BEST FRIENDS
Shin, always cool and composed, had just set his tray down. He had barely taken a sip of his drink when Saint, his annoying seatmate with the wide eyes of an enthusiastic puppy, zeroed in on Shin's untouched chocolate pudding.
"You gonna eat that?" Saint asked, though his hand was already halfway across the table.
Shin raised an eyebrow, his tone flat. "Do I have a choice?"
Grinning, Saint slid the pudding onto his tray, leaving behind his slightly squished sandwich as if it was an equal trade. "Fair deal, right?"
Shin stared at the sandwich, sighed, and took a bite. It tasted like cardboard.
The next day, the same scenario repeated. Then the day after that. By the end of the week, Saint had an unspoken claim on Shin's desserts. It should have annoyed Shin, but instead, he found himself waiting to see what new excuse Saint would come up with each time.
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The cafeteria wasn't the only place their dynamic played out. During sports class, Shin made the ill-advised decision to teach Saint how to play basketball.
"I'm serious this time," Saint said, puffing out his chest. "I'm gonna be the next star athlete!"
Shin glanced at him, unimpressed. "You tripped over a stationary ball yesterday."
"That was just a warm-up!" Saint insisted.
Shin decided to humor him. "Fine. Watch and learn." With the effortless grace of someone who barely cared, Shin demonstrated a simple dribble.
Saint grabbed the ball and tried to copy him. It started well enough until his foot somehow ended up on top of the ball. In one swift motion, Saint flipped backward and landed flat on his back.
Shin stood over him, arms crossed. "I don't even know how that’s physically possible."
Saint groaned, sprawled out on the court. "It's called talent. You wouldn't understand."
A rare smirk tugged at Shin's lips. "Pure talent, huh? Sure, let's go with that."
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Their misadventures weren’t confined to sports. One fateful afternoon, Saint convinced Shin to sneak into the art room after school.
"We're making something for our future fans," Saint declared as he rummaged through the supplies.
Shin leaned against the doorway, unimpressed. "What fans?"
"You'll see! Every great duo needs a legacy."
Shin wasn't convinced, but he followed Saint anyway. The plan was simple: paint something cool and leave it behind as their unofficial mark. But things rarely went as planned with Saint involved.
While reaching for a brush, Saint accidentally knocked over an entire rack of paint bottles. A rainbow of colors cascaded onto the floor.
Shin's first reaction was a long-suffering groan. "Why am I not surprised?"
"I'll fix it!" Saint, in a panic, grabbed the nearest thing—his shirt—and started trying to mop up the mess. It was a futile effort. The paints mixed into a chaotic swirl, and soon Saint looked like a walking rainbow.
Shin couldn't help it. He laughed—quiet at first, then uncontrollable.
"Stop laughing and help me Shin!" Saint wailed, pouting like a kicked puppy , though he was grinning too.
"Help you?" Shin managed between his chuckles. "You're a lost cause."
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Weeks later, One afternoon after school, Shin approached Saint with something small in his hand. He was uncharacteristically quiet, fidgeting as he held it out.
"Here!!!" Shin mumbled, avoiding Saint's curious gaze. "It's… nothing fancy. Just thought you might like it."
Saint's eyes widened as he took the handmade bracelet. Black and white beads spelled out "S&S."
"For Saint and Shin!" Saint exclaimed, his grin as bright as the sun.
Shin scratched the back of his neck. "I guess... Yeah. Just don't lose it, okay idiot?"
"Are you kidding?" Saint slipped the bracelet onto his wrist like it's the best gift he ever had. "I'm never taking it off! You're stuck with me now."
Shin's lips twitched into the faintest of smiles. "I guess I can live with that."
Shin smirked. Maybe being stuck with Saint wasn't so bad after all.
The two boys walked home together, side by side—the sun setting behind them , it was clear to anyone watching that these two were inseparable.
And like that the duo cemented their friendship with their mismatched bracelets and hearts full of mischief. They knew this was only the beginning of a lifetime of mischief and laughter.
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To Be Continued....