Entangled With You (B X B)

Chapter 07 : Had no choice but to come

"Ah Minjun, honey, please tell your friend to come-" Mom frowned at how disheveled Minjun's state was, which he didn't care at the moment. She also took a look at the jacket in his hand. "Wait, where’re you going? It’s Sunday."

"Exactly, Mom. It’s Sunday.” Minjun took mom’s hands and pried them politely from Jisun’s hands. He also smiled at her, careful not to hurt her feelings in the slightest. “Jisun, you can go ahead, I'll follow in a moment." Minjun told the other boy surprisingly politely. But it was not long until he pushed him out of the yard, away from mom. The poor boy didn't even have the chance to speak.

Succeed with getting rid of Jisun, well not entirely because the boy was standing right outside their courtyard looking confused and all, Minjun turned his attention to mom.

"What? But your friend-"

"Mom, I need to help him with the project, so maybe I'll be late for lunch or dinner. Uh… I don’t know?” Minjun waited for mom to finally nod to give him permission, then bid her goodbye. “Bye, mom."

With only that, he ran back to Jisun and pulled the boy with him hurriedly, leaving mom gaping at Minjun’s strange behavior. Minjun kept looking back to make sure mom didn't follow them. He walked even faster when the neighbor’s dog was barking from behind that gate at them.

Minjun was a little bit uncomfortable about leaving mom just like that without their usual insignia every time they were about to be parted. Minjun was a spoiled son, he admitted it that much, but he wasn’t a spoiled brat. He used to be pampered, especially by mom. Well, all of that thanks to being the youngest in the family, and he loved it. But now that it was displayed in his mind, it suddenly felt too much. He was a grown… boy, ok he was a teen, but still! And to let such behavior put on display for his junior to see, damn it, Minjun shivered.

There was no way Minjun would let Jisun witness all of it. He had pride to keep.

Those two students were walking, half running for almost five minutes. Well, more like Minjun was pulling Jisun around, head full of his own thoughts. Surprisingly, the younger one didn't even try to stop him, or maybe Minjun just didn’t hear the boy.

They reached the bus stop and that was when Minjun realized he had held onto Jisun's hands ever since they left his house. Minjun threw the younger’s hand in surprise. He coughed awkwardly and, just like that, they waited for the bus to come.

“So, you’re coming.” Jisun broke their silence once they sat inside the bus.

“What else is that I’m here with you then?”

“Right.” Jisun smiled.

Is he that happy not to be scolded by Chan?!

“Your mom is so lovely, hyung. It was kinda unexpected.” The boy complimented sincerely. Which somehow elicited a dash of pink shade on the edge of Minjun’s ears. Imagine if Jisun was to witness how Minjun usually behaved with mom? He’d rather not.

“What unexpected? You thought she’d be mean?”

Jisun waved his hands hurriedly, “Nonono! I mean-”

“Ck!” Minjun wagged dismissively at Jisun. He knew exactly what Jisun meant, because he used to think like that. How could Minjun act like a grumpy, insensitive and unfriendly person when all his family were everything but all of that? Shouldn’t it be some kind of genetic inheritance? But neither mom, dad or Minseok hyung were like that.

Now? He didn’t really care actually, the self-questioning had made the final chapter and Minjun wouldn’t even have the time to re-read them. He was okay with his own duality, if others not, their problem.

The rest of the way to school was filled with silence. Not even Jisun tried to break it.

“Isn’t it tiring? Trying to be friendly to me?” Minjun asked out of nowhere. “I assure you that I won't behave the same no matter what. It’s just me, so you should stop trying.” Minjun said right before they got off the bus. He didn’t even wait for Jisun to react to that sudden ‘advice’.

He didn’t know why in the hell he should say something like that in the first place. It was not like the junior cared about it either.

-

Apparently, Yunjin wasn't lying when he told Jisun that the camera was similar to the one Minjun hid under his bed. It was the exact same type that Minjun even had to take a double look to make sure it really wasn't his. Of course Minjun didn’t think that the one Hyemi gave him was something like one of a kind, and it was obvious the brand produced more than one unit. It was just he didn’t expect it, and it took him out of guard for a second.

There was a slight difference though, a mark that was only there on his own camcorder. That one particular distinction could hold Minjun still to the present time, yes, but the sweat dripping on his back was another story.

"Here." Chan offered him the camera, waiting for Minjun to take it.

Minjun could feel his hand start to shake for the reasons he didn't wish to acknowledge at this time. It was agonizing enough for him being such a weakling for those items under his bed, because those held memories. But this one in front of him? He didn't even know its background, so why couldn't he be a reasonable teen like how he wanted to?! Just because of this immense longing and guilt.

Despite the odd feelings, he still wanted to try. He refused to yield this time. Not because he wanted to help this movie club, more like to satisfy the curiosity he had. Minjun didn’t ask why the camcorder was on the leader’s hand instead of Jisun’s, the owner, though.

I can’t behave like this at every similar camcorder I’d meet!

And that was how he found himself standing in the middle of the school's indoor court with a camcorder in his hand, trying to digest the instruction Sungjae had been telling him for the past fifteen minutes. All he could do was nod and take small notes in his brain because no way he would write it down in front of his junior. He couldn’t look stupid for anyone’s eyes! Minjun and his pride really...

Sungjae explained that this time they would only make the trial recordings to evaluate later, in Minjun’s words it was a practice shot.

Practice, so he didn’t have to try so hard.

That was what he had been screaming at himself, but Yunjin really made it difficult for him. Minjun couldn’t help taking several quick glances at Yunjin who also occupied himself with another camera. How strange, he remembered clearly that Yunjin was never into anything related to cinematography. That guy didn’t even enjoy Iron Man. Now seeing him struggling with a camera in hands, joining a movie club… not that Minjun cared though.

But he was annoyed.

Despite knowing how uninterested Yunjin was about all of this, the dipstick somehow looked strangely confident and… good with it. While Minjun felt so awkward.

It pissed him off.

Not only that, Minjun could feel Jisun becoming more and more reluctant on his side. So, he took a deep breath and sighed, “You know what, you should just go with him.” He pointed with his chin to where Yunjin stood at.

“But-”

“Yeah, yeah, I know I told you that I’m good at this. But I don’t think it’s possible right now. If you want something to learn, then go to your friend.”

Jisun didn’t move nor respond to his statement for some time. Not until Minjun lifted the camcorder to try then gave up just immediately. His hand was shaking along with his heart.

“I heard that Yunjin has a private cinematography class at home,” Jisun started. Before Minjun asked him about the credibility of his words, Jisun explained shortly, “He told me.”

“Oh wow, more reason for you to go to him.” Minjun started to clench and unclench his hand.

“That’s why he joined this club. But I think there’s another reason.”

“Hmm, that’s his business. I don’t even want to know about it.” He was serious. While Minjun was asking that exact question just a moment ago in his head, he really didn’t have any intention of really knowing about it.

“So I just want to stay here with you, hyung.”

He's talking nonsense and so random, I swear. What the f**k?!

“What the f-!” Minjun succeeded in stopping himself. But maybe Jisun could already figure out what the senior was going to say.

“hehe I don’t think it is strange though. I just know that it will be better here with you, hyung.” Jisun scratched his head, which Minjun figured wasn’t itchy at all. “But maybe if you’re not comfortable-”

“Ahhhhh whatever.” Minjun dismissed Jisun’s sentence. “Suit yourself.” If the kid wanted to stay here, then so be it. He had no business in ruining someone’s joy.