Struggling to Stand | jhs ff

Chapter 4: Rice Cakes

June 2, 2014

"I- uh- I- I brought some rice cakes," I announce as I walk into the eating area. "You can have some if you'd like." This is how you make friends, right? Food?

"Ooh!" A couple of the guys' eyes widen at the bag in my hand. One reaches out and, with a small bow, takes the bag from me- I'm pretty sure that's V. I smile, and he gives a strange, pained smile back.

"Eat with us, Noon- Kenna," the guy says.

I look around at the seven chairs packed around the small table. I don't even know where a spare chair is. I start to shake my head. "Oh, I don't want to interrupt-"

"Please interrupt!" Suga says, "Otherwise we have to listen to either Hoseok talking about dancing or Seokjin-hyung telling stupid jokes.

"Yah! They are not stupid!" Wink- Seokjin pipes up.

Suga's eyebrows raise slightly in silent disagreement.

Namjoon nudges Hoseok, who he's sitting next to, and Hoseok stands up and walks away while Namjoon starts moving the chairs to make more space

"Did you know that there's a concert- Yoongi, be quiet!- Did you know there's a concert playing in Seoul next month, and it's only 45 cents?"

I look between Suga- Yoongi, who looks tired and disappointed, and Seokjin who stares at me with large eyes and a smile hiding right behind his lips.

"What do you mean?"

Seokjin clicks his tongue. "Nobody ever listens to me," he complains to doe-eyed Jungkook who is poking his bottom lip with his chopsticks as he stares off into space. "I said there's a concert next month for 45 cents."

"Why is it so cheap?"

"Because it's 50 Cent ft. Nickelback!"

"Nickelback's still touring?" I ask.

The table goes quiet and then erupts in laughter. I look around at the guys. Even Jungkook, though he's looking around in confusion, is laughing with his older members.

"Ah, what did I miss? Did Seokjin-hyung mess up the joke again?" Hoseok asks, carrying a chair with one noticeably-shorter leg. He sets it down and puts his hands on his hips.

"No, we just found out that Kenna is funnier than Seokjin-hyung," Namjoon explains.

"I- what?"

"Hey! No, Namjoon! She and I just compliment each other well," Seokjin protests.

Hoseok looks around with a slightly confused but amused look. He looks at me for an explanation, but I don't have anything. I shrug. "I don't know what they're talking about." I explain as I reach for the chair Hoseok brought me.

His hand shoots out and pulls it toward him "Please take my seat, this chair is a little- uh- it's a bit worn," he says, holding his hand out to the better-looking chair.

I sit down in the worn but not too wobbly chair as Sug- Yoongi berates his elder, "See, Seokjin-hyung? Your joke is so bad she doesn't even know it's a joke!"

"That means it's a good joke! You young guys know nothing about humor! You expect jokes to all be the same and all make sense. Too many memes for your little eyes! You need to grow up with real jokes and humor like me. Back in my day- ah- back in my day, we made our own jokes."

A snort of laughter escapes my mouth before I can clap a hand over my mouth.

"What?" Jin asks me.

I shake my head.

"Are you laughing at me talking about my younger days?" he accuses playfully. "Such disrespect from you young people nowadays! We were always respectful when I was young!"