BETWEEN US || STRAY KID'S HWANG HYUNJIN

24

[AERI'S POV]

i walked up the stairs, heading to my classroom full of worries.

how am i going to face seungmin after yesterday?

however, i spotted a familiar back walking infront of me and all my worries faded away.

"hyunjin!" i jogged over to him, hitting him in a playful manner.

he turned around with an expression that i forgot he could have, shocking me.

it felt like the day we first talked all over again.

he looked at me like he didn't want anything to do with me.

"hyunjin..?" i timidly called out, catiously pulling onto the strap of his bag, scared of the sudden change in his attitude.

did i hit him too hard?

"hey." he adjusted the strap of his bag, shrugging my grip off and walking into his classroom.

i was about to follow him but he closed the door on me, causing the door to almost hit me right in the face.

why..?

maybe he's just having a bad day?

but it's not like him to be like this just because he's in a bad mood..

i went to my class and rested my head on the table, feeling downcast.

this whole scene is exactly like that day.

the day hyunjin found out i was the one who has been leaving snacks on his table and the day he also threw all of them away infront of my eyes.

what's wrong, hyunjin?

someone tapped on my table and i opened my eyes to find seungmin staring at me with concerned eyes.

"i saw how hyunjin acted towards you. what happened?" he took a seat next to me.

"i don't know." i frowned, resting my head on the table again.

"aigoo, don't be too sad. try talking to him again later, he's probably just tired." seungmin stretched his hand out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, making me flinch a little.

"don't be so uncomfortable around me, it hurts my feelings you know?" seungmin pouted, looking like a baby who needs his diaper changed.

i laughed, easing up a little. "i'm not uncomfortable, i was just caught off guard. sorry."

"what did i just witness? are you guys together now or what??! seungmin, should we exchange our seats?" yoojung exclaimed, hitting me and seungmin's backs excitedly.

"ouch, ouch!!" seungmin and i shouted. yoojung has too much strength for no good reason.

"it's finee, please keep your seat. don't hurt me." seungmin stood up, putting his hands up in the air and going back to his seat.

yoojung pulled me into a headlock, whisper-shouting into my ear, "what's going on with seungmin? what about hyunjin??"