Jun missed a catch and heaved as his limbs descended to the grass and the ball finally bounced into Paine's hands.
"Water! Water! Give me water or I'll die right here!" Jun gasped, in pursuit. Ian threw a bottle but he missed the catch. The bottle bit the dust and Jaehyun rolled his eyes before picking it up and passing it back to Jun's desperate lap.
Lander provided him tissues to clean the bottle whilst Ian tsked.
"Bafoons, I am surrounded by absolute savages," the former prince clicked his tongue before pointing at Lander, "other than you. You're redeemable. Everyone else? You've all got no elegance in your game." He pulled out a silk handkerchief from his crisply ironed pant pockets and spread it on the grass, beside Jun.
Jaehyun settled on Jun's other side, looking around to spot Rohry whispering with Sidra behind the slides. He smiled as Lander chimed into the conversation, settling beside Ian.
"Why don't you teach us? Maybe we'll get some girls then," he snickered eyeing Jaehyun.
"You want girls?!" Paine jumped into the conversation, ball resting on top of Lander's head and him leaning over it.
Lander shook his shoulders as he laughed, "I mean... doesn't everyone?" Lander had grown the most out of all the guys, as of recently. He was buffing up in his chest and thighs, voice deepened and proudly shaving once a day!
Ian grew too, but only vertically. His height was something out of an unrealistic romance novel and because he was growing out his blonde hair, he seemed exactly like Prince Average from Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarves. Though, he had no business knowing this refence that Sidra pointed out.
Paine grew up more daintly than Jun and Jaehyun who were still short and lanky, waiting for Puberty to hit them like a bus.
"Count me out," Jaehyun blurted, to which Ian instantly replied.
"You were never in the line."
"Because you're ugly," Jun snorted at the same time Paine acknowledged, "You've already got one."
They broke into howling laughter at Jaehyun's expense. Even Ian, albeit behind the refined confines of his hand.
"Geez, at least that's one more than all of yours combined," Jaehyun retorted with a haughty snort of his own. Though, in his mind, Rohry was nothing more than a starfish. Patrick Star. Rick.
"Damn, I'm scorched," Lander snorted. "I don't want girls but do you know Billy from tenth grade? He was bragging all over art class that he kissed a girl and touched her boobs and butt."
"Ew," Jaehyun scrunched his nose and was followed by grunts of disapproval.
"What a trashy boy," Paine grunted, carefully taking a seat in between Lander and Jaehyun, completing the circle.
"Who would even like him?!" Jun scoffed with a grimance.
"It was a twelvth grader, apparently, I don't know why she did it or if he was he just lying," Lander shrugged with a scowl of his own.
"Amateurs. They treat girls like objects of feats and achievements. Chivalry is in ruins," Ian sighed, crossing his arms over his chest to express utter disappointment. "Well, since you all have the honour to be acquainted to such a noble soul like me, I must educate you."
"This is the most I've ever heard him speak," Jun whispered in Jaehyun's ear as Ian took his time to get up and dust off his three piece suit. Ian was always in suits.
"They're developing his character. Maybe he'll die soon," Jaehyun whispered in conspiracy.
The duo giggled at that.
"Shut up now!" Ian flicked his handkerchief in between Jaehyun and Jun. They flinched away from the makeshift fabric whip. Lander and Paine looked up at him with amused expressions.
Ian continued, "Women, are the essence of a man's dignity and must be treated like treasures. Think of the most precious thing that you own! Now, think of them as a living, breathing, huamn."
Jaehyun thought of his puzzle pieces.
Jun thought of his dog, Popcorn.
Lander thought of the Lego town he had built in his room.
Paine thought of his grandmother's handfan and the antiques she had left behind.
Somehow, none of the above were appropriate enough for human conversions. The guys only shook their heads, exchanging odd looks.
"They're precious to you because they have made a place in your heart through effort and memories. They're important because they bring you joy and comfort, maybe accomplishment or fulfillment. They're important and you wouldn't want anyone to treat them in anyway that isn't the best, right? Right. Hence how you should treat girls. Incomparably, the best!"
"Boo! Some of them are really annoying!" Jun whined, mostly just to spite Ian who was expressing his opinions so eloquently when no one asked.
"Yeah, Kiley who sits in front of me never lets me see the board. She hates me!" Lander shared his tale of grief.
"Sidra is pretty annoying as well," Paine grunted, only to receive an elbow jab to his side from Jaehyun. "Ouch!" He seethed.
"Be nice! Whatever has she even done to you?!"
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I tried drilling some sense in your uncultured brains but you proved to be not worth it. You all will be single forever," Ian spread out his handkerchief and sat again.
"Well I don't really care as long as I make it to the inter-state team with Jae and Lander." Jun shared an agressive handshake with the two. "Do you guys have any plans?" He asked Paine and Ian.
"None that should concern you," Ian informed, coldly.
Though, before Paine could share his humble opinion, a voice interrupted their conversation.
"Kang Jaehyun! It's six already! Come back home and do your homework!!" Kang Hari called for her son, standing beyond the gates of the community park.
"Coming mum!" Jaehyun got up and dusted himself, without saying a word of goodbye to the guys, he ran up the slides and plopped his head beside Rohry's, "I'm heading home now. Text me if you have anything planned for tonight or I'll complete my puzzle and sleep on my own bed for once."
"Fine, go away!" Rohry pushed his head away and he rerouted his path over the grass hedge, climbing the wall, and jumping over, to the ground beside his mother.
"What a mommy's boy," Jun snickered.
"Didn't even say goodbye," Paine pressed his lips in a line.
"We don't matter. He was only sitting with us because Rohry was busy with Sidra," Jun tipped his chin towards the two girls giggling behind the slides.
"Rohry is one of the nicer girls," Lander nodded to himself. "Sidra is pretty chill too, I have never heard her speak, but I respect how she never lets me be first rank!" He controlled a sob or two as Jun crossed his hand over Ian to pat Lander's back.
"Wait till puberty hits properly, to you all," Ian tsked and got up, leaving his handkerchief behind as he headed toward the gates. Jaehyun was gone but his mother was still there, greeting Sidra's father.
"Salam, Salam, Mr. Malik! I recommend your fabrics to a friend of mine. She's an interior designer and your quality matched with her creative spirit. She wanted me to set up a meeting for you, if you and your wife don't mind meeting her around this week?"
Kang Hari was small, gorgeous and dainty in front of Mr. Malik who was all tall and burlesque. He wore a loose, sage green kurta-pajama, contrasting Hari's all black, form fitting outfit, and nodded his curly haired head with a considerable distance between them.
"Shukran, shukran, I shall discuss it with my wife and confirm it after a while. It was very nice of you to to do that," he replied with as much politeness he could muster, but because of his gruffy voice and hardened face, his words seemed sarcastic.
"Hehe...thanks, if-uh, she comes to- no, I'll ask Nile for her number. I still don't have her number," Hari nodded, muttering to herself as Mr. Malik gave her another courteous salam.
"You do that, I must take Sidra back home before Magrib," he pointed at the sky, informing her that it was almost their prayer time. "It's holidays so we let her play out more, but she needs to make up for it after Magrib," he informed in a crisp tone.
"Of course, of course, you do that. Have a good day!" Hari chriped as Mr. Malik sped past her and into the park.
"Mr. Malik," Ian gave him a nod of acknowledgement as he passed by and ran up to Jaehyun's mother, "Mrs. Kang!" He bowed in acknowledgement.
"Ah! Ian! Well hello, don't you look absolutely charming!" Hari complimented the young boy's eccentricly bright crimson suit style.
"Mrs. Kang, I hope you're having a good day?" Ian greeted, standing in front of her and taking a confident stance.
"Indeed, I'm trying. Anything I can help with?" She questioned.
"Oh yes please, I have brilliant news for you. I saw your landscaping project in the Economic Weekly, alongside Mr. Kang's new architectural projects and took the liberty of forwarding them to my mother. I admired your family's work myself, you see, and my parents adored them as well. They'd love to work with you, if you could find an opening in your schedule, they'll book a flight."
Kang Hari's brows flew into her hairline, a baffled expression seeping on her face. The former Queen and current Prime Minister of a country would like to work with her?? This could be their biggest opportunity yet! It would take them out of Bloomsville for good! She wouldn't have to see Jill's sullen face every morning. Finally away from the Wisterias at last!!
"Would you consider?" Ian pushed again.
"Oh-I'd love to work with the Rosario family! Thank you so much, Ian, for recommending me— I, uh, I don't know what to say? You're welcome to have dinner at our house any day you're free! Please!" Kang Hari all but sobbed in response.
"Thank you very much, I'd be free around Wednesday if you'd be comfortable with it," Ian's face broke into a charming smile.
"Wednesday is spectacular! Tell me your preferences and allergies, I'll make you feel at home!"
For the Kangs, this was a breakthrough. An opportunity to move on from the clutches of their past. To be free and away — if they ever came through. Jaehyun would have plentiful opportunities beyond the country's borders and maybe...they could go back to their homeland again.