jaeyong ✧ skindeep

Fourteen

Just like always, the following day arrived, Jaehyun seeming more lively than usual. Maybe it was just due to it being the last day of school as most people would assume.

He seemed overall more eager to events later in the day, Taeyong had noticed. Unlike usual, they had walked to school which Taeyong secretly enjoyed just because it felt "normal" to him.

The school day continued with a majority of the teachers giving everyone homework to do over their limited break. It was like a quick stab to the reality of a break from schoolwork, but like always, there's not much you can do about it in highschool.

~~~~

Jaehyun leaned against his locker while Taeyong was busy cleaning the minimal from his. An overbearing amount of students crowed the halls, everyone being overly ecstatic for summer vacation.

Taeyong didn't understand the hype around summer vacation. Sure, it was a temporary break from the stressful schoolwork but, it's also days where the heat would be so overpowering anyone would feel like the wicked witch of the West when they stood outside. Maybe the heat wasn't the only reason he didn't care for summer, it might just be the fact that nothing good had ever come out of it.

At around one p.m., Doyoung left with a quick word to Jaehyun. Throughout Doyoung's absence, Jaehyun seemed abnormally more focused on his phone. Taeyong paid not much attention as he simply gave the actions the excuse of being busy.

It almost seemed as if everywhere Taeyong went during the day, he'd see a group of girls taking selfies together or a group of boys just casually conversing. The heat brought a uncomfortable feeling of suffocation to the crowded school halls, or maybe it was just the amount of girls trying to talk to Jaehyun or invite him to summer invites that brought the feeling. How cliche.

Eventually, tired of being crowded by frankly annoying girls, Taeyong left to one of the empty classrooms and sat at his desk. The silence and sunlight illuminating the room brought an abyss of peace from the chaos only a door away.

Taeyong rested his head against his folded arms, his eyes closed, embracing the tranquil silence. It might have been an unusual feeling of nostalgia or the setting but, it reminded Taeyong of how he used to be; he used to be alone.

~~~~

The door abruptly slid open, making Taeyong shoot up to see Doyoung standing in the doorframe.

"Taeyong, I've been looking every where for you. School's ending, you know."

Taeyong wiped his mouth with his sleeve,"Oh."

Doyoung approached the latter and grabbed his wrist, forcing him up from the chair and pulled along the school.

They walked to the parking lot of the school where Taeyong saw several unknown boys standing near or around a specifically large van.

"Taeyong, this is Johnny, Ten, Mark and Donghyuck." Doyoung said while pointing to each of the individual boys.

Taeyong awkwardly waved to them before looking over to Doyoung with a confused gaze.

Doyoung dropped Taeyong's wrist,"Jaehyun didn't tell you? About the road trip?"

"Road trip? Is that why he asked if I would be busy for the next two weeks?"