A Wind Of Change [1] || EXO ✓

007: Sweet Lies

***

"Are you drawing Kyungsoo?" Hazel asked, settling on the wooden seat under a cherry blossom beside him. The grey lead of his pencil glid along the white A4 sheet clipped to a board.

The evening sun was casting its rays on the school building. Kyungsoo lifted his head to stare at the sky and looked back at her with a smile, "Can you guess what I've drawn?"

"Umm," Hazel pondered, looking at the portrait of a kid blowing bubbles into the air, "A kid blowing bubbles?" she blurted, a bit confused.

"Uh-huh."

"That kid's me, right? My childhood self?"

Kyungsoo snorted, "If I were you, I wouldn't wish to be that kid."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"I have pictured a deeper meaning for this portrait." He said thoughtfully. "Mind giving it a second try?"

Kyungsoo felt his heart flutter, observing her peach lips form a pout accompanied by a soft hum as she concentrated. "Wait...hmm...maybe..." She sighed, giving up. "Don't know."

Kyungsoo sniggered. His eyes returned to the basketball ground across them where the guys were playing and girls in navy blue blazers hollered around the jocks. "As you can see, the kid's figure is black. The background is grey. Everything else except the bubbles. Only the bubbles are white or have no colour to them."

"So?" She shrugged.

"The kid shows the human qualities of a bad person who has a dark heart but pretends to be innocent and child-like on the outside." His fingers traced the kid's image which he had shaded pitch black. "This person flatters people, pretends to be nice while hiding his true feelings...he or she blurts out empty words just like the colorless bubbles floating in the air." Kyungsoo concluded.

Hazel stood up in a dramatic slow motion with mouth wide open. "Boss, that was genius!"

Kyungsoo laughed finding her melodramatic response highly amusing. She waved him a salute. "Now, I get it! I'm definitely not that kid. Or...am I?" She questioned, settling back onto the seat.

"Of course not, Pabo." He retorted, "Why would you ever think that?"

"Sometimes I really wonder, Kyungsoo..." she began, with a wistful smile, "The description of the kid in the portrait could be me because I never really had friends. Was it because I am perceived to be a bad person who only pretends?"

"Hazel..." Kyungsoo took her hand in his, the beam on his eyes shone bright as the sun. "You are a wonderful person. Anyone would kill to be friends with you."

Hazel chuckled, "That was a bit exaggerated but thank you Kyungsoo. I'm glad you think that way." A breeze whizzed past her hair and the two looked up at the sky above them.

The sun was sinking in the horizon casting hues of pink and orange. The ground started becoming empty as kids trudged out of the school.

But if it isn't me, then who could it be, Hazel mused.

On a deeper note, his drawing hinted upon the darker side of people and perspective of life and she felt somewhat worried for Kyungsoo. Hazel followed his eyes to the basketball court where only Chanyeol remained, bouncing the ball. "Just guessing, but could that kid in the drawing be. . .Chanyeol?"

Kyungsoo went back to shading, muttering a small "maybe".

From what she'd learnt, it felt as if Kyungsoo knew Chanyeol well and was for some obscure reason trying to avoid him though the latter tried several fruitless attempts to befriend Kyungsoo. She couldn't understand why the usually kind and well-mannered Kyungsoo would be cold towards anyone. Could it be because he perceived Chanyeol to be bad person? She remained silent not knowing how to respond. It would be wise to know what kind of a person Chanyeol was in the first place by inspecting it herself before jumping to baseless conclusions. She didn't want to ask him anything about it at the moment, deeming it essential to wait for the 'right time'.

The ball rolled and stopped beside Kyungsoo's foot.

"Kyungsoo-yah, pass the ball!" Screeched Chanyeol.

Kyungsoo kicked the ball elsewhere instead.

"Hey! C'mon!" Chanyeol gripped his sides and approached them when he realized that he wouldn't be getting the ball any sooner. Picking up the ball, Chanyeol gazed at the duo momentarily. "Why don't you guys join me for a game?"

"Why don't you just turn back and go away?" Kyungsoo shot back.

"Why? Are you scared of losing to me?" Scoffed Chanyeol.

"Kyungsoo is not scared of anything in this world. Let alone losing to you." Hazel spoke.

"Then what are you waiting for? Come on and play a match. Actions speak louder than words." Chanyeol reprimaded.

At that Kyungsoo stood up erect from his place. "We're in," sounding as if he wasn't just going to play but win it like a man.

The match began.

Chanyeol blocked Hazel from going past him to their side of the court. She clumsily dribbled and threw the ball to Kyungsoo. Only that Kyungsoo couldn't get a hold of it and ran behind the ball which went rolling on the ground.

Picking up the ball, Kyungsoo jumped to put it into the hoop. He succeeded the second time.

When Kyunsgoo turned back, his blood boiled in rage at the sight of Chanyeol still blocking Hazel and trying to tickle her waist as if to tease while Hazel giggled and dodged his attempts.

Running, Kyungsoo came and lodged himself between Chanyeol and Hazel. "We won." He said, pushing Chanyeol by his chest to separate the latter from Hazel.

Chanyeol held his hands up as it in surrender, "Great! So you won. Let's go for round two."

"Hazel, it's time already. We'll leave, shall we?" Kyunsgoo asked.

"Could we play another round?" Hazel asked, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and Chanyeol's mouth broke into a grin.

Kyunsgoo shot a glare at Chanyeol accusingly.

Hazel could understand that maybe Kyungsoo was misinterpreting their interaction for something else. But, in all honesty, Hazel was playing basketball for the first time in her life and it was really exciting. She'd always dreamt of playing amongst jocks. From her bedroom window in San Francisco, she used to longingly glance outside at the playground where kids her age played basketball. Her parents had never allowed her to play then. And Chanyeol seemed like a really fun person whom she'd want to play with. True that he did act flirty at times, but her womanly instincts said that he was only trying to be playful (nothing else).

Another round was won by Hazel with ease only because Chanyeol lost on purpose. "Woah! Bravo, Kyungsoo you're doing great. It seems I have underestimated you. And you, Hazel. You have potential." Chanyeol gazed at her with a smirk.

"Whatever." Said Kyungsoo, walking away.

Hazel quickly followed Kyungsoo's footsteps and walked alongside him. It was pretty obvious that Kyunsgoo had played for the sake of it.

Hazel looked back to see Chanyeol, who was gleaming with delight and excitedly waving a goodbye.

Chanyeol seems nice, she thought.

***

A/N: Lmao, let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Thanks for reading ♡

[Revised - Feb 9, 2021]