Seungmin did not feel like talking at all today in class. The weight of his shoulders and the stupid thoughts about that guy kept him as silent as ever; his arms flopped across his wooden desk in tiredness didn't make it any better as well.
Felix, who normally sits to the right of him in the morning, was too busy sitting in the corner with another boy, right on his lap anyway. His hair was of a dark brown, but streaks of green illuminated them all over the place, making it hard to see anything but that colour.
He was also muscular. A lot more muscular than Seungmin and Felix combined.
'Shut up Changbin!' Felix yelled, getting up off him and hitting the guy right on the chest, to which he rubbed at.
'Why do you always think that you will fail exams? They're not even until the end of the term and you're already stressing? Maybe some revision will do you good' he added, getting a mathematics textbook and throwing it at the guy.
Seungmin has observed enough from the sidelines (after Felix had met him last year) to say that Changbin isn't necessarily all that tough. Well, on the outside, it's a no-brainer to say so. You can't deny his build. But on the inside, he is nothing but what Seungmin likes to call "a baby girl".
And Seungmin could give a hundred reason why he thinks this.
'What is this going to do?' Changbin asked, flipping the book over to see the front cover in curiosity after flawlessly catching it.
'Oh, I don't know. Maybe help?' Felix replied, with his fists on his hips and his eyes facing the ceiling in a sarcastic way.
But it was when Felix had no reaction from Changbin, that Seungmin could tell he had just gotten bored once more. And it was then he could tell that the freckled guy would come over to him instead.
'Watcha doing, Seungmin? Tired?' he asked, finally sitting at his desk in a more normal fashion rather than on someone's lap.
'I don't think you would want to know' Seungmin said, looking at the front board in slight fatigue.
'Yesterday was...eventful, to say the least'
'In what way? Did your computer finally kick the bucket?'
'Why- okay, I'm not going to question it. But why specifically my computer?'
'And why so serious on that? ' he thought, looking at the guy in complete and utter confusion.
'Spill the tea, Seungmin. I won't tell anyone, and you can rely on that. Besides, who's gonna want to know? I don't think anyone in this humanities class speaks to you...well, except for in your homeroom-'
'You know what? Fine, i'll "spill the tea". I saw your friend Bangchan at the park yesterday and his stupid kite was stuck up there and no one was there and no one was going to help so I helped him and then he destroyed me and so I ran and he's probably gonna start stalking me now and I don't even know because he...'
'Is a bit intriguing '
Felix sat there in silence after the long, haste-filled rant Seungmin had just thrown at him in surprise. A smile began building across his face and it was there, that Seungmin could tell Felix would not want to be quiet on the matter for the rest of the day.
Maybe it was no use at all.
'Really! Wow...that's amazing! That means that-'
'Good morning, class' a loud voice boomed, disrupting Felix's speech and turning all of the heads in the room to face the front. Some students even deciding to quickly run to their normal desks and sit up straight, not in the way they were in a few seconds before.
'I hope you had a great weekend, class 12A. But today, you are all going to have to focus on work...and a new student' he added, looking at the doorway before refocusing on the board. All of the students began to lean out of their seats, trying to get a slice of the action before the man looked back, all of the boys and girls refocusing in reply.
'You can enter now' he added, not taking his eyes off the board.
'You've got to be kidding me ' Seungmin thought, burying himself with his arms in embarrassment as Bangchan walked into the room, the whole class going silent.
Why? Just why? Why, when school was his only harsh escape from him?
It was then though, that Felix suddenly bumped Seungmin in the arm out of the blue, making him sit up and rub it in slight agony; looking right at Felix in annoyance, that he realized escaping was nothing easy.
'What was that for?-' he whispered in compressed anger.
'He was looking right at you, Seungmin' Felix replied, pointing his head at the boy with striking blue eyes, Bangchan's vision and mind already focused the floor.
'Why does it matter? Bangchan was just like this when I saw him yesterday, it's nothing-'
'Oh come on. He obviously wants to talk to you more. Don't you want that too?'
'No, no I do not '
'Can everyone give a warm welcome to our newest student, all the way from sunny Sydney Australia, Bangchan!' the teacher anounced, putting down his whiteboard marker to clap.
The whole class blindly followed as Seungmin looked around the room, trying to find someone like him not clapping. But all he could make out were the smiling faces and the hasty claps of his classmates, making him turn to the front, looking directly at Bangchan.
One small look at his blue, alluring eyes, and Seungmin was already caught caught up.
He began to clap as well, but in a way that shouted "I'm trying very badly" to the boy at the front, making Bangchan laugh in silence. He waved right at Seungmin with a full hearted smile, but the boy had already stopped his praise after that.
'Okay everyone, settle down. Now uh...let's see...21...22...23...24...no, you know what? Bangchan, considering it's your first day here, why don't you get a tour around the school by one of your new classmates? I'm sure it's much better than learning slower by yourself' he added, looking at the guy in silence, the whole class doing the same.
'I'm fine with whatever, teacher'
'Oh please, call me Mr Ji-hun. Now um...does anyone already know Bangchan, here?' he asked out of curiosity.
No hands went up.
But Seungmin could feel Felix's eyes pierce through his side, and Bangchan's vision directed right at him in silence. He could feel their emotion build up around him, and nothing could of changed it.
'I think Seungmin does' Felix said, looking at Seungmin and making Bangchan suddenly notice Felix amongst the rows of students sitting down.
'I think he's up for a walk. You don't even like humanities do you? I'm sure he's more adamant about it than this' he added, patting Seungmin in the back and making him get up off his chair and walk over to the front desk in awkward silence.
Bangchan looked at him once more, but Seungmin could not care at all.
'Right well, Seungmin. Why don't you show him around for the first period? Make sure to go to your period two class though, I don't think your math teacher would be very pleased to see you both late'
'Of course, Mr Ji-hun' Seungmin replied while bowing, before giving Bangchan a look in silence.
╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮
'Thank goodness I'm in class with someone I know. Geez, I was lowkey freaking out this morning about it. It was that bad that I could feel my heart jumping around in me' Bangchan replied, following Seungmin down a set of stairs right behind him.
'It was a kite, Bangchan. It's nothing' he replied, not looking back to face the boy and his slightly enticing eyes.
'What about Felix, though? Is he still holding that grudge? 'Seungmin thought to himself, as they down the stairscontinued down the set of stairs in silence.
Is he really all that mad?
'I um...here's the technology wing' Seungmin suddenly spoke, pointing down a corridor at the end of the stairs to his left.
'It's where all of your technology studies such as woodwork, fashion and fabrics, metal work, and technology inquiries are hosted. Digital tech is done in the library, further away from the noise so students can study' he added.
'Any questions for now?'
Bangchan shook his head in silent reply.
'Ok well...I guess we'll go outside, and I'll show you all of the other buildings and stuff. Maybe the restrooms as well if we get around to it. Is that alright?'
...
'Bangchan?' Seungmin asked once more, looking at the boy with concerned eyes.
Instead of having his field of vision set on Seungmin, his eyes were looking the opposite way. And at a whole different person. Right down the end of the hallway to the far right did a boy with blood red hair stand, his arms on the window sill and a ciggarette in his right hand. Not a single care was shown about it, and it made Bangchan more curious than probably intended.
'Is he...smoking?' Bangchan asked, turning his full body to face the corridor.
'Yeah, but it's just Hyunjin. If you don't bother him, he won't bother you. It's simple, really'
'Most of the time, anyway '
'Isn't that not allowed? Like, even at my school back in Australia, that was never permitted-'
'Well, he's just doing him. Now come on, if you really wanna get a cigg off him, than you can talk to him later about it at break-'
'I never said I wanted a fag, Seungmin. I was just pointing out that he's breaking a rule-'
'Who are you?' Hyunjin finally asked, his voice echoing through the hallway and the cigarette suddenly crushed under his foot on the floor.
'I don't think I've seen you around before. Want to talk about me more? I'd be happy to hear what lovely things you have to say and I'm sure we'll build a nice, fun friendship over it' he added, looking at Seungmin halfway through the end of his speech.
Bangchan didn't seem to be shaken at all after that comment. And it amazed Seungmin more than it should of.
'We were just passing by-'
'No, it's okay. Me and Seungmin were just...wondering what you were doing all the way over there. I'm sure the teachers wouldn't be all that fond of a student like you, smoking in the complex'
'And you'll be damned to know that none of them care, and so should you. Next time you're around, I won't be so sweet. It's only because the pup is here. And I don't want to break his hope at a new owner, as they say' he said back, looking at Seungmin.
'If you don't bother him, he won't bother you '
'What does he mean by that, Seungmin?-'
'Oh you don't know? Well, let me give you the background on this...topic'
No, Hyunjin could not...
'You see, your friend Seungmin does not have any friends. ANY. He just tries to get some every now and then but, they never really work out. So when he first came here, everyone called him a puppy because he would do anything to gain someone's attention. And I mean anything. He hangs out with that boy named Han and Lee know but he knows deep down they're nothing. He can just never find the right person, so that's why he's always so miserable and sad around everyone. And the worst part is, when someone does offer him a friendship, he's always so scarred to accept it because all of his past ones have failed (he doesn't want to look bad). And trust me, you do not want to be friends with a dog like him anyway' he finally spoke, dusting his hands off and walking past Seungmin and Bangchan.
'He's not worth the time, man. And besides, you're probably better off with people like me. Maybe then, you won't have to worry about getting the pup bored. See ya later I guess' he added, walking up the stairs in a chilled manner.
The world was suddenly spinning again and tears began to well up in Seungmin's eyes. Never, in his whole life, has he ever been broken by someone's words this fast. When the name first began, he had taken it as mere joke to the face and shook it off. But time after time, day after day, it began to build up, and Seungmin could tell that it was not just a joke: but it was the hard truth thrown right at him.
Bangchan could see him crying and began to put his hand on Seungmin's left shoulder, but the boy swatted it off and ran right outside of the door used to get into the whole building itself. Seungmin could hear Bangchan's yells but he didn't care.
For all he knew, nothing could change his mind now.
Not even by a person he found fascinating in a way he could not explain.
Classroom after classroom, building after building, and soon he could see the fence, blocking the outside world from this inside hell. He slumped against it, his back facing the school, but in his blurry vision did he see someone running right after him.
'Bangchan...' he thought, trying to wipe the tears away from his eyes.
Bangchan had came back for him...Bangchan, a man that he barely knew, had decided to go see if he was alright.
And then something had popped into his head at the mere scene before him.
'He holds grudges' Felix had said to him over text one cold, winter night.
'But at the end of the day, he only does because he cares so much about the person before him. If he hates you for something, just know that he really cares. But if he shows pure, raw affection...'
Then he really is attached to you...
*Guys, please trust the process on this. I know it sounds too early to start a small fight between them but trust me, it will get Seungmin to want to be around Bangchan even more. Anyway, I just wanted to write this as well to thank all of my beautiful readers out there. Y'all are all gems, literally. And I hope you wake up, and the rest of your day is a complete enjoyment. Y'all deserve the world, ligit. Thank you <3 (Also, sorry for the long chapter...)*