"What the heck were you thinking? That's exploitation! Seriously! I would have thought better of you." A waterfall of spittle decorated the phone's display while Min Outraged's voice decided on a second attempt at puberty, and chose this moment to break. At an octave higher he continued his tirade, "I'm going to sue you, Kim Seokjin. I'm going to sue you because apparently, you're every bit the money-hungry investment shark the newspapers claim you to be!"
"Just…what in the world are you talking about?" Came the confused response from the other end of the line. This only threw more fire into the Min Ticking-Timebomb flame.
"What am I talking about?" The ball of fury on the park bench next to me huffed.
We had left the cafe and drove across town to the East City Park as ChimChim declared that he needed 'eating five million Bangtan Bars and or needing a boardskate for halfpiping' and Min Compromise advised that he could do the latter.
Currently, Min Pele kicked an empty coke can across the field with the force of a professional footballer, (the kicking an actual ball with their actual feet-kind, not the carrying an egg-shaped thing across the field variety), "The audacity!"
For a moment, I feared that the phone was about to follow the can, but my furious companion found some last-minute self-restrained. Jin on the other end of the line seemed very little impressed by the temper outburst.
"Is Taehyung with you? Can I talk to him, please?" This was the voice he usually used when Minho (or, veeeery occasionally, myself) threw a tantrum over nothing.
I shrugged but took the phone off Min Hissy-Fit anyway. It felt strange to be the second adult in this sort of conversation, I noted. This clearly deserved a cigarette.
I opened Min Generous's box without him even noticing, withdrew a smoking stick and lit up. Some ducks seemed to be rather enthralled by my action and came waddling our way.
"Jin-hyung, what in the world were you thinking getting ChimChim that job at SuperTuna's? They've been taking advantage of him left, right, and centre."
There was a long spell of silence, and I would have paid all the money I didn't have to hear the cogwheels in my brother's head think. A long—in my opinion too long—wait followed until it was finally ended by a drawn-out "what?"
"You heard me loud and clear." There was no doubt. My voice was one of those trumpet-level-decibel voices that could be missed by no one. I crossed my arms and legs like Daeun always did in these conversations. My hair was also almost long enough to throw over my shoulder as she did.
"I heard your words very clearly. I just can't make any sense of them. What happened?"
"You got ChimChim a job at SuperTuna," I repeated. That should be all the explanation my brother needed.
"Yeah, I did."
If Jin thought he would get away with three-word answers, he had another thing coming for him. I started to whip my left foot up and down in rapid succession, another thing Daeun usually did. Then waited…
…and waited…
…and waited…
The ducks had waddled up to us and stared at Min Glowering…
…and I still waited…
Min Glowering glowered right back at the ducks. They didn't give the impression of being intimidated and got even closer to his worn-out trainers that didn't look all too weather appropriate.
…while I waited…
…and stared at my nails in a Daeun-like manner…
The latter seemed to be doing the trick.
"He was looking for something because Hoseok had to close for a while for a… refurbishment…" Jin said.
"Oh yeah," I uncrossed and crossed my legs, then leaned back into the bench, only to realise it was fucking wet. "I heard all about the…refurbishment… and I promise we'll have a chat about this later. Now, back to business, please. Min Cheerful here is running out of patience and cigarettes." The latter wasn't a lie. Min Chainsmoker killed two smoking sticks since I started talking to my brother. What worried me even more was that he now looked at those misshapen pieces of poultry (whoever was in charge of designing ducks must have been rather high at the time. They looked utterly ridiculous, even by bird standards) in front of him as if he considered lighting one up.
There was an odd little sound on the other end of the line, "Jimin approached one day and asked for a—and I quote—plastic card with a long number on it like TaeTae has—so he could buy a Christmas present for his brother."
I nodded. That sounded like something ChimChim would do. But something about that statement nagged me. "For his brother? Did he say anything about me? What about my Christmas pressie?"
"You were the one who wanted to stick to the important part of the story." Jin advised, "I told him to find some temping work because baristas are usually in high demand over the Christmas period.—"
What the heck did Jin mean by sticking to the important parts? How was my Christmas present not important? But my brother was finally spitting out words, and it would have been ill-advised to interrupt.
"—And so I helped him write his Curriculum Vitae. Coincidentally, I had a business dinner that evening at SuperTuna's and saw that they were looking for waiters. The restaurant manager is the wife of a former client of mine, so I asked whether they would consider employing someone with special needs. She said she was happy to give it a try. I've been there on a few occasions since and everything seemed to be going well. As a matter of fact, Jimin seemed to have become friends with Matt, the manager's son, who is also helping out in the restaurant due to understaffing. So please, elaborate what sent the kitten meowing just now."
Min Kitten snatched the phone from my hands. "Well, maybe you should have kept your eyes and ears open during your meals." As if it was any of their fault, Min Apparently-Hungry frowned at the gathered crowd of ducks at our feet. "I'm going to put you in my frying pan and eat you," he told the one closest to us.
Meanwhile, was a long sigh at the other end of the line, and I could picture my brother frowning on his forehead and rubbing the permanent crease between his eyebrows. "I'm just about to head into court, but let's meet afterwards to discuss this properly. Just text me where to find you guys."
"Nisi's." Min Determent shouted the name of his favourite hang-out spot as if his phone had issues transmitting messages across a long distance otherwise. Based on the age of that thing, I wouldn't assume he was too far off.
Once the call had ended, I looked up at Min Grumpy…(or rather down to be honest, because the guy was a little on the short end, but you get what I mean) "So, now that this has been taken care of, may I go to work, please? Frieda…"
"—Has been waiting for you since fuck o'clock this morning, I know. Although she clearly told you she doesn't need you before Friday," Min Face Acrobat raised his left eyebrows all the way up to his hairline which had him look like a mix between a Chippendale and the Wicked Witch of the West, but I knew better than to tell him that.
"You look like a mix between a Chippendale and the Wicked Witch of the West with that expression on your ugly mug." (What can I say…I never was one for self restraint—and, apparently, I was a glutton for punishment on top of that.)
"And you look like someone who woke up in a gutter this morning with peed pants and vomit down your shirt…" Min Arsehole slapped his hand across his mouth in a supposedly comical way, although there was nothing funny about it. "Oh my… I guess…this is because you really woke up in a gutter this morning…with peed pants…and vomit down your shirt… and, let me see… I had to drive all the way to the Suburbs In The Hills to collect your sorry little backside." His expression turned almost grinch-like with glee.
Come to think of it… even without the green colour, there was a natural resemblance… If we dyed him green…the image would be utter perfection…I'm sure I could get ChimChim to assist with this—we only had to wait until Min Grinch was asleep…
Fuck, TaeTae… try to keep your head in the present for once, will you. That had sounded an awful lot like Hermione's jarring and demanding voice.
I shook my head, turned my attention back to my soon-to-be-green friend, and plastered on my most charming smile, although he probably couldn't see it behind the amazing face mask I had shoved back over my mug to protect my sensitive nose from the horrible winds. Today's prototype had 'Santa can jingle my bells' stitched on it in a cheerfully red colour, followed by a little cross-stitch of Santa with his pants down. It was a first attempt and clearly looked the part. So far, no one had been able to recognise the image. But look at me, getting distracted again…"Sorry," I said, "I didn't catch what you just said."
"I gathered that much." Min Grumpy grumbled. "You've been looking at me with a cross-eyed-hamster expression for the last five minutes."
"Hamsters can go cross-eyed?" Perhaps I should get ChimChim a hamster for Christmas instead of a rabbit. I needed to investigate this, and put a not on my over-polluted mental check-list.
"I said, that there is no way you will go to work today. From what you've told me, your Frieda is already running herself silly enough as it is. She doesn't need another liability thrown into her packed schedule. You got to rest. And then you support her starting tomorrow." He lit up a cigarette as a way to end this conversation, then pointed at the skatepark across the bench, "now if you kindly go and pick up ChimChim and detach him from whatever skateboard he has borrowed. I'm sure he's collected enough bruises for one day by now."
I nodded, saluted Mr Concerned-brorther-all-of-a-sudden, and peeled myself off the bench.
Truth to be told, I had been concerned when ChimChim had run up to random teenager demanded to have their skateboard then strutted up to the largest halfpipe, but his brother had just shrugged. "Jimin likes to skate," he declared, then found a bench that wasn't even all too close, and plonked his backside onto it. I wondered how this uncoordinated person that struggled with daily objects such as chairs at all occasions was supposed to balance a skateboard of all things. I mean…ChimChim was walking around with a fucking foam helmet on his head at all times to prevent him from getting injuries by simply walking down a road!
But as it turned out, ChimChim not only liked to skate, he seemed to be doing so regularly. As I approached the lot, I found him going down the halfpipe at snail's speed, sitting down on a board. Finally, I understood why his brother didn't seem all too concerned.
But before I could approach him, someone else tapped my shoulder and I turned around.
"Yo, fucker! What are you doing here? Do you have some shit? Please? A fucking cigarette will do!"
A pale-faced Star stood behind me in skating gear that seemed to be three times too large for her body. She was shivering, rubbing her arms, while her eyes shifted around as if she expected an immediate attack. She looked like she couldn't decide whether she wanted to pass out of vomit into the nearest rubbish bin, and her lips and fingernails were pale blue.
No, withdrawals weren't a pretty sight.
Just looking at her, I knew she hadn't been able to remain clean while outside the centre. It had been less than twenty-four hours since she was out, and all her hard work was down the drain.
With a revolting stomach, I remembered the MacD meal the other day, and how detached she had seemed from her family. I had noticed it, but had I done anything about it?
No.
Of course you didn't. You were born a self-centered idiot, and you're going to die as one.
I bit my lip, fully agreeing with Putin on this. Star's current state was my fault—partially at least. I had failed her the other day. This one was on me.
I rummaged through my pockets then removed the snitched pack of cigarettes. Keeping two for myself for emergencies—I would be smoking Min Yoongi's for the rest of the week anyway—I pressed them into her hands. "That's all I can offer you." I swallowed. "You…can get through this… You've done it before. Have as many cigarettes as you need it, but don't touch anything else. Promise?"
Star turned her head as if she hadn't heard me.
"Do you live around here? I…If…We can meet up if you like…you know... talk and shit."
"Talk and shit," Star repeated and a jaded bark left her chapped lips. "It's forty-thousand an hour, and that's with your friend's discount."
It took me a moment to grasp what she was on about, but once I did I balled my fists and a sudden urge of rage ignited me from within. "I have no interest in that, thank you." I roared, "and you shouldn't do that either. It's not worth the risks."… I gulped, my anger was drained just as quickly as it arrived. "You're worth much more than this. And it's time you start believing in yourself."
"Thanks for the smokes," Star said then turned to disappear around the nearest tree. I thought I saw her wiping a stray tear from her eye. Was that my imagination, or had I actually broken through? I didn't dare to hope.
"You haven't answered my question," I called after her. "Let's meet for a coke tonight."
"I have answered your question. It's forty-thousand an hour, take it or leave it." Star turned around again. She was shivering, frail—and looked utterly sick. And I wondered whether I was already too late.
I took a deep breath, and scratched my left ear, then my back. The clothes Yoongi got me were a little on the tight side and scratchy. "Star," I called after the girl, then opened and closed my mouth another five-million times. This was going to be hard…Fucking hard…the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. But this was my chance to take advantage of my situation and do the right thing for once.
"Whassup?" The girl turned around and crossed her arms, looking me up and down as if I was vermin.
I swallowed hard and almost choked on my own spit. "Tonight, five o'clock. Meet me at the central bus stop."
"You gonna pay up?"
Biting my lip, I nodded. I didn't know where I would get the money from, nor did I plan to use it for the purpose Star assumed. But that girl needed a wake up call, and I was going to give her hell of an alarm clock.
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