three

5.8K 313 207
                                    

The group of friends walked to their regular seats, in the back of the classroom right next to the windows. Jisoo and Jeonghan paired up and in front of them Wonwoo and Soonyoung took their seats. The two immediately turned around to continue the conversation they were having about a video Soonyoung showed them a little while ago. 

Jeonghan couldn't help but zone out as he was staring at the clear blue sky on the other side of the window. He leaned his head in both his hands as while doing so. Thinking about every possible way to escape the project, because it was the absolute last thing he wanted to do. He'd rather give up and leave school immediately in stead of working together on a project with someone he possibly didn't know. 

"Hello everyone."

His daydream got interrupted by the teacher walking in and the voices of the students in the classroom politely greeting him back. Jeonghan didn't even take the effort to say anything as the classroom went silent again and the teacher sat down behind his desk, starting on the explanation what they were about to do for the upcoming two months. 

"As you all know, today is the start of an important project. But before i get further into it i'm going to pair everyone up in the couples i wrote down so you can sit together and brainstorm ideas when i start explaining." 

The friendly looking man got up from his desk and started calling out names. What gave Jeonghan another good opportunity to zone out again, staring in the depth of the blue sky. Spring was at full blast. The temperature went carefully warmer again and the trees all around the country started blossoming, leaving the streets in the most beautiful pastel colors. Not only that lifted everyone's mood up. The fact that summer break was close also helped them a lot to stay motivated until the end of their school year that was nearby. 

Everyone, but Jeonghan. 

"Hong Jisoo, you're a match with Jeon Wonwoo." Jeon Wonwoo happily turned around and high fived the inhumanly happy boy. It even gave Jeonghan a little hope they'd pair him with Soonyoung too, since they already picked two students who clearly were close to each other. 

But luck wasn't on his side when he heard Soonyoung's name being called, together with a girl's name who sat on the other side of the classroom. Jeonghan let his chin sink back in his hands again and he lost all his hope on doing the project with someone he's comfortable with. Now knowing he just had to suffer for the two upcoming months. 

"Yoon Jeonghan, you're paired with Choi Seungcheol." 

Jeonghan didn't even take the effort to nod or to look around the classroom to see who would meet his eyes as their teacher proceed to call out everyones name. He didn't care about this boy choi seungcheol. He never even heard of his name in the first place. Wasn't he the new student that came in a few days ago? Because something about him sounded familiar. 

But he couldn't care less. Until their teacher spoke up again. "You can now sit with your partner." He felt Jisoo patting his shoulder as he stood up and took place beside Wonwoo, while Soonyoung walked all the way over to the other side of the classroom and politely got acquainted with the girl. 

"Jeonghan, right?" 

Jeonghan tore his gaze away from the pretty blue sky to meet eyes with the person who just called out his name. He nodded and watched him sit down next to him and offering his hand with a big smile plastered to his face. "Hi, I'm seungcheol." He said in a deep voice, a little less deep than Wonwoo's.

Jeonghan doubted for a moment but shook his hand anyways, not wanting to ruin the mood in-between them even before the project started since they had to stick with each other for two more months. he doesn't seem that worse, right? jeonghan thought to himself as he studied the boys features. 

Short black hair that hung in bangs over his forehead, broad shoulders and long black eyelashes. His facial features were all placed perfectly in his face and jeonghan had to be honest. This boy named seungcheol was kind of handsome to him. But it still didn't convince jeonghan enough to look forward on the project. A lot more was needed for that. 

"I see everyone found their partner. Let me start then." The teacher connected his laptop to the projector device and a blank page popped up. There was one word right in the middle of it. The one word where this whole project was all about. Jeonghan instantly regretted coming to school that morning and he wished he just stayed in his bed. Or at the beach. 

happiness

"In the upcoming two months you and your teammate are going to find out what real happiness means to you." Jeonghan let out a silent groan and hid his face in his hands, catching Seungcheol's attention in the process but ignoring him straight away. "The two of you will be able to visit places that make you happy. This can be during school time, when were working on the project, or after wards if you need more time or if you have to travel further. You don't necessarily have to visit places, if you find happiness in another way you can also go by that."

"The outcome of the project can be in every possible way. You can make a short movie, write something, make a song about it or maybe you give a little presentation. Visualize it in your own way. The deadline is two days before the end of the year, so that's about two months from now. I wish you all good luck! And you have freedom to do and go wherever and whatever you want from now on." 

Seungcheol immediately averted his attention from their teacher to Jeonghan as the rest of the classroom filled with enthusiastic chatter from the students. Everyone already seemed filled with wonderful ideas while Jeonghan was still obnoxious about it. 

"Do you have any plans?" Seungcheol asked in a happy tone. 

What's it with this kid? why is he so happy? Jeonghan couldn't help but feel annoyed with the strangers excitement. How handsome he may be, he still didn't feel like doing the project. The word happiness ruined it for him and his last piece of motivation dropped right away. 

"I find my  happiness in sleeping. So if you don't mind."

separate | jeongcheolWhere stories live. Discover now