𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 .V1❜

𝟬𝟮𝟳.

[스물일곱]

𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙮.

 ───The classroom hummed with the lively chatter of the students, their excitement visible as they engaged in conversations with their friends about a myriad of topics. Although their current anticipation was for the approaching school festival, Eun ji, however, found himself grappling with yet another dilemma.

"Hey Eun ji, let's go hit the cafe," Zack said in a carefree tone, his stature comfortably sitting on the chair he pulled from someone else's desk. His presence made Eun ji increasingly awkward with each passing second. He didn't know why, but the male had been occupying him ever since their teacher had left the classroom. And it wasn't just him who had the displeasure of dealing with the boxer's erratic behavior, but Jay as well. The blonde watched quietly as the two interacted, though his clenched fist, betrayed his reaction to Zack's request.

"Why not wait till the bell rings, Zack? We still have a few minutes till lunch. . " 

Despite feeling uncomfortable with Zack's sudden insistence, Eun ji mustered a smile before politely declining. It was unusual for  Zack to suddenly be so.. vocal during their occasional interactions. Jay, however, visibly brightened at Eun ji's rejection of Zack's offer, his smile was impossible to contain which immediately drew in the attention of the two engaged in conversation, both looking at him with confusion.

"What's the deal with that mute bastard." Zack slipped his hand into his pants pocket, one of his brows arching in response to Jay's sudden shift in demeanor. Eun ji chose to overlook the insult he casually directed at the somber male, and instead asked if the other was alright. 

"Jay? Everything alright?" 

The boy swiftly shook his head in response to Eun ji's concern, raising his hands and gesturing emphatically in front of his face to signal that he was fine. Jay often relied on hand gestures to express himself more vividly, especially in Eun ji's company. And after that day.. when they went shopping together and bought a cake together that he had the pleasure of being fed by Eun ji (completely forgetting Daniel's involvement in the entire thing). Jay found himself yearning for more attention from his desk mate, especially after receiving the mesmerizing scene from the male in return for a small keychain.

"Alright then." Eun ji's casual reply to Jay's unpredictable gestures caught Zack off guard. His expression changed to a look of complete astonishment as he sat upright, wanting to inquire about the two's odd exchange further, "Huh? What the hell? Wasn't he just flailing his arms around?? How did you understand him just from that."

"Well... Maybe you'll start to understand him better if you get closer to him as a friend?" Eun ji replied with a hint of uncertainty, his lips still positioned into a smile. And though it was not visible to either of the two males he didn't want to answer Zack's stupefied question, rather he didn't how to, since even he wasn't sure how he managed to interpret the blonde's peculiar way of communication, which only Daniel Park had the pleasure of understanding (in the webtoon).

Unlike Eun ji's nonchalant remark, the two stiffened in their seats at the mention of them becoming closer as friends. Until that moment, they had never acknowledged each other's existence,  Zack was much too prideful, and just like the other kids, he too was unaware of Jay's constant presence inside the classroom. Whereas Jay, always remained silent, despite being aware of all the happenings inside the classroom including Zack's harassing nature. It was obvious that both of them came from entirely different ends and were now unexpectedly confronted with each other's existence, all thanks to one simple sentence uttered by the one person they both admired. Perhaps their feelings concerning the new transfer student (ignoring that Daniel), was the only thing the two had in common.