Familiar Stranger

TWO

His loud laughter rings throughout the hallway. It has been like that for the past few minutes. I roll my eyes and try to cover my face with one hand from embarrassment.

"Okay. That's enough!" I sling an arm around Sehun's neck and cover his mouth. He just keeps on laughing though the sound is now muffled by my hand. "Shut it, will you!" I press my hand against his mouth harder and he tries to pull it away.

"Alright. Alright," he says in between his muffled laughters and I retract my hand. His laughter gradually stops and he tries to compose himself. "Seriously though...," he pauses and his face goes blank before it is contorted the next moment as he tries to hold his laughter. He then bursts out laughing again, "The end of the world must be near! Chanyeol the chivalry has touched an innocent girl's b--" I quickly sling an arm around his neck again while my other hand is pressed against his mouth. Some people in the hallway are giving us weird looks.

"Can you just shut up!" This dumb kid just keeps on chuckling no matter what. "And I accidentally touched it. Not deliberately!" I say trough gritted teeth and glare shaking Sehun whom I am giving a head-lock and whose mouth is still covered. "Dumbass!" I push - or maybe throw - him away.

"Okay! Okay!" He chuckles raising his hands in surrender. I walk ahead feeling annoyed and he jogs until he's beside me. "At least you get a hand print on your cheek as a souvenir," Sehun teases pointing at my still red cheek.

I slap the back of his head while my other hand rubs the said cheek. "Yeah! I can still feel the stinging pain!" For real. I'm not even joking. "Oh! By the way," I stop in my step and turn to look at him. "I have an extra class today and a research paper I need to finish. So I won't come to work tonight. Boss is okay with it if you're fine with handling the bar counter alone."

"Well... I'm not okay with it," he shrugs.

"Oh come on, dude-"

"No."

"I'll cover for you too next time you need-"

"Still no," Sehun shakes his head while closing his eyes.

I cross my arms and roll my eyes. "Fine! A quarter of my salary this month."

"Deal!" Sehun opens his eyes and grins widely pulling out his hand for me to shake.

"Jerk!" I flick his forehead instead.

__________

I stretch my arm and then twist my body to the left and right feeling the tensed muscles. I crack my neck and let out a sigh. The quiet library is getting awfully quieter as the hours go by. I take out my phone to check the time. 20.30 it says.

Ugh! Doing this research paper is seriously exhausting and it's getting boring too.

[Sent 20.32]: yo! how's it going?

I text and then place down my phone on the table beside my laptop and go back to focusing on the paper. After 10 minutes, my phone still shows its blank screen indicating no text messages as a reply whatsoever. I pick it up and start typing on the screen again.

[Sent 20.43]: whatcha doing?

I place the phone back down on the table, but the screen lights up soon after.

Sehun [20.44]: oh you know...just what someone abandoned by his best friend will do. serving drinks.

I snort at his answer, but before I can reply, another text message - a furious one - arrives.

Sehun [20.45]: WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M DOING?! OF COURSE I'M WORKING, YOU DUMBASS!!
Sehun [20.45]: now unless you're going to bring your ass here, don't text me! i'm busy! the club's a full house today.