SCARS ─ Seungjin

─24.

The morning of the field trip was more obstreperous than usual. Hyunjin was aware that despite his dislike of boisterous environments, he couldn't escape his responsibilities as a class presidents. So he stands outside the bus, guiding the loud students inside and marking lists.

Hyunjin gets in later, the only seats left being the ones at the back. The principal sat in the front along with two other teachers and assistants to supervise the students. Hyunjin sighs and takes the seat at the back, as the other students shift away to the front seeing him. He pretends his heart doesn't sink at that.

"Is everyone here, president?" The principal gives him a bittersweet smile, as if their relationship was a normal one. Also as if it wasn't his own duty to check if all the students were here.

"Seungmin is still left."

The brunette runs up to the bus, panting near the door. He bows to everyone as an apology. "I-I'm sorry.. I went to class C's bus by mistake." The students laugh endearingly, even the principal chuckles. All except one unbothered person.

"Come sit with us, Minnie!" Some girls drag him nearby to stay with them. Seungmin nervously laughs and accepts.

The rowdy bus only gets noisier as the journey starts. Screaming, clattering, arguing, cheering, loud music on the speakers. Seungmin just smiles and watches as his friends bicker.

"Don't take pictures of me, you idiot!"

"I don't want your ugly face on my phone. I was taking photos of the view!"

Seungmin laughs as they continue arguing in a loud voice, mixing with all the voices of the other students. He takes this opportunity to slip away.

─

Hyunjin felt like he couldn't take it anymore. His sensitive ears felt like they would bleed, as he sat alone at the back with many empty seats near him. The loud music and noises pierce through his ears to his brain. He would look like an attention seeker if he covered his ears, though he knew no one would bother to look at him anyway. The boy grits his teeth and shuts his eyes tightly in annoyance as his ears continue to ring in agony.

Too much, too much-

He suddenly feels a gentle hand on his shoulder, opening his eyes to see Seungmin, with his usual gentle smile. Hyunjin opens his mouth and tries to say something through all the deafening noise.

"Seungmin? What are you-"

"Shh." The boy reassures him. He takes out his phone which were connected to his earphones, and puts one of them gently on Hyunjin's ears.

Hyunjin was never one for music. He had never tried listening to any. They were distractions, and he didn't need it. But somehow, the music playing suddenly makes all the noise around slowly start to disappear.

He looks at Seungmin in confusion for a second. The boy was typing something in his phone. Hyunjin feels his own phone ping with a notification as he takes it out. He sees a text message from Seungmin.

'Just relax for a while, okay? I'm here <3'

The message fills Hyunjin with an unexplainable warmth, even though he didn't quite comprehend the meaning of a less than symbol and a 3. He takes a deep breathe in and closes his eyes, letting himself to unwind as he shares the music and the warm moment with Seungmin.

It was strange.

Strange that the presence of a boy whom he had hated. Hated cause he was lucky, cause he didn't have to try for anything. Didn't have to try to get good grades, while Hyunjin had to study all day and night and still failed to defeat him. Hated him cause he had the acknowledgement of the principal before him, despite being his son.