Blackmail / jicheol

11 √ to daegu

Yoongi revealed that bit. He said Seungcheol's parents have been divorced for a long time now. Eto ang nagpapaliwanag kung bakit nasa States ang mama ni Seungcheol samantalang nasa Daegu naman ang papa nito. Why they separated was something that involves Seungcheol. Hindi ito sinabi ng diretso ni Yoongi, pero alam ni Jihoon na may kaugnayan dito ang dahilan ni Seungcheol kung bakit ayaw nitong umuwi ng Daegu.

"Si Seungcheol ang dapat magsabi sa'yo niyan, hindi ako." Yoongi said.

"Dahil ba sa kanila kaya ka maraming nai-b-blackmail tungkol sa'kin?" Seungcheol's tone was still serious, Jihoon was starting to feel unnerved.

"No. Walang kinalaman ang mga pinsan mo sa naunang arrangement natin."

It was Seokmin spilling all the juicy information about Seungcheol.

Hindi na nagsalita pa si Seungcheol pagkatapos n'on. Jihoon decided to shut up as well. Seungcheol looked like he was contemplating on something else so he decided to leave him alone. Ipinokus na lang muna ni Jihoon ang kanyang atensyon sa dumaang scenario sa labas ng tren. 

Unti-unting napalitan ng mga puno at bundok ang mga gusali ng lungsod sa labas. For a moment, Jihoon was fascinated at the unfolding scenes before him, his mouth slightly gaping at the new sight of the mountains he only sees in travel magazines. Matagal na ring panahon simula n'ong huli siyang makakita ng mga bundok at ganito karaming mga puno. He's been in Seoul most of his life, despite being originally from Busan. 

Seungcheol didn't say a word after an hour. 

Nang dumating na ang tren sa Dondaegu Station, nagsilabasan na ang mga tao. They were a lot, even though it's a weekday. The crowd set up an imaginary sense of haste in the atmosphere that Jihoon thought they were on a race to get off the train. Nang maisuot niya ang kanyang malaking backpack na dala, hindi na niya makita si Seungcheol sa paligid. The current of the people skidding towards the exit pinned Jihoon back to his. Sinubukan niyang tumingin sa paligid para hanapin ang nakakatanda pero hindi niya ito makita. 

When Jihoon managed to get off the train in one piece, he started to panicked. Hindi naman sa hindi niya kaya ang sarili. Nasanay kasi siyang may kasama sa lahat nang panahon. Now that he's alone and in a new, foreign place . . . he felt that vague sense of panic he had lot forgotten. 

Jihoon's first instinct was to stop and curl in one corner to wait. But that doesn't seem to work here with all these people, so he went along the majority of the passengers while whipping his head around on the lookout. Hindi nahagip sa mata niya ang pamilyar na tindig at pigura ng lalaking kanyang hinahanap kaya sa bawat hakbang na ginagawa niya, palaki nang palaki ang kanyang nararamdamang kaba. 

He could always board another train home. He could. But that option would be for the worst-case scenario. Plus, ayaw naman niyang isipin ni Seungcheol na tinakasan siya nito. 

He has money, on the bright side. He can hop on a cab. Kailangan lang niyang makapunta kung saan pwedeng kumuha ng cab. 

But no, he didn't know where to go so the cab's out of the options. 

Seungcheol was still nowhere to be found. 

Kinapa ni Jihoon ang kanyang bulsa at napagtantong may cellphone nga pala siya. He was about to fish it out when a strong hand gripped his arm forcefully and whipped him around. 

There stood a flushed Seungcheol who was panting as if he'd just run a mile. 

"Nakita rin kita!" hinihingal na wika nito. His hold on Jihoon's arm was still tight, as if he's afraid to let go of it. "Saan ka ba nagsusuot?!"

"H-Hey," Jihoon greeted lamely with a small smile. Unti-unting napawi ang kanyang kaba hanggang sa napalitan ito ng saya nang makita ang mukha ni Cheol.