Jihoon's pov:
"You literally just disappear out of nowhere nowadays, what the heck is going Hoon?!" Mom asked in a scolding tone.
Here I was again seated in my dad's office getting another scolding from mom and dad, this wasn't even new anymore. This is how life has always been, I do something wrong or when I shut myself down I always get these talking sessions.
But I could honestly careless about what they were say, it was the same thing over and over again. The only thing that's really going through my head right now is Minji's soft skin close to my body. Kissing him until he gets weak in the knees and watching him helplessly beg until he can't take it anymore.
"Jihoon!" Mom snapped out my thoughts.
"Huh?" I answered obvious that I wasn't listening to anything she was saying.
"You're so helpless, what are we going to do with you?" She shook her head.
"Come on, it's not like you have got any complaints about me. I've been doing great in school and I've been staying out of trouble." I stated.
"That's not the point, my point is you disappearing at odd times and coming back late at night or early in the morning. She explained.
I shrugged my shoulders not knowing what excuse I should make. Suddenly she gasped, "have you started using drugs?"
"What!" I laughed. "Why would you even think that ma."
"So what is it? Or have you found a new boyfriend?" She questioned.
I scoffed, "yeah right."
"I just found a great little toy I've been playing with lately." I replied.
"Toy!" Dad chimed in raising an eyebrow. "What the heck does that mean?" Mom questioned.
I could feel the weight of both their stares boring into me, but I didn't flinch. It's not like I hadn't been here a thousand times before—same room, same lecture, same cycle. I didn't have it in me to care about their scolding anymore. My mom was still waiting for an answer, her brow furrowed, while my dad just leaned back in his chair, waiting for me to dig myself a deeper hole.
"Yeah, a toy," I repeated casually, leaning back in my chair as if I wasn't the focus of their interrogation. "Someone I mess around with, that's all."
My mom's face twisted in confusion, then concern. "Mess around with? Jihoon, that sounds—"
"What it sounds like doesn't matter," I interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "It's nothing serious. Just something to pass the time."
My dad's eyes narrowed. "You better not be doing anything reckless. We don't need another scandal in this family."
I rolled my eyes. "Relax, it's not like that."
My mom's voice softened, her worry apparent. "Jihoon, you're acting out. This isn't you. Disappearing all the time, being so secretive. Something's going on, and it's not just 'messing around.' Are you sure you're not in some kind of trouble?"
"No, Mom. I'm not in trouble." My voice came out sharper than I intended, and I could feel the tension creeping up my neck. The last thing I wanted was another lecture, especially when all I could think about was Minji—his soft skin, the way he'd looked at me, his words that had left a strange mix of frustration and longing in my chest.
But the way they kept pushing, it was like they had no idea how hard it was to keep everything under control. I was spinning, spiraling, and the only thing that made me feel any semblance of control lately was the thought of having Minji close, of breaking him down until he needed me.
My mom sighed, leaning back against the desk. "Jihoon, we just want to understand. You've been distant from everyone, even BaekHyeon. Whatever this... 'toy' is, it's clearly not healthy for you."
My chest tightened, irritation flaring. "You don't understand anything," I muttered under my breath.
"What was that?" my dad asked, his voice sharp.
"I said you don't understand," I repeated, louder this time, meeting his eyes. "I'm fine. This is the only thing keeping me from losing it."
Both of them exchanged a look, one of those silent, parental exchanges that made my blood boil. Like they knew better, like they could fix me if I just let them. They didn't get it, though. None of this was something they could fix with a talk or by prying into my life.
My mom looked back at me, her voice soft but firm. "Jihoon, if you're really struggling, we can help. We just want you to stop shutting us out."
I stood up abruptly, cutting her off. "I don't need help. And I'm not shutting anyone out." I grabbed my bag, throwing it over my shoulder. "Can we be done here? I've got things to do."
My dad's frown deepened, but he didn't stop me. "You better not screw this up, Jihoon."
Without another word, I walked out of the office, their voices fading behind me. My heart was pounding, not from the argument, but from the way Minji's face kept flashing in my mind. I knew what I was doing was wrong, pushing him, pulling him in only to keep him at arm's length. But the way he looked at me—like he'd do anything just to be close—it gave me the one thing I'd been craving: control.
And I wasn't sure I wanted to let go of that anytime soon.
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Minji's pov:
As I walked through the crowded hallway I spotted Jihoon and BaekHyeon walking towards the staircase, I quickly walked over to them to say hi.
"Jihoon!" I called out.
They both stopped and turned to look, "oh Minji, hi." BeakHyeon waved at me.
Jihoon just looked at me and walked away without saying anything. "We're going to grab something to eat, would you like something I will buy it for you." Hyeon stated.
"No thank you, I'll see you guys later then." I slightly smiled and walked away.
I tried to ignore the sting of Jihoon's silence as I walked away, focusing on the crowd and the bustling energy of the school. The way he just brushed me off—again—was starting to wear thin, but I had to remind myself that he was probably dealing with more than I could understand.
———————
As the last bell rung, students started pulling out their computers and books getting ready for hagwon, but as I turned to take a peek of Jihoon I could see that he had all his stuff packed and he stood over BaekHyeon waiting for him to finish packing.
As BaekHyeon finished packing they walked out the classroom, but before they could get far I ran behind them.
"Jihoon." I called out.
He stopped and turned to me, "I don't want to talk to you right now." He said his tone cold as ever and walked away.
I stood there for a moment, watching Jihoon walk away, his back rigid with tension. It was like flipping a switch—one moment he let me in, and the next he was shutting me out again. I couldn't help but feel frustrated, confused, and maybe even a little hurt. Two nights ago, everything had felt different. There was warmth, closeness, a side of him I'd never seen before. But now… it was as if none of that had ever happened.
Had I done something wrong? Was it something I said? The questions swirled in my mind, making it hard to focus on anything else.
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Jihoon's pov:
"What was that all about Hoon?" Hyeon asked as we entered the car.
I looked at him acting confused and he tilted his head, "what's really going on between you and Minji?" He asked.
"Nothing, I just sleep with him from time to time." I replied bluntly, leaning back in my seat.
"So you're just using him for sex?" He questioned, I shrugged my shoulders. "He offered himself, I didn't force him to spread his legs for me." I replied.
"But isn't it obvious that he likes you," he stated, "That's his problem, I don't like him and I just want to mess around. So he should know not to act like my lover."
TBC