The lukewarm air is stifling with restlessness and it’s also reeking of putrid acid. Something is not right and it screams at his rationality to detect what it is but he is still in the dark about the entire situation and he cannot place a finger on it yet. Treading on eggshells seems as the appropriate stance to approach the wild-eyed Jaeyoon but it sparks a riot of questions in his mind. What exactly is his story? What cultivates his blissful easygoing attitude? Although he begins to suspect that the source actually stems from substances - but he isn’t ready to accept any explanation without foolhardy proof. A pitiful strike of disappointment jabbing at his stomach reminds him of his buried hope for humanity in others. He thought Jaeyoon was normal - he wanted to believe that he was. “God damn it, you were supposed to be normal.” he repeats to himself in a slight daze.
Likewise, the calm and collected response surprises him and he has to squint to make sure it is the same person speaking until the happy-go-lucky attitude seeps back in his tone. Taking a step closer to examine the grotty surroundings and the mess of Jaeyoon himself, he shifts his glasses up in further surprise. For some reason he isn’t expecting the intoxicated male to recognise his figure in this state. “We never agreed on who was Alpha or Beta but yes - that is me. Well the world is ignoring decades of two genocides that are still ongoing and only one of them somewhat came to light lately - the plight of the Rohingya people. Japan is having unstable prime minister re-elections and Trump is kicking up the threat of a nuclear world war… the usual.” pinching his nose to vainly keep some of the stench out of his system, he narrows his eyes at the other. “I live not so far from here but I can’t take you to my place when you smell like shit.” for once, he cannot come up with an alternative word but he also blames Carmen’s influence. “What the hell did you do to yourself? We can walk and I can help you back to your place just this once because you look like you have no idea what’s going on. Do you even know where you are? What time it is? Is this why you are so god damn happy all the time? I should have known…” now he outstretches a hand for him to grab a steady hold of and he feverishly prays for feeling nothing remotely wet on the other’s palms. “I hope you have a semi-good explanation of all of this.”
“Yeah, yeah. Okay. None, none of that matters.” He waves his hand in the air to dismiss most of the words thrown at him before firmly grasping the other’s, clean- clean as can be, given his situation. “Just had too much to drink, dude. I’m good, I promise.” He was most certainly not good just a few moments ago, but now? Well.
With that, he puts on his trademark smile, dimples and all, and gives a look of what appears to be a moment of clarity. Retreating from out of the filthy alleyway, he carefully slips his hand out of Jaebum’s, and into his own pocket. “Hmm. My uh...my place isn’t near here, which is why I wanted to take a taxi home.” Not slowing his pace, he tilts his head back up towards the sky, taking in a deep breath of the crisp, night air. It help brings him back to reality, and with each step they take, he feels in control once more. Still slightly fucked up, of course, but in control.
“Whatever. Just walk with me for a bit. I would say to stay with me at a hotel or something, but like, no homo dude.” The thought of spending the night with such a man opposite of him is both one that he would continue to think about in pure curiosity, and simply out of humor. “Oh. You know what?” A quick glance at Jaebum, eyes narrowing in realization. “What were you doing out here this late? Now that I think about it, you’re not like- you don’t, you don’t seem like the type of guy who...you know. Like me.” A gesture to himself, an up down observation of the other. “Maybe you’re like a vigilante, fighting crime at night so no one reports it in the morning? You look like a vigilante. Like Mr. Robot or something. Is that why our crime rate is so low, here? Because you’re out here fighting crime and shit? No, no, wait.” He raises a hand, giving no room for the other to interrupt as he continues his tangent. He’s fully stopped in his tracks now, hand on his hips, eyes focused on Jaebum’s feet. “Maybe you’re just yeah. You’re probably just getting some fresh air after being plagued by the thoughts of how our world hasn’t gone to shit, but was shit in the beginning and has little to no chance of recovering now that our world leaders are fucking idiots. Maybe that? Maybe?” A pause for air. “...or was it just your beta Jae sense telling you to come find me? I’m rooting for that one.” He reaches for the other’s hand once again, smirking proudly to himself. “No homo, of course.”