The Fake Soulmate [ 𝙏𝙓𝙏 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝘼𝙐 ]

🖤 : Suddenly On Top

"천진난만 청순가련
새침한 척 이젠 지쳐 나, 귀찮아~"

Solo by Kim Jennie is probably the best working alarm in the morning.

I blink and remember that alarm isn't gonna stop itself, and I gotta get to school. I get up, put on a shirt and go to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Taehyun-ah."
"G'morning mom," I say, naturally approaching to hug my mother tenderly.

—

I walk to the entrance of Heonbon, home of my many memories of growing up. This building to me may be a place where things went wrong, but I always greet it like an old friend.

I then see Kai approaching. Speak of the devil.
"Hyung! Good morning!"
"Hi, 'morning."

As always, we engage in a lively morning conversation to start the day.
"How are you?"
"Good. You? How'd you do on your test?"
"It was hard, man..." he sighs.
"I feel ya. It was hard for me too, but I managed."

"Hyung, did you do your homework?"
"What? For science?"
"Yeah."
"Nearly done. I think I skipped a little hard part, so I'll get on it at lunch."
"Oh shit."

Confused, I look at Kai's face. He looks shocked, so I look to the direction he's gazing at. And that's when I understand.

The group of popular guys walks by. These guys include Soobin, Joshua, Yeonjun, Seungkwan, a bunch of others... But for the first time, they also include Beomgyu. He's there, talking, laughing, smiling with them?!

"Since when?!"
Kai, do you think I know? "Let's get away from them," I blurt out.

Beomgyu once was my friend. We did everything together, and he was the nicest to me. But when he started to have issues with self-confidence, of course I was there for him. I did everything I could. But our relationship got too toxic. He couldn't let me have my personal space, it was choking me. So I told him our friendship was over, and stopped talking to him since then.

I got closer to Kai, who went to talk to me out of the blue. Kai isn't the most extroverted person ever, but he's okay with talking to people suddenly like that. The whole school got used to it in the end.

All of Heonbon school knows Kai, the little theater kid and fashionista. But he chose to stay closer with me out of all these boys.

"Now it's gonna be hard to not count Beomgyu as a part of your life. Look at where he is."
"I know. Please don't remind me."
"Okay."

A little silence is set in place until Kai breaks it.
"Don't you have like... a homework to work on?"
I don't know why, but the way he says it makes me burst in laughter.
"Yeah, I do."
"Then get your ass on it!"

The bell rings.
"Hm. Expected not more of a dumbass."
"Don't worryyy, I'm sure the teacher won't look it through."

—

I can't focus well in class.

Deep inside, I feel bothered. I thought I had found my place, but maybe it was wrong to try and push Beomgyu out of my life.

Maybe it was wrong to look at my friendship with Kai and think I'll spend my best high school memories with just him. Beomgyu is a part of my life. Why couldn't he stay?

Of course our relationship went toxic. I can't help that. But now, he seems to be in a better place than ever before. Why?

I can't put my finger on it.

"Taehyun, have you done your homework?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Let me see."

The science teacher takes a look at my workbook. She flips the pages, nodding at the complete work, until she sees the small undone number.

"What happened with this?"
"I was doing my homework too late."
"I see... You never turned in an incomplete work before."
"That's correct."

I'm shaking, hoping the teacher will still consider the work done.
"I'll let it pass just this once."
"Oh, thank you ma'am."
"Don't do it again, or I'll have to keep you after school."

"That was close," I think to myself.

—

I step in the cafeteria with Kai. As always, the place is filled with people eating and talking loudly. But for the first time, the noise seems to intimidate me.

"Taehyun-hyung, are you okay?"
"Yes," I say without thinking beforehand. "I'm great!"

I'm actually not so great. Why do I suddenly feel so alone in front of all of those people, even when Kai is with me?

We then see the group of popular boys once again. And nothing changed – Beomgyu is still with them. While he may not be the center of attention, I can easily tell these jerks adopted him like a side buddy or something.

Kai and I pass near them, and that's when I hear something peculiar coming from Beomgyu's mouth.

"Honestly I find it better with you guys."
"Beomgyu can you tell me what's fucking better about them?"

Before I can notice it myself, my whole body is turned towards Beomgyu and my eyes are gazing at him like two sharp darts. I'm at a point where I can't control my anger.

"Whoa, whoa, there, Taehyun," he says, appearing confused – but I can see in his eyes that he's scared. He stands up from his seat as the number of people paying attention grows. "Why are you mad?"

"You decide to make a friendship with me so toxic, but only try to improve once I'm not there? Is that what's going on?"
He scoffs. "Do you think I used to do that intentionally? That all my issues and shit were decided?"

"Of course not! You know what I mean, quit it."
Beomgyu raises his voice. "Oh yeah? Well guess what, I did quit it. I quit being so scared that our friendship would break, because it did break in the end. I gave in! Aren't you happy with fucking Kai right now? He's better than me isn't he?"

"What about you? Are you happy with these motherfucking jerks you hang with all the time? What happened to Soobin being your bully? Are going to become a failure too?"

"Repeat that rubbish one more fucking time."
"He-"

At this moment, Beomgyu doesn't even hesitate. He runs to me, and pushes me – the hardest I've ever been pushed. Come, come people. Come look at this circus. Two students fighting like kids. Thrown fists. Kicks. Screaming. Scratching. Might escalate to biting.

That is until an adult, Yeonjun and another guy try to pull us apart. And so I let go. What's the point of this fight?

But Beomgyu looks in my eyes with the scariest look he's ever given me. This fight isn't done.

Exhausted, I look around while someone has control of my arms. My food is splattered on the floor. Everyone is gasping at the scene.

Kai left.