Jongin doesn't remember how he ended up here.
He's lying on an empty patch of grass with Kyungsoo beside him, looking at the opposite side of the river.
After Kyungsoo told him he was fixing his heart, everything felt like a blur, like how when he used to drive really fast down the highway at night and the street lamps all speed past him in a blur.
But it doesn't matter anyway; he's never shared such a comfortable silence with someone he's met not long ago.
Jongin himself has never really been talkative unless it's in front of his two best friends, so he's pretty okay with the lack of conversation; he just hopes Kyungsoo feels the same.
He eyes the smaller man out of the corner of his eye.
Kyungsoo is staring up at the sky, his round eyes wide open and rolling around, seemingly distressed.
He has one arm folded under the back of his head, the other laying straight in the gap between him and Jongin.

"What's on your mind?" Jongin turns slightly towards Kyungsoo and asks.
Kyungsoo is quick to shake his head and give Jongin a small smile, but it doesn't fool Jongin or hide away the sadness in his eyes.

"You can tell me you know. I'm a great listener... and apparently good at fixing broken hearts." Jongin adds the last part shyly, and Kyungsoo chortles a little.

"Yeah. I was just thinking about... some things."

"What things?"
Kyungsoo turns on his side, bright eyes looking into Jongin's from a couple of inches away.

"You know that day you found me at the bus stop?"
Jongin nods silently.

"I got called 'owl boy'. It's as simple as that." Kyungsoo's smile wavers into an embarrassed one, and he looks down at the grass that his fingers are tugging on.
Jongin knows it isn't simple like Kyungsoo puts it; there has to be more.

"It's a silly little thing that shouldn't get to me... But I let it. And then it snowballed into a huge, suffocating weight inside my chest, along with all those times when... when I hear the guys next door talking about me, making fun of me and pushing me around. I have never done anything to them... I try to lay low, stay out of trouble. I don't understand why. Why me." Kyungsoo's voice is so soft and calm that it hurts Jongin.
Watching the way Kyungsoo tugs at the grass is almost like watching him tug on Jongin's heart strings.
Stop him, he needs to be held.
Before his brain can object, Jongin leans forward and places his hand over Kyungsoo's.
Kyungsoo freezes, eyes still on the pieces of grass between his fingers.

"It's exactly why they pick on you. Because you try to keep a low profile. They want to see how far they can bend you before you break." Jongin says quietly and clasps Kyungsoo's hand tightly in his, thoughts trailing back.
Back to times when people raided his locker, throw his lunch bag in the trashcan, scrawl on his desk with markers.
Or when they beat up and lock Sehun in the janitor's closet.

"People who've never had that won't understand."

'What are you so uptight about? Jongin, you're 6 foot and ripped like a predator, you'd be a real bad choice for anyone looking for easy targets to mug.'

"They do it because they want a reaction and you don't give them one... But when you finally break, they'll keep going. Because that's their idea of fun."

'Looking dazzling as usual, Ice Prince. By the way, you might wanna go look for your little . He's claustrophobic, isn't he?'

"It's like playing a game you'll never win and can't quit."

'Hey Jongin... It's me! Sehun! ... Uhm, yeah, you didn't pick up, and I totally understand, but I'm gonna leave a voicemail anyway. I'm gonna go live with Tao for a while, until this whole thing calms down... I dunno when that'll be but the school says they'll let me self-study and take the entrance exams at Tao's school, so that's great right? ... Although... I'm sorry you have to face them alone... But remember I'm only a phonecall away yeah? ... Please Jongin, don't try to fight back. It'll only get worse... It's just two more months, okay?'

"Jongin..."
Jongin shudders and lets out a faint gasp when he hears Kyungsoo's deep voice.
I should have never remembered these things again.
But you need to.
No I don't. What good reason is there for me to relive those times?
For Kyungsoo's sake. Isn't that a good enough reason?

"I'm sorry, did I scare you?" Jongin releases Kyungsoo's hand and glances at him worriedly.
Kyungsoo is staring at him blankly, shaking his head a little.
Jongin takes it as a good sign.

"It's just... my life hasn't been all rainbows and fluffy clouds and all that crap. What I'm trying to say is, I completely understand you." Jongin uses all he has to muster a gentle smile at Kyungsoo, before getting up and patting his jeans clean.

"Come on. It's getting late. I'll take you home." Jongin extends his hand at Kyungsoo and helps the smaller man up.
Kyungsoo holds onto his hand and rests his thumb gently against the inside of Jongin's palm as they make their way out of the park, silent as ever, but with a hundred thoughts running through their minds.
Some things are meant to be forgotten, and some things are meant to come back to you later in life, but that's enough for tonight.

1 unread message(s)
Hyung:
Jongin-ah, how are you doing? _22:47

2 unread message(s)
Hyung:
Are you ignoring me? You can't be asleep, c'mon. _23:33
Jongin-ah, how are you doing? _22:47

3 unread message(s)
Hyung:
I guess you're just busy then. Anyways, call me when you have time, just wanna catch up with you. Goodnight Jongin, don't stay up too late. Hyung misses you. _23:56
Are you ignoring me? You can't be asleep, c'mon. _23:33
Jongin-ah, how are you doing? _22:47

Author's Note:

Ooooooh Jongin's hyung is gonna make an appearance soon! (Any guesses on who it is? It's pretty easy, lol)

Im sorry for the delayed update btw, I made an unexpected decision to sleepover at someone's house and they didn't have wifi (HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT WIFI WE'RE ALL SLAVES TO IT)

Ehem, so as you can see I'm a bit of a Sehun sometimes.

Anyways, enjoy the mayo.