written in the stars | yjw

23 | the novice and the poet

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

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seoyoon.

winter was fast approaching; miniature ice crystals were furtively crawling on each household windows around the subdivision, the scent of christmas becomes apparent across the town like a frigid breeze; today is the first day of december.

sunoo and i rode a bicycle on our way to school and  prepping for the contest. the initial plan was already done, which was the interior decorations, yet we are now focusing on the main event to be held within less than two weeks from now.

"there's no one inside." sunoo asserts, peering on each open classrooms with no students lurking around. when he finds out that there were no visible students passing by the hallway, he then jogs himself to the auditorium and returns, "i wonder where they are."

much to my surprise and the growing feeling of doubt, i approach the janitor on the far corner of the east hallway and queried about the eerie situation that we encountered today, and after a few seconds, i hear sunoo's footsteps following my tracks to do the same thing i did.

"december first, it's a holiday. the institution had announced it so." the janitor precisely replies, the answer that did not go well quickly in my mind. how come today is a holiday? how did i not know? i can't either blame sunoo for not knowing since he was not around. or maybe, my mind was being flown away before i could even notice. what a shame.

we both look at each other in unison and utter an audible "oh..."

sunoo was the first to come out of the campus with a disappointed reaction plastered in his fresh face. i didn't that it would turn like that today, especially being outdated of the news that today is actually a holiday. we were just practically embarassing ourselves in front of the premises with out ironed uniforms; well, who wouldn't?

but it doesn't matter anymore, i did not care at least. i prepped myself to wear this kind of mandatory outfit, and now it's going to waste. however, it's too early to be back home at this hour, heeseung might've asked me why. yet, good thing that i brought an extra shirt and shorts for whatever reason. i took off my uniform and switched outfits, shoving it back in the bag. and by that, sunoo did not also expect to see me being optimistically ready for this kind of situation.

it's funny that he leaves me hanging on the gate after bidding me goodbye to babysit riki on his way home; and since i became all alone, i let my mind drag me somewhere. i end up stepping into the entrance of the park with an up-to-date scenery. the winter season had became much more vivid than i ever thought.

the gazebos weren't covered in thin layers of snow as i walk directly to it. there were even no signs of falling frosts at this moment. passersby seemed to enjoy the final moments of autumn as it transitions into another season. it's getting cold, and i regret that i forgot bringing my puffed jacket. however, as i pass along on each gazebos from the field, i spot a chesnut haired person sitting by the last staircase with a typewriter.

i quicken my pace, the motion that i was not aware of, to meet yang jungwon silently tapping his fingers on the keytop. he did not notice that i was standing for good two minutes until i feigned a cough to interrupt him. jungwon gazes up finally; from blank, dark orbs that sooner glints in delight upon recognizing me.

and with that acquaintance, i actually forgot how cold was i.

"you're too early to present yourself, lee." he acknowledges my presence, his attention shifts fully on me. the expression on jungwon's face has always been a refreshing image for me. the way he smiles — it leaves a thumping sound deep within me. the vestige that i shouldn't be forgetting, even if i want to. despite with those unwanted emotions to surface higher at this moment, i mirror his smile tenderly and find my way to sit besides him.