in silence ᴰᴼᴵᴸ

２１.

☄️❄️☄️

The silence ridiculously ended the second the mute boy arrived. It wasn't exactly his arrival, just him texting Taeil that his mom was driving through the city near the destination—to which the older proposed he would walk with him. So the boy wouldn't get lost, of course.

For that reason, Taeil finished his breakfast in a second, getting his thick jacket and putting his shoes on before shouting a loud "Goodbye losers!" and with a bang of doors, he left.

"Well, what are we going to do while Taeil comes back from his date with his date?" Johnny joked while putting Taeil's cup in the sink, taking the Yuta's one along—both of the remaining boys shrugged. Only Sicheng hasn't even touched his tea, watching the cup as if it could change into a chameleon. Hence, the Japanese lifted his eyebrows in question in his direction to what the boy sheepishly started playing with the empty yoghurt crucible, almost knocking it off with a teaspoon.

"Uhm," He shyly looked up. "The taste is disgusting after the cold yoghurt." He then paused, as if choosing his words, before a thought hit him and he snapped his fingers. "The same like drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth."

"Don't even remind me!" Johnny groaned, averting the topic to another of flashbacks the friends shared. Meaning an interesting story was coming up. The friends smiled mischievously.

Sicheng eyed Yuta and then the cup, motioning the Japanese that he can take the tea if he wants to as he, most likely, won't drink it anyway. The boy shrugged and took it, both of their attention already on the third boy who was sitting behind the table, ready to draw them into another telling.

"Yuta dared me, as disgusting pig as he is, to drink orange juice and eat an apple—all of that after I brushed my teeth. I then had to wash it down with vodka and, let me tell you, it was horrible." Johnny shivered at the memory and Sicheng widened his eyes in amusement.

"Creative, right?" Yuta cocked, whereas his friend howled in frustration. Sicheng hummed, thinking of an answer. "Indeed, yes. But if I was the one you dared to do it, I'd probably hate you." He cocked back, Johnny smiling in victory at the Japanese.

"See, I had full right to be mad. I swear, if it wasn't for us being best friends, I'd vomit all over you, not on your couch." He gave him a grin which didn't really reach his eyes, or so-called smiling through the pain. Sicheng let out a giggle.

"Actually, I don't know what's worse. My mom was mad, like mAD."

A terrified look flashed over his face and his friends, not being able to hold it anymore, burst into a laugh with Sicheng choking on his giggles. Yuta only sipped his tea, dramatically shaking his head while Johnny was totally losing it. He knew Yuta's mom so he understood the situation he got his friend into very well.

"It's what you deserved." Johnny put on a satisfied look and shared a smirk with Sicheng.

They held it for a few seconds before the Chinese diverted his eyes to the cup as a warm smile appeared on his face. Yuta tried not to frown and waved it off with the thought that the Chinese is finally opening up, perhaps becoming a part of their little group. Still, he couldn't lie to himself—little jealousy stung his heart a bit.

"Yuta stop frowning or else you'll be ugly." Johnny slightly kicked his leg under the table and Sicheng seemed to be in his thoughts again. "Isn't it 'because you'll get wrinkles'?"