The Notebook | Binwoo
Dongmin is a very careful person. He double checks door locks before he sleeps and he triple checks if he’s unplugged those that need to be unplugged before he leaves the house. Even the most careful people have their lapses every now and then though and Dongmin was no exception.
Right now, he squirms in the passenger seat as his dad drives them home.
“You forgot your notebook” His dad had said earlier when his dad picked him up from Bin’s house. The pastel blue notebook feels hot on his lap now. He feels his cheeks heat up a little as well. He’s glad that his dad is driving and has to keep his eyes on the road.
“Oh, that’s why I couldn’t find it earlier.” Dongmin cleared his throat. He felt like his heart and some acid from his stomach rise to his esophagus. “It’s my English notebook. Bin wanted to borrow it. I guess I’ll give it to him on Monday before class.”
The notebook. Technically, he wasn’t lying since that notebook did have some pages in English. Some of his poems about Bin’s eyes were written in English. It makes a good anniversary gift and it would help Bin with his English as well. Two birds with one stone. Most of it was in Hangul though. That notebook was where he waxed poetic about how his and bin’s relationship started and bloomed.
The only sound in the car now was the engine’s gentle thrum and the radio on low volume. He could barely discern what the DJ was saying.
His dad stopped at the red light. The silence was still there and it hangs heavily inside the car.
“You should have told me, you know.” His dad said, his tone a little clipped.
Dongmin clasped his hands together, his left thumb rubbing his right one. This moment has always been on his mind, has crossed it a lot of times, but he didn’t expect it to happen so soon. His eyelids were starting to get itchy from the tears that were threatening to spill.
“I wrote so many poems for your mom back in the day. You could have asked me for help.” His dad glanced at him and reached for his clenched hands with a gentle squeeze. “We both know you’re a little lacking in the romance department.”
The traffic light went green. Dongmin could breathe again.