Chapter Text
He gets cranky when he doesn't take a walk. Maeumi, not Jungwon. There's a perfectly big park just across the apartment he's residing but due to recent circumstances, Jungwon hasn't been able to take his puppy for a daily walk. He's tried asking Jake, since the older has told him he misses Layla from time to time. But Jake might also miss the extreme workload he has going on if he moves a little bit away from his chair.
There's also Sunghoon and Heeseung, though you have to go through pits of hell in order to get them to agree–and with their own terms, of course.
So, no, sorry Maeumi, hyung was very busy being a college dude to walk you to the park every morning. Jungwon's mom should never know of this.
With the help of his best friend (derogatory), Sunoo, he's finally gotten the time to give his puppy the walk he deserves. The best friend in question is busy typing frantically on his phone, a frown on his face. They're sitting side by side on a bench as Jungwon watches his puppy have the time of his life. Maeumi is currently trying his best to snatch the dangling metal on his collar; he's going in circles in the open field. He's doing his best.
At least one of us is, buddy. Jungwon thinks to himself, sighing audibly.
He goes back to watching Sunoo get angry at the words written in the chat bubble. The group is named History 2-7 (Mrs. Choi) .
"Now, when I said help me walk Maeumi to the park, I meant we should also walk." Jungwon states, nonchalantly, looking at Sunoo's practically permanent frown. "I said no school-related agenda, too. Hyung. Are you even listening?"
"I am, this asshole isn't." Sunoo curses under his breath. He rarely hears the older curse, so in turn, he leans closer and reads the rapid conversation exchange in Sunoo's phone.
Well, if you had told us we wouldn't be here arguing about it, Jungwon reads the first gray bubble he could find. It's from a girl named Jiheon, she doesn't sound happy.
A message from Sunoo in blue bubble is below saying: Yeah, Heon is right. You told Mrs. Choi that you would inform us if there are announcements for this class. But us finding out you told her we didn't do this project????
Jungwon's eyes continue to scroll through the messages. And it looks like everyone is mad at one of his classmates. He's getting a little irritated by the person, too. How can they not announce that the project was due last night? Sunoo's classmate didn't even tell the class that their professor moved the deadline earlier than intended. They knew the responsibility is theirs, and from the looks of it, the whole class trusted them.
"Geez, we still have people like this in college?" Jungwon snides as he reads the I'm sorry from the culprit. Sunoo scoffs, agreeing with him.
The conversation seems to never end, Sunoo and this Jiheon insist on telling their classmate to ask Mrs. Choi to extend the deadline. Tell her it's your fault. Jiheon replies, and Jungwon shudders at the authoritative tone. He suddenly wishes he never crosses a line with her, ever.
As his best friend settles his problems, Jungwon shifts to sit back on his side to watch Maeumi. He has gotten too engrossed with the chat that he forgot he's here for something else. Jungwon averts his eyes from the phone to the field only to find Maeumi not there.
Panic seeps into him, and he looks at every direction his eyes could manage. Not a single view of yellow vest on white fur. Not a bark at all, because most of the occupants are kids and their parents.
"Hyung. Hyung!" Jungwon shakes Sunoo out of his stare off with his phone. "Maeumi." His eyes are wide open as they stand up.
"You lost him?" Sunoo squeaks, pocketing his phone to follow Jungwon's frantic strides around the bench.
"Well, yeah. I was so focused on your class problems, I forgot about him."
Sunoo groans and instructs them to split. He'll take the left side and Jungwon the right. They settle on calling each other if they find the puppy, reassuring Jungwon they'll find Maeumi. It's the peak of the afternoon, they'll find his puppy soon enough.
Jungwon passes by a group of friends enjoying a picnic together. No signs of petting a wonderfully active little pup.
He sees a playground with laughing kids and parents scolding them not to hurt themselves. No Maeumi in sight to distract the kids from playing.
He rounds the left side of the fairly huge park, cursing Sunoo's classmate for being selfish and careless, and the main reason why he's lost Maeumi. Sunoo messages him, too, informing the younger that that side is quiet, only a couple of old people are there playing baduk.
Jungwon sighs, ready to call his mother to beg for forgiveness when he hears a familiar whine coming a few feet ahead. Lifting his head from his worn out sneakers, Jungwon recognizes him. His Maeumi (with a heart emoji, the one that looks like an exclamation point).
And Maeumi isn't alone.
A man, crouching down to pet his puppy, is smiling faintly as his fingers brush the fur on Maeumi's head. He's muttering indecipherable words to the puppy, Jungwon couldn't read lips even if he tried. So, he stands there, in confusion and interest. Confused, because he really doesn't know why the man is speaking to a dog who can't even feed himself. Interest, because he's endearing, talking to a dog who won't coherently reply to his queries.
Just as he tries to move forward, a hand clasps around his wrist. Jungwon snaps his head to the owner.
"Who's he?" Sunoo tilts his chin, pointing at the person in front of Maeumi. Jungwon shrugs, loosening his best friend's hold on his wrist. "Has he been crouching like that the whole time?"
Jungwon makes a noise under his breath, looking back at the scene. Yeah, that must be uncomfortable.
"Let's just get your heart back." Sunoo remarks, like he's made the funniest joke ever. And before Jungwon can tell him that it isn't hilarious–like all of his other jokes–the older is already standing in front of the man and Maeumi.
"Excuse me, I think the dog belongs to my best friend." Jungwon hears Sunoo when he stops beside him, with a voice similar to a white woman on her way to ruin an innocent employee's career.
"Oh, uh," The guy smiles crookedly, standing up from his position to look at the two of them. Jungwon sees him bow in apology, still with an embarrassed smile on his face. "Yeah, sorry. I knew he was lost, I just didn't want to leave him in case his owner comes back."
"You're not a criminal are you?" Sunoo narrows his eyes at the guy.
"No, no. I can assure you, I'm not."
Jungwon ignores the interaction between Sunoo and the other guy to scoop Maeumi from the ground. "I'm so sorry, buddy. I promise I won't let my eyes leave you ever again." He mumbles, kissing Maeumi on his face.
Then he hears a chuckle coming from the guy, "You love your dog a lot." The smile never leaves his face. Jungwon notices his blond hair, the natural black peeking through his roots. "It's cute."
Jungwon nods. "Thank you for sticking with Maeumi."
"Jay. My name is Jay." Jay nods at him, "And it's no worries."
Even though Jungwon insists on giving Jay a thank you gift–perhaps ice cream, a coffee, anything that he can afford with his tight budget, really–Jay turns down the offer.
"You heard him, he said it's okay." Sunoo grabs Jungwon's unoccupied arm to pull him away from his conversation with Jay.
"What is wrong with you, hyung," Jungwon chuckles as they bid farewell to Maeumi's savior. "He said he's not a criminal. And he confirmed he's not a mafia boss."
Jungwon likes the absurdity of Sunoo's neverending questions about Jay because the blond guy seems to be chill with it. But, nonetheless, he's a nice stranger and the least they can do is be thankful for taking care of Maeumi while they were looking for him.
"Yeah, but it might be a lie!" He squeaks, points his forefinger up for emphasis.
"Why don't you just busy yourself with the history project you need to pass." Jungwon opens the conversation again, making the older groan.