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"WHAT'S THIS I'M HEARING ABOUT things not working out as you had hoped?"
The brunette rolled her eyes, tempted to hang up. Not because she was pissed, instead she wasn't in the mood for any big brother nagging. But she missed his voice so, so much, that she couldn't. It would've probably been a good idea to have told the girls not to mention anything. "Missed you too, Chullie."
"I'm being serious, Eun Ra." She thought he sounded almost on the verge of yelling. Heechul was mad, although she couldn't comprehend why. If anyone was to vent, it was her. She had to deal with Mr. You're-ruining-my-life. It was two weeks now and they still weren't seeing eye to eye. Though, it was shocking to think he hadn't figured out her plans yet. Except he was not at smart as she gave him credit for.
"Before you go on to ask about how messed up its been for me, it wouldn't hurt you to go through with the pleasantries," she retorted, annoyed.
The line went quiet and Eun Ra had to pause unbuttoning her shirt to be sure Heechul was still there. That's when she heard his silent count in Spanish. While Heechul couldn't speak anything outside Korean, it gave him pride and joy to think that having learnt the numbers one through ten - thanks to Eric - made him a bonafide Spaniard. Even though he bragged about how it calmed his nerves, Eun Ra didn't think she ever heard him get past tres.
Just like she'd predicted, he stopped at three and then continued. "Fine," he sighed, "how's school? We miss you. Hansol, your mom-"
"Whoa, whoa, woah, back up a sec," she cut him short. "Hansol misses me?"
"Your mom's a forlorn mess and the thing that grabs your attention is that kid?"
"Chullie," she whined.
"Okay, okay," he caved in. Pulling the phone away from her ear, Eun Ra put it on loud speaker, placed it on her bed and then resumed undressing. "Once or twice, he's tried engaging in conversation with me. Can you believe he's actually come to my salon three times this week? I'm almost certain he's trying to ask for your number except he doesn't know how."
"What the hell are you waiting for? My consent? Give it to him already," she urged without a second thought.
Tugging the shirt off of her quickly, she let it drop to the pile with her blazer and tie. A freak accident had Jennie, one of Jisoo's good friends, spilling her plate of tuna salad on her. Getting a whiff of the poignant smell was enough to have Mr. Lim sending her off to the dorms - which were off limits during school hours - without a permit. Eun Ra opted for changing in her room, something she never got to do considering it was at the risk of her identity. The wraps that aided in flattening her chest were coming off as well. The fish smell had managed to seep through the pores of her both her school and inner shirt.
Feeling adventurous, she pulled it off of her - she was only a hundred percent sure that no one would be showing up. Especially not any of her roommates.
"I told you, no dating till after college and I say so." Heechul reminded and she found herself rolling her eyes a second time.
Combing her fingers through her hair, Eun Ra enjoyed the almost foreign yet familiar feel of her soft dark tresses.
"Yeah, that's not happening," she was giving dissonant shake of her head when she remembered he couldn't see her. "I've got a feeling he's broken up with his girlfriend. And I think he might really like me."
"The urge to say 'I told you so' is incredibly strong, except this isn't something I'm proud of."
"You're such a spoilsport."
There was silence, one that both parties welcomed and appreciated. Eun Ra wished for a chance to see Heechul right this moment, as she was certain he was having similar wishes.
"So, the pleasantries enough for you yet?" He spoke up.
Eun Ra sighed. "Fine, just promise me we'll still get to talk about Hansol before this call over."
"I butt swear... even though I'm not there to have it practicalised."
And she took his word for it. No one butt swears - their thing - and refuses to me well on that promise. The repercussions were absolutely dire.
"So, what did they tell you?"
"About some guy that hates your guts for reasons you're not sure about" - she was sure now - "how said guy sabotaged your tryouts and then your reaction. Gotta say, I'm proud of you for that last bit."
She groaned, plopping down on her bed, not in the least bothered about her semi-indecency. She was permitted this short period of freedom before she resumed pretending. "Well, they didn't tell you I've been avoiding him like the plague ever since."
"Why?"
"Why? I'll be dead meat, Chullie. That's why. In his eyes, in everyone's freaking eyes, I'm a dude. I'm very sure nothing would deter him from payback against his worst enemy."
"Then I'm coming over."
"You will do no such thing." She warned. "Understood?"
Heechul grumbled out an affirmation, ever so reluctant.
"What's your plan then?"
Unfortunately, she hadn't thought one. Just yet. The question in itself had incited a bit of worry within her, reminding the girl that she didn't have all the time of the world. Just few months left. Few months until Doyoung's return. Few months before they played against her school. No way, no how, was she going to miss the one match that started it all. But if that was ever going to happen, Eun Ra knew she had to step up her A-game; become much more proactive.
Maybe she could ask Taeyong for help? He was the vice captain after all and had as much rights as the captain himself had, right?
Except, she was scared. Even with three weeks past, she didn't think they had bonded enough to be asking for extreme favours. Needless to say, she was bad news as it was. Coach would definitely want her staying a good distance away from his boys and vice versa before she inflicted more than just a minor bruise to the cheek.
So, it was definitely a bad idea. However, it didn't mean she was giving up yet. More ideas would come to light soon enough and Eun Ra all but hoped it wouldn't involve Heechul meddling.
Not that he wasn't helpful. Heechul could take charge of someone else's situation and produce good results. She just didn't think she wanted to see that helping hand anywhere near her as long as she walked the pavements of Crystal Academy.
"Something I plan on figuring out all by myself," she told him, now playing with the tips of her hair. Eun Ra picked her phone. She removed it from speaker and brought it back to her ear.
"You with ideas..." Heechul trailed off, his tone coated with mock skepticism.
"I dare you to finish that sentence."
He laughed. "I was just going to say I love you and I gotta hang up. Expecting important clientele that I can't afford to miss because I wish to hear about your boy problems. Though, now that I think about it, it's always boys with you. I mean, you've never asked for my help with homework or projects."
"That's simply because we all know you couldn't add up two plus two to save your life," she teased.
"You better be thanking the gods of football that you're miles away."
She laughed. Soon after, he was bidding her goodbye with promises to call later on, and an assurance that he loved her. At that, Eun Ra had felt close to tears but refrained herself.
Deciding this had been enough freedom for one day, she resumed the abandoned task of changing into another uniform. Somehow, the stench hadn't rubbed off on her skin which she was grateful for. But, just to be on the safe side, she spritzed a bit of one of her twin's masculine colognes. The mildest she could find and also the most tolerable.
Amidst pulling out her second uniform, making a quick mental note to send the other down to the school's drycleaners - another perk of going to an affluent school - the faint sound of footsteps behind the door, in the hallways, was missed. Until the door was flung open, a rather disheveled looking roommate ruffling a hand through his already messy hair.
Eun Ra froze, time stilled, and the uniform in hand was falling to the ground.
That was possibly the mistake she'd made.
The new visitor's head snapped up when he realised he wasn't alone. Then both eyes landed on her exposed chest.
A minute felt like eternity to Eun Ra. Her widened eyes refusing to look anywhere but at the somewhat amused boy whose own eyes refused to stray away from below her neck. Then he spoke, his words not exactly what she expected to hear. Then again, Eun Ra didn't expect any of this to begin with.
"Are those real?"
• • •
HIS anger had gotten the best of him, Yuta knew, and he definitely owed one of his best friends an apology. The frustration was reaching a whole new level of absurd.
Two weeks later and the captain all but felt like he was depriving someone of fulfilling their dreams, was lost to his crush, and dumped by two friends.
Still on with the same routine of sneaking in after they became dead to the world temporarily and then out before the first alarm went off, Yuta was yet to see the guy that had been avoiding him since that day. Truth be told, he had forgiven him especially after Taeyong had spared him a few words and mentioned along the line something about Doyoung's dreams and whatnot. That was all he picked up but it was enough for Yuta to know what that could possibly mean.
His initial judgements regarding Doyoung's passion for football were absolutely out of line. He knew now. And in order to make amends, he...
He didn't know what to do.
His go-to-guy for these kind of situations was merely tolerating him because they were obligated to work side by side on the pitch. As for his other two options, he was equally not on speaking terms with one and with the little accident just thirty minutes ago, he would be stupid to even utter a, "I'm sorry". And Ten was out of town for the weekend. Being his favourite son and all, his royal majesty wanted him for the next two school-free days.
In all truth, Yuta might say he knew very well what to do, except he didn't know how to go about it. This was a boy who he never said anything to except it involved rude responses from him.
Fortunately, as companionless as the boy was, there was always someone he could look to for advice. Plus, he had been meaning to call him anyways.
At fist ring, someone responded. The deep voice of his cousin resonating through his phone speaker brought a pleasant smile to Yuta's face. Just for the moment, he wished he was in China having a face to face conversation instead.
"I told myself not to pick any calls from you but, gah, I couldn't stop myself. How are you?" Sicheng inquired good-naturedly. Presently, this was the only person who Yuta didn't believe could ever get mad at him.
"I've been better," Yuta said truthfully, heaving a heavy sigh at the end of his sentence.
"Uh-oh, should I be worried?" Although his cousin was joking, Yuta knew not to believe he entirely was. Sicheng almost always tended to get concerned if he ever confessed to having an issue. "Is this about Jisoo?"
Right, Jisoo. With guilt taking over his thoughts, Yuta had almost forgotten the subject of his crush, which was also a notable contributor to his current frustration. "Partly," he said. Letting a hand run down his face, Yuta began. "There's this new guy and let's just say I haven't been the most hospitable guy to him since he became our roommate. Major problem is the fact that I ruined his chances of getting on the team and now I feel guilty and-"
"None of that is a problem, cousin," Sicheng cut him short. "Suck it up and apologize. Also, make sure you get him on the team. You figure that last part out by yourself."
Of course, his cousin's advice was just like Taeyong's. Just like Ten's. In fact, just like any reasonable human being. He guessed he just needed one last confirmation, though he had no idea what for.
"Thanks, bro."
"Not yet," the other boy said, "you mentioned Jisoo..."
"Right." As usual, Sicheng was much more interested in discussions about his love life which now that he thought of it, wasn't much to write home about. That's why Yuta had hoped Jisoo would've been it. "She's been attached to his hip ever since he arrived and-"
"And you're coming to the conclusions that she might have feelings for him" - no doubt - "and vice versa. Have you tried finding out from him if he does feel the same?"
Sometimes, it weirded Yuta out how his cousin was able to figure out his dilemma before he even hit the final fullstop. And sometimes, he found it irritating. But now, now Yuta more than appreciated, considering his mood didn't permit him talking much.
Coming to think of what the other boy said, he was probably right.
Why not find out first?
Yuta knew jumping to conclusions was one of his many weaknesses, one he wished to do away with, but even he knew habits like that faded with time. He hoped.
"I'll take it your silence means my work is done?" Sicheng's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Yes," Yuta said sincerely, pushing himself off the railing and walking down the bleachers, his tie flinging recklessly in adherence to the breeze that blew by. "Thanks."
"Anytime, cousin."