𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻 | lee minho x oc

ch 2

Lee Minho! what should i say about him? *chuckle* i like everything about him. He hates when someone bothers him and likes to stay alone most of the time. He talks to everyone with same amount of coldness - including his friends, Changbin and Jisung. But there's a corner of his heart, which is soft like a baby. He doesn't like to show it though i know, he cares for everyone and that's what i like the most about him.

Fortunately, Changbin offers his friends for free lunch sometime ; being a friend of him since middle school, she was quite usual in their family restaurant where his mother cooks the world's best food.

Ahri and Yunjin followed the boys who headed towards Changbin's home. " you look so skinny Ahri-ah! are you studying all night or something? don't stress out too much - look at our Chanbin! " Changbin's mother exclaimed as she handed each of them a bowl of rice. " Aaah stop it mom! let her eat " - everyone cracked up at Changbin's cute reaction. His mother was as warmhearted as he was. There was no filter and Ahri could always talk her heart out to them.

" Ahri-ah.. actually i've been thinking if you can help our Binni in studies? i know - "

" MOM?!! " Changbin yelled interrupting his mother. He was just embarrassed. " can i join too? i also need help " Jisung said to you. Changbin gave him a head to toe look before turning his head towards you again. He was about to say something when Yunjin spoke up , " let's do group study! it will be fun ".Ahri's eyes widen at thought of group study - does it mean, i can see Minho after school too?
Her eyes immediately darted towards the boy who was silently eating his lunch without concerning what his friends were talking about. " will you come too? " Changbin asked Minho, after Ahri told him to with her code language. " no "

" BUT WHY? " everyone looked at the girl who stood up from table just to complain. Minho didn't answer anything, feeling like he need not to. Jisung and Changbin forced the boy to join them, manipulating him that if he wouldn't join, there would be no group study and if there wouldn't be any group study, Changbin would most definitely fail the upcoming midterm exam. " Yaah! Aren't you being - " Jisung winked at Changbin for him not to take his words to heart and Minho finally gave in. Everyone cheered in unison, ofcourse the loudest was Ahri herself.

✦

The next weekend, they all met up in the central library to start the group study. Yunjin had difficulty in inorganic chemistry, and she asked all the probable questions she missed during class to Ahri. Jisung had some confusion in maths while Changbin couldn't understand what he actually didn't understand! While everyone else was busy, Ahri's eyes were only fixed at the boy who was silently studying. Maybe he found some part in the text difficult, which he didn't understand completely, yet he didn't ask for help. And Ahri knew it well that he wouldn't ask it because it's her. It makes her sad how he tries to avoid her as if she doesn't exist, and he talks to her only to answer if she asks him something, that too with maximum 3 words. Yet she doesn't let her ego come in between her and him.

" Ahri! Ahri " Changbin whispered, shaking the girl's hand to get her out of her zone. " Let's take a break. I'm hungry ". Jisung and Yunjin looked at each other and then Changbin with an annoyed face. Jisung was forced to accompany Changbin to go to the store to buy all of them something to drink while Yunjin went to the washroom, leaving Ahri and Minho alone in the table.

There was nothing but silence between them although Ahri tried several ways to start a conversation. Then she noticed him playing with his pen while starring at his book intensely, which gave her an impression that he might have found something difficult to understand. Since, he wouldn't ask her directly anyway, she slowly walked upto his seat, pretending like she was taking Changbin's book beside him and peaked at his notebook. It didn't take her long to read the problem. " you have to subtract 30° from 180° there.." and she paused as Minho looked up at her. " y-you are asked to find a positive value for tan function. " Minho re examined his whole answer and he realised that Ahri's answer was matching with the reference book. " thank you " a small voice left his lips but it was enough to make her happy.

" Umm.. do you mind checking this answer too? " Minho said awkwardly, pushing his notebook towards Ahri's seat. Her eyes glazed with a sudden excitement which made Minho more awkward. He didn't hate her nor he wanted to avoid her like he does. He just didn't want to give flame to her feelings by being too friendly. Personally, he thought that she was smart and had some real talent when it comes to maths as he saw her previous Olympiad records ; so when she confessed her feelings to him, he was disappointed that she was trying to waste her time on such temporary feelings. But these were just excuses in his mind - in actual case, Minho didn't want to open his heart for her or anyone - and he knew it well. He just thinks everyone will turn their backs to him if he shows the insight of him where he has hidden all his flaws and guilts.

What he didn't know that Ahri wasn't just anyone!

The group fixed 3 days a week to study together since there's already extra self study period in school everyday. One of the days are sunday ; Ahri reached library before everyone else. That day she woke up early to prepare for the upcoming Olympiad ; naturally she was sleepy by the time she opened her books in library table. Minho reached there after sometime and he found no one but Ahri who was sleeping like she hasn't sleep in ages. She was drooling on the book she was placing her head onto. Minho found the sight quite funny. It's because she always tries so hard to show her perfect self infront of him but he always ends up seeing the side that she would usually hide.

Ahri's face was sweating due to the sunlight that was directly falling on her ; her skin was shining but her wet front hair were stealing that beautiful sight. Minho never looked at the girl and he still didn't. He didn't care enough of her to look at her face while sleeping - that would be wierd in his dictionary. Yet, he mindlessly sat beside her in order to block the sunlight from disturbing her sleep.

" Ahri-ah, wake up. " Yunjin shook the girl's body and she woke up with a sudden jump. " Minho!! " Ahri called out, as if she just had a bad dream about him. Minho looked at her with confusion. " He's right here Ahri. What's up? " Changbin exclaimed with a questionable face. Ugh! did i just embarrass myself in front of Minho again? She shook her head and said " nothing " , and sat down with a nervous laugh.
" Are you preparing for the Olympiad these days? " Yunjin asked placing a sympathetic hand on Ahri's shoulder. She nodded. " it's so obvious because you always get eyebags when you prepare for that. i don't even understand why you always have to perticipate.." she whinned in front of the girl. Ahri scoffed as she knew Yunjin hated any type of competitive exams.

" what's Olympiad? "

Jisung asked as Yunjin started taking notes. " well it's a competitive exam on international level. you can choose any subject you want to appear and based on the scores, they give the top 3 students prize money. " Ahri described.

" Ahri has been the best performer for the last 3 years continuously " Yunjin added with a little pat on Ahri's back. Jisung just wow-ed hearing about it, while Changbin hated the name of Olympiad eversince his mother once registered his name without his concern, and he had to spend a whole two hours in the exam hall, without knowing a single question. That was a laughable memory indeed, but only for others.

✦

Time skipped to the day of Olympiad ; Ahri got ready and called Changbin as he promised to meet at the bus stop, for him to give her a lunch pack that his mother always prepares for Ahri. She stood at the bus stop, dialling the number again and again but it was not received. After few times, finally he picked up the call. " h- hello Ahri! " Changbin's voice cracked. " hello? what's up man? where are you? you told me - "

" Ahri.." he cut her off by calling out her name. He sounded scared and nervous unlike how he usually sounds.

" the thing is... Minho has been hospitalized "