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Multicolor lights flashed, while a random rock song that went out of popularity at least a decade ago blared across loudspeakers set somewhere high up, still able to shake the ground with the force of the bass. Despite the people rushing all around, the air managed to have a slight chill, prompting Minho to pull his light jacket further around his shoulders. Something hit his leg, and he glanced up to catch a blur of a face, mouthing what was probably “Sorry!”.
Not that he could really tell, they moved on too fast, just like the rest of the crowd. Rushing to the next attraction, or ride.
Who really knew? Minho certainly didn’t.
He knelt down on the patch of sparse ground, carefully avoiding the remains of what was once probably some kid’s icee, and softly cooed at a small creature behind a low wire enclosure.
The rabbit turned its large doe eyes towards him, and now that he could see it’s face, it was obvious that it was terrified.
Minho didn’t blame it. If he was forced behind a wire fence while people ran around him and threw stuff near his head, he would be terrified too.
Minho slowly poked his finger through a hole in the wire, glancing up to make sure no one was watching him, to yell at him to “get your finger out of there, can’t you read the sign?”; and wiggled his finger towards the rabbit. Despite its hesitation and still obvious terror, the creature shuffled the few inches over to him, allowing Minho to gently run his finger down the soft fuzz on its back.
A smile tugged on his lips as the little creature shuffled back, adjusting itself so Minho’s finger was softly rubbing the fluffy head. Minho melted inside, running his finger over the two fluffy ears that were twitching every few seconds.
He pulled his hand back as the rabbit suddenly flinched, pressing itself as far back against the wire as it possibly could. Newfound terror was pooling in its dark eyes as the rabbit tensed, small body shaking like a leaf.
Judging by the loud curse above him, Minho deduced that someone had tried to hit the plastic duck in the center of the enclosure but missed, the plastic hoop almost hitting the rabbit that Minho had been petting.
Minho hated carnival games with a burning passion.
While the ones that were rigged from the start were frustrating, the ones that had animals drawing attention from passerby were by far the worst. The creatures were treated like flies on a hot summer day. People would probably mourn the loss of an ice cream cone dropping on the sidewalk more than the trauma the poor animals had to go through every night.
Minho’s anger was still seething when he heard someone hiss beside him.
“Seriously? You could have hit one of them, you prick!”
He glanced to his side to see another boy about his age, or maybe younger, crouched beside him, scowl directed at the man who had nearly necked the rabbit.
Minho silently agreed, standing up and brushing the grass off his knees.
“Um, how many tries does it typically take to get one?” He questioned, gaining the attention of the man working the game, who was fishing the hoops out of the pen.
“Five or so probably. I wouldn’t know, I don’t keep track of it. Why? You wanna try?” The man started pulling a set of five hoops out of a basket by his feet.
Minho glanced at the sign displaying the prices for the sets. Five hoops were about three thousand won, so five tries would be about fifteen thousand won.
“Can I just pay you fifteen thousand for the rabbit and not play the game?”
He figured it was worth a try. Most people probably gave up before the fifth try anyway, and it was obvious they didn’t really value the rabbits in the first place.
A frown pulled on Minho’s lips as the guy scoffed.
“Nope. Play the game, get the rabbit. That’s how it works. You wanna try or not?”
Minho knew he absolutely sucked at anything that had to do with aiming and accuracy. Even from school field day in elementary school, where everyone was given a huge hula-hoop to try and throw over a short pool noodle, Minho remained the only kid in his class that wasn’t able to ring it. There was no way he would be able to land five hoops in a row over the plastic duck’s neck, even now.
He was about to open his mouth to try to convince the man, but before he could even get a syllable out, another voice cut in.
“I’d like to try.”
Minho glanced up to see the guy who had insulted the previous player handing over money for the game.
He couldn’t believe it. This guy had just cursed at the other player for almost hitting a rabbit with the hoop, and now here he was paying to do the exact same thing. Minho didn’t really know why he was so surprised. Maybe because the guy had seemed so concerned for the rabbits, and now seemed to be showing the exact opposite behavior.
It was none of his concern anyway.
He crouched down again, finger finding its way to the same rabbit he had been petting. It seemed to recognize Minho’s touch somewhat as it relaxed under the soft scratches around its ears.
Minho was sad and salty. Sad because his heart had already gotten attached to this small creature, and salty because he knew there was probably no way it would be able to come back to Minho’s too large for one-person apartment with him and fill the void that was painfully obvious every time Minho came home. If he could even call it a home.
This time it wasn’t the rabbit that flinched, it was Minho.
The sound of a hoop hitting the plastic duck startled him, and he looked up (he seemed to be doing that a lot), to see a green plastic hoop hanging around the duck’s neck.
Probably just a lucky throw.
Just as Minho was about to turn his attention back to the small rabbit, another hoop swished through the air and looped itself around the duck’s neck.
Two lucky tries?
Minho’s interest was piqued.
He watched silently as the next two hoops neatly rung the duck, leaving one hoop dangling in the boy’s hand.
There was no way he was going to make it. No one else had made it in one try, and Minho had been standing at the game for around an hour, watching attempt after attempt.
The boy seemed confident though, shifting his weight so he could get a better angle, pulling back his wrist, and - the hoop was dangling around the duck’s neck, the momentum from the throw making it softly knock into the other hoops with a light clicking sound. The game worker let out an appreciative whistle, turning to get a cardboard box for whatever rabbit he had just won.
Minho was sure his eyes were wide. He had no idea how the other boy had managed the feat.
But just as soon as the shock came, so did a small pang of disappointment. This meant that the boy could pick whatever rabbit he wanted; what if he wanted the one that Minho was overly attached to?
Minho glanced back down at the rabbit, finger smoothing the fur out as a bitter taste filled his mouth. He was so caught up in the fact that 'oh, my cheek is bleeding', that he didn’t hear the person trying to get his attention until he felt a light tap on his shoulder.
“Um- which rabbit did you want?”
Minho blinked.
The guy that had just rung all five hoops in a row, without hitting a single rabbit (Minho was quite impressed) was standing in front of him, dirty blond bangs colored purple by the neon lights falling into his doe eyes as he looked at Minho.
Huh, Minho thought intelligently. He’s kind of cute.
He thankfully had enough presence of mind to cock his head to the side questioningly at the boy.
“Sorry, what?”
“Oh, I- um, was just wondering what rabbit you wanted? I can’t really get a pet of my own right now, and I figured you were wanting one from your question earlier, so I was wondering if you wanted the one I just won? If not that’s fine, sorry if it was weird or anything-”
Oh. Oh.
Minho cut off his rambling, the boy suddenly looking much shyer compared to his earlier cocky demeanor.
“That’s fine! Uh- the chocolate one with the white stripe on its nose? If you really don’t mind that is, I don’t want to, you know-” Minho finished his sentence by gesturing vaguely, trying to explain what he meant.
Words were never really his strong suite.
The boy nodded at him, pointing Minho’s chosen rabbit out to the worker, who scooped it up and unceremoniously dumped it into the small cardboard box with a few woodchips in it.
Minho winced. Part of him wished he could take the rest of the rabbits with him too, but despite having a larger than normal apartment, there was no way he could take care of twenty-something rabbits.
The worker handed the box over to the boy (Minho didn’t have anything else to refer to him as), giving him a ‘Rabbit Care Guide’ booklet. Minho was sure the guy had probably never even read it himself.
Who hired these people anyway?
The boy gently took the rabbit, cradling the bottom of the cardboard box, and stepped over to where Minho was still standing.
“Here you go! Take good care of her- or him!”
The boy flashed him a thousand-watt smile. Minho was probably going to go blind after that.
“Thank you, um-”
“Jisung.”
“Ah, I mean, my name’s Jisung. Don’t worry about it, as long as you treat the little fella’ well that’ll be enough.”
There goes that blinding smile again.
Minho nodded, peeking in at the rabbit – his rabbit – through a little hole in the box before realizing he should probably return the introduction.
“Oh! Sorry. I’m Minho.”
He was sure his ears were tinted a little bit red from embarrassment.
“It was nice to meet you Minho-ssi!”
Jisung gave him a little wave, turning to leave, when on impulse Minho suddenly spoke.
“Would you like to help me name it?”
Jisung turned back, smiling that same thousand-watt smile.
“Really? Yeah, sure, if you’re ok with it!”
Why did Minho suggest that again? He had no idea.
“Um, we could go over there,” He pointed at a small grassy area lit by a small light pole beside a cart selling funnel cakes, “so we can get him out of this stuffy box and see it better?”
Jisung simply nodded.
Once they had settled down on the small patch of bare ground, the tempting smell of sugary sweet funnel cakes wafting through the chilly air, Minho opened the cardboard box, lifting the small rabbit out.
“Oh my gosh, he’s so cute,” Jisung breathed.
Minho dared to steal a glance at the other. The bright lights from the various rides and attractions were reflected in Jisung’s sparkling doe eyes, his mouth slightly parted in adoration.
Minho quickly directed his attention back to the small rabbit, which was now fidgeting in his hold.
“Hey, hey, hey, hold still there.” Minho grumbled, tucking the little creature into a fold of his jacket in his lap.
“What do you think you’ll name him?”
Jisung’s voice sounded from next to him, the other’s hand reaching out to gently pet the rabbit before pulling back unsurely, glancing at Minho.
“It’s fine, you can pet him!” Minho quickly assured, shifting so Jisung could reach the little animal better.
“I don’t really have any ideas yet, what do you think?”
“Hmm,” Jisung appeared to be in thought, mindlessly running his finger down the rabbit’s fluffy head. “I’m not really sure either, but I love the white stripe on his nose, so maybe something to do with that? Just a suggestion, you don’t have to, of course!”
Minho didn’t bother to fight the small smile the crept over his face.
“Hmm, how about Harry Potter?”
It took him a second to realize the loud snort came from Jisung, who was covering his mouth with one hand.
“I mean, yeah, sure, if that’s what you want to name him!” There was no mistaking the evident amusement in the other boy’s tone, although he tried to tone it down.
“So you don’t think it’s a good name?” Minho teased.
“What? No, I didn’t say that! You can name it whatever you want!” Jisung seemed mildly panicked, frantically waving his hands.
“I know, I’m just teasing. I don’t think Harry Potter is a very good name for him either.”
Jisung seemed mildly relieved at Minho’s words, giving a light laugh as he reached out to scratch behind the rabbit’s ears again.
“What about bolt?”
“Isn’t that that the name of the dog in that one kid’s movie?”
“Oh yeah, you’re right.”
They sat in silence for a little while, thinking, before Minho suddenly handed the rabbit over to Jisung.
“Can you hold him for a second? I’ll be right back.”
“Um, sure? But wh-”
Minho stood up, brushing the grass off his jeans, heading over to the funnel cake cart. Jisung watched him talk to the person behind the stand, pulling his wallet out of his pocket.
The small rabbit wiggled in his grip, and Jisung cooed, taking off his jacket and letting it snuggle into the warm fabric. Minho softly smiled at the sight when he came back, plopping down next to Jisung again and handing him a hot funnel cake.
“Oh, thanks. You didn’t have to though, I can pay you back?” Jisung glanced over at him.
“You don’t need to, it’s fine! I wouldn’t have bought it if I was going to make you pay for it.” Minho laughed, scratching the rabbit under the chin before taking a bite of the hot pastry.
Jisung nibbled on his funnel cake in relative silence, before speaking up.
“How about Churro?”
“Hm?” Minho hadn’t been paying attention, spacing out as he ate.
“How about calling him churro?”
Minho licked his sticky fingers.
“Where did churro come from?”
Jisung shifted, cradling the rabbit in his hands.
“I don’t know, I guess funnel cakes got me thinking of churros? They’re kind of similar.”
Minho nodded, looking at the little rabbit.
“That actually suits him really well. Churro it is!” He grinned, gently bopping the rabbit’s nose.
Jisung laughed, handing Churro back to Minho before shaking out his jacket, little woodchip particles falling out.
“Do you have a place to keep him tonight before you get a cage all set up?”
Oh. Minho hadn’t thought of that yet.
“Not really, I’ll stop by the pet store on my way home though. I have a friend who has a gerbil and I can probably drop by and get some hay from him too.”
“That’s good. It takes rabbits some time to get comfortable with their surroundings, so don’t worry if he doesn’t eat for the first few hours. It’s just something they do.” Jisung assured him, standing up.
“I’ve got to go now, but it was really nice to meet you, Minho-ssi, and thanks for letting me help name Churro! I hope things work out well with him!”
Minho stood up as well, Churro snuggled into the sleeve of his bomber jacket.
“Yeah, it was nice meeting you too! Really, thank you again, I wouldn’t even have Churro if it wasn’t for you. Which was amazing by the way, how did you manage to ring all of them in one try?”
Jisung shyly laughed. “I used to play horseshoe a lot with my dad when I was younger, so I guess I’ve always had a knack for throwing stuff.”
“That’s actually pretty cool. I’ve never played horseshoe, but I know I wouldn’t be any good at it, I can’t throw anything accurately.” Minho chuckled, remembering all the terrible failed attempts during past sport events.
“You should try it sometime if you get the chance! It’s kind of an old grandpa sport, if you could even call it that, but it’s still a lot of fun.”
Minho nodded. Horseshoe had never interested him before, but now he might actually look in to it.
Maybe it would help his pathetic aiming skills.
Jisung glanced down at his phone, eyes widening upon seeing the time.
“I really have to go now, but thanks again! Take care of Churro!”
Minho’s mouth moved before his brain did.
“I can send you updates when he gets settled in?”
Jisung’s mouth formed an O.
Wrong thing to say, why would you even say that? Minho mentally berated himself before Jisung spoke again.
“Yeah sure! Do you have KakaoTalk?
Minho nodded, pulling up his profile and letting Jisung type it in on his phone.
“Awesome, I added you! See you!”
Jisung waved at him, thousand-watt smile beaming, before running off into the crowd.
Minho glanced down at his phone with Jisung’s profile still up; “Jisungie” with flower emojis surrounding it.
Cute.
He gently put Churro back into the cardboard box, patting the fluffy head before leaving the fairgrounds and walking to his car, carefully settling Churro into the backseat.
When Minho stepped through the threshold of his too large for one-person apartment that night, hay in one hand and newfound pet in the other, phone lighting up with one notification from ‘Jisungie’, maybe his apartment didn’t seem too large after all, because it wasn’t just Minho anymore.
He couldn’t help the smile that took over his face when he sent a video of Churro snuggling into the hay later that night to Jisung, receiving a large spam of heart emojis in reply, followed by a message.
“You know, maybe I won Churro for you because I thought you were cute :)”.