Looks like it's September again. This can only mean one thing. It's back to school season.
Actually, it's the first day of school. 1 more year of school for almost everyone. They can do it.
Jungwoo woke up and almost went back to sleep. That is until he got a phone call from Doyoung.
"Yes?" asked Jungwoo, in a sleepy voice.
"Wake up! We're walking together, right?" said Doyoung.
"Yeah."
"Then hurry up. You have 10 minutes until I will come there and drag your butt to school."
"Oh, no. Fine. I'm getting up now. See ya!"
"Bye!"
Jungwoo fell back on his pillow. He groaned and then got up. He didn't really wanna go to school. He got used to sleeping all day.
What happened with Wen? Her dad got custody over her because he wasn't the one who tested positive for drug use; it was her mom. Wen is now back in China, living a happy life with her dad.
Jungwoo got dressed. He's not the type to try to go all out for the first day of school just to put little-to-no-effort for the rest of the year.He didn't even take a shower. Well, not like he has time anyway.
He left the house. He walked a bit until he finally found his friend, Doyoung. He waved at him.
"Hi!" said Doyoung.
"Hi! How are you feeling?"
"Well I had to put my alarm very early in the morning so I could be completely up by the time I had to start getting ready, so I only got like half an hour of sleep. The answer is tired."
"Jesus Christ, what time did you even go to sleep?"
"6 AM. My heart hurt a little when I set the alarm for 6:30 AM."
"Why didn't you go to sleep?"
"I was watching a k-drama."
"Like always."
"You don't understand. It got so intense, I couldn't just leave it."
"It's always this story. Which is why I'm terrified of you starting new k-dramas, like you did with this one and the other 200 ones you watched."
There was a second of silence. Until Doyoung broke it.
"So, when are you gonna tell Lucas?"
"I really don't know. And this thing that started as a little crush turned into something way bigger. Especially after taking care of Wen with him. It felt like Wen was our daughter and we were her parents, y'know?"
"Well, you need to tell him. Unless you want him to find out by himself in January and be mad at you for not telling him for a whole year."
"Well, I hinted at it but he still didn't figure it out."
"This is Lucas we're talking about. You could tell him something straight in the face and he still wouldn't get it."
"I know, right?"
Eventually, they arrived at school. It's been a while since they saw this building. None of them missed this view.
"This isn't neomu areumdaun- daun- daun- daun view." said Doyoung.
Jungwoo laughed.
And then they finally walked in the building. There were some new faces but some familliar. Way too familliar. Doyoung wishes those faces weren't familiar. Why, you ask? Because they walked in and saw Yangyang, their friend, trying to catch a fly in his mouth.
"What the fuck?" said Renjun.
"I was about to say the same thing." said Doyoung.
"Do you do this in Germany?" asked Lucas.
There was no response.
"Can I join in?" asked Hendery.
"Absolutely not." replied Kun.
Then Kun proceeded to say something in Chinese and made Yangyang stop.
They talked for a bit until they all arrived and the bell rung. They all took their schedules from their bags and went to the classrooms they were supposed to go to.
Jungwoo walked and walked until he reached his class. The first thing he noticed is that Doyoung is already sitting there. Seems like they're in the same class. And he must've taken a different route. A shorter one too.
Jungwoo obviously sat down next to Doyoung. He looks to the right and doesn't see any faces he should care about. However, he looks left and sees a face he will probably never be able to forget. Lee Dongho.
He makes eye contact with him and Dongho gives him a death glare. Of course, Dongho mouths "fag." to Jungwoo. He can't do anything but look away and pretend nothing happened.
"Looks like we're in the same class, huh?" said Doyoung.
"Yep!" said Jungwoo, putting one arm around Doyoung's shoulder.
Jungwoo expected Lucas to show up late, hoping they were in the same class again. But that wasn't the case. Jungwoo seemed to forget he isn't the main character in a really bull-shitty book. He's a human, going to school, like every average person. Needless to say, he was pretty disappointed.
Jungwoo's schedule says that his first class on a Monday is Geography. He doesn't like it but doesn't hate it either. He's kinda neutral.
Apparently, he has that lesson with Ten and Hendery. The whole lesson was just chaotic. Hendery somehow made a hole in the desk so he could stick a pen in that hole and call it a magic trick and Ten started doodling in the textbooks that they have to give back at the end of the year.
No sign of Dongho in this class so that's a relief. Jungwoo can finally breathe without being called gay.
Next lesson is Maths. The only annoying thing is that Jungwoo has to go from the first level to the 3rd. It's a pain in the ass.
He has that class with absolutely no one he knows. Not even Dongho. At least he can focus to the max.
Anyways, now it's break time. Because all 21 of them can't hang out in the same spot, they split. Hendery is hanging out with Xiaojun on the 3rd floor, Kun is in the library, probably studying and Jungwoo runs into Haechan, Ten and Doyoung all by themselves. This is an unusual trio. Especially considering that everyone in that group hates each other. The rest are probably in the usual spot or spread across the whole school.
"Where are you guys going?" asked Jungwoo.
"We're going to the cafeteria." said Doyoung.
Jungwoo tagged along.
There was a minute of silence. Until Haechan decided to break it.
"Chittapon? More like Chittaporn."
"Did I ask?" said Ten.
"You're just salty I'm right."
"Fuck you."
"I agree with Ten on this one." said Doyoung.
"Stop fighting y'all." said Jungwoo.
"Ah, yes. Zeus trying to make peace." said Haechan.
They walked together to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Of course, the person Jungwoo wanted to see the least, Lee Dongho, is there. He purposely bumped into Jungwoo's shoulder.
"Jerk. What's his problem?" said Doyoung.
"Gay. That's the problem." said Jungwoo.
"I do not see the problem here." said Ten.
"Of course you don't, fag." said Haechan.
"Donghyuck, you have a whole ass boyfriend."
"And? Did I say anything?"
"I just don't like you."
"Me neither."
"Stop it!"
Haechan got a slice of pizza, Ten and Doyoung got a sandwich and Jungwoo already had a packed sandwich. They sat down and started eating.
"How can you wash a shower? As in the shower head." said Ten. "Do you shower the shower?"
Jungwoo choked on the sandwich because he was laughing. Doyoung faced palmed himself and Haechan just looked at Ten with disbelief.
"Do you just make the water go up so then physics and gravity will do it's job and go down on the shower head and shower it?" asked Ten, being dead serious.
"Do you even hear yourself?" said Doyoung.
"Bruh, my sandwich got stuck in my throat because I couldn't chew on it properly because of you." said Jungwoo.
(cr to chitappon_forlife for the dilemma once again)
And that was the highlight of the day. As boring as ever. Well, until he got home. He came home to his mom sitting on the couch, looking like sje was waiting for him.
"Sit down." said Mrs Kim, patting the spot next to her on the couch.
Jungwoo gulped and sat down. He didn't know what was going on but he knew it wasn't good.
Mrs Kim sighed before she started talking.
"My, uhm, dear Jungwoo. Remember months ago when I told you I got fired?"
Oh no.
"Yeah?"
"I told you I woul get everything under control and that I'll get back on my feet before you know it. However, I lied."
There was a moment of silence.
"I have tried tp get a job but to avail. So, I am asking you to help me pay for the bills. I haven't been able to pay the bills since April. I have so much debt, it's crazy. I didn't wanna ask for your help since you're just a high school student. But don't think I forgot about that Lucas guy who's your soulmate. I'm still very disappointed about that."
Ouch.
"Then, what do you feel towards me? Love? Hatred?"
"I'm so embarrassed by the fact that my son, my only son and only child is gay. I still can't accept that you won't marry a woman. I worked so hard to keep you as straight as possible yet this happened?"
She went on and on like this.
This hurts.
"Anyways! I'll try my best to help you pay the bills."
"Will you? Oh my God, thank you so much, Jungwoo! I love you so much!" said his mom, hugging her son.
The hug was love-less. It was filled with greed and pretending. Anyone can put on a good act when they're desperate for something they want.
Jungwoo has fallen into this trap many times. His mom showers him in love and then spits in his face. He now knows that this means nothing. But he still loves his mom 'cause, y'know, she's his mom?
His mom kissed his forehead.
"Thank you, Jungwoo. This means so much to me."
She left and shortly after Jungwoo went to his room. His head was filled with thoughts. He's just a high school student with a part time job that he gets paid like 30 dollars.
You didn't have money to pay bills but you had money to buy alcohol and cigarettes?
He was mad but he still felt bad for his mom. That's just how he is.