Twilight [M]

Written: hehe

Last updated: sorry

Posted: 26/3-17

Word count: 2,5k

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An hour has passed since Minghao ran in through the door, slammed it shut and curled up into a ball pressed up against it. His mother isn’t home yet, which is a good thing, as there is no one to witness his attempt to disappear from the world. At least he’s not crying. Not that he has anything to cry about. He has nothing to sit here and mope about either, but whatever.

On weak legs he finally decides to stand up and get started with homework. The sudden rush of blood flow to his legs triggers a delayed pain.

Pain that he doesn’t mind for now.

It helps him to block out the memories of the miserable conversation he just barely lived through. Then again, those exchanged words barely counted as a conversation.

The past hour was spent trying to figure out what was worse. The awkwardness. Not being able to use English properly. Or just the fact that he made a big fool out of himself. Like always.

But he didn’t start the conversation. Technically, he should be considered a victim. He could blame it all on the boy who walked up next to him, and of course Minghao’s lack of English.

But he can’t get himself to feel that way, because even if he didn’t express it, he wanted Junhui to walk up to him. The actual problem is that whenever Junhui’s eyes land on him, he feels too intimidated to say a word. At least not in English. It was different when they had spoken in Chinese at lunch, it had made him feel welcome. But Mingyu made him promise only to speak English until he improves, and right now he can’t think of anything that makes him feel more distant.

It’s just a big mess that he can’t escape.

His room isn’t that messy though. Still a little empty, and very dusty, but way tidier than his old room in China.

He throws his bag on top of the bed, suddenly feeling far too weak to do any homework. That’s unlike him. Usually schoolwork helps him get his mind off things. It’s the only thing he’s really good at. And this is the only year his over-ambition actually would pay off.

Minghao picks up his phone to find an unread text message. He sinks down to the floor again, resting his back against the edge of the bed.

It shocks him a little to see the contact. He can’t remember putting Mingyu’s number in his phone.

< Are you up for studying English today?

Another strange thing. He could have sworn Mingyu mentioned hanging out with Wonwoo after school. Judging by their closeness, it seemed odd that whatever they’d been doing had ended already. Something must have happened.

Minghao doesn’t feel intimidated by this. Typing is ok. It is easier than speaking. He can focus on the letters and words and sentences, rather than pronunciation and casualty. Mingyu also doesn’t make Minghao nervous, compared to the fox-like Junhui or stone-faced Wonwoo.

How did you get my number?>

< Is it a yes or a no?

Despite the lack of physical words, Minghao can still sense something different about Mingyu. He seems a little restless, maybe irritated. He would have thought Mingyu was the type of person who texts with lots of emojis and flirting, like he saw him text Wonwoo once.

Nevertheless, he can’t say no to a study date. Maybe having someone here forcing him to work will help him out of this sudden unmotivated meekness. Why is he so helpless on his own? He’s been by himself all this time. Shouldn’t he be used to it?

Sure, we can meet up at the supermarket and I can you show you the way to my house from there.>

With a sigh, Minghao puts down his phone. After pulling on his jacket, he heads back out into the chilly weather.
 

-----

Mingyu’s eyes are glued to the ground when Minghao spots him outside the supermarket. He has a gloomy aura, uncharacteristically. If it wasn’t for the language barrier and his insecurity with how to approach the subject, Minghao would probably say something about it.

“Hello. Sorry if you had to wait.”

Mingyu’s attention finally returns to reality, and upon seeing Minghao he puts on a little exaggerated smile.

“No, don’t worry, I just got here.”

In the short moment of silence his facial expression neutralises a little. It’s nowhere near the handsome smile Minghao’s gotten used to, but it’s better than the previous pout.

“So, your place is this way?”

Minghao is happy to walk next to such a talkative person. Smalltalk has always been foreign to him and he really does not mind listening to the taller rambling about unfair teachers and parents that just don’t understand. And something about taekwondo practices he’s missed because of homework. Even if Minghao senses how oddly distant Mingyu seems, despite not comprehending all his words, he’s not in a position to ask what’s wrong. Or is he?

“Do you really live in this house?” Mingyu asks as they approach the red building. He quickly realizes it came out wrong, judging by Minghao’s confused expression, and starts to ramble.

“It’s just been empty for such a long time that we never thought anyone would move in. Me and-” he stops himself. “Anyway, it’s nice and close to school. You don’t need to take the bus, right?”

“No. I think Junhui walks the same way.” Minghao cringes at his pronunciation, the only word he’s confident in being Junhui’s name.

“You seem to have eyes for him, don’t you?” Mingyu chuckles.

“What?”

Minghao blinks dumbly.

Junhui is handsome, he guesses. And Chinese. And sometimes he’s nice. But is that supposed to mean anything?

“I’m just messing with you, don’t take it seriously.” He laughs and ruffles Minghao’s curls, making him feel small in comparison to the tall Korean.
 

-----

As they throw their shoes off by the front door in silence, Minghao thinks about Junhui again. Had Mingyu really joked? Does he look at Junhui too much? Is he overthinking things?

Yes.

Apparently, Minghao’s English skills are better than what Mingyu had previously thought. His grammar and spelling was at times better than his, even, to which Mingyu had only laughed nervously and blamed it on Minghao being a nerd. After a solid hour of studying, they’ve actually made a little progress. Mingyu keeps making him read stuff out loud and reformulate the sentences. He compliments him a lot. Minghao doesn’t mind the affectionate touches or cheek pinches, he’s seen Mingyu be like that with Wonwoo and Junhui before too. Though both of them never really took it well, Junhui just shoving him away and Wonwoo mumbling insults with a red face.  

Because of the massive progress Mingyu suggests that they should take a break and watch a movie. Minghao agrees, stretching his tense shoulders before leaving his room to go look for DVD’s. He recalls having carrying several boxes of them when they were moving in. Minghao doesn’t think there’s anything of quality or in English, but he doesn’t have any of the online stuff Mingyu talks about, and their TV only has two channels. They’ll just have to hope for the best.

When he reaches the end of the staircase, his mother is in the hallway. He momentarily panics. What’s he gonna say? Will she be okay about him having a friend over? (For a few seconds he’s also struck at how his brain automatically calls Mingyu ‘friend’).

Of course his mother isn’t angry. She looks shocked. In the best way possible.

It slightly demeans him that she’s this overjoyed about her son making friends. He hurriedly urges her to not attack Mingyu with embarrassing questions and to help him dig up DVD’s. After ten minutes of looking through old Chinese dramas and cartoons from the dark ages, the lady gives up and starts popping popcorn. After ten more minutes, Minghao has found a total of ten DVD’s with English writing on them.

The walk up the stairs is intentionally slow. He needs time to cringe in advance, since he knows Mingyu’s gonna think the movies are lame. He also doesn’t want to drop the popcorn. That would be unfortunate.

“Oh my God,” Mingyu whispers after Minghao’s spread out the DVD’s on the floor for his friend to pick one. “You have all the Twilight movies?!”

Minghao wrinkles his nose.

“I guess.”

His awkwardness about speaking has faded. Mingyu’s praise has apparently worked wonders.

Minghao tries to remember Twilight. He’s pretty sure his mother loves the movies. He’s also pretty sure everyone else he knows absolutely hates them.

“Sorry…”

“What do you mean sorry?” Mingyu’s eyes are wide and his smile is bright.  “I freaking love the Twilight series!”

“I’ve never seen it,” Minghao admits sheepishly.

“You haven’t?!”

-----

Minghao usually likes all his teachers, but it is hard to like the sort of teacher that gives unmotivated assignments for the sake of torturing students.

His English teacher is a perfect example of this. The whole class is waiting for her to take that new breath after saying “that was it for today”.

“By tomorrow I want you to write a five-hundred word essay debating today's topic, please take a sheet before you leave.”

Minghao is so used to being alone in school that he doesn’t notice the tall figure standing next to his desk is waiting for him at first.

“It’s like she thinks we don’t have any other classes to worry about,” Mingyu mutters.

Minghao jumps a little, eyes wide as he looks over his shoulder to find his new friend glaring at the spot where the teacher had been standing previously.

“It is her job to teach after all.”

Mingyu shoots an amused look at Minghao.

“You’re not defending that witch right now, are you?”

He smiles.

“No...”

At least he doesn’t think so. But nothing will come out of complaining about it. They will have to do the homework either way if they want a grade. Minghao likes to just accept things. But secretly, he’s also panicking. He’s been thrown into a whole different culture. There’s a lot on his mind. If smart people like Wonwoo and Mingyu are stressing over school, it means he has to do that times ten, lacking background knowledge and context.  

Mingyu sees the concerned expression on Minghao’s face and pinches his cheek.

“You have to stop frowning like that. It’s so cute!”

Minghao is left in slight confusion about how to react now that he realises that Mingyu probably was sarcastic with his previous accusation.

The attention is thankfully drawn away from him by a deep voice coming from behind them.

“Why are you still in here? I’ve been waiting outside.”

Wonwoo’s tone and face says nothing about if he is feeling hurt, he’s hard to read like that. But something about Mingyu’s reaction makes it seem like that’s the case. Mingyu also refuses to respond to the question and instead lets his eyes sink to the floor.

No one says anything for a while. Then, to make it even more strange, Wonwoo is the one to break the thick atmosphere.

“I’m here to pick you up for gym. So that you don’t have to walk alone, you know.” He says the last part imitating the way Mingyu talks.

“Oh, Minghao walks the exact same way as me so I guess you don’t have to anymore, then.”

The response is weirdly emotionless. It doesn’t suit Mingyu at all.    

It’s like the smallest movement or irregularity in their voices says more than a thousand words that no one but them would understand.

Minghao’s feeling of being a third wheel grows stronger and he wonders how Junhui can stand being around these two all the time.

Nothing happens until Wonwoo initiates that they should start walking. The bell is going to ring again in a minute and the gym is at the other side of the building. The other two follow along right behind, Minhao with a pit of uncertainty in his stomach. Are they just gonna walk and pretend nothing is going on? What is going on?

Finally Mingyu starts acting a little more like his normal self again and picks up the conversation.

“Hao?”

Minghao can’t help but to feel a little embarrassed at the nickname.

“I think I forgot my notebook at your house after we watched Twilight.”

“Oh, I could-”

Minghao does not dare to continue his sentence when Wonwoo’s head whips around with an expression filled of anger and betrayal.

It is the first time he has seen Wonwoo’s face reflecting any emotion at all. He would even go as far as to say that he thought Wonwoo was incapable of feeling emotions. Or at least showing them.

But that does not seem to be the case.

“I’m trying, okay? What the hell is up with you all of the sudden? One second you’re telling me we should stop hanging out because of all the stress and another you’re watching awful movies with Minghao? We’re both having a hard time, okay. It would be nice if you got your head out of your and realised that you’re not the only one suffering!”

At one point, Wonwoo and Minghao had ended up right opposite from each other. Wonwoo’s words had lowered and lowered, becoming more venomous and scarily calm, Mingyu’s face twisting in a strange emotion Minghao has never seen before.

Without a second to spare, Wonwoo turns away from them again and strides through the corridor faster than they can catch up with. Junhui runs after him.

Wait, how long had Junhui been standing there?

Mingyu slowly exhales in a bitter manner.

“Did I say something?”

“No, don’t worry about it. He’s just a little over emotional, you know. He really doesn’t like Twilight.”

Minghao does worry though. Because neither Wonwoo or Junhui are anywhere to be seen for the rest of the day.

And something tells him this whole Mingyu-and-Wonwoo-fighting-thing is extremely rare, as some students whisper about it during gym. Wonwoo and Mingyu don’t really seem like the type of people to normally attract a lot of attention.

*****

a/n

If you were worrying about this story going inactive we have both good and bad news for you. We are still active but the updates will probably be slow like this until the end if the school year which we apologise for.

We currently live in different timezones and it is extremely hard to find time to write together, nevertheless we are trying our best to take advantage of the time we have so that we can see chapters being uploaded because we are so excited about seeing this story play out, it's basically our baby. 

p.s   not sponsored by Twilight

pp.s  we like comments *cheeky smile*