Household With Eight

Chapter 7

[Jisung's POV]

I'm working my shift and I have been placed behind the checkout.

Again.

Sometimes I really ask myself if this really is not just my fixed place now, but I don't have the courage to ask my boss about it. So, instead, I'm filling popcorn boxes, rob people their bank accounts, and wish them a good time.

It's weird to say that I haven't seen a movie in the cinema in such a long time while I'm here 5 times a week, at least. And to be honest with you, I have seen several people several times. They must be rich not to work that much.

My shift is close to over and I'm assigned to clean a room where just have been played a movie. I get rid of all the popcorn on the ground and swoop the floors and seats.

Once I'm done, I walk to the restrooms and change into some clothes I stole from Hyunjin. I walk back to the back of the cinema and put away my working clothes before grabbing my stuff to leave this place.

It's already 7:00 pm and I'm getting hungry. I have eaten some popcorn here and there, but that's not enough to fill my stomach. I hope Minho made some good food...

I walk out of the building and see Minho standing outside, texting on his phone. He sees me and puts his phone away, smiling and walking up to me. "What are you doing here?" I ask, smiling back at the older.

"I thought I'd stop by and try out a restaurant together. Felix taught Jeongin how to make brownies and ate them all before diner. I have no idea what the others are doing, but I was in doing something with you, since we've barely had the time for that these last weeks," the bunny boy explains. I smile at him and walk with him to the streets.

"So, what restaurant did you have in mind?" We are walking through the city and I've got my arm locked around Minho's. "There's this new Italian restaurant which just opened a week ago."

I chuckle and that makes the other guy look at me. "What?" I look at him and laugh again. "The fact that every time a new place opens, we go there the second they're open and we lost track. We really need to step up our game, Minho."

We arrive at the place and a waiter shows us our seats. We thank her with a bow and sit down opposite of each other. The place looks beautiful and has the charms of Italy, the food matching with the surroundings.

"Okay, first thought?" Minho speaks and looks around again. "Place is 8/10. If the food is good, this place is my new favorite restaurant." The guy opposite of me giggles and looks around. "Agree. You know, we really should be advertisers on restaurants. If that even is a word but you know what I mean."

"Well, you studied culinary. How should we call ourselves to the people, then? Like a company or website name," I think out loud. Minho comes up with an idea and leans forward.

"Minsung."

I laugh and lean backwards in my chair. "Love it."

Minho and I have been friends for almost 15 years now. We met when he was 10 and I was 8. I got bullied by some kids in the playground and Minho stood up for me and punched the bullies. Although his parents weren't too happy about it, I thought he was the coolest person in the world, and I still do.

We went to the same middle and high school and we were inseparable. In high school, we met Seungmin and Changbin. Jeongin and Hyunjin went to the same school together and Seungmin, the extrovert he is, became friends with them after a field trip with our two schools. The six of us stayed friends after high school. One time, when we went out together, Changbin asked if he could bring a friend and that's how we met Chan. Felix was friends with Chan and visited him once. He learned us English and we learned him Korean.

That's how our friend group came to place.

The same waiter as before brings our food and we thank her again. We start eating and damn, that food was good. "Okay it's official, this is my new favorite restaurant," I confess and Minho agrees, enjoying the food as much as I do.

We finished our food and the waiter takes the plates with her. "I'll pay, you were the one who found out about this place, right?" It's some sort of tradition to pay when the other found a new place first. Minho chuckles and nods. "Haven't forgotten about that."

I get up and walk to the checkout to pay. Once I'm done, Minho already stands at the exit. We thank the waiter and exit the restaurant.

We're peacefully walking through the streets, feeling the air against our cheeks. We're walking in silence, enjoying the nighttime. We arrive at the convenience store where Changbin is working his shift.

He sees us walking in and smiles. "Hey guys, where were you this evening?" Minho walks through the store to find some food or drinks. He always buys something when he's here, even when he doesn't need it, but that way he hopes he can help Changbin out a little bit.

"We were out eating at a new restaurant. What did you guys have for dinner tonight?" I ask, since not everyone is really good at cooking. Minho cooks every time, so it's reasonable for me to question how they got any food.

"We ordered pizza." See, reasonable. Minho comes back with three drinks and a hat. "How much is this?" he asks, laying the things on the counter. Changbin scans them and looks at the screen in front of him. "10.000 won." Minho takes his wallet out and gives the latter 20.000 won. "Keep the change. And this drink if for you, by the way." He winks afterwards, shoves one drink to the shorter, and we leave the store after saying goodbye.

Minho and I walk through the park and see a bench with a view of the lake. We sit down and watch people walking by. We love to just listen to their conversations and gossip about it afterwards.

Minho takes out the hat he bought before and puts it on my head. "Little present for you." He winks at me and looks back to the people walking by. I smile and adjust the cap on my head, not until I feel a hand on my shoulder. I think it's Minho's, but I was wrong.

I see Minho looking behind me and freezes. I'm scared to turn around, but I still move my head to the direction the latter is looking.

Once I make eye contact with the person standing behind me, I freeze and don't know what to do. All the flashbacks fire back at me and I fight the urge not to cry.

"Hello, son."