(ii. tears and tiny, tiny hands)
Once upon a thunderstorm, Kim Mingyu was born.
It was in the beginning of April, on the sixth day to be exact. It shook the whole town, and it seemed like the end of the world; trees falling and people scattering to their house like ants. His mother told him of this whenever he'd disobey her rules, and she'd admonish him for being ungrateful, just because she was going through so much hardships in delivering him out of her womb to this world.
Today isn't any different. Mingyu turns his face away from his mother to hide the disgusting tears that threatens to fall. The big, disgusting, useless tears that shows how hurt he is. Mingyu is eleven and he already understands being screamed and pointed by his own mother hurts.
"Why are you looking away from me, Kim Mingyu? I ask you one more time, how could you end up getting this, a zero for Math? You are a di-" he puts his hands over his ears and runs out from his house, slamming the door in the process. And he runs to his bestfriend's house, since Wonwoo might be home around this hour. Or not. Soojung's house is right beside him, but Soojung will only talk about her-
"Hey, Mingyu. Where're you going? Why are your face so red?" He was looking down with his small hands on his hips, and half-thinking, his eyes bristling in tears. It falls, then Soojung's voice echoes from the east. He turns his face to see Soojung in pigtails and flushed cheeks, her round eyes stare in wonder. She's as tall as he is now, even taller perhaps. Her fingers are wrapped tightly around the straps of her Barbie bagpack. Her, clad still in her school uniform. She's obviously on her way to home.
Mingyu doesn't like Barbie dolls, and sometimes he doesn't like Soojung too. Only sometimes. She talks too much for his own liking.
He snaps his head away when her eyes widens and almost jumps into a run when Soojung's small hand holds him back persistently. She ends up using both of her hands, her feet rooting her body to the concrete pavement.
"Mingyu, why are you being like this?!" when Mingyu stops struggling, his shoulders fall into a slump.
He still refuses to give in. "Nothing happened, Soojung. Just mind your own business and go read your stupid little fairy tale books!" he spits his words into Soojung cruelly and unnecessarily, his black straight bangs shake as he does this. His hair is in a bowl cut, and he hates his mother for cutting his hair to this horrendous haircut.
Mingyu knows that it's unnecessary for him to say so. But he's irritated, he's angry and he wants to hurt those around him in the hopes that it can make him feel better.
Soojung flings his hand away harshly, eyes blazing in anger and her face crumpled. Her feet begins to scrunch on the autumn leaves. Crunch, crunch, crunch, Soojung is turning red and regret is still not in Mingyu's throat. "It's not fairytales! It's about the galaxy, and it's real! We're living in the Milky Way Galaxy, and if you don't even know that, then you're stupid!"
Soojung begins to push him, and Mingyu wants to push her back also, making her fall. But he's not Wonwoo. As cruel and careless he just sounded, he knows that it's not right to hit girls.
Soojung begins to push him, and Mingyu wants to push her back also, making her fall. But he's not Wonwoo. As cruel and careless he just sounded, he knows that it's not right to hit girls.
"You won't understand, Soojung. You won't understand," he crosses his arms before him, facing the fuming Soojung. "It's useless if I tell you. You're a smart kid, you won't understand what a stupid kid like me goes through, right?" he scoffs, and when she's about to reach out and pulls on his ear for being so obnoxious, Mingyu becomes all fidgety and he begins to run.
"Mingyu, where are-" as Mingyu bolts away, Soojung finds herself following from behind. She doesn't notice that his mother's eyes don't land on their fading figures, disappearing into the streets.
"Why are you running away?"
"Why are you following me?"
"You're not answering my question!"
"Neither are you!"
They pass Seungwan's house and they end up walking in a slower pace, and Soojung still manages to slip a greeting to her friend through her panting breaths. "Hi there, Seungwan! Don't step on your own flowers!"
Seungwan in pink shorts and Tamama t-shirt spins her head to the voice, feeling familiar of Soojung's way of greeting. And in the process, she steps on the flowers she was watering. Her black hair in little curly waves ripple against the wind as she frowns, but she ends up shrugging it away. She can always plant it again, she thinks.
"Oops," Soojung giggles nervously, standing by the gate of her house that is taller than she is. She holds on to the black metal gate, her eyes looking into Seungwan's through the big gaps. And Mingyu clicks on his tongue as he stands beside her. Seungwan loves flowers and even if he doesn't really care, Soojung just ruined it for her. Seungwan probably won't mind, but being a repulsive boy he is now, he wants to provoke her.
"Look, you just ruined Seungwan's flowers," Mingyu motions to the stumped flowers, his eyebrows furrowed and his sunburnt skin gleams under the sun.
She glares at him, then her small arms passing through the gaps, she clasps her hands apologetically. "Open the gate, Seungwan. Let me plant another one with you."
She waves her hand away, and puts her finger in front of her lips, her eyes suddenly wary of something. "Sssh, Soojung. My grandmother is sleeping. Where are the two of you going?" As she approaches them, then her eyes land on Mingyu. "Wait, weren't you-"
"Did you see? Then don't bring it up," Mingyu huffs, crossed arms and a frown. Soojung's eyes fleet between the two of them suspiciously.
"Why am I the only one unaware of the things that happened? What happened to you, really?"
He clicks on his tongue again. Soojung talks too much, she talks too much. "I'm going to Wonwoo's house. And don't follow me, Soojung," he almost shouts at her when she is about to take a step, and when she shrinks back to the gate and becomes tearful at his raised voice, Mingyu turns away. A little tiny guilt edges close to his eyes.
He sighs when he sees Seungwan's grip tightened around the metal gate. This is the so-called members of The Cosmic Children whom Soojung named last year when they were 4th grade, and he still manages to make her cry. Seulgi will be out to fight with him the next time they pass each other, honestly. Mingyu knows this.
Soojung talks too much but her heart is soft. All litte girls' hearts are soft. Mingyu walks away to Wonwoo's house, away from her falling tears and Seungwan's glare.
"Why did Mingyu get so angry at me, Seungwan? What did I do?" Seungwan braces Soojung in her hug when she unlocked the gate, confused by it all.
"It's his mother, Soojung. His mother got angry over his grades again. I saw him being pulled in the ears by his mother on the way home."
"He shouldn't have done that to me still!"
"I know, Soojung. I know."
As Soojung weeps to Seungwan's curly black hair, her fingers Soojung's back, Soojung silently feels relieved that she didn't pull Mingyu's ears back then.
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