Chapter Eighty-five (1/2)
Seokmin looked at the boy with jealous eyes: hearing him staying over the night; hearing him being allowed with Dino alone; and hearing that Jeonghan was super fine with the two dating, even though Jeonghan has no knowledge of the boy. And the fact that Renjun is underage also makes Seokmin furious. Everyone else didn't look, but Yeosang did. He saw the fire burning in Seokmin's eyes while he faked a smile to the young boy. Renjun's bright smile turned softer within fifteen minutes of eating supper. Seungcheol was there as well as Hoshi. "Jisoo invited me on a date, remember?" Hoshi started. "We were eating ramen on her rooftop." She said. "Mr. Kim is a great worker, good that Jisoo's living comfortably." Seungcheol said as he mixed his noodles. Hoshi poked at his pork chunk. "Yeah.. he got a promotion.." He muttered. Seungcheol stayed quiet as he picked up his noodles. He furrowed his eyebrows at how spicy the food is. Yeosang didn't see the flame die down one bit in Seokmin's eyes. "So now Hoshi gets to be alone with his girlfriend?" He asked. Jeonghan looked at the boy with pleading eyes. "And Renjun gets to be alone with Dino?" Seokmin asked calmly. "Meanwhile, I can't even video call Sungjae. He's in the opposite time zone." He lifted his arms.
Renjun cleared his throat. "Are you jealous of us? Or are you upset that you can't be close to Sungjae?" He asked. "Both." Seokmin answered honestly. "It's selfish to feel both, pick one." Renjun said as he let his chopsticks settle in his bowl.
Seokmin followed the younger with putting his chopsticks down. "I'm upset that I can't be close to Sungjae." He said honestly. Renjun nodded. "And has Jeonghan ever really stopped you from being close to Sungjae?" He asked with a serious expression. "Wanting to not make your parent upset has stopped me." Seokmin replied, not caring about the eyes watching them. "I get it," Renjun said, "my mom gets upset at me when I don't take my medicine. But she's not going to hate me for it." He stated. "She knows I'm careful when I'm in my other personality." Seokmin kept his mouth shut. "She cares for me, that I won't get hurt when I'm my immature self. I naturally am just a kid, I could get hurt easily." Renjun said seriously. "Maybe it's not that Jeonghan doesn't want you to be happy. Maybe it's what happens when you're alone with Sungjae, that he wants you to be cautious." Jeonghan had surprised eyes. "But.. Jeonghan doesn't give a second thought about you." Seokmin said. "Oh, I was super totally against it at first." Jeonghan interrupted. "But just like with everything else, Seungcheol calmed me down and helped me through it." He looked Seungcheol's way. Seungcheol looked at the fire noodles he pushed away. "It hurts when you smack me with your brush.." He muttered. "So no, Seokmin, I didn't give no thought to it." Jeonghan stated.
Renjun picked up his chopsticks again. "If.. it makes any difference, Hyung, you can be the pillow between us tonight." He offered seriously. "No.. that's.. alright.." Seokmin poked at his noodles.
*** The early morning comes. Jeonghan sees Seungcheol out, and enters the kitchen. He's surprised to see Yeosang standing at the table with the first-aid kit there. He raised an eyebrow as they made eye contact. The boy bowed a bit and turned a bit. "Let me help," Jeonghan silently went around him and looked at the cut on Yeosang's hip. He pressed the bandage on the deep red scab. His eyes then wondered to the crow on Yeosang's back. The boy noticed and picked his shirt up from the table. "Can.. I just feel it?" Jeonghan asked. "Your crow?" He asked. It was always something that made Jeonghan curious. Did it just feel like Yeosang's skin? Or is it raised up and feather-like? Yeosang looked at the time, knowing Woozi was still sleeping. "Go ahead." He gave permission. Jeonghan watched as the boy's shoulders slumped. He put a hand on either wing that wasn't complete. He traced down to the beak that was fully drawn. You wouldn't even know this wasn't a tattoo.. He inwardly commented. This can't be the end for Yeosang.. He moved his arms around to hug Yeosang. The crow widened his eyes as he felt a weird feeling in his stomach. "Mr. Yoon.." He lightly took the parent's arms off of him. "Don't worry about me. I'll be here to protect Woozi and my mother until it's fully drawn. Then you don't have to worry about me talking about sex." He picked his shirt up. Jeonghan shook his head. "Just.. be good to him." He subtly begged as he put his chin on the boy's head in the new hug. Yeosang felt weird. It felt like when San tried asking for a threesome last week. Something in him.. "I'm sorry, I.. the noodles! They hurt my stomach!" He backed away from the hug and ran to the bathroom.
Jeonghan furrowed his eyebrows as he heard the running water with an undertone of puking. "Hm.." He scratched his neck. "There has to be another way.." He nodded with a determined look.
Time progresses, and the kids all travel in the van, Renjun included. Vernon put his suspenders on along with a mask, goggles, hat, and pair of gloves. "I'll knock down the wasp nests." He said. "While you do that, I have something I want to go do. Be good." Jeonghan patted the boy's shoulder.
Jeonghan walked his way to Mystic Academy. There, he went to the library. He looked around, wondering where he should start for his research on crows. An old man captures his attention, however. He's in a wheelchair and the little hair he has is snowy white. He has a stork pin on his jacket as he looks around some things. Jeonghan walked up to the man carefully. "Excuse me," He bowed respectfully, "are you a stork child?" He asked. The man looked up at him with a false-teeth smile. "Certainly, I am." He said. Jeonghan smiled in amazement. "Can you tell me about yourself? I'm a father of eleven kids." He said as he sat down on the floor. "Boy, sit over there." He chuckled. "You remind me of my granddaughter," He said, "petite and cute." Jeonghan saw his pink hair in the antique mirror he walked past. Cute.. He sat down. "My name is Jang Woohyuk." The man said. "I'm the youngest of five brothers."
The younger had a big smile. "Really?" He asked. "I'll be 101 years old this year," The old man said, "what is it you're looking for here?" He asked. Jeonghan crossed his leg and looked down at his knees. "I have to confess, two of my children are a crow and dove." He said, the old man nodding. "And my crow has found love in another crow, but that crow's dove died. He has a crow being drawn on his back." He pointed to his back. Woohyuk nodded and held his hands. "My first siblings were a crow and dove," He started, "he was made out of rebellion. The town didn't like my parents' relationship at all. But when they realized they had a child together, they made up." He said. "Unfortunately, the town murdered the dove. And so the white lines went from the crow's fingertips to his heart." Woohyuk continued as he recalled the day. "And then he turned a solid white for four whole years." He said. Jeonghan furrowed his eyebrows. "And then what?" He asked. "My sibling found love before his dove was killed," Woohyuk mentioned, "after the four years, his body returned to normal. However, his eyes were all white. There wasn't a color like you and I have. But he could still see." He stated. Jeonghan could tell the man was in his right mind as he was telling the story. "So when Yeosang turns black.." "There's a chance he might live." Woohyuk said with a smile. "This school is trying to erase all of the information about crows and doves. There used to be a whole room dedicated to doves. Now all that is mentioned is that they were made from reunited parents." He said bitterly. Jeonghan held the man's hand. "Maybe.. one of your relatives will write the knowledge you have?" He asked. "That's.. a good idea. I know Dara would listen to my stories.." He said with a little bit of hope in his eyes. Jeonghan smiled back. "Thank you so much for your time, Mr. Jang. Hearing that there might be a chance for Yeosang.. it really lifts the weight on my heart." He held his chest. "Just don't give up on him." Woohyuk pointed at him.
***
"Did you hear about Seungkwan wanting us to do a performance for his drama after the summer festival?" Seokmin asked as they sat down in their study room. Woozi lifted his eyes from the page. "I heard about it, but I don't know the details." He replied. "He said he wants you to write a song for his play." Seokmin stated as he wrote notes in his notebook. "Seriously? How am I supposed to write a song when he hasn't even given me a manuscript to go on?" Woozi said angrily as he put his head back to crack his neck. Seokmin turned the page in his book. "He said that he'll have it ready by Saturday.." He said. "And then he expects me to teach the whole vocal class the song? I really don't think Seungkwan thinks these things through." Woozi shook his head as he picked up a pen. Seokmin looked at him with a small smile. "Well, you could teach me the song first. I'm a fast learner." he said. "That's because you practice all night." Woozi raised an eyebrow. "Well maybe if you have a night where Yeosang's not staying over, I could have a sleep-filled night." He had a sassy attitude. Yeosang put his book down. "Hey, we didn't even do anything last night. You could have slept with us." He said. "You hog the blanket." He pointed at the younger. "I get cold easily." Yeosang defended himself.
Their miniature argument was interrupted with the door opening. The three look at the door and see a blue-haired boy walk in. Yeosang narrowed his eyes at Mingi. "Don't I have to spend eight hours of my day with you, Mingi? Please leave."