Chapter 3
Iridescent: Meeting on the crossroadsJackie pressed her fingers to her forehead- her headache was getting worse. She leaned forward so her forehead was on her knees. Two more minutes before the bus was here...she couldn't wait to be home and take a long, warm shower and try her new body wash. It was this all-natural strawberry kind she had bought the other day, and it was bit on the pricey side, but it was worth it. She loved all things strawberry- she laughed bitterly to herself as she thought of the only guy she had ever truly liked... he had light, strawberry colored hair, she remembered telling him about her love of strawberries, and him laughing, his arms softly holding her waist and pulling her closer as he kissed the tip of her nose. Jackie was lost in her memories when a voice brought her back to the smelly and dark bus stand. She sighed and looked up and quickly wished she hadn't. The hair was blonde now. The crinkles at the side of his always smiling lips had been replaced with a frown. But the eyes, they were the same. Dark and warm, almost liquid, like they could see through you, through your pain, through your pretense...
"Another headache? How many times have I told you to see the doctor about them?"
Kai pressed an aspirin pill into Jackie's hand and handed her a bottle of water.
Jackie stood up, pulled his hand and stuffed the pill back into it.
"Don't touch me again. Ever."
And then she walked away, forgetting about the bus just so she could forget about the boy who watched her walk away, his once warm eyes now as cold as the night.
None of them paid attention to Jimin who stood in the alley, confusion written all over his face.
Kyungsoo walked out the back of the cafe and locked the door.
"Dude, who forgets their phone these days? Good thing you had a spare key to the cafe..." He stopped talking when he saw Jimin's face.
"What's up?" he asked, following Jimin's gaze but all he saw was a guy get on the bus and the bus pull away.
Jimin turned to Kyungsoo. "You said Jackie was your mother's boyfriend's sister? That's how you know her?"
Kyungsoo nodded. "There was no other way I'd talk to her, she's too scary!" He laughed. "But why are you asking about that?"
Jimin leaned against the door and said, "I saw her get mad at the dancer dude from today, I don't know how she'd know him, she always complained about not knowing anyone famous... Do you know him? The famous dancer who was perfroming at the mall today?"
"You mean Kai? Suga and I figured it would be really busy at the cafe today because of his performance, that's why we visited you later in the evening. Yea, I know of him, I've never seen him perform but I've heard good things about him."
"Hmm, I wonder what happened between him and Jackie...."
"Jimin, Jackie is usually angry at someone, it's nothing to be worried about." Kyungsoo chuckled and ruffled Jimin's hair.
Jimin smiled at his new friend. "I hope it is something meaningless like that. I don't want her to be in trouble and not be able to help her, you know?"
Kyungsoo grinned and leaned forward till their noses were almost touching. "We were only teasing you this evening...but don't tell me you actually like Jackie?"
Jimin pushed a laughing Kyungsoo away and replied, "Hyung, or I could just be a nice person. Not sure you'd understand that but..."
He jumped back as Kyungsoo tried to tickle him. Jimin was very ticklish and unfortunately it had been revealed during dinner...
"Suga, are you okay?" Kyungsoo pushed a glass of water towards a drunk Suga who was now crying at the table.
"I hope he is..." Jimin sounded uncertain.
Suga gulped down the water and sniffed. And sniffed again. After his third sniff, he said, "I just want everyone to love each other, you know? I just want everyone to be happy and feel loved and, and, and..." And he was crying again.
"Oh dear," Kyungsoo muttered, "I forgot to tell you Jimin, Suga's the emotional drunk. I keep telling him he should express more emotions when he's sober so we don't have to deal with this when he's drunk, you know? But nope, meet Mr Min, who is a robot in day-to-day life, but a waterworks display after alcohol consumption."
Suga was now talking to the table. "Table, do you miss your Mom? I miss mine too! Do you have siblings?"
Jimin didn't want to laugh, but he couldn't help it. He buried his face in his lap. Kyungsoo kicked him under the table, but it was too late. Suga was now making his way over to Jimin.
"What are you so happy about? I am so happy that you are happy! I wish more people can be happy like you!"
Jimin was slightly tipsy too, so he couldn't get away fast enough. Suga bear-hugged him until he was choking- not because Suga was holding him too tightly...but because it tickled. A LOT. Now it was Kyungsoo who was laughing like a maniac as Suga tried to smother Jimin with his hugs while asking him the secret of happiness so he could help this "dark, depressed world", while Jimin was almost dying due to the tickling...
"Hyung, don't! I think I have been tickled long enough for my lifetime today!" Jimin held Kyungsoo's hands as they tried to reach him.
"Ah Jimin, I remember. Okay then. No tickling. What about a hug?"
Jimin decided it would be in his best interest to ignore the question and walk away, and Kyungsoo followed, laughing loudly, his voice echoing in the moonlit alley.
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