No Longer Mine

1

"Who's that guy over there?" I whispered to my friend.

Mika looked up and followed my glances to the boy sitting by himself in the corner of the cafeteria a few yards away from us. A smirk instantly sprouted across her mouth. "His name is Jeon Jungkook," she giggled to me. "He just transferred to our school today."

"From where, heaven?" I mumbled under my breath. "He's cute," I added, a blush spread across my cheeks. I glanced at him once again, only to have my gaze entrapped by giant doe eyes. I'd been caught staring.

"He's not cute. He's a smoking hot all-you-can-eat Korean buffet!" Mika said in a much louder tone. "Just look at his drumsticks! Thicker than oatme—."

I dropped my fork in panic. "Shut up, Mika!" I quietly screeched, showering her with little punches on the shoulder.

Mika and I had been friends since second grade, and from second grade all the way to now, freshman year high school, she consistently had zero filter with what she said. She'd moved from London to Korea, and was half Korean, half black— possessing smooth  dark skin, wide almond shaped eyes, thick curly hair, and a rich accent.

Mika just dissolved into laughter at my blows. "Look it's not a big deal," she said between chuckles. "I think he's quite taken by you."

"And why do you say that?" I demanded, finally staying my blows on my friend.

"Because he's right behind you." Mika's eyes glimmered.

Oop. I slowly turned around and looked up.

The boy with those addictive Bambi eyes stood a few inches away from me, his tray of food in his hands. His own eyes seemed to shine with amusement and something else. "Hey." He offered me a shy smile. A trace of Busan intonation signaled where he transferred from.

An incoherent squeak escaped me.

Jungkook's smile widened. "May I sit here?" He asked, gesturing to the seat right across from me.

"Of course you may," Mika cut in before I could say anything. "Please sit down. My name is Mika, and this chipmunk right here who was eye-fucking you moments ago is— ow!"

At the term, I snapped out of my trance and landed a none-too gentle slap on Mika's back. She just stuck her tongue out at me.

"I like chipmunks," Jungkook offered.

Mika and I stared at him.

A rosy glow sprouted on his cheeks but he pressed forward. "What's your name?" He asked me.

"Mei," I flushed under his gaze. "My name is Mei."

-What's your name?-

The bell rings, signaling class is over.

The students around me all scramble for their belongings and make mad dashes to the door. No one wants to be in the same room as Curing Officials.

On a normal basis I would be right behind the fleeing students. Or more like in front since I'm pretty fast when I want to be.

But today is far from normal.

The only thing keeping me from collapsing are my knees, which are locked in place. The professor is talking to the Curing Officials in the corner. I don't care though. My eyes are latched onto the tall figure hovering in the front of the classroom almost awkwardly.

He's just as I remembered him. Better looking even. When I last saw him his hair was much longer and his cheekbones had begun to jut out. There were dark circles under his eyes. But now, as he stands before me, there is no sign of sleepless nights. His face is full and healthy, unlike the gaunt and almost haunted look he'd possessed the last few nights we had together. 

Like a moth drawn to fire, my feet carry me towards the man at the front before I fully realize what I'm doing. Part of me longs to rush at him; to throw my arms around him and bury my face in his neck where my head fits perfectly. But another part holds back.

There's something wrong.

Something terribly wrong.

He's seen me.

He's watching me as I draw closer.

But his eyes are not filled with the boundless love it usually is. His face isn't lighting up the way it usually does when he sees me.

Rather, he watches me with an almost mild curiosity until I halt a few feet away from him.

My heart slams in my chest, pounding against my rib cage. I don't know if it's trying to free itself, or if it's just screaming at the boy before me to see, really see, me.

"Jungkook..." I whisper, my eyes searching his familiar dark gaze.

Surprise flashes across his face. "Oh? You know me?" The familiar trace of his native satoori echoes in his words and he grins. A familiar grin, and yet foreign. It's the grin he offers people he hardly knows. It's not the quirky grin he used to offer me that promised anything could happen.

"Jungkook," I say again. I will him to see me. To snap out of this weird attitude he's offering me. Any moment he'll break into his wide smile and sweep me into his arms. Any moment he'll say 'I tricked you, chipmunk. Of course you know me and I know you!'

Instead, he says, "Well you know my name at least, but I don't know yours." He extends a hand towards me. "What's your name?"

And the world around me shatters.

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