COLD • Jakehoon

13

FLASHBACK

"MOM! IS AUNTIE YANG COMING TODAY?" Jake asked as he excitedly completed his chores. He was looking forward to meet his favourite cousin.

"Yes! Are you excited Ikeu?"

"Yes. It's been a while since I last met Jungwon."

After a while, Jake ran downstairs as soon as he heard the knock on his door. A smile crept up on his lips as soon as he saw Jungwon standing there with his mom. He went there to greet them just to recieve a glare from Jungwon. He shrugged it off thinking that maybe his cousin was in a bad mood.

After they had food, their moms were gone for a walk as Jake and Jungwon were busy scrolling on their phones. Jake found it really weird how Jungwon looked like he hated being near him.

"Jungwon did I offend you in some way? Why are you not talking to me? Why are you behaving like this?" Jake finally asked as he gave up on not being the first one to talk.

Jungwon sighed as he put his phone down.

"Jake, you better not talk to me. I'm tired of you." That was the last time Jungwon spoke anything sincerely to him.

He started bullying Jake in secret with his friends, and as Jake didn't want to an extra burden to his mom, he kept it a secret, but he still had a soft spot for Jungwon even after all that, because he didn't know the reason why he was being like that in the first place.

Remembering this, Jake wiped his tears as he stood by his balcony. The wind grew colder. Winters were definitely coming. He felt his body shaking as the cold breeze touched his skin. He felt someone put a jacket on his shoulder.

He turned around to see Yang Jungwon ignoring his stare. It made Jake annoyed. Why the fuck did Jungwon bully him when he cares about whether he'd get cold or not.

"You're confusing me." Jake said as he removed the jacket, handed it to his cousin and made way towards the interior of the house.
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The next day, first period was Physical Education. The coach being the lazy uncle just left the students to play dodgeball. The teams were divided in half according to the roll numbers and unfortunately, Sunghoon and Jungwon were in one team.

The game became heated pretty fast. Two players left each side. On the left it was Sunghoon and Jungwon, on the right, Ni-ki and Ryujin.

Unintentionally, Ryujin threw the ball towards Sunghoon a bit too hard. So the ball was basically dashing straight towards Sunghoon. Scared, the boy closed his eyes and was prepared to get hit on his nose. But that never happened. Sunghoon opened his eyes just to Jungwon worriedly covering him, the ball his his back and everyone was definitely sure it must've hurt.

Sunghoon looked at Jungwon's eyes. They showed care. And Sunghoon hated how Jungwon reminded him of his past. He clearly was mad. He sighed deeply as he left the ground to go and change for the next class. He really didn't want to play anymore.

"I'm not feeling really good. You guys should continue." He said as he left.

But as soon as he reached to the lockers, he felt someone grabbing him by his shoulders and pinning him to the lockers. Not to his surprise, it was Jungwon. Sunghoon would be lying if he said he couldn't hear his own heartbeats fastening.

"What are you doing?!" Sunghoon said as he tried to break free from the boy's grip but it was too hard.

"You left me no option, Sunghoon. It's been days I'm trying to talk to you, and you just proceed to ignore me like I don't exist." Jungwon replied as he got closer.

"Is there something left to talk about? Do you even realize what you did Jungwon?"

"Yes I do! And I hate myself for it. I won't be surprised if you said that you hate me too and you'd never want me to show my face to you. But can we please talk? Just once? Sunghoon please-" Jungwon answered as he stopped because of a sudden punch on his face.

Sunghoon widened his eyes and Jungwon looked up only to see Ni-ki and Sunoo with raging eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Sunoo asked as he passed some water to now trembling Sunghoon.

"I warned you, didn't I? I'm sure you do realize how shitty you are, yet you have the audacity to show up in front of Sunghoon, and even more, pinning him to the lockers?" Ni-ki asked as he grabbed Jungwon's collars and glared him straight in the eyes.

"Ni-ki... he-"

"Let's go Hoon." Sunoo said as he dragged Sunghoon out of the locker room, with Ni-ki following them, leaving Jungwon alone.

Jungwon looked to the ground as he sadly smiled to himself.

I really messed up again, didn't I? Probably that's why nobody likes me.

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Mr. Kim reached the class as soon as the bell rang. He had some forms in his hands.

"Class! The wintercamp trip is back! Fill the forms and submit them till tomorrow. It is compulsory to attend unless there's any important personal matter stopping you. Your physical performance is going to be included in the credits." He announced as the class groaned.

"Why's everyone so sad. Like it might be fun?" Sunghoon looked at Ni-ki who asked Sunoo about the matter.

"They literally make us high-school students do that every year. The two senior-most grades go to the camp. I heard from the seniors, they take up to the hilltop and it's so fucking cold over there. We'll probably freeze and the winters are here so it's basically a torture. The only good thing they do is to give us hot chocolates any time that we want." Sunoo replied making his friends chuckle.

"You for sure know a lot about here sun." Sunghoon said as he laughed.

But Sunoo suddenly stopped laughing and looked down.

"What happened?" Sunghoon asked as he worriedly looked at his friend.

"I'll probably not be able to go. I'll have to make an excuse. The forms need a guardian's consent. But my dad probably isn't even searching for me."

"We'll find a way, we'll go together sun." Ni-ki said as he patted Sunoo's shoulder.
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Who are you all's enha biases? I'm curious?