remember when we first met ? you said light my cigarette
Hongjoong sighed with tired eyes, raising his hand in attempt to wipe the tiredness from his being. His strawberry lollipop held firmly in between his lip and his head placed gently on his arm that rested on the desk in front of him.
In retrospect he should've been more responsible when it came to his sleep schedule. The strawberry haired boy staying up far passed the midnight hours along side his room mate jeong yunho. The two making a their insomnia a competition saying ' whoever slept first did the chores for a week'. Again not his smartest idea but at least now chores wasnt on his agenda for the following week.
He sat himself up in the chair fully, stretching his arms well above his head listening to the satisfying crack of his joints. Fellow classmates turning their heads over. Some outwardly expressing their annoyance, some brushing it off and others chuckling.
Joong liked it like this. It was the whole reason for him being in seoul in the first place. No one knew his name, no one knew his face. Not a single pre conceived idea of who he was based on his family origins And he liked that.
He liked passing by the same faces everyday and remaining unknown to them. Not having to worry about people sucking up to him once they found out he came from money and not rags.
His first and only class of that day came to a halt. The teacher dismissing her students wishing them the best of their weekends, reminding them their papers were due.
" hongjoong, can you stay after class a bit ?" He heard his professor ask him. Placing his books back into his bag he nodded. Slinging the black strap over his shoulder, sitting on one of the desk as he waited for his professors words.
"Recently ive been very impressed with your work." Hongjoong nodded waiting for her to continue " the end of the year show case is coming up, now normally i only nominate my seniors but the work you've shown has far surpassed my standards. For that i've nominated you as a contestant ."
Hongjoong was lost for words his mouth agape as he tried processing what he had been told. A wide smile plastered itself on his features. Hoping of the desk he bowed to his teacher before happily thanking her.
"I promise ms. Yoo, you wont regret this!" The teacher chuckled at the smaller boy's excitement.
" id better not, now if you'd excuse me i have somewhere to be. Oh and good luck hongoong." And with that she walked out of class. hongjoong nodded. walking out of the class behind her, a sudden pep to his step. not having to do chores in his dorm, having more than just ramen in his pantry, getting nominated for the end of the year showcase, happy was an understatement for him.
feeling joyous, he decided to take a longer way to his dorm. loving the way the sun felt on his skin. he kept his hands inside of his pockets his ear buds placed firmly in his ears. he unwrapped another strawberry lollipop from his bag, placing the sugary ball in his mouth.
the sun lightly touched and warmed his skin, the flowers from may almost all on the ground, constantly falling and blowing in the June wind. it wasn't to hot but it wasn't cold either if anything the warmth felt like wrapping yourself up under the duvet during winter when your room is slightly more chilly than the rest of the house.
or when you lie in front of the fire place during the holidays while you open the gifts your mother brought you the month before.
he sighed contently, the pace of his step slowing down when a small cabbage butterfly fluttered passed his peripherals. yeah, late spring was his favorite time of the year. he picked up his pace of walking once again when he noticed the familiar cream color of his dorm building.
"excuses me, do you have a light?" hongjoong looked up at the voice that he assumed Called out to him. first thing he noticed was a cigarette placed firmly in between the man's lips. he scoffed, his lips pursing together, pulling the lollipop out of his mouth hongjoong looks the man up and down.
he couldn't help but to notice how the guy's bright blonde hair was a complete contrast to the dark attire he sported. his skin was pale and what hongjoong assumed to be exhaustion was written all over his face. he hadn't even noticed he was staring until a scoff caused his eyes to shift back to the mans eyes.
he didn't look too amused.
"so do you or am I wasting my time with you?" the guy asked, his voice monotone almost like he was dead.
"y'know, cigarettes are ba-"
" look I didn't come here for a lecture do you have a damn lighter or not kid?" hongjoong flinched under the sudden harsh tone, suddenly feeling nervous under the strangers gaze he shook his head, gripping the strap of his back a little stronger now. once again the guy scoffed, rolling his eyes.
" so you just wasted three minutes of my life. thanks kid" the guy walks passed hongjoong, not forgetting to roughly bump his shoulder. the action catching hongjoong off guard, before he could catch his balance he felt himself harshly hit the ground with a thud.
he groaned, standing up dusting himself off. sure, he ass hurt now but he wouldn't let that ruin his good mood. he took a deep breath reminding himself that he shouldn't get down over one ass hole, that he should just enjoy the remainder of the day.
and so he did, he put his bright smile back on his face, proceeding to let his legs carry him back to his dorm room where he knew his best friend would be waiting for him as it was yunho's day off.
he smiled to himself once his hand turned the knob to his dorms door, knowing well enough that yunho would've left it open. he threw his bag down on the chair that rested lightly beside the door. maybe now was a good time to catch up on the sleep he missed last night. although at the current moment he wondered why no one had come to greet him.
usually when he returned from his Friday class, a mane of blue locks that belonged to a 6 ft boy would be the very first thing he was greeted with. he didn't ponder in it for much longer, finally looking up from his spot at the door only then did it dawn on him why he hadn't been greeted by his giant.
hongjoong loudly gulped, now aware of yunho sitting on the bed, hands folded, straight posture as he knees touched and the older stotic looking man who stood in his room. face void of any emotions as his eyes peered into hongjoong's soul.
" glad you finally decide to acknowledge my presence son."
_-_-_-_
hongjoong sat on his chair, eyes avoiding his fathers gaze. the tips of his two pointer fingers continuously tapping each other. yunho was excused from the room as hongjoong's father claimed that it was ' family business that did not concern others'. to say he was anxious was an understatement.
he was never the one to get along with his father. he left that more to his older brothers he instead got along better with his mother in turn taking after her. only time he and his father talked, as sad as it was, was only when it came down to business.
hongjoong well aware that after the college, a large part of the company would be handed him to him. although he wanted no part of it, just like his two older brothers, it wasn't up for debate. what daddy says, goes.
" are you just going to sit there, or are you going to acknowledge I exist?" his dad poured him a small glass of soju. the cherry haired boy shyly nodded, taking the glass, turning away from his father he threw back the glass. still struggling to make eye contact he put the glass back down.
" well since its apparent small talk with your father isn't your thing, I suppose I should explain why i'm here." hongjoong nodded silently praying that this could end quickly so he could at least recollect himself and sleep. but things don't work that way, at least not for him.
" well, an agreement was brought to my attention."
" what does that have to do with me?" hongjoong raised his eyebrow, only then being aware of the mistake he had just made. his father scowled at his for interrupting then proceeded to continue on. " as I was saying, an agreement with park enterprises has come to my attention. our two companies have been head to head for a while. but with Choi's new addition both of our sales have decreased. in order to fix that, we agreed on combining our companies."
hongjoong's breathing hitched, he didn't know much but he knew enough to see where this was going. if his day hadn't been ruined before, it was now. if anything his life from this point on was ruined.
" we agreed to marry off our youngest children. the deal is finale. you will meet his son at the court house this Sunday. I don't want complaints. after the wedding you are to move in with him do I make myself clear."
this was not what hongjoong expected, he expected the company to be handed over to him, not married off! he couldn't believe this, jin and taehyung were both allowed to find natural blossoming relationships.
how was this fair. did mother know about this? his breathing was caught in his throat, tears pricked behind his eyes. the once warm air he enjoyed suddenly felt suffocating. he didn't want to break down in front of his father. it was one of the mans biggest peeves seeing one his sons displaying weakness.
he was raising men. sadly as stated earlier, hongjoong took after his mother and with that came sensitivity. his father practically despised him for it. the man scoffed at seeing his youngest child biting back tears.
even after all the discipline the boy was still far too sensitive. unlike his oldest two who although upset would agree understanding the company came first. he walked over to the small boy forcing him to look at him. his hands roughly gripping hongjoong's cheeks as a look of disappointment painted his face.
" stop crying, men don't cry. now do as I tell you. at 10 am on Sunday you are to meet us at the courthouse. the agreement was finale." with that he let go of hongjoong's face with a push. walking out of the dorm room as yunho proceeded to walk in. the younger gasping upon seeing the tears hongjoong tried so hard to bite back. he quickly embraces the older allowing the older to cry despite how much he protested against it.
yeah. his day was definitely ruined.