STRANGERS. binsung

nine

Jisung found Changbin's eyes during the one class they had together. They were partnered with different people for this practical, but Jisung made sure to leave to get ingredients the same time Changbin did.

"Changbin, I know you don't like me back, so can you just say it?"

Where Jisung got the confidence from — nobody knows.

He laughed. "Sorry, I still don't know what to say."

That class finished. Jisung held his respective container of cake tight as he left the room.

Next period, Changbin's friend happened to walk past Jisung's desk on the way in. Perhaps he would put in a good word.

It was not a good word.

"He's not gonna date you, you know."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Calm down, man."

Said friend, to remain unnamed, left after snickering. But the initial 'he's not gonna date you, you know' had no hint of malice. It was the truth.

What an ending. It seemed no progress was being made, zero development, and most importantly, there was no happy finish to it all.

Did Jisung even deserve a happy ending?

All he wondered about all day was if he would get the chance to talk to Changbin again, if a moment like on the swings would happen, if they would speak and enjoy each other's company, if Changbin would miss Jisung like Jisung missed him.

But Changbin clearly had other things to care about. Jisung was not one of them.

"Have you done the science homework?"

"Which science?"

"Chemistry."

"Oh shit, what did we have to do for that?"

"Fill in the table from our last practical, then write a conclusion."

"Shit-fuck-fuck-shit, can I copy yours?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"What about you, Jisung?"

Oh. Jisung's friends had turned into mere white noise — background music, even. Their very average conversation muffled in his ears and dissolved and melted into nothing.

"I did it last night."

"Lucky, I don't know how I forgot!"

If Jisung had told Felix and Seungmin about his little crush from the beginning, would he be getting sympathy right now?

"Can I ask you something?"

The two's heads raised. "Yeah?"

"Say, hypothetically, you — Felix — liked someone," the stares became more questioning rather than curious, "but he didn't tell either of us about his crush, and went on his own to confess his feelings. He gets crushed and rejected. Now what?"

Maybe it was a tad bit obvious. But he needed the question answered.

"If I was Felix in that situation, I'd just tell you guys. Or I would have told you guys from the start." Seungmin actually put thought into his answer for once.

Felix nodded. "Same. I have a big ass mouth, so there's no way I wouldn't have told you guys anyway."

Jisung nodded as well. "I see."

The two got back to their chemistry homework. But instead of stupid word equations, all Jisung had on his mind was the feeling of regret. He regretted liking some stupid guy.

What a stupid guy, right?

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