nito gaya ng dati?

"Hm?" Seungcheol asked, looking back at him.

"May two minutes pa." Jihoon replied, glancing at the clock beside him. Napatawa nalang nang mahina si Seungcheol bago siya hinarap at ngumiti.

Once again, Seungcheol leaned down then placed his lips gently upon Jihoon's forehead as if saying goodbye.

"Matulog ka na. May klase ka pa mamaya." He whispered on his ears and Jihoon couldn't fight the lethargy anymore. The older's voice seemed like a lullaby hushing him to sleep.

"Mamaya ulit ah?" Jihoon said—his voice was barely a whisper.

Before he drifted to a deep slumber, he saw Seungcheol smile before saying, "Opo, mamaya ulit. Promise."

Then darkness.

--

Jihoon woke up with huge bags under his eyes. His hair was tousled and unkempt combined with his tired-looking eyes.

The clock read 5:58 am; his class starts at 6:30. He's supposed to rush things right now but for some reason, he just sat there, staring at the wall.

He tried to recall anything from last night but all he could remember was the numbers and formulas he memorized for his exam today. Aside from that, he couldn't remember anything else.

Just like his dream. He couldn't remember it as well...

...but judging from the tear on the corner of his eye, it must have been a quite sad dream.

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sighs