Chapter Text
Jongin had never been to a place like this before.
The narrow hallway was cluttered and the walls were peeling, with chunks of plaster hanging loosely, ready to fall off at any moment.
Jongin took out his phone to check the address and went up one more floor.
Stopping in front of his destination, he took a deep breath and knocked twice.
A few minutes later, the door to the neighboring suite opened.
Jongin turned his head and saw a young man wearing a black t-shirt with a cigarette between his lips. His hair was chestnut brown, and intricate patterns were tattooed on his arms.
“Hi, I’m looking for Park Chanyeol.”
The brown-haired man eyed him from head to toe and blew out a smoke ring, “Who are you?”
Jongin studied him as well, finding him somewhat familiar, and extended his right hand, “My name is Jongin. I'm Chanyeol’s classmate.”
“Classmate? Are you trying to get him back to school?”
Seeing that the other had no intention of accepting his handshake, Jongin withdrew it awkwardly, “He hasn’t been to class and he’s starting his final year soon. The teacher hopes he’ll come back.”
The man scoffed, as if he’d just heard a joke.
“Your school must be out of their mind. They didn’t care about him for the past two years, and now they suddenly pretend to care?” His expression darkened. “Get lost, Chanyeol doesn’t live here anymore.”
“Then do you know where he lives now?”
“I don’t,” The man brushed him off and walked past him.
Jongin stumbled a little and managed to regain his balance, deciding to follow him from a distance as they both headed downstairs.
He never knew a place like this existed. Rundown apartments, spiderweb-like wires hanging overhead, the streets filthy and disorderly.
It appeared that the man was going for dinner as he went into a small restaurant across the street, and it was then that Jongin remembered seeing him before.
His buzzing phone brought his thoughts back and he checked the caller’s ID before picking up. It was his friend, Baekhyun.
“Sorry, I might not make it today.”
They planned to go see a movie later, but that would likely have to be postponed now.
“You haven’t given the letter to Chanyeol yet?”
“No, someone told me he doesn’t live here anymore, and he wouldn’t tell me where he is.”
“Maybe you should just forget about it. Even if you find him, he probably won’t go back to school. And he seems so aggressive. What if he gets mad and beats you up?”
“Ms. Lee specifically asked me to give him the letter.”
“She asked you just because you’re the class president? But you two hardly know each other.”
Jongin sighed. It was true that he didn’t know much about Chanyeol. In fact, not only were they not close, but there was also a bit of personal resentment from his side.
Chanyeol was the worst person he had ever met and the only person in his seventeen years of life that he genuinely disliked.
The brown-haired man came out of the restaurant just then, and Jongin had to hang up to keep a close eye on him.
He returned to the apartment and Jongin didn’t know when he would see him again, so he decided to wait downstairs.
When he got hungry, Jongin went to a nearby convenience store and bought a pack of crackers to snack on. They didn’t taste like much, but they weren’t particularly bad either.
He could have gone home. After all, summer vacation was long, and he could always come back another day. But he didn’t want to do that. All he wanted was to finish the task his teacher had assigned him and completely cut ties with Chanyeol.
Fortunately, the brown-haired man came out again in the evening, now dressed in a different outfit. Jongin’s legs were numb from standing so long, and he stomped his feet a few times before following him into a street lined with bars and neon lights.
The sky was just starting to darken at this hour, and the streets were bustling with people. Jongin followed the man to the entrance of a bar but hesitated to go further. The glaring lights, noisy background, and stench of alcohol made him wonder if he should continue.
Just then, a beautiful woman wearing a revealing dress approached him, “Don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before. First time?”
Startled, Jongin stepped back in a panic and turned to leave.
He had lost his target, and he worried that the man might have already noticed him and purposely led him to a place like this.
Jongin continued walking without looking back and accidentally bumped into someone. He quickly apologized, but after a short silence and no response, he looked up to apologize again, and felt his breath catch in his throat upon seeing the familiar face.
Standing before him was the person he had been searching for all day, Park Chanyeol, dressed in a black tank top and cargo pants.
"Well, if it isn’t our class president."
Jongin ignored him and took the letter from his homeroom teacher out of his backpack.
"Ms. Lee hopes you can come back. You missed too many classes."
Chanyeol glanced at it but didn’t take it, proceeding to walk out of the bar.
Jongin scowled and caught up to him, "She tried calling you multiple times but couldn’t reach you, so she asked me to bring it."
"But why did she ask you?" Chanyeol suddenly stopped and leaned in, his nose almost touching Jongin’s as his lips curved into a teasing smirk. "Are we close?"
Jongin shuddered, and he instinctively took a step back.
Even though Chanyeol had a cocky attitude, he was very good-looking. Tall, well-built, and eyes that shone like the brightest stars. He should’ve been kind and harmless, with a vibrant, eye-catching appearance.
That was what Jongin thought on the first day of high school. He truly wanted to be friends with Chanyeol and paid close attention to him, just for a chance to talk to him.
To his dismay, Chanyeol slept through the majority of the day, and only woke up when the after-school bell rang.
They happened to be heading in the same direction, and Jongin tailed behind him, thinking about how to start a conversation. He didn’t expect to encounter a group of dangerous-looking young men as they reached an underpass.
They were known for fighting and causing trouble. Although Jongin had never seen it himself, he knew to avoid them. But Chanyeol seemed not to notice them and continued walking straight towards them.
Jongin couldn’t remember what he was thinking at that moment. Maybe he was worried that Chanyeol would get hurt, so he rushed over and pulled him away, forgetting the fact that Chanyeol was taller and stronger than him.
While running, Jongin kept telling him not to be scared, but the group caught up in no time and was surprisingly respectful towards Chanyeol.
At first, Jongin thought that even if Chanyeol hung out with them, he must have had his reasons. But he soon realized how naive he was.
The few days Chanyeol showed up at school became a nightmare for Jongin.
Once, he was tricked into going to the rooftop on a gloomy day. Knowing that he was afraid of the dark and supernatural beings, Chanyeol told him horror stories and enjoyed watching his reactions.
Chanyeol was only in class for less than ten days over an entire school year, but whenever he showed up, Jongin was certain that he’d be teased.
In the homeroom teacher’s eyes, their exchanges seemed like a sign of a close friendship. She felt that Jongin was the only one in the class who could talk to Chanyeol, and asked him to deliver the letter and persuade Chanyeol to return to school.
But in reality, he couldn’t even deliver the letter, let alone persuade him.
"We’re not close at all," Jongin huffed as he slapped the letter against Chanyeol’s chest. "Read it or not, it’s up to you."
Chanyeol still didn’t take it, standing straight and letting the envelope fall to the ground.
"What a pity."
Jongin didn’t look back, not wanting to argue with him over this. The letter was delivered, and he had fulfilled the task Ms. Lee had given him.
"A perfectly good letter, dropped in a puddle, with the ink smearing all over...It’s a waste of Ms. Lee’s effort, don’t you think?"
A puddle? Jongin quickly turned around and saw that Chanyeol had taken out a bottle of water, turning the cap as if to pour it over the envelope.
He had no choice but to go back and pick it up, "What are you doing?"
Chanyeol seemed to have had his fun, "Why do you want me to take it?"
"Ms. Lee asked me to give it to you."
"Come back tomorrow. Maybe I’ll feel like reading it then."
♡
Jongin didn’t go back the next day. He knew what kind of person Chanyeol was and didn’t want to embarrass himself.
Ms. Lee had already expected it, though she couldn’t help but feel disappointed that she failed her duty as a teacher.
Jongin, on the other hand, was thrilled. He hoped that Chanyeol would never return to school and that they would never cross paths again.
He came from a wealthy family. His father is a businessman, owning a chain of luxury hotels across the country, and his mother is a well-known fashion designer with her own brand.
His mother had some free time today and video-called him during lunch, asking him what plans he had for the summer.
Jongin had already organized his schedule and listed everything one by one. Most of it involved staying home to read, with occasional outings with friends.
"I’m sorry, baby. Your father and I are so busy that we don’t have time to accompany you. But I'll be free for a couple of days next week. We can go to the amusement park and go shopping. How does that sound? "
Jongin’s eyes lit up, and just as he was about to say something, a phone rang on his mother’s end. She walked away to take the call and came back with an apologetic expression.
"Jongin, I..."
"It’s alright, mom," He interrupted, forcing a smile. "I’ve already made plans with my friends."
"Alright. Take care of yourself, sweetheart. Call me if you need anything."
Jongin nodded and waved goodbye, his smile fading as soon as the call ended.
He wanted to spend time with his mother. It had been a long time since he’d seen her. But that meant she would have to make time for him, and she was already busy enough; the little free time she had should be used for rest.
With nothing to do in the afternoon, Jongin wandered around the mansion. His parents had bought an estate in a luxury neighborhood near the school for his convenience. It had yards in both the front and back, surrounded by walls and filled with flowers and plants.
Jongin lay on the carpet finishing up a book before heading to the studio to paint. Perhaps influenced by his mother from a young age, he also enjoyed art and his childhood dream was to become a painter and open an art studio.
Time seemed to fly by. Immersed in the world of creation, Jongin even forgot to eat. Though his painting wasn’t particularly good, he thoroughly enjoyed the process of creating. By the time he finished, it was already dark outside.
It didn’t look too bad. Jongin nodded in satisfaction at his work and prepared to go downstairs to grab something to eat. Just as he stood up and stretched, he suddenly heard a sound from the window. Then, another sound followed.
He looked back, thinking it was just a small animal and opened the sliding door, only to see a figure leap onto the balcony.
"Chanyeol, how did you..." Jongin stood there in shock, staring at the unexpected intruder who took off his shoes before stepping in.
"I climbed up here."
"This is trespassing," Jongin nervously took a step back, momentarily forgetting this was his own home.
Chanyeol chuckled, pushing a hand through his blonde locks, "You took my letter and didn’t give it to me, so I came to get it myself. How is that trespassing?"
"Are you really just here for the letter?"
"What else? To see you paint a guinea pig?"
Jongin stared at him in confusion for a few seconds before catching on, "It’s a puppy!"
Chanyeol burst out laughing.
"What’s so funny?"
"I didn’t know a puppy looks like this," Chanyeol walked up to the easel and examined the painting.
The canvas had a large unused space, and in the center was a round, chubby fur ball with four short legs, a round nose, and two bead-like black eyes with carefully added highlights.
Jongin took the opportunity to sneak to his room while Chanyeol was distracted, picking up the letter and his phone. If Chanyeol had no ill intentions, he would give him the letter; if he did, he would call the security.
He didn’t tell the housekeeper that an uninvited guest was here, worried it would cause unnecessary commotion.
Jongin returned to the studio, intending to hand the letter to Chanyeol and get him to leave quickly. Though, he found him sitting at the easel with a pencil in hand.
"You know how to draw?"
Chanyeol didn’t say anything and sketched an outline, his strokes were swift and precise.
Jongin was stunned, watching as the other effortlessly drew a lively puppy with just a few strokes.
"What’s this?" Chanyeol pointed at the sketch he just made.
Reluctantly, Jongin replied, "A puppy."
Then, Chanyeol pointed at Jongin's painting, raising an amused brow, "And this?"
Jongin pursed his lips, giving him the letter and pushing him towards the balcony, "You can leave now."
♡
A young man with chestnut brown hair stood near the mansion, waiting. Seeing Chanyeol approach, he walked up.
"You saw him?"
Chanyeol responded with a nod, handing the letter to him.
The man, Do Kyungsoo, was the one Jongin had run into at the old apartment building.
"You came here just for this?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"Can’t believe I didn’t recognize him yesterday," Kyungsoo knew that Chanyeol didn’t plan to keep the letter, and he folded it up and stuffed it into his pocket.
He had only seen Jongin two times max, and his impression of him wasn’t deep. But he knew that Jongin was Chanyeol’s new interest—someone he would tease when bored.
Kyungsoo couldn’t help but think that Jongin was quite unlucky. Of all people to ‘save’, he just had to choose Chanyeol, which led to him being targeted. If he wanted to escape, he’d probably have to wait until Chanyeol got bored. Or, no matter where he ran, Chanyeol would track him down.