Black & White [COMPLETED]

Chapter 15: Don't Touch Her

Junsu completely shut down after our talk. Weeks went by. He didn't talk to me, look at me... It was as if we never knew each other. I didn't know what was going through his head. Was he mad at me? It didn't appear so... He just had that cold stare in his eyes all day long. He didn't make any notes during class. He stayed silent whenever teachers gave him a turn. His head was just... not here.

I was supposed to be happy that there was finally a rift between us, but I wasn't. I was thinking about him all day long and about Byung-wook. How could Junsu have figured out it was him? Was it really his phone? Or was Junsu searching for an excuse to murder him? I didn't know what to believe.

On a specific Friday after P.E. class has finished, I changed my P.E. clothes back to my uniform. The students played badminton that day. I was able to play for a few minutes, but that was my limit. My back started aching like crazy. I told the teacher and got to sit on the benches to wait for the lesson to finish. That was the first time in a long time that I saw Junsu look at me.

After changing back to my ordinary school uniform, I started walking to the school gate. But on my way there I heard someone calling my name. It was Mr. Kim. He was holding about three boxes that looked pretty heavy. One of the boxes looked like it was about to fall.

"Give me a hand?" he asked, smiling at me.

I didn't think twice. I flew to his side to grab the falling box. It was so heavy!

"Thanks a bunch," he said.

"Where do I put it?"

"In the storage room."

The storage room was where we first met. I couldn't understand how he could work there though. It was so claustrophobic in there. The room was tiny, cramped with books everywhere (although they were all neatly labeled) and had a musty scent. But Mr. Kim would say that he loved the smell of books. One time he told me he actually wanted to become an author.

I remembered how I told him that he was the first teacher I talked to at this school. Honestly he still was. He was so easy to talk to. I didn't share everything about myself with him, but sometimes it felt like he was the only real friend I had here. Maybe in time I would get to open up to him.

"Just put it over here," he said, placing the other two boxes down.

I placed it next to them. "Geez, what do you keep in these?"

He laughed. "Books. Don't you just love education?"

I rolled my eyes, but smiled anyway. His sarcasm came when you least expected it.

"So... spill." Mr. Kim crossed his arms. "I've seen you moping around these days. What's going on?"

"I knew it; this was a trap," I said, shaking my head.

"Just looking out for you."

I smiled. See what I mean? He's such a nice guy.

"Does it have something to do with your friend from last time?" he prodded.

"It does, actually. But... I don't think we're friends anymore."

"How come?"

"He... did something I can't forgive."

He wasn't smiling now. "That's a shame..." He walked up to me and closed the door behind me. His eyes looked down at me. "I was rooting for you two, you know?"

Something was off about him. It was just like last time. He was looking at me like I was some kind of prey. Was I overthinking this?

I backed off and hit my back against the door. "Why'd you... close the door?"