nunchi [txt yeonjun]

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the next saturday, yeonjun was home, playing with his younger, smarter, better, but just as handsome - as he had himself declared - cousin, who was four and now visiting, as an excise not to do housejobs, despite his dad's insistente. at some point, his phone rang. it was soobin, his best friend, asking him to join him and... kang taehyun on a quick rock-climbing session.

that was something they normally did to kill time because, thankfully, most of the county was mountain side. and it was a nice and refreshing break from the screeches and the crowds in the city. considering how uneasy he'd been feeling the past few days, he more than welcomed that small adventure.

he said yes and within half an hour, they got going, with climbing shoes, harnesses which they borrowed from a friend who worked at mountain rescue, beer and soda, and everything else they needed.

something yeonjun has yet to understand was why was taehyun there. soobin and him had a years-long history, since before going to high school together, in which they were either ripping each other's necks or planning to make the world a better place together. actually, last time he checked, yeonjun thought they weren't on speaking terms; yet, he felt relieved they were friends once again.

on the other side, something was bothering the boy, but he wasn't ready to admit it was the fact that taehyun knew yeonwoo. actually, they were friends. close friends. and neighbors. all that since the beginning of time. so that whenever anybody tried picking on her for being chubby or for talking with a weird accent, which she really did, but he'd thought it was cute at times, a single glare from taehyun got them silent. he'd fought for her sake, only to fuel the already-going on rumors about them being more than friends, doing things that normal friends didn't - stupid stories that wouldn't have fit with yeonwoo's shy and good girl image.

yeonjun had believed them at some point too. just because one could never know what to expect from others.

taehyun wasn't as tall, but he was so darn well-bult, while soobin and yeonjun were limitedly broad and limitedly muscular. soobin had this slender body type that just threw him under the bus... oops... no, he didn't mean to...gosh, there she was again in his thoughts.

why it always had to be about her? he was getting tired of everything. living with the knowledge that she was hurting because of him, of him not liking her back, was one thing, but the aftermath of her accident putting on him too would be a whole other.

he was rock-climbing with one of the people who loved the girl. the universe had a twisted humor.

the actual climbing was great, like always. the aftermath not so much.

once they were done, they opened some beer and soda cans and things would have been just fine hadn't soobin unnecessarily opened his mouth. he was a good guy overall, but had the imbecile habit of thinking with his mouth, gossiping worse than bratty chicks from teen movies.

"so, yeonjun-ssi, how's yeonwoo?"

both yeonjun and taehyun's jaws dropped to the ground the very next moment. it took the former a moment to gather his words before replying, visibly uncomfortable, "why would i know?"

soobin had that habit, asking yeonjun about each and every girl that had taken a liking to him, just to mess with his poor friend and have a good laugh. but under what rock had he been living not to know about her current state? or maybe he knew and just wanted to twist a knife. in yeonjun as much as in taehyun.

maybe it was the same rock yeonjun himself had been under until last week.

soobin and taehyun exchanged glances, but neither seemed very sure about what was going on. thankfully, they were all smart enough not to push the matter further. for then.

only later, when they returned to town and soobin left, taehyun finally spoke. "you do know she's..." his voice half-broke, half-went down to barely audible, but still, it was hard to pronounce the words.

half-dead. half-alive. comatose. not waking up.

yeonjun knew, of course he knew, but wanted to at least delay the inevitable, finding himself unable to stop it. starting a yet new discussion on the same topic was going to drive him mad. more kwon yeonwoo haunting him. great!

"yeonwoo," taehyun added, the word feeling so bitter now. it had once been like honey.

yeonjun moved his head in a sligh nod, his eyes down, analyzing the colour of his own shoes. "i found out a week ago. i've been to her, with coach han."

well, that sure as hell surprised taehyun, who raised his hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it. "you really did?" everybody, the girl's friend included, knew all too well that yeonjun didn't like her back, so it made little sense for him to visit her.

"coach wanted to go. i just followed him there," he explained, then hesitated on continuing, "it was weird, though. i couldn't watch it, seeing her like that. and all those machines started being the moment i entered. look, taehyun, you know how things were and still are between yeonwoo and me, but i'd still hate it if she died or something."

the other guy nodded. "i know. me too. but still, thank you. she's not awake, but it mattered for her."

"i wish it didn't."

"we both do."

"hope she wakes up and makes it not matter anymore," yeonjun added before turning around to leave. "see you around, then."

"go see her again, please. it wouldn't hurt." taehyun was heading the opposite direction already, as to make sure yeonjun couldn't turn around and reply in any way.

he's a good friend, yeonjun thought to himself, then kept going and headed home. it was good taehyun hadn't allowed him to answer to that suggestion; he would have had no idea what to say to it.

thank you for reading this!
i updated both nunchi and pyeha today to celebrate CAT AND DOG release. gosh, i really like the song and i'm happy they are releasing it as a single. now that boy with love has all the loved it could get, i needed something else to stream. :))
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love you. byeeee