O
Flutter
Mino energetically stood up from his seat but Mr. Chang's iron hands were faster and they quickly pulled the boy back to his spot while also giving him a hard look. Well, the man did say he couldn't have him here any longer so technically, Mino had been free to leave.
While his teacher, whose official title was along the lines of disciplinary something something, looked for some sort of document or documents around his desk, Mino played with his hoodie strings and grumbled about having to miss that interesting assembly.
This only earned another stern look from Mr. Chang, which Mino pretended not to see.
"I can't let this pass, Mino. Not this time," Mino noticed the wrinkles on Mr. Chang's face deepen and he knew he was in serious trouble this time, "You missed far too many classes and this is your senior year! I mean....what could've been more important than graduating?! Tell me, I want to know."
Mino nervously scratched his left sideburn and shrugged, "A-Am I not graduating then?"
Another sigh from Mr. Chang. "That's not the point! Y-you need to stop messing your life up before it starts! C'mon, humor me. What have you been spending your time on when you're skipping?"
"Just stuff," Mino started tapping his fingernails on the arm of his chair, "I don't know....I think I'm just not cut out for school and stuff, y'know? I think I'm meant to become rich all of sudden, not work for it by going to school and working and stuff..."
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When Mino got called in to Mr. Chang, he had expected a punishment like longer detention period than usual or extra duties around school but instead, he got a transfer order. His mother wasn't in a splendid mood when she came to pick him up but then again, it wasn't his fault she got called in. He was 18, he could've walked home by himself!
He kicked a pebble in front of him, tried to match the pace of his mother while continuously keeping note of her facial expressions. "Mom, are you angry?"
No reply.
Mino tried again, "I'm sorry. I jus—"
"Did you win?" His mother stopped in her tracks and faced her much taller son, "I know you were gambling with them gangster looking Block B boys again instead of going to school so.....so did you win? Was it worth this?"
A bit taken back, Mino didn't have time to lie. "N-no. But mom, I got bette—are you surprised about the transfer?" seeing the slight change in his mother's eyes, Mino decided to change the topic, "I think it's a good thing though....b-because you always wanted to live with your older son in the big city and now you can and you wouldn't have to worry as much because hyung will take care of you," Mino's voice trailed off as soon as his mother resumed her walking.
"It would've been a surprise if you had actually won....ha, now that, would've been a surprise," Mino heard his mother mumble as she increased her pace and he trailed behind.
He knew that it was his fault like everything before and that his mother still loved him deep down. He knew that she was just weary and tired and jaded to his antics of all these years which was why her words were harsh. But still, hearing her words and seeing her disinterested behavior hurt. Not that Mino was ever going to tell someone.
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Packing wasn't complicated and neither was actually leaving the town. Mino didn't know anyone other than his Block B friends and at this moment, they weren't exactly his friends so in other words, he didn't need to see anyone. His mother said a few goodbyes but she too didn't know many townspeople. You see, even though she didn't admit, it was quite obvious that her mind and heart had always been in Seoul with his brother.
"Mino, you sure you didn't forget anything right? We aren't going to come back later!" Mino's mother said as she scanned the now empty house for any last remnants. He waved off her question and left the house. Seeing her son already outside, she went ahead and exited as well.
It was the stuff of the dramas and Mino didn't dare to give his mother any more stress but the truth was that he did in fact leave something behind. Something very important.
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The bus ride was tense from the closed area; its long duration made it even worse but it was his mother who finally broke the silence.
"Where did you get the money for all your foolery?" Mino noticed the way his mother looked out the window as she asked. Not that she could see but Mino instinctively shrugged. "I—"
Mino's mother turned abruptly, her face hard, "you didn't steal, did you?!?"
"No! I borrowed them from the lady that runs the motel. She—"
"How much was it?" Mino's mother cut him off again. Her voice filled with obvious anxiety.
He mumbled under his breath about how he doesn't even get to finish and why she bothers asking in the first place when she doesn't let him answer. Of course, his mother completely ignored him and strongly nudged his arm for an answer, "how much?!"
"I don't know.....I think I got as much as she had in the first place. I told her I knew an investor who would pay double the amount in 17 days....but then, that's today and suddenly we have to leave and I don't have the money now so.."
Mino didn't bother to finish when he saw his mother turn her back again and quietly stare out the window. And he, went and resumed listening to his music with his headphones. At last, the driver announced that they had arrived in Seoul.
Mino could swear that never had he been so happy than when he saw the bus entering the busy city traffic. He smiled as he heard Zico aka Jiho's words again, "Seoul is like the best. It is the big city where everyone and anyone is a stranger."
In the car with his brother, his mother went on about how it was nice to get a chance to start their lives again as a full family again. She also talked about some additional things but Mino had long stopped listening. Both his mother and his brother didn't notice though since Mino also laughed and smiled when they praised the city life. He was happy to be here too because to Mino, being in a big city full of strangers meant never having to be tracked down and hassled for all his little loans again. And that meant freedom. Beautiul, beautiful freedom.
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