* POP !

        ho recognized his mistake as soon as he made it. his left foot wasn’t planted where it was supposed to and in his attempt to rememdy that he was a second behind his opponent. in fighting, though, a second is all you need. his face caught the punch that he intended to redirect. his head snapped to the side, and in that moment his normally obedient body crumpled (bad footing, not centered, you got distracted). he hit the ground, hard, and just sorta laid there for a moment as he heard the applause of the few who were watching them. the searing heat of humiliation that normally possessed him was replaced with.... well astonishment. he was impressed. he sat up, the tingling in his face and the pulsing coming from the back of his head telling him this fight was over. despite how much he wanted this to continue, he had a lesson tomorrow morning. 

        tapping the ground next to him, he alerted the small crowd to his surrender. he’d have to kick this guy’s ass next time. speaking of this guy, ho looked up to catch his eye before he dispersed along with everyone else. he pushed himself up, offering up his hand so they could shake and end the fight on sportsmanlike terms. “you hit like a truck. can i buy you a drink?” 

         ❛❛   i want to break your fingers ,   ❜❜      his jaw clenched , smile disappearing as soon as it made an appearance and he heard sangho’s voice , saw his open palm before him . he was letting himself get riled up , talking before thinking , immediately regretting it . knowing he was that easy to control , years later , after haru thought he’d reflected and changed . he wasn’t that stupid fourteen year old harboring a broken heart , yet sangho brought a unique sense of anger that completely engulfed him . again and again . 

       he recognized the smile instantly , even though it had been long since he saw it . he was reminded of all of the stupid competitions they had , all of the energy lost on negativity , how angry he’d walk out of school . the other knew precisely how to push his buttons , it somehow baffled him how well sangho got to know him .      ❛❛   we’re not –   ❜❜      his shoulders tensed , his hands balled into fists . he was too frustrated to speak , so he wordlessly reached for his plate and turned around . he shoved himself into the first empty table saw , which was right next beside the table ho sat in , and took a bite out of his burger .      ❛❛   go fuck yourself , sangho . i don’t know why you’re goddamn here ,   ❜❜      he swallowed , talking without looking back at him .      ❛❛   but i left this ,   ❜❜      he motioned ambiguously in the air ,      ❛❛   behind . i don’t care that you ate my stupid fries , just leave if you’ve got nothing better to do .   ❜❜

        “... ouch,” he said, pursing his lips together. like he could actually be hurt by anything haru said. that was the imbalance in this rivarly-- it seemed he had all the tools to dig under haru’s skin but the other boy could never do the same. it was... unfair. always shifted the scales in ho’s favor (which he knew). but, god, was it ever so entertaining. just to have someone who you know you’re always going to effect in some way, even in such a profoundly negative fashion. 

        as haru shoved himself into the table next to him, ho let his chair legs fall with a loud slap against the floor of the krusty krab before turning his chair slightly to better face haru. he never really questioned WHY he liked to push haru’s buttons so much, to get him angry. and he wasn’t sbout to start now. not when he hadn’t seen him in so long. “--- oh, i moved here. got a job and everything. isn’t that wild? of all the places i go, you happen to be here.” he leaned back, his posture loose and relaxed, a stark contrast to the taut, tense way haru was holding himsef. just like the old times.

         “calm down.” a laugh slipped from his lips as he reached back to thumb through a menu-- no real point as he’s sure this place just sells burgers. “i’m not doing anything, am i? you still overreact to everything-- glad you haven’t changed that much.” 

she looked around, hoping one of the workers freed up during their conversation. no luck. her eyes perked at his sudden change of heart. ❝ sounds fake but i’m desperate, ❞ she sighed, defeated. ❝ all i remember is there’s a billionaire who uses all his money for cosplay. i think there was a clown in it? ❞

         ❛❛   uh , not steal my fries ?   ❜❜      haru stood there , thoroughly confused , looking at the back of a stranger who apparently took a liking to his spot , and his food . he got up for a few minutes to wash his hands before he ate , he assumed hansol left his plate at his usual spot      (    a little pang of disappointment hit him at missing him    )      and now … what the hell was this ?      ❛❛   hey , are you lost ?   ❜❜      his temper was kicking in , haru was trying to keep it down in front of the stranger . he didn’t know their deal , but … you don’t steal a guy’s fries . that’s just wrong .      ❛❛   are you planning on paying for that , or what ?   ❜❜      he took a few steps to face the person , and then his eyes widened a little bit at who he found .      lee . sang . fucking . ho .      the same guy that made his high school years a living hell .      ❛❛   w-wow ,   ❜❜      he couldn’t believe it – he simply couldn’t believe it ! there was a funny little smile on his face , leaning back on one foot and wondering if this was a goddamn nightmare .      ❛❛   is this real ? are you real ? are you really sitting here , stealing my fries ?   ❜❜

        haru was... exactly like he was in high school. really, ho should have anticipated someone like haru being drawn to a town like this---- it really fit him. and really, he had to thank haru in some fashion; had he not saw him through a window, he wouldn’t have gotten to eat such nice fries. so, he smiled, like he was seeing an old friend. to those who knew him, though, the mischief was near palpable. ho put the last of the stolen fries into his mouth then held his hands out, examining them. “well, now, aren’t you existential. i think i’m here. i can’t be sure--- do you want to touch fingers, like they did in et?”

        his “well meaning” smile took more of an edge, bridging into the territory of a smirk. like the cat who finally found the mouse. part of him missed haru, he supposed. life wasn’t any fun without competition. a single, apathetic glance was cast towards the plate he’d been picking from. “i figured you wouldn’t mind. old friends and all that.” the word ‘friends’ had emphasis, like a dare for haru to contradict him. “it’s been too long. i almost forgot how mean you got about sharing.”