School (memories)
It (does)n’t happen - intermediate -
Minho continued his sulking, eyes downcast. He was already gaining on Jinki in height, so it wasn’t hard to find Minho’s eyes with a little tilt of his head as they walked slowly side by side. “It’s okay, you know?”
Minho crossed his arms, pout further pronounced.
Jinki smiled, finding the younger’s mood fondly endearing and flattering, really. He poked at Minho chubby cheek, trying to lighten the mood, and tugged the scarf Minho had thoughtfully wrapped around him near the bus stop minutes ago, keeping warm finally in the crisp winter air.
Minho grumbled, taking off faster than Jinki on their walk home. “I wanted to go to your high school.”
Jinki sighed and adjusted his backpack straps, distracting himself. It honestly wasn’t the end of the world that they would still be split up in different schools. Jinki was used to it. Knowing he had a friend outside of school still was much more assuring to the older than needing to be in the same building. “Minho-yah..” Jinki shook his head.
“I just wanted to..” Minho confessed again, still sounding younger than a boy now in his teens. He blew a cloud of white smoke and pulled his jacked tighter around him, avoiding eye contact with the older. “You’re busy at your family shop lately, I just thought it would be better that way..”
Jinki stepped a little faster, catching up enough to smile and assure. “I’ll come to your house still. I can help that way,” Jinki says, referring to tutoring as well as video games. “And the shop is only cause the holidays, you know that. We don’t need to be at school together. Besides,” Jinki elbowed Minho’s bony arm, “You still have all your friends to meet, your soccer buddies, Minju~.” Jinki teased the last part, causing Minho to stiffen up and flush. A little payback for the torture Minho inflicted on his little love life.
Minho waved his hands, nervous smile suddenly appearing. “Hyung, no it’s not like that. She just likes to watch soccer games-”
Jinki zipped his lips with his fingers, showing he could keep a secret. His eyes crinkled into a smile.
Minho shoved at Jinki, knocking the older off balance, before running ahead with a laugh and turning back to shout “You’re it!” with the brightest smile suddenly. Minho had always been good with smiles and sudden mood bursts since Jinki met the younger. He admired that character trait, really.
Jinki waited a moment before following with a smile of his own, thankful for a real friend outside of classrooms and school grounds. Something he had longed for for so long without really acknowledging it to himself.
Who in school would bother to even offer something as simple as a scarf to keep the likes of Jinki warm. It made Jinki's heart beat a little faster and cheeks nearly flushed, something in the pit of his being a little confused- something that reminded him since he hit puberty his eyes lingered too long on not only female schoolmates but strangely some males too. And just as quickly as his gaze would fall away then, whatever that is was brushed aside back to nothingness. It didn't mean anything. It couldn't mean anything.
Jinki chased after Minho in a childish game of tag, having fun and nothing else mattered.
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