143 | Chanmin

T H I R T E E N

Before the unrequited regrets, before Bangchan came into his life, and even before he had feelings for anyone at all, life was much more simpler back then. Nothing else could compare to the mornings he would wake up to all by himself, with the silence in the house to share with his own enthusiasm towards the day. To another's distasteful eyes, it might seem he was everything but adventurous as he would normally spend his free days at home, cleaning and cooking, sometimes spending a few minutes on a puzzle in the living room. And when his casual days were busy, he was normally focused on school work and studying with his friend, Han Jisung, right at the end of the library, were barely anybody would go back then.

But one day, right in the middle of autumn, did all of that come to a sudden halt. 

And on that one day did things start getting shook up straight away. 

'You're here early' Seungmin said, looking to his right to see Han opening his locker and pull out two paperback books in one go.

'What do you mean I'm early today? I'm always on time' he responded, closing his locker and looking at Seungmin with a disagreeing face. 

'Being on time and being early are two different things, Han. And you've never been the second one-'

'What? No...they're the same. I think the loneliness at home is getting in your head, man. You having trouble communicating? Or is it your thought process that is broken?'

'Nothing is broken, Han, I'm fine. And speaking of being home alone, you should give it a try sometime, it really lets you relax without disruptions from others'

'Is this another one of your "try before you deny" revelations again?" he asked, as Seungmin closed his locker with his only free hand (the other one holding a large, blue binder).

'It's not a revelation Jisung, it's just common knowledge-'

'Common knowledge that only a house plant like you follows, and besides, don't you think it's good to touch some grass every now and then? You know, get all of those toxins in your body-'

'It's oxygen, Han, not toxins. Remember what our science teacher taught us last year, about how one of them is bad and another is good? You just said the complete opposite to what he stated'

'Yeah yeah...okay fine. So I'm half asleep this morning and my alarm went off earlier than normal, and the coffee machine isn't working at the convenience store so just maybe you could cut me some slack?' he asked, slapping one of the books to his face in annoyance.

'I just wanna go home' he continued, hitting it once again to his face in a much more softer way than before.

Seungmin didn't seem to see the world through the same eyes as Han, who would normally complain and whine with every chance he got about school. But Seungmin didn't see school in such a bad, negative way and rather instead, as a way to grow, and thrive for the near future. 

But since this day, Seungmin has always thought differently.

'Who's that?' Han curiously asked, making Seungmin turn to his right only to see his eyes focus on a boy, walk towards their direction in a slightly confused manner. 

'I don't know...I've never seen him around before' Seungmin replied, watching as the guy re-styled his messy fringe with a hand free from his leather satchel.

His hair was the colour of sherbet orange, and his outward nature seemed completely harmless to Seungmin's belief. But his facial features gave off the look of a completely different persona and rather instead, made Seungmin wonder if he really was a nice person after all.

His eyes were a misleading case, and his pink, candy coloured lips, were pursed together like he had never smiled before in his life. His eyebrows defined his sharp look even more, and soon enough, he had made eye contact with Seungmin right away, making him walk right up to the two and stand there, a good few meters apart without hesitance.