Jin stared at the serene and peaceful school grounds of Hongwon University by the window beside his seat, hovering over the empty field from the third floor.
The weather was great.
His fingers were tapping against the surface of his desk as his thoughts flew away in an unreachable height. With his elbow on his desk, supporting his other hand that's cupping the side of his face, he was in daze. His eyes couldn't look away when the same image that has been clogging inside his consciousness appeared over the clear blue sky.
It was freshly replaying inside his head as if he had just seen it in sight not too long ago as every detail and curve of the man's face was more distinct than his hazy mind. It even felt surreal to label it as a memory.
A memory that brought him questionable warmth and is the cause of the unnamed emotions and unanswered questions he buried yesterday to arise once again.
The man's genuine smile...Why does he feel like the sight of it costs a head?
He gets to see him smile but never once caught him doing the same thing towards his family until they escorted them out after dinner. He couldn't bring himself to stop thinking about what happened yesterday evening. Does that man, too, is against his father remarrying?
Just as scheduled, the obscure musical notes of a children's song blasted out of the speakers. Everyone finally heard the awaited school bell that will push their professors to dismiss them for the day as it continuously rippled through the empty corridors.
"So that concludes our discussion for today. Do not forget to read the remaining clauses in your textbook for tomorrow's evaluation," Their English professor left the room, allowing everyone to slump their heads on their tables. They were exhausted and too worn to even lift a finger.
High school life is indeed hell unlike way back in middle school.
"Jin-ah~, you up for karaoke later?" A low whisper behind his ear interrupted Jin's reverie.
His eyes glanced back at the person behind him, who greeted him with her famed lopsided smile plastered on her lips paired with her eyebrows moving up and down repeatedly at him. It was Kim Ji-Hye.
"Karaoke? Didn't we agree to go for tteokbokki?" Hwang Hesung, on the other hand, leans his head towards them, interrupting their conversation.
The entrance door of their room suddenly slammed open and a loud voice woke everyone up, loud enough to shoo the depressing ambiance away.
"Hesung-ah!"
A girl with short-cut hair dyed in blond barge inside their room and went straight to embrace their little friend, Hesung. That's Han Yeji, an extremely attractive person but is known to be blunt, yet despite her bold nature, she has a soft spot for adorable beings, and Hesung was not an exception.
"Unnecessary noises should be prohibited within school grounds," Jihyuk flipped through the pages of his book. He was sitting calmly beside Jin as he always does in the past years.
"Yah, Kang Jihyuk!" scolded Yeji while covering Hesung's reddened ears. What's wrong with calling a friend's name after their classes ends? Aish, this guy. Everyone knows how Hesung takes everything to a different level with his sensitive emotions.
"Quit yelling," replied Jihyuk, unaware of the swarming rage around him. He does not get where this woman's rowdy nature comes from despite her small frame.
Jin just watched how Jihyuk slip back his notebook into his bag where he had written all the pointers for today's lesson as he knows very well that Jin was not with his usual self today.
"We can't go for tteokbokki today Hesung-ah, but isn't Karaoke a better option?" Ji-Hye beams towards Hesung to cheer his spirits up.
Hwang Hesung bit his lips. He hides his flustered face behind the textbook in his hands. Hesung is an extremely shy boy who stood about a head shorter than him. Yeah, he's considered to be the shortest man in their class.
"Karaoke? Isn't today the time of the month to go for a drink and crash at this madman's apartment?" Yeji also argued, ruffling Jihyuk's hair, only to receive back one hateful stare of his.
For a moment, Jin was thankful that everyone gathered in one place. Looking at them helps him loosen up a little.
Kim Ji-Hye and Hwang Hesung are his lifetime back mates and close friends. Their friendship bloomed by the start of this semester, while Han Yeji was his friend from eighth grade when they attended the same cram school.
They all had one thing in common, they are all freshmen this year whose names spread across the campus based on their looks, yet they all had no intention of caring about what others label them to be. In their perspective, they were just a bunch of teenagers who're also in the process of knowing themselves more, though their little circle of friendship may revolve around conflicts due to their different judgments and behaviors. They still blend perfectly like yin and yang.
"Yah, if it's Karaoke. I don't think I'd be able to join. Mom wants me home to look after my niece," Yeji rested her cheeks on top of Hesung's head. She had a depressed expression on her face looking at them.
If it was drinking at Jihyuk's place, she would have an excuse to use against his mother that they had a group study since her mother already knew how diligent this rascal is.
"No, my apartment's not available and Jin and I won't be joining any of your invites," Jihyuk rises from his seat as he closes the textbook and notepad on his desk. The foot of his chair screech against the tiled floor as he pushes his chair towards his desk to make a room for Jin to stand.
His hand grabs Jin's bag on the hook beside his table. It's time for them to head home.
"Eh!!! Why not?!" Ji-Hye abruptly stood from her seat after seeing them about to leave, her hands harshly slamming against her table, creating another scene leading to another unending argument. The rest of their class just shook their heads and began to move out of the classroom.
"Jin has to come." Ji-Hye had an expression on her face that was close to begging. She looked over Jin, asking for help, but it was useless seeing his brain was not in his head at the moment.
Jihyuk's eyebrows furrow, "No, he will not."
"Aigoo, you're acting up again, big guy. Let Jin decide for himself," Yeji pushed the luck to help her friend.
"Kang. Ji. Hyuk," Ji-Hye spoke every syllable of his name with emphasis, "Jin has to come. I already promised someone that he would." God, this person acts as if he's Jin's guardian.
"Ji-Hye that's..." Hesung pause. Weren't they supposed to never mention this matter in front of Jihyuk?
Seeing Jihyuk's expression immediately change after what she said, it was the right time for Jin to rise from his seat and try pushing him towards the door.
"You're setting him up to someone?! Who the—"
"Guemanhae (enough)," Jin reached over to cover his mouth. Aish, this big nerd.
"Jin-ah," Hesung's frail voice calling out to him tickled his guilt.
"I'm sorry, guys, he's right that I can't go. I have to take my dog to the vet," he dragged Jihyuk away from the room and when he glanced back, he gave them an apologetic smile. He will make it up for them some other time.
"Yah, do you really have to argue with people wherever you go?" Jin sighs.
Jihyuk looked over him in disbelief, "How are you not reacting to this? She was clearly setting you up to someone." Why was he at the wrong?
"It was not. If she really was setting me up to someone then she would've told me to go alone." It was a friendly gathering. He knew how much pressure has been weighted on them especially when finals are only weeks away. Ji-Hye probably wanted them to loosen up before preparing for an intense battle.
Jin and Jihyuk walked down the stairs together and finally reached the school ground. Jin breathes and closes his eyes briefly when the sun hits against his skin. He's suddenly craving for ice cream.
"Still, she was rude to have only invited you."
He's still not over this matter yet?
My, my, was he upset he got left out? "Aigoo, you should have told her straight that you wanted to come instead. Ji-Hye probably thought you were too busy to attend gatherings as you're always glued on your textbooks."
It's the truth though. They both bowed their heads in respect towards a group of sunbaes who walked past them.
"Who said I wanted to come?" Jihyuk frowns, "And when was I too busy for that? When it comes to looking out for you, you know how much your mother entrusted you to me."
How cheesy of him, "Hyuk, I can handle myself. You don't need to treat me like a—" kid.
Jin pauses from his place so as everyone on the school ground after hearing a roar of revving engines from the distance. Soon enough they saw five different models of black cars arrive and lined up in front of the main entrance gate of their campus.
What's happening?