Hyunjin watched Changbin run to the bus Friday morning, papers spilling out of his backpack as he attempted to zip it up. In the dim light, his hair had the effect of a porcupine, and his shoelaces flopped freely with every step.
As if it was a tradition, the bus had waited a good five minutes before he had made an appearance, backing out of his house and yelling things to the inhabitants inside. Hyunjin wondered what was going on inside that always made Changbin look like a mess. He was never fully ready, and today was no exception, but he had the right lunchbox. Not that he would sit in the cafeteria again. The weather looked a bit better today.
Eventually Changbin's head popped over the dark blue barrier separating the stairs and the seats. His backpack was finally in its proper place, but the rest of him screamed of a bad night. Hyunjin hoped he wasn't the cause of it, but when Changbin's body dramatically collapsed in on itself the moment he made eye contact with Hyunjin, the guilt rushed through Hyunjin's body.
Changbin walked briskly down the aisle of the bus and fell into the seat beside Hyunjin. In a swift motion, he whacked the back of Hyunjin's head and crossed his arms. Hyunjin sputtered out some incoherent words at the sudden attack, but was quickly cut off.
"Where were you last night?"
"I-"
"We thought you died!" He practically yelled. "Felix was so worried! He texted you like a hundred times and then tried to call you, but your phone was off! What were you even doing?" Hyunjin hung his head at the scolding.
"I got caught." Changbin paused.
"Really?" Hyunjin swallowed dryly and bobbed his head. "How?"
Hyunjin thought back to last night. It was really stupid. He had set up his room like normal, bed covered in school supplies, homework mostly done, school uniform sprawled on the floor. Nothing suspicious or out of place. If a parent were to see it, it would look like he had simply stepped out for a second in the midst of doing his homework. He even went as far as to put on the radio. However, all his hard work went to waste the moment he began to climb out the window. He only got one foot out the window before his mother barged into his room with a plate of cookies.
To say she was shocked was an understatement. They had stared at each other for a good ten seconds when she finally asked where he was going. He told the truth of course. There was no point in lying, and Hyunjin didn't need her thinking he was sneaking out for less innocent things.
She accepted it, but didn't let him go; instead, he was forced to move all his homework to the living room because apparently being caught halfway out your bedroom window meant you were no longer to be trusted in your own space, so all activities had to be done in a communal space so your mother could have her eyes on you at all times.
What irked Hyunjin more than anything wasn't the fact that he couldn't go, that was expected, it was the extended punishment she had subjected him to. His grounding was drawn out an extra week and on top of that he could not leave the living room the whole evening except for the obvious things like eating dinner and going to the bathroom. He was also separated from his phone for the week, so he couldn't contact Changbin or Felix. Hyunjin wasn't sure what he was going to do for two whole weeks in his living room, but maybe if he was good, he could get his phone back early. Maybe. It wouldn't be so bad if he could at least text or video call Felix, but his mother was adamant that he would not get the device back until he could prove himself trustworthy.
As he tried to explain all this to Changbin, his arms made strange gestures to accompany his exasperated tone. Changbin simply nodded, patting down his hair absently. Hyunjin still marveled at how the dark strands could calm down in a matter of seconds. The porcupine was gone by the end of his rant and was replaced with a sleek line across Changbin's forehead.
"-and how do you do that?"
"What?" Changbin looked up at the sudden question that had seemingly nothing to do with the topic at hand.
"Your hair, it just does that." Hyunjin reached out to run a hand down the front of Changbin's hair, but was stopped by Changbin's hand on his wrist.
"I don't know? Now what were you saying about your phone?" Changbin guided Hyunjin's hand back to his side.
"Nothing much. I just don't have it for a week."
"Great. I've got a broken down Lix, you without a phone, and work out the wazoo. Not to mention people to support financially and school. Life's just great." The sarcasm dripped from Changbin's words, leaving Hyunjin feeling more guilty than ever.
"A broken down Lix?"
"You didn't respond last night, what did you expect? Plus I had to break the news about the court date and-"
"Court date?"
"Mm, yeah. Next month. November 9th. It's a Saturday. Apparently that was the earliest they could do it. He was so happy to be out of there, but I think it's starting to catch up to him. And he can't stay with me forever. They won't let him." The information was a lot for that early in the morning. Changbin's upset tone didn't help either.
"Where's he gonna go then?"
"I don't know and that's the worst part. He had a breakdown and kept going back to it during the night because everything was so uncertain. They say he needs a safe and stable environment while the case is going, preferably family, but Lix has no family in the area and they aren't going to put him back where he came from, so that means foster care."
"Foster care! He'll hate that! Can't you be his foster parent?" Hyunjin honestly knew nothing about foster care, but he knew Felix, and separating him from Changbin right now seemed counterintuitive.
"If I was 21, sure, but I can't get a license otherwise. Having a child live with me is contentious enough."
"You sure know a lot about this."
"That's what happens when your parents leave you at 14."
"Oh. Right." Hyunjin bit his lower lip, not sure what to say. "Will he still get to come to school?"
"As long as they pick someone in this district. I think they try to provide as much normalcy as possible, so I would think they would want him in his normal school."
"When would he move?"
"As soon as the paperwork's done. Could be today, could be a week from now." Hyunjin's body shook like he had gotten a sudden shiver.
"It better not be today. I want to see him before that happens."
"You will. I won't let them take him away without his two best friends to send him off." Changbin gave Hyunjin a small smile, the action and accompanying words warming Hyunjin's heart. Hyunjin leaned over and embraced Changbin's arm, smiling up at him.
"Thanks, Bin."
"Yeah, whatever." Changbin pushed Hyunjin's head away, trying to not look in his direction. "I don't know how we're gonna get you out of your living room though."
"Kidnap me?" Changbin chuckled.
"I don't think that's how it works. I might get in trouble."
"With who?"
"The law?" Hyunjin smacked Changbin's chest.
"I didn't mean actually kidnap me! I just meant sneak me out somehow."
"Sure you did. I wouldn't be surprised if you like gags and handcuffs." Hyunjin gave him a blank stare.
"Huh? I'm confused."
"Ya know." Changbin did some rather interesting gestures with his hands, face turning slightly red in the process. Hyunjin raised his eyebrows.
"I was homeschooled."
"Oh." Changbin lowered his hands and looked at the floor.
"Anyway, we'll find a way!" Hyunjin returned the atmosphere to mild positivity, much to Changbin's relief.
"Mhm."
"Are you eating lunch with me today?"
"It's not cold today."
"So? You can still sit with me."
"It's fine. I don't think your friends like me."
"They learned to like Lix. They'll learn to like you."
"I don't want them to like me." Hyunjin shook his head, not fully understanding, but also not willing to argue before school even started.
"Okay, you don't have to if you don't want to, but I wouldn't mind seeing your cute lunch again." Hyunjin teased.
"It was Minsoo's!" Changbin whined and quickly covered his mouth, looking to see if anyone had heard him.
"Uh huh. Are you sure you don't do the same for yourself?" Hyunjin pointed mischievously towards the black lunchbox hanging from Changbin's backpack.
"Why would I do that?"
"I don't know, Mr. stuffed animal collection."
"I should have never admitted that." Hyunjin giggled.
"But it's cute."
"Exactly why I shouldn't have admitted it."
"You don't like being cute?" Changbin sent a conflicted look at Hyunjin.
"My life is dark."
That sentence stirred something in Hyunjin. It was said with such seriousness that he had a hard time believing that it only referred to the boy's color choices. Hyunjin reflected on his own life. He had a wonderful mother despite what he said about her. She worked hard to give him everything he needed and even tried to create a traditional family for him. He had a dog that loved him. In the three weeks he had been at this new school, he hadn't failed any tests, and had gained a large amount of friends. Some of those friends he knew better than he had ever known the people at his old school. He was healthy, well-fed, and overall happy. He definitely wouldn't describe his life as dark.
Hyunjin examined the boy in front of him. The fragile boy that always appeared to be strong. He took care of everyone without complaining, cared for his few friends like they were family, and his singular family member was the most well treated sister Hyunjin had ever seen. Changbin worked hard in everything he did, whether it was for money or education. He was an amazing person. Hyunjin could only imagine trying to be a caregiver in the middle of high school and Changbin appeared to do it with grace. Granted, he could be frazzled at times, but who wouldn't be?
Dark.
Is that all it is?
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I hope everyone is having a good day!
I love you all!