that boy | hwang hyunjin | ✔

Chapter 40

Friday arrived soon, the week went by pretty fast. And it was a good week, undeniable.

Within a few days, everything with Hyunjin started to feel so familiar. It almost feels like he's been with us forever, as if he's always been there even though it has been roughly three weeks. It might be the way how Felix adopted him as a long lost best friend, reminding me of his speech about friendship at first sight.

Every aversion I felt towards Hyunjin is gone. There's nothing left of that barrier that shut him out for so long. He's almost like a good friend to me now, completely different from what it was before. I like his company, something that still amazes all three of us.

The only thing I have yet to come to terms with are the weird feelings that being around him cause.

But I guess that's only a matter of time.

Now it's Friday after dinner. Today was just another day of goofing around with the boys and making weird faces to the girls that still claim Hyunjin belongs to them. We also had Maths today, and Hyunjin managed to explain something in a way that even I understood it. Now the boys are at the local arcade. They asked me to come with them but I declined. It was a difficult decision but I had to do the Math homework before Hyunjin's explanation leaves my mind again.

I'm sitting on the old couch in the living room, softly nibbling on the end of my pen as I stare at the Math problems sprawled out on the coffee table in front of me. To be honest, half of what Hyunjin told me has slipped from my mind already so I still have a hard time. But at least it's going better than usual, give me some credits for that. 

I can concentrate pretty well in the quiet and sober living room and I'm making good progress. But that changes when I hear the front door open and a loud bang comes from the hallway.

Oh no.

The door to the living room opens and my mom enters, wearing the baggy grey sweatpants she keeps for her shopping trips. She throws two bags in the corner before coming over to me, looking over my shoulder to see what I'm doing.

"Hi mom," I lifelessly greet her.

"Since when are you doing Math homework?" she asks, her tone suspicious. "I thought you suck at Math."

"My teacher explained a lot," I blatantly lie. "Now I can do at least this."

"Good for you," my mom shrugs, before snatching my textbook from the table. "Now stop this nonsense and go to the convenience store for me."

I stare at my mom in shock as she throws the textbook on the couch behind me as if it's nothing. She glares back, not pleased with the lack of action coming from me. I open my mouth a few times, trying to come up with something to protest. But as her glare intensifies, I avert my eyes, muttering a soft okay.

When my mom is like this, I don't have the guts to stand up against her. I have no idea whether she drank or not, but judging from the slight slur in her voice, she did. And with drunk people, one shouldn't take the risk. She's never hit me or hurt me in another physical way but that's probably because I'm really careful.

I guess Hyunjin has to repeat his explanation.

"What do you need," I deadpan," slowly getting to my feet.

"A new lighter," she orders, grabbing a bit of money from her pocket and handing it to me. "I lost my old one today and using the stove to light my cigarette sucks."

Keeping my expression neutral, I take the money from her. One glance at it is enough to know that it's by far not enough and I have to use my own money again. But I don't say anything, not wanting to piss her of when she's in a mood like this. I just have to deal with it, I guess.

My mom grabs the remote for the TV and plops down on the couch. The last thing I see before I disappear into the hallway is how she snickers as she looks at my attempts to solve those Math problems, and I heave out a heavy sigh once I closed the door behind me.

It's cold and dark outside and I immediately regret not taking my scarf with me. Cold chills run down my spine as I dig my chin in the collar of my coat. It's not like it helps a lot but at least it's something.

Tonight escalated quickly. From working on my homework in peace in the comfortable warm living room, to basically being kicked out into the cold to run some errands for my mom who stopped caring about me, life and education a long time ago.

What a night.

I let out a humorless laugh as I stuff my hands inside my pockets, gaze cast downward as I stroll over the sideways. Most people would feel uneasy in this darkness, the streets empty and only illuminated by the dim light coming from the streetlights. I used to be scared, too. But it happens so often that I'm used to it by now.

It happens so often that even the old lady working this shift at the convenience store knows my name. That says a lot, doesn't it?

This situation isn't something to laugh at. But somehow, I find it hilarious and I smile wryly. The irony, the idiocy, the fact that it shouldn't be like this but still is. The way how it's always the same with my mother.

The fact that I can't wait until monday.

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Can we please appreciate how freaking beautiful this male is  ;_;