chapter three.
scene: classroom.
it was the next day, and jeongguk was in ms. lee's class again. he could only think of the hoodie that boy let him borrow him the day prior. it was stuffed under his bed in the farthest corner.
this was to keep yugyeom from getting curious.
jeongguk was sure he would make it a big deal if he knew some boy did that for him.
curiously, he glanced to the window again. he had seen a boy getting beaten up before, but this time there were two boys ganging up on one. this time however, it was notable that the one getting beaten was the one who had lent him the hoodie.
"jeonguk, what is the answer to number fifteen of the study guide?"
jeongguk snaps his head over, and he forgets all about the boys and the window. ms. lee is staring daggers into his face, and he does not know how to respond. it's humid in the room all the sudden.
his eyes shoot down to his paper, and he quickly flips to the page. the sound of moving paper is weirdly agonizing, especially since it is the only thing to be heard. nobody else makes a sound. all attention is on him, poking around at his brain. begging for its attention.
"have you done it?"
jeongguk squints at the problem. it's an open answer.
"ms.? he cannot talk, remember?" yeona speaks up, her voice clear and sharp and confident all the same. she waits a bit, doesn't look at jeongguk, then says: "i can answer instead."
"right, sorry, jeongguk. i forgot."
although grateful for yeona's interception, jeongguk hardly spares her a glance. he's embarrassed, even if the eyes are off him now.
yeona's answer is correct, and then ms. lee is finishing up and handing out the tests.
jeongguk's gaze floats away and back to the window where it settles. there's only one boy now, the one from the cafeteria. he's slumped against the wall, head in his hands, chest rising and falling violently.
jeongguk was quick to turn away and start bubbling on his answer document.
scene change: cafeteria.
walking to the cafeteria, jeongguk felt a strange sense of determination. he had made a plan in his head, it was vague and short and not thought out at all, but it would be enough. find the boy, thank him, maybe talk a little, and then the plan grew blurry after that.
jeongguk walked into the cafeteria, the sole purpose of going to lunch was to meet this red haired boy and figure out his name, as well as maybe, some interests the boy had, and maybe , just maybe make a new friend. he clutched a paper in his hand, a pencil in the other, so he could write back, and maybe answer a few questions. his legs were shaking at the thought of having another person to talk with. even though he cant really call it talking when its only a paper and pencil.
however, when he entered the cafeteria, his heart filled to the brim with weight. he thought of the weight to be disappointment. his eyes land where the boy he wished to speak to would usually be, but there was no boy there that day. jeongguk assured himself that he was just late. there were still a few minutes left before lunch officially began, and hope was a slowly dwindling force in his chest. though dwindling, not entirely dead.
jeongguk approached the place the boy was, and he sat in the seat adjacent to the boy's.
brow arching, legs quickening, yeona made her way over to him, to jeongguk's indifference.
she took the seat across from him, diagonal to where the phantom of the red-haired boy's presence was.
"hey." she sounded, "what're you doing here? don't you usually sit, like, over there?" a finger jabs the air over her left shoulder and directs the eyes of jeongguk to the lonesome table where he usually sat.
i am waiting for someone. jeongguk signs.
"oh, you're talking about the guy who sits here, yeah?" yeona asks, though she knows the answer by the ghastly look on her face. she stumbles to stand, and then she leans over the table and closer to jeongguk. there, closer, she cups a hand around her lips and whispers just loud enough, "he seems like trouble. we shouldn't get involved, i don't think."
what makes you think that? jeongguk asks, an unimpressed expression forms his face into a ripple-less lake. yeona's eyes soften, artificial concern has draped her like a cloth to a table.
"i dunno, i just hear things." her voice cranes into uncertainty and guilt, and she shakes her head violent-like. "sorry, that's wrong of me to assume like that. i will stay and talk with him too, if you want."
jeongguk seems skeptical, but nods at his friend. she seems pleased with the forgiving boy before her.
yeona smiles the softest smile as jeongguk anxiously taps at the paper and pencil. one minute has passed, the boy has just two until the bell. the entryway is a common place for jeongguk's hopeful gaze now, and yeona catches herself glancing over her shoulder in anticipation too now. the feeling is incredibly contagious, it seems.
"so, how do you know him?" she pipes up. jeongguk looks to her.
i don't really, but i hope after this, i'll know a little.
yeona dips her head in vague agreement and fiddles with her nails. then, she grabbed the pencil and begins doodling on the page. jeongguk watches. he likes how yeona draws. she drew with a certain confidence, and it radiates off of her like the sun bounces off shimmering stones and fast-flowing rivers.
she was drawing a sunflower. not that it mattered, it would be great, anything she drew.
"oh, hey. you're the boy from yesterday." a voice says, and the two at the table snap their heads up. the awaited arrival has ensued, and before them stood the sunken boy from the day prior. he waves a slow hand to them both. "and you..." he points to yeona.
"yeona. and this is jeongguk." yeona fills him in, and he nods and takes a seat beside jeongguk. jeongguk's fidgeting has moved to crossing his legs and moving his shoelace around in his fingers.
"is this a surprise party?" he humors, and yeona gives away to a small chuckle. jeongguk is too frayed with nerves to even glance from his interesting shoelace, but he nods his head.
"no, actually. jeongguk just wanted to talk." yeona smiles, and jeongguk finally lifts his head to asses the situation. the boy beside him looks to the paper and opens his mouth.
"oh, the paper?" yeona jumps to it.
"mm, yeah, so he can write? since i don't know sign?" he's not an airhead, good to know.
yeona nods, sliding forth the paper to jeongguk. the pencil slides across the table from her hands, and jeongguk giddily stops it with the tips of his fingers.
amused, the red-haired boy turns to jeongguk and meets his wavering eyes. he rests his chin on his palm, putting down the gentlest of pressure. the surrounding of his palm reddens.
"let's get started then."
excitement is at the tip of his voice. he seems sickened by the feeling too.
