UN-BETAED

When Jinki was 5, his mother’s friends thought he was weird. He was quiet, yes, but not weird or at least that’s what he believed.

Okay, maybe he didn’t like playing with other kids whenever his mother would bring him to the park on weekends, maybe he liked being alone and is too scared to talk to the boys playing in the sandbox in the playground. But that was not weird, right?

It was when Jinki turned 8 that he realized, he really wasn’t weird, but was shy, diffident. After having spent one year in elementary, he also realized that he was lonely. He wanted friends; however the more he wanted someone he could be friends with, the more he realized that he really was diffident.

It was when their teacher told them to find a partner for an exercise they were about to do, that Jinki met Jonghyun. The first time he took notice of the boy was when said boy was bullying Sulli during their break time. Jonghyun had told her he wanted her orange juice and when the little girl refused, the drink was snatched from her hands. When the teacher heard her cries Jonghyun had already left the scene.

All the other children were busy finding their own partners, some were arguing for another, claiming that this kid was this other kid’s partner first. Jinki only watched from a corner, he was supposed to find his own partner. However, he couldn’t find it in him to talk to anyone, so instead, he slowly sat down, hugged his knees and he watched the other children scatter about.

Jinki didn’t realize he was in a trance until his blurry vision of the room was blocked by an arm. His vision focused on the hand: zooming in on it like a camera, suddenly all clear, before he looked up to it’s owner, he saw two puppy-like eyes looking down at him.

“Be my partner” the puppy-eyed boy said.

Jinki, who was taken aback, wanted to ask him why? He knew no one wanted to be partners with Jonghyun. He was a bully after all, but if no one the other boy as a partner then to Jinki, even more so. Not giving Jinki a chance to speak, his arm was suddenly pulled up pulling him out of his thoughts. Then, before he knew it, he was being dragged into an area the other boy soon claimed as their working space.

Eventually, they stuck together and stayed friends until they reached middle school. The more they got closer, the more Jonghyun had become so hot-headed and the more Jinki had become a ball of sunshine and annoying, or maybe it was only Jonghyun who thought he was annoying, because everyone else thinks he’s just adorably clumsy, especially the girls.

Because of being so hot-tempered, Jonghyun was sometimes mean to Jinki. Okay, scratch sometimes, always. He was always mean to Jinki, but the other did not mind. Jonghyun was his only friend, so he understood that it was just the way he is, atleast he thought he understood. He thought Jonghyun was cool. He met him under such circumstances anyway.

Although, there are times when Jinki couldn’t help but doubt their friendship.

One afternoon, they were on one of the benches of the school’s gym and Jonghyun was reading his manhua whilst sipping on his apple juice.

 Jinki was beside him, spieling on a new level that he achieved in a game he downloaded weeks ago.

“Yeah yeah” Jonghyun said, acting as if he cared.

Jinki pouted, realizing that his friend was not listening at all. “You’re not even listening” he whined

“That’s because I don’t give a damn about your game” Jonghyun answered

“Yah! You’re so mean --“

“Ugh” Jonghyun grunted, cutting Jinki off. He stood up, Jinki’s head following his movement as he did, and collected his things.

“Where are you going?” asked Jinki, hastily collecting his stuff as well.

“Anywhere, as long as you’re not there,” the other answered as he started to walk away.

Jinki, who was still stuffing his things inside his bag, stopped. He knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to follow Jonghyun anymore. He wasn’t going to catch up to him anyway, “meanie” he muttered and continued to put his things inside his bag.

He hated those times when he would have to think of another thing he could do before the bell rings, just because Jonghyun wasn’t there anymore.

~~~

However, as often as those things happen, there were also times when he loved being Jonghyun’s friend.

There was a time when he was gone for the whole break, and Jonghyun had waited for him at their usual. Jonghyun was beyond pissed when Jinki hadn’t shown up. However, when he finally saw him after school, he was even more pissed, he was furious even.

There was a big dark bruise right below Jinki’s left eye, and a cut on his lower lip. He rushed to his friend, a frown drawn on his face, and his brows bent in worry.

“What happened to you? Who did this to you” Jonghyun asked, both his hands flying to Jinki’s arms, pulling him closer to get a better look at the damage on his face.

Jinki didn’t answer, instead his head fell on Jonghyun’s shoulder and he cried.

Jonghyun’s jaw clenched as he let Jinki cry on him. Whoever it was that hurt jinki, he promised he’d break their faces.

Later that day he found out that it was Taecyeon who beat Jinki up. The guy mistook Jinki for someone his girlfriend was seeing behind his back, and the next day, when jinki met with Jonghyun again, with bandages on his face. He was surprised to see Jonghyun in the same state. But he was even more surprised to hear that Jonghyun and Taecyeon are called to detention for fighting.

“Thanks” Jinki smiled at him, after he figured out what had happened. He received a hard punch in the gut right after.

“Idiot! This is your entire fault” Jonghyun muttered, and he left Jinki coughing on the ground, his arm clutching at his stomach.

Needless to say, Jinki was Jonghyun’s only friend too.