CHAPTER 4.1

In a pub with the less meretricious decoration compared to other places in the area and it is also much quiet and comfortable, Junkyu goes find Mashiho inside the space quite large and having many noocks and crannies. He has never stopped by any place similar with this one before and actually, he hardly drinks beer or wine, so he feels a bit strange in here. Mashiho really wants to have some wine? Junkyu does not know if he himself is good enough to join this small party until the end.

Going to a small table for two people put near a quite old wall, Junkyu crosses his arms and stares at Mashiho. He has not arrived yet but the kid drank almost empty the wine bottle. Junkyu says nothing, takes the bottle and carefully checks the strength of wine.

- It's ok.

- How is your drinking capacity?

- Not good.

Hearing that, Mashiho snatches the bottle from Junkyu's hand.

- So don't drink. Just go home.

- Today you dare to order me.

- I keep thinking it's my place to do that to you.

Mashiho gives a half smile and shows his content.

- You should please the person you like, is it right?

After that, he shakes the glass of wine and silently observes every wine drop running in a queue at the bottom of the glass, that very pleases his eyes. If his sadness could be decreased quickly like the way he drank this whole 360ml Soju bottle, his life would immediately be better after one night; Mashiho would be a carefree child again who only studied, ate, played games, slept and did not like or love anyone.

- This's the first time I've tried Soju. I heard that it would slowly absorb into our body and then we would get drunk before we knew it.

- I won't let you get drunk.

Mashiho is surprised, then he knits his brows and questions Junkyu:

- Do you come here to drink with me or to stop me?

- You can't drink more.

Junkyu holds tight Mashiho's wrist and does not let the bottle on the kid's hand move. Up to now Mashiho has drunk a few glasses, and obviously something which is too much will be not good.

- What are you doing?

- I'll not let you drink more. That's the privilege of the person who likes you.

Hearing that, Mashiho can only laugh.

- Won't it be easier for you when I get drunk?

- You think I'm a bad guy like that?

Junkyu snatches the wine bottle and chugs it down in front of Mashiho's eyes which are opening as wide as possible. But Mashiho absolutely cannot sit still to see a person whose drinking capacity is bad get himself drunk like this, the kid, once again, hurriedly grabs that kind of addictive drink then pushing it to a corner out of Junkyu's reach.

- I'm the one being lovesick, not you.

- You're lovesick so I'm not?

Mashiho smacks the lips and thinks for a while, then he does not reply. With concentration, Junkyu looks at the kid whose face suddenly expresses a bit sadness, and his heart for an instant is like stopping beating. His fingers on the table are trembling and he wants to touch the kid's face but does not know why he is scared. Junkyu has always thought that he would never know being scared of something, but since Mashiho appeared, Junkyu must always be afraid of many things. He was afraid that Mashiho would be angry or sad, and that Mashiho would immure himself in misery just because of a word called "love". He was really afraid of many things.

- I'm sorry.

That statement is said by Mashiho and it makes Junkyu surprised. He looks up at Mashiho.

- Why?

- You like me, that affair... tell me that you're just kidding.

Junkyu clicks tongue, slightly knits brows then reaching over and grabbing the half-finished bottle which they are drinking.

- You said to me that love affair was not a joke.

- ...

- Let me finish off this one. You'll drink soft drink.

There is no more way to stop Junkyu, Mashiho worriedly bites his lower lip and witnesses Junkyu drink without a break, from this gulp to another one. Junkyu said that his drinking capacity was not good, so what can Mashiho do if Junkyu gets drunk later? Should Mashiho leave him lie alone right here?

- Stop.

- ...

- I ask you to stop. Do you hear me?

Gradually feeling his body hotter, Junkyu knows he cannot continue to risk his life. Junkyu turns to look at Mashiho. He sees Mashiho is worrying about him, but it absolutely is a common worry, not because he is someone special in Mashiho's heart. Junkyu is Junkyu, not Yoonbin.

- Afterwards, don't ask me whether I joke you, and don't say sorry to me. I don't like it.

- I shouldn't have called for you.

Mashiho responds by a discontented voice.

- How can I relieve my sorrows if you don't let me get drunk?

- Because of Ha Yoonbin, is it worth?

- It's worth.

Junkyu bursts out laughing in bitterness. He sighs loudly then pulling Mashiho to ask the kid to stand up. Mashiho replied to Junkyu unhesitantly like that, does Junkyu need to blame the kid for not thinking of him? Junkyu suddenly wants to pull Yoonbin out and gives that boy a good beating so that he can relieve his feelings.

- Go with me.

- Are you crazy?

- I'm crazy, so I've liked a silly boy is you.

- Hey Mr.Kim...

Mashiho crosses his arms.

- I know I'm not good at protesting against other people like you, but it's because I don't wanna cause any bad blood in this distant country. You seem to feminize my personalities.

- Is that so?

- I'm small but I used to play basketball and be stronger than you. I must admit that I'm more manly than you.

Junkyu drives Mashiho into a corner and he is immediately pushed a few steps back. Junkyu laughs lightly then nodding in defeat.

- So you told the truth. Now you'd better go. Go with me.





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Taking a taxi near him, Mashiho accepts to leave the pub with Junkyu. Mashiho knows Junkyu is in beer and because he has helped Junkyu up to now, he has to go the whole length of it. Anyhow they will go their own house, so the kid will not have to worry about Junkyu's situation after that. Moreover, tonight Junkyu spent time coming and meeting Mashiho, although he did not confide to Mashiho any meaningful statement.

- Hey, what's your house's address?

Mashiho gives the driver his accommodation's address then questioning Junkyu.

- I didn't say that I would return my house.

- What?

- I'll go to your house.

Junkyu stops Mashiho from pushing the car door and leaving. Following that, he askes the driver to quickly drive off.

- My house doesn't welcome you.

- What if it's Yoonbin?

- Stop it, Kim Junkyu.

Junkyu his nose, gives a crooked smile then saying:

- I'm waiting for the day you love me.

Mashiho is dumbfounded a few seconds then he stays loose and leans on the seat's back. Everything seems to happen so fast that Mashiho cannot know where his present standing spot is. Perhaps instead of letting Kim Junkyu wait for the day he is loved, Mashiho should hope Junkyu will give up soon.










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"Now the whole school thinks that you're the plotter of bullying Mashiho and even knows Yoonbin broke up with you. What do you intend to do?"

Stepping towards the room without a soul, Jihoon has on his hand a bottle of wine which he has already taken from the class cabinet. He knows this bottle is very precious that his father brought here from a foreign country and father will only use it to entertain special partners. But so be it, Jihoon only wants to drink to his heart's content, whatever it takes afterwards.

Taking a sip of wine to feel the bitter taste spreading at the tip of his tongue, Jihoon cannot hold back the freely flowing tears which are trickling down his cheeks. He has never suffered any strong feeling of pain like this one before, when the news that he was the bad guy pouring water over another person was spreaded through the school. However, more than that, the boy he loves did not trust him. Ha Yoonbin, he is certain to be very happy by Mashiho's side now. Lucky for them to love each other timely. Lucky for Mashiho.

Turning off the phone to leave himself a private space, Jihoon continues to drink and just drink even when his stomach has become uneasy. The amount of alcohol in the bottle is gradually decreasing, and finally Jihoon can stop crying. He slightly gives a smile of relief then laying his head on the table, his eyes slowly close because of tiredness. The world around him at this moment is like turning into nothingness. The wine glass is unintentionally dropped, fallen down and shattered.

- Hyung!

Hearing the crashing sound, Doyoung rushes into the room. Earlier, Jihoon called Doyoung and asked him to come over, but now hyung is drunk.

- Doyoungie...

- You've never drunk alcohol!

Doyoung ignores Jihoon's hand which is tapping on his shoulder without pausing, he bends and tidies up the mess on the floor. Doyoung knows the reason why Jihoon hyung becomes miserable, if not knowing very clearly. After the recreation this morning, Jihoon went to the infirmary when his heart disease suddenly recured, and Doyoung was the person taking care of hyung all the morning so he heard of everything. Doyoung really does not want to see Jihoon hyung distress hyung-self like this, but... what can he do? He has never experienced any problem similar with this one.

The broken glass snicks Doyoung's finger. The wound is bleeding makes him embarrassed.

- Take this to bandage your injury.

- Yoonbin hyung?