mint box - wontaro

ch. 20 - free

sungchan set down his phone with an indecisive hum. he plucked his best friend's phone out of his hands. "hey, maybe don't check the group chat."

"why?" shotaro's appearance has brightened up a bit ever since he went home and got that extra sleep. "if it's serious, i want to know."

sungchan shrugged. "let's just say that sohee...won't stop."

a feeling of jealousy boiled in shotaro's stomach. he gritted his teeth in understanding. "oh. yeah." but he couldn't shake the curiosity that pestered him. "...what is it now, still sex?"

"marriage, wonbin's calling sohee his husband, but don't worry, wonbin uh, wasn't too engaged in the conversation." the brunette struggled to reach for the right words which were too high up the fruit tree of his brain. "he's like—trying to be...there? but also not? like, he's not interested but he seems like he wants in on the joke?"

"just—don't talk about it, chan." shotaro harshly rubbed his eyes with the sleeves of his hoodie. "drop it."

sungchan's mind ran wild with unanswered burning questions after he very clearly saw his best friend wipe a tear. digging into shotaro's mind isn't hard, it's just the boy's stubbornness and fear that makes the process much more challenging.

"taro? i want to talk to you." he exhaled shakily, keeping strong eye contact with the blonde boy.

"sure, what's up?" shotaro smiled, the smile that sungchan was worried so many locked away emotions hid behind. he hesitantly scooted closer to his best friend, tentatively touching his hand.

"can i see your arm?"

the question caught the older boy way off guard. his smile fell just for a moment before he quickly maintained it. "i'm not sure why you'd need to, chan."

"please just let me see, taro. please." he didn't want to seem desperate, but seeing shotaro get defensive was all the proof he needed.

the older boy reluctantly held out his arm, his best friend carefully rolling up the fabric of his long sleeve.

the first cut was exposed. sungchan shook his head in sadness. he let go of the sleeve to stare at the ground. "are you going to tell wonbin?"

"i don't want to annoy him with my problems. i'd rather our...whatever we're in, be happy and stuff." shotaro smiled in an attempt to bring his tears to a halt. "wonbin's flirting with sohee, dc is next week, and you're in the other group."

sungchan laughed. "does the flirting really annoy you that much?" once shotaro nodded, he fluffed the older boy's hair. "you must really like wonbin."

"i've liked him for over a year, chan. of course i love him. but wonbin's not...well i'm just worried if i tell him my problems i won't stop doing it."

sungchan grabbed shotaro's shoulders and stared him in the eyes. "tell him."

—
a/n:

i'm sorry to you

i'm sorry to him

i'm sorry i can't grow up and get over the smallest situations

and maybe one day when i'm gone

you and him can move on

and i'll live at peace knowing the foundations you create will become something bigger than me

and once i leave, you all will finally be free.