title rage against the machine
count ~2500
a/n i wrote a thing instead of the thing i was supposed to write.
Jonghyun has lied to the internet. Tonight isn’t his first time playing Flappy Bird - it’s his fifty seventh and he still fucking sucks at it.
“Jonghyun?”
But at least he’s starting to get the hang of it. Now if only his mom would stop pounding on the door.
“No, no, no, fuck, yes, yes, yes.”
“Jonghyun!
“Come on, come on, stupid thing, almost ther- YES!”
“KIM JONGHYUN.”
“WHAT, MOM.” His fingers are cramping up but this time, he is not going to die. He has too much pride to let some college student’s 8-pixel spawn best him.
“It’s four in the morning, will you go to bed or should I wake your father up?”
His bird dives.
“NO!”
“What?”
“I mean, yes!”
Jonghyun would rather tickle a sleeping dragon than face a father running on less than eight hours of sleep.
“Relax, I’m done.” He puts his phone down, cranes an arm and switches the lamp on his nightstand off. “See? It’s all dark and sleep appropriate now!”
His mother’s fleece-toed slippers are silent for a second - she must be checking under the door - before they pad off and he breathes a sigh of relief. The bright screen of his iPhone mocks him from beside his pillow. It feels like he’s been playing forever but all he’s scored are 3 points.
It’s alright, he reasons. That’s 3 more than he had last night.
“What happened to you?” Jonghyun whistles as his brother stalks into the kitchen the next morning, the circles under his eyes in full bloom.
Kibum (“Can you please call me Key?”) stills on his way to the cereal cupboard. “You!” He whirls around. “You are what happened to me! You are your stupid obsession doesn’t let anyone in this house sleep. What is with all that screaming? Did you stick your dick in a USB slot or something?”
“As colorful as your imagination is, my dear brother,” Jonghyun explains calmly, “don’t let it fool you into thinking I am as thirsty as you are.”
“Excuse me?”
“Aren’t you dating a fetus?”
Kibum’s face goes red. “First of all, we are not datin-”
“So you don’t deny he’s a fetus?”
“I dare you to even spell fetus. No, I double dare you!”
Jonghyun laughs. “Wow, you must be really out of it. Your comebacks are usually better than this.”
“Yeah, well.” Kibum throws him a dirty look before turning back to his impending breakfast. “Your grubby paws better not have touched my Fruit Loops.”
“Can’t stand the stuff,” Jonghyun says, shoving another spoonful of muesli in his mouth. A few minutes later the bowl is empty and, after depositing in the sink, he makes his way back to his room. He’s up early today considering school’s out; it’s not even noon yet.
His laptop is lying on his bed and he’s barely entered the room when the bright red square in the top-right corner catches his eye. He hurries over to where the browser is, predictably, open on YouTube.
Not to sound like a braggart but Jonghyun has a moderately successful channel of his own. It’s called BarbarianRage (not the best name but he made it when he was 15 and no one is there best when they’re 15) and it contains videos of himself playing a bunch of games. For some reason people enjoy watching him fail miserably at each and every one. Kibum insists it’s because of his wide repertoire of profanities and his complete lack of hand-eye coordination.
(“They’re laughing at you, not with you, dumbass.”)
But Jonghyun isn’t here to judge - if he was, he wouldn’t have a Tumblr - so he just gives the people what they like. If they like seeing him fail at life, then fail he will. He has about 75,000 subscribers, some are even from other countries, and they love pestering him for more video, even though he uploads a new one, like, every Sunday (sometimes he even uploads song covers but that’s because he’s actually good at singing). He kind of loves them too.
And after all, what does Kibum know? The only reason his Instagram gets any hits is because he wears obscenely tight pants.
Jonghyun hisses when his nails break skin - he hadn’t even realized he was making a fist. He’s managed to let his little brother get to him yet again.
He needs to focus. He clicks the notification.
MasterMinho posted a new video.
“Fuck.”
In real life Jonghyun is a relatively chill guy - he likes most of the people he meets and he restricts the worst of his swears to his gadgets. But if there’s one person who makes Jonghyun grind his teeth, it’s this dude. His name is Minho and he has a channel where he plays video games too.
Except unlike he fucking aces all of them. It doesn’t matter if it’s the most complicated gameplay since ARMA. There is nothing Minho hasn’t been able to conquer and his videos are the exact opposite of Jonghyun’s. For one his camera is obviously far superior. The quality goes right up to 1080P and the colors are great. He always places it funny though. Out of the 179 videos on Minho’s channels, only two of them ever show his face.
(Not that Jonghyun’s counted. He’s heard.)
But what really sets Minho’s videos apart is his obvious gaming prowess. He’s been featured on several websites, others’ channels and has three times the subscribers Jonghyun does. None of that gets Jonghyun though - he almost respects Minho - until he sees the title of Minho’s latest video.
Flappy Bird Is So Easy~~~~ ^^v
He must be a masochist because he can’t think of one good reason why he’s watching this. It’s torturous, the way Minho’s elegant fingers are navigating the base world of the frantic bird, expertly dodging threats and soaring through gap after gap. 13. 15. 67.
Jonghyun pauses the video and buries his head in his hands.
“Goddamnit,” he growls. Of course Minho is good at Flappy Bird. He’s best friends with DarlingDubu (also know as DastardlyDubu), the reigning national champion of all games cellular. His high scores are legendary, unbeaten by generations of successors. There are rumors that he plays handgames for a living and developers court him day and night to pick their’s. Jonghyun wouldn’t be surprised if they did. When Double D finds a game he loves, it usually becomes news.
So there’s a perfectly rational reason behind Minho’s great score. This is the point where he should unbury his face from his hands, click like and concede defeat like a gentlemen. But even though he lives off being bad at games, some part of Jonghyun has always resented Minho, always thought Key is right. His subscribers might love him but Minho’s respect him. And Jonghyun is 18 now, he’s an adult and he deserves some respect, right?
He’s a serious gamer, in his own way. He worked three jobs to be able to buy his PlayStation. He queued 7 hours to get his copy of GTA V. He would marry Diablo if it was legal. He even goes for a few competitions to hone his skills. Is it really fair to just laugh him off and save all the important conversations for Minho?
The room is sweltering. Jonghyun strips his shirt off and thinks about the other boy some more. He doesn’t want to bring Minho down, he just thinks a little ribbing is long overdue. They’re not unaware of each other’s existence and, given the nature of Jonghyun’s channel, doesn’t it make sense for him to go after someone who takes gaming so seriously?
“Right,” Jonghyun trills into his mic, “I thought we’d do a little something different today. I’ve dug up an old video that belongs to my, um, acquaintance, MasterMinho. Some of you may know him? Well anyway, kids, I know you love laughing at me but remember: no one is born perfect! Not even highscorers and self-declared masters.” He laughs. “So here goes nothing!”
He’s gone through great pains (and painful layouts) to locate one of Minho’s earliest videos - him stumbling through a round of FIFA. There’s two reasons why he picked this video. Minho obviously prides himself on his current FIFA capabilities, so it makes for some nice irony, and it makes for even more balls jokes.
It takes him less than five seconds to get used to yelling at Minho.
“Holy Jesus in a Mazeratti, can you stop walking into the referee, fuck fuck, what the fuck were you on, great to see you’re sober now, oh God,” he gasps, there are tears running down his cheeks because past Minho is a mess, “did you just - score a goal - wrong team, Christ on a cracker, that is some crazy ass footwork, ballet princess Minho is blowing my mind, oh shit, nope, no, NO, NO, GOD, WHAT ARE YOU DOING,” he throws a pillow across, “CAN YOU FUCKING GET THE BALL, fuck the audience, motherfuck, they are not clapping for you - JESUS, COME ON, how the fuck are you gonna - SCORE, BITCH, this is not high school, scoring means BALLS, get those balls, Minho, I’m rooting for you, buddy, BUDDY, NO, YOU’RE GOING IN THE WRONG DIR- WHAT. WHAT. AGAIN? REALLY? REALLY, ASSHAT?”
Nine minutes later Jonghyun is hoarse, hysterical and hightailing his way to the upload button.
Revenge is sweet.
He checks in on Facebook while he’s waiting for it to publish. Kibum is online, as usual.
Key Kim 7:24PM
keyonce all on his mouth like liquor
Jonghyun Rages 7:38PM
tell dat to d authorities
Key Kim 7:38PM
fuck u
Jonghyun Rages 7:42PM
tell dat to jesus
He falls asleep an hour later, exhausted from screaming at his laptop, his shirt on the floor and his face red with exertion.
The truth is Jonghyun’s never been a long-term thinker. He usually acts on an idea if it sounds good at the time. Like the day he came out. Unlike Kibum who agonized for months over it, Jonghyun saw the new gym teacher, blurted out, “Wow, I would totally suck his dick,” and that was that.
Or like the time he got really mad at Kibum and peed on his signed Britney Spears poster. His younger brother didn’t talk to him for months after that.
In other words Jonghyun has usually come to regret his rash decision-making and this morning is no different. He wakes up to find his latest video has 55,000 views (oh, shit) and 7700 comments. He’s hit twelve weeks of numbers in twelve hours. He starts reading with some trepidation.
nogamenoshame
ohshit masterminho is going down
minholover1994
leave minho alone, u r such an insecure asshole
ibreakforsteak
do u get paid 2 say the word fuck, don’t lie to me bro
misstressminho
https://www.change.org/en-KR/petitions/barbarian-apologize-to-your-master The petition has 3125 upvotes. Jonghyun stares at the number with a sinking feeling. There is officially no going back.
On the third day after posting his video Jonghyun has lost a total of 9000 subscribers.
On the fourth day he uploads an acoustic cover of I Will Survive.
On the fifth day his video is circulated on Tumblr and gifs are made.
On the sixth day people start taking sides and fandoms are named.
On the seventh day Minho messages him.
From MasterMinho
hey, I think we should talk.
On the eighth day Jonghyun still hasn’t replied.
On the ninth day Minho puts up a video of his own. It’s the first time in two years he’s turned the camera on himself and Jonghyun can’t tear his eyes away. Minho is sweet and gentle as he reminds his fans that it’s Jonghyun’s job to be funny, how they should be careful of the thin line between expressing one’s opinion and shaming someone else's. He ends the video with a bashful laugh, after which he admits he found the video pretty funny himself. He even links it in the description box.
His brother bursts into his room three hours after it goes up.
“He’s really fucking upright, you know.”
“I know, Kibum,” Jonghyun groans.
“Reply,” he says in a low voice.
Jonghyun lets out some sort of unintelligible grunt. He has no intention of coming out of his blankets ever again.
On the tenth day Tumblr starts shipping them and Minho sends him another message:
From MasterMinho
Hey, I’m sorry I kind of took matters into my own hands. let me know if you’re not ok with the vid and i’ll take it down.
(ps you have a beautiful voice)
The day after it’s Jonghyun turn to burst into his brother’s room, unfortunately just in time to catch him maneuvering his boyfriend into a rather compromising position.
“Can you learn to knock?” Kibum yells, jumping off his bed like he’s been electrocuted.
“Can you learn to lock?” Jonghyun yells back before jabbing him in the chest with an incriminating finger. “I gave you that password for emergencies only, how could you reply to him!”
“Someone had to!”
“P.S. you have a beautiful face?” Jonghyun quotes, his distress mounting with every passing second.
“You’re welcome. Now get the fuck out.”
From MasterMinho
i was beginning to think you hate me :p i’m glad u don’t and we’re totally cool btw, like i thought ur video was funny n jinki sez I take myself too seriously anw. i really like ur channel btw.
(wow thanks ^^v)
From BarbarianRage
No I don’t hate you at all!!!!! I’m really sorry for making the vid in the 1st place, I got kinda jealous of you one day and…
(u’re welcome)
From MasterMinho
u jealous of me?! u’re funny and a grt singer, there’s nothing to b jealous of!
From BarbarianRage
you’re just being nice. u don’t have to be so chill, i kno I was kind of an asshat 2 u. :(
From MasterMinho
nopeeeeee and if iirc, acc to ur video i’m the asshat? hehe. anw i’ve always wished i had someone i cud talk to games about widout feeling like it’s a competition. infact i’d love to have ur kkt if u have one?
From BarbarianRage
Are you saying I’m no match 4 you???????? (jk its dinothunder)
MinhoC 3:09AM
hi?
DinoThunder 3:09AM
hi asshat
MinhoC 3:10AM
hahaha hello!
DinoThunder 3:10AM
u let everyone call u asshat??
MinhoC 3:10AM
no.
MinhoC 3:11AM
just you.
Although it took him a long time to live down the Minhocalypse, three months, one boyfriend and a ton of Skype sex later, Jonghyun is willing to entertain the possibility that maybe, in the end, it all worked out for the best.