colors • sh

s e v e n t y - s i x

ιτ ωαѕ τнє 6τн οƒ נαиυαяγ, the day they were to go back to school. The three eldest of the group had gone back the day before January 6, with Seokmin trying so hard not to cry again. He and Jisoo had parted with a promise to give each other a call as soon as Jisoo had arrived back to his university.

Soonyoung slipped on his blazer and paused as he looked himself in the full-body mirror, his eyes tracing down to his uniform. It feels so weird to wear it again after so long.

He felt nervous. He didn't know how the school would react when they see someone who had disappeared for so long come back, like it never happened at all.

"Oh, the school?" he remembered Jihoon looked up to him from sipping on his cup of alcohol. "Yeah, they know you left. Doesn't matter. I bet they forgot about you."

The whole school knew he had left. Soonyoung deflated. What if they think of him as the person who had left his soulmate for money? For fame? They probably don't even know the whole story.

Soonyoung slapped his hand over his face. What was he thinking? Of course, they don't know! Of course they'll immediately believe the first thing that they've heard from the others! Of course he'll have a bad reputation! Of course people will hate him for false lies! Why was he so stupid?

Soonyoung sighed. Now he doesn't want to go back to school. Soonyoung frowned.

"Look at you." Soonyoung jumped at the voice behind him and turned around to see his mother by the door, a small smile crossing her lips. He must have been deep in his thoughts to not notice the door opening.

"You look handsome." Soonyoung blushed at the compliment, feeling shy all of a sudden. His mother's smile spread across her face as she walked over and took the tie lying on his study table.

"I missed you wearing this." Mrs. Kwon proceeded to button up Soonyoung's blazer then tying the tie under the collar of his shirt. When she was done, she placed her hand flat on her son's shoulders.

"Makes me so proud of you."

It was just small words that conveyed a strong meaning and it was enough to lift up Soonyoung's mood.

He didn't know why, but he felt like crying from the small gesture. Mrs. Kwon cooed as she wiped the tears away with her thumbs. It only encouraged the tears to spill and Soonyoung was sobbing on his mother's shoulder now, holding her close to him.

"Oh, you big boy. Cry it all out. Not all strong people can always put up a front now, can they? It is always okay to be weak sometimes. Besides," Mrs. Kwon pulled Soonyoung's face away from her shoulder and held his cheeks in her hands. "How are you going to be stronger if you haven't experienced being weak, love?"

Soonyoung thinks she was talking about herself.

Mrs. Kwon smiled. "Now, hurry up. We still need to eat so we can go to your school. Oh! Did I forget to mention we're going to fetch your boyfriend?" Mrs. Kwon had a knowing smirk on her face and Soonyoung was in between laughing and crying right then.

★彡

ѕοοиγουиg ѕτοο∂ ιи ƒяοиτ of the gates of his school, his hands tightening around the strap of his backpack. He could already feel the eyes shooting at him and it wasn't lessening his anxiety problem at all. He pursed his lips. Maybe this was a bad idea.

Just as he turned around, someone was blocking his way from behind him. Someone short. And cute. And terrifying.

"Hey, Ji..." Jihoon raised an eyebrow at him, his arms crossed over his chest while tapping his foot on the cement floor below him. "Hey, Soon."