In My Arms -Remastered

Chapter 1

Warning: This chapter contains Jiho Park slander.

The air surrounding the Fashion department was all anyone was talking about today. Daniel hadn’t come to school yet and people were starting to wonder whether he’d come at all. If you were to walk into the classroom, you would see heads perk up left and right only for them to discard you once they realized you weren’t who they wished you were. 

That happened to Zack Lee, Daniel’s best friend and seatmate. He walked into class ten minutes late like usual and all eyes were on him until they weren’t. Disappointed murmurs filled his ears as he made his way to his seat.

“What’s up with them,” he asked his childhood friend and sweetheart Mira Kim.

“Daniel’s not here yet.”

Zack looked toward his desk, he noticed it was empty when he walked in but he assumed Daniel went to the restroom. “Oh. That’s not like him.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty strange.”

“Do you think something happened to him,” Zoe, Mira’s seatmate and friend, asked worriedly.

“Nah, don’t worry, even if he was an hour late, he’d still show up. It’s not like him to skip,” Zack reassured. He continued his short walk to his desk where he promptly placed his bag on the floor by his desk and placed his head in his folded arms. 

Twenty more minutes passed with no sign of Daniel and everybody just about gave up on being able to see him until the door was swung open and Daniel passed the threshold. Faces lit up but went out as soon as they saw him. He was different today.

He looked tired and his color was less prominent. Students tracked his every move until he practically threw his body in his chair causing it to slide toward Zack. Zack flinched at the sudden loud noise and looked beside him. Daniel’s chair was pressed against his leg and Daniel had his head down on the desk. Startled, Zack looked around. Students and mutual friends had the same look of shock on their faces as they witnessed the typically cheerful boy act so depressed. 

Whispers quickly filled the silence. Everyone knew something was wrong, that much was obvious. Zack looked back at Daniel, worry now evident in his features. It wasn’t like him to so much as even look away from the board during instructional period. Even if their teacher was M.I.A.

He wasn’t quite sure how to assess the situation presented to him. He never knew how to properly deal with someone else's emotions especially if that person was ever going to be Daniel. Zack turned to the one person who he knew would be able to help if even just a little. A pale, bleach-blonde boy who covered his eyes with his fringe. Jay Hong.

Jay Hong was once the Fashion department's prince. He was quickly de-throned when Daniel came but he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he had taken quite a liking to the new student and was quick to befriend him. 

Zack wasn’t surprised to see Jay already looking at Daniel and locked eyes with Zack, at least he liked to think so. He could never really tell. Nonetheless, Zack stole his attention before gesturing to the boy beside him. Jay nodded his head and reluctantly returned his gaze to the window he sat next to. He’d have to wait for lunch if he wanted to know anything.

Once lunch rolled around, students slowly filed out of the room and disappeared into the hallway. Zack looked at the blonde again before being pulled away by their mutual friends Zoe and Mira, leaving the two alone.