Sehun just can't figure out what this boy thinks.

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Chapter 7 : Jongin Is So Annoying

Jongin is so annoying. Sehun knows thousand reasons why.

For example, the classroom has 3 different names for this little guy.

First is Kai; the first time Sehun heard about this name from Seulgi he actually cringed. Later he would ask to Jongin why it sounded so Japanese but thinking about it now, Sehun believes he eventually forgot. In the end they never talked about it. They should, though.

Second is Kkamjong. Sehun doesn't particularly like this one, because sometimes Jongin would be looking so sad if he's being referred with this name.

Everybody in the class wants to sit beside him because Jongin is shy and makes the cutest blush---he will gladly draw cute animals for you also---but the difficult atmosphere on his face upon hearing the word "Kkamjong" can't be missed. Maybe if he snaps long enough those kids would stop, and he wouldn't need to always pout.

The last---this is ridiculous---is Nini.

Now, it's such a stupid nickname, Sehun doesn't call any of his pet Nini. The little cockatiel Papa bought for him, Sehun named her Haneul, since she has the prettiest whistle in the world it's almost heavenly. Too bad that Dad is allergic to birds' feather so Haneul is now living with Grandma and Grandpa (the ones in Seoul, so in weekend Sehun is still able to meet her often). The second pet his Papa got him is the tabby cat Xiumin---Sehun doesn't give the name himself, uncle Lu Han did. On the same day Dad called out uncle Lu for being crazy (and something about a girl with steamed buns cheeks and another thing about not involving his son in this), but Sehun doesn't mind a bit about it; Xiumin sounds much more appealing than Nini.

---Nini. Ew. Jongin should tell his friend Taemin (whom, in Sehun's opinion, is way too clingy) to come up with a better nickname next time---but of course it doesn't happen. After all, Jongin is so annoying.

He would just smile at it, and hide the blossoming pink colors deep-seated on his face with the lunch napkin.

***

Jongin is so annoying. Sehun knows thousand reason why.

He cries a lot.

No, Sehun is speaking the truth. Jongin does cry a lot. He cried too, the last time they sat next to one another. Jongin silently painted him a cat on his sketchbook. It was black and didn't have any nose. Or maybe he forgot to add that part yet.

Anyway Sehun never asked Jongin to draw him a cat, not even the faint shape of its tail. So when Jongin asked him how his drawing looked like, on spur of moment, at the same time Sehun was busy writing down his story about Rilakkuma family (Papa is the big chocolate brown Kuma, Dad is the small wheat-colored Kuma, and  Sehun is the smallest Kuma in baby blue beanie), he was actually a bit annoyed. As soon as the question ended, Sehun just shrugged at him, about to tell Jongin that he was busy---but the slightly smaller boy started biting his lips and glanced at him with teary orbs.

And thus he became panic.

Mulling it over, he couldn't help but retaining his parents' conversation from two days ago:

"Kyungsoo! How do I look in my new suit!!!"

"You look ugly."

"Aw! I love you too, baby!"

They kissed after that (if you ever want to see deeply, it seems like his parents always kiss each other everywhere---and everytime), too immersed in their own actions Baekhyun uncle had to fake a cough and blocked Sehun's eyes for a moment. The rest is basically just a fuse of blur, but Sehun remembered clearly how Papa was beaming in happiness when Dad called him ugly and although in between the kiss Dad had continued his disapporval with, No, Chanyeol, that suit doesn't look good on you; go change into the old one, the joy in his Papa's laughter then turned evident even more.

Not really minding the fact that Papa is always happy, and delighted, and gains two imaginary puppy ears whenever Dad is around, Sehun tried to practice this to Jongin as well. "It looks ugly," he said. And Sehun wasn't even lying.

It happened so fast. It didn't even pass three minutes just yet. They both sat there quietly, Seulgi announced in the background that she was going to buy a new barbie doll to the other girl in the opposite side of him with curled low pigtails. The classrom was practically noisy, too. Everything should remain fine as they were.

But then with a bawl, Jongin's tears cracked.

----Sehun is tired of saying sorry in front of the teachers, for many occasions Jongin cries at every little thing he does.

****

Jongin is so annoying. Sehun knows thousand reason why.

"Do you hate me?" he would ask him.

"No," and Sehun would return this way.

It's apparently not enough. Jongin would still repeat the question, days and days and days after the last time he muttered it to Sehun. He could be waiting for different response, but each time, too, Sehun remains with his initial answer. The only time he did not do that was when Papa hid Dad in the hospital; Sehun was devastated and sad and Jongin couldn't stop being annoying. "Leave me alone, you are so noisy," was what he exactly said. He didn't even lift his head to see if Jongin was listening. He only knew that Jongin's smell was not there anymore and he was aware of the possibilty that the boy might or might not have been crying at that. It was most likely the later.

Anyway, today---finally---Jongin meets his parents.

Dad and Papa has heard about him before; one of his teacher loves to come over and brings food eventhough Dad clearly states that she should just go home (and usually when that happens, Dad doesn't allow Papa to show himself out). She mentions many things and one of them is his weird friendship with Jongin---Sehun doesn't understand why. It doesn't feel weird at all, to him. He used to help Jongin with cleaning up the table because the smaller boy is a messy eater, and there were also many other occasions where Sehun has been so, so kind.

It's just---Jongin is so annoying, he doesn't have to cry to all the littlest things Sehun says.

So it happened that his teacher has once accidentally talk about it and Dad and Papa lectured him for the whole night. "Sehunnie, you can't do that. You can't be a naughty kid," Dad brushed his hair lovingly. But still. Sehun sat with his back leaned on Dad's chest and he had some tears ready to leave the corner of his eyes. Dad and Papa never really lectured him to begin with, but when they do, no matter how gentle Dad and Papa sound to him, he can't help but to feel bad. And sad.

Sehun doesn't like to be accused of being a naughty kid.

Sehun, too, doesn't like the sight of a crying Jongin inside the teachers' room when he's waiting for Papa to fetch him from school.

Jongin is still crying even after Papa shows up---there aren't a lot of their friends around, most of them are already go home. The clock on the wall is showing half an hour before two in the afternoon. Papa has Sehun in his warm embrace, ready to take him out to pick Dad up because Dad will be leaving his work early and he happens to not driving his own car today. Inside the teachers' room, in which the door is half ajar, Jongin is sort of hugging a bear plushie, sitting on Jongdae seonsaengnim (the very, very kind new teacher) lap as he does so. Sehun thinks he has been glancing at him forever that Dad decides to knock on the teachers' room, still having Sehun secured within his hold----thankfully though the certain female teacher Dad dislikes so much is absent for a full week, so instead it's Jongdae seonsaengnim who greets them.

"His parents were coming through a small accident on the way here," Jongdae seonsaengnim says in a super, super low voice.

To his Papa, of course.

"Really? How is the condition now?"

The tears on Jongin's cheeks won't stop pouring. Sehun keeps silent as he continues to eavesdrop (and eventhough he doesn't actually understand anything). "It's nothing really major but one of his, ehm," the look of Jongdae seonsaengnim's face becomes red, "one of his mothers needs to be taken to the hospital to treat the wound. They will be done around...," he then checks on his wristwatch, "maybe around five. Or more."

"Does he not have any other relative here?"

"I'm afraid not..."

"Ah," he sees from the corner of his eyes how Papa nods and scratchs the back of his nape as though he's currently looking up for some ideas. "May I have his parents' number? I want to offer a small help."

"A---ah! Okay. Sure. T-thank you so much, Sir."

After that, Papa excuses himself out for a quite long moment. Jongdae seonsaengnim put down a jar full of candies from the top rack, kindly offering some to them with his ever gentle smile; the afternoon sun reflected on some parts of his small form and it causes him to appear even warm-looking. Reminds him of the dish Dad cooks for Papa and Sehun each winter morning; a plate of belly-warming hot pudding.

With relish, Sehun picks some chocolate marshmallow candies and stuffs them into his mouth, two pieces in one go. Dad and Papa don't have to know about this. Sehun is young and healthy and he should be allowed to eat as many sweets as he wants. And thus he munches on another piece of chocolate marshmallow candy, savoring the delicate taste gratefully.

Jongdae seonsaengnim laughs at him, while squatting on the floor facing them, his fingers busy both Sehun and Jongin's hair. He would want to laugh with the older guy too, but then he realizes that Jongin has yet to take some candies with him. It's ridiculous how he is able to turn down something as glorious as confectioneries. Something as magical as candies. Shaking his head, Sehun snatches more portions of sweets from the jar, definitely choosing only the most delicious ones; and when he assumes they are enough in number, he nudges on Jongin's left sleeves.

Have some, he speaks with his eyes.

He doesn't receive any answer.

So he uses his voice this time. "Here! You should eat these. They are delicious."

But Jongin only cries harder---Sehun lets out a long breath he doesn't realize is even there.

"I'm not doing anything, Jongdae seonsangnim," he wants to say that loud. Jongin used to cry only from every tiny little words Sehun utters, and it has been starting to become a norm, but it's getting absurd. Sehun only intends to give him candies; why would it even make him sad. Does he hate Sehun that much.

Sehun is not a tough kid and sometimes he likes being spoiled. He loves taking a bath with Dad and he loves fitting himself inside Papa's loving embrace. Thinking about the possibility of Jongin hating him sparks a weird sensation in him; a mix between sadness and disappointment. He explains for many, many times that he doesn't hate Jongin---he responds the same to all Jongin's repetitive question; so why Jongin does that to him instead. It's correct that he thinks Jongin is annoying, just sometimes, and yet it isn't like Sehun lies.

---But Sehun also thinks Jongin is adorable, even when he is a messy eater. Sehun thinks Jongin looks handsome when dancing, even when Sehun doesn't understand why he puts so much heart into it (a boy should play with cool Gundam sets and not doing ballet!). Sehun thinks Jongin is cute, too, at times, especially when he furrows his eyebrows in the midst of drawing something on his sketchbook, even when Sehun wants to remind him that he never asked Jongin to draw him cat the other day.

So... why? Why does Jongin hate him so much? Why does---

Why is Jongin hugging him now?

"Oh, dear," Papa cooes at his side (Sehun isn't sure when did he come back), grinning at the adorable scene. "Jonginnie, would you want to come home with uncle and Sehun?"

Jongin's hug is tight around Sehun's back, and his nose is snuggling deep into Sehun's neck. But he can still feel the faint, gratified nods.

****

Jongin shouldn't have kissed Dad's cheeks with a slight pink blush on his own an hour after that, though.

****

Papa shouldn't have to be overly panicked upon witnessing such sight and quickly claims Dad's lips with his for a numerous time, also.

****

tbc~