A Chance (Kai from EXO)

Chapter 31: Don't Go

Jongin kept telling me it was fine. He said he supported my choice, he said he understands. But I knew he was lying. No matter how many times he said he was fine, his eyes told me otherwise.

I knew what he was thinking; he didn't want me to leave. He didn't say it out loud but I knew he just didn't want me to feel burdened. I released a heavy sigh and shut my suitcase closed. It wasn't like I wanted to separate myself from Jongin, I just felt that the school environment here wasn't somewhere I belonged.

I wanted a new start. I wanted to go somewhere where nobody knows me, where I will be able to present a new side of me. I wanted to go far, far away, to a place where it wouldn't remind me of my dark past.

I checked my phone and went through the call log; the last time Jongin called me was yesterday morning. He doesn't seem to be in his room either... I thought to myself as I glanced out my window.

*Knock knock*

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the knocking on my door. I pursed my lips against each other nervously. I thought it was Jongin, and wondered why he didn't just come in through my window. But when I opened the door, it turned out to be someone I totally didn't expect.

-

"Hey, stop sulking already, Jongin." Lay threw the latter a bottle of water as he took a seat beside him on the empty soccer field.

With the dry grass beneath them scratching against their skin, Jongin uncomfortably shifted in his position and groaned inwardly. "Shut up, you know you're disappointed too."

"I am, but not as much as you."

Jongin glared at Lay, "what do you mean by that?"

"She's your girlfriend isn't she?" Lay grinned.

Jongin was taken aback by that and he averted his gaze to somewhere else. "...Well, we're not that official yet..."

"So? You love her."

Jongin scrambled up from his position and slapped his hand over Lay's mouth. "Hey! Don't say it like that! I don't... Uh I mean, it's not-" He stuttered with his words as a shade of red climbed up his neck. He was embarrassed.

Lay bursted into laughter and continued to tease him with the mention of Seolin's name. From seeing him being so flustered, Lay knew Jongin was deeply in love with her.

"Hey, you don't want her to leave, don't you?" Lay blurted, which stopped Jongin who was just about to punch Lay in the arm again.

It was as if Jongin instantly lost all his energy as he released Lay from his grasp and frowned. He scratched the back of his neck and stayed quiet for a few seconds. "...No."

"Knew it."

"But... It's not like that will change anything," Jongin continued, "I can't ask her to stay, I will just get in her way. Besides, this is what she wanted. I also don't think she'll have a good time staying in this school... You did see how she was being bullied when she just transferred here... Not to mention I was one of the reasons to why she was treated like that."

Lay let out a low whistle, "wow, never have I seen you being so considerate. You are actually talking with your brain."

"Shut up, or you'll become dead meat."

"Go tell her that."

"What?"

"Tell her don't go. Tell her your thoughts."

"But-"

"You never know until you try. Come on."

Jongin seriously didn't know what to do. He had never felt so troubled before other than when it came to school work. He was always so sure of what he was doing; if he wanted something, he would make sure that he would get it and that everything would go his way. Yes, Jongin was bossy, stubborn, rude, and selfish. But now that it came to Seolin, he lost all his ego. He felt frustrated. If it was back then, he would've forcefully grabbed onto Seolin's arm and told her to stay by his side. Maybe it was because he wasn't that into her back then, or that he was just immature. Jongin felt so lost.