in silence ᴰᴼᴵᴸ

２８.

☁️🌼☁️

With the first green colours covering the city, the events and stress from the past two months seemed to vanish with the new semester arriving like a fresh breeze scattering it all away. Taeil felt himself being less negative and more his old bubbly self, putting on his typical smile more and more. Whether because of his grades that weren't as embarrassing as he thought they would end up to be or simply just because everything around the boy was nice and colourful, like spring. Mainly—his seatmate was there and not ignoring him as he feared.

Taeil sensed Doyoung had a hard time that he didn't tell him about but, nevertheless, he kept optimistic. The mute boy looked much better now when their surroundings glittered with life.

That morning the boy was almost pacing towards the school, grinning at the first sight of his friends that stood by the gates. Doyoung was there too, standing elegantly as always with his tall slim body sticking out even next to Johnny. He was earlier than usual but that didn't make Taeil any less enthusiast. Seeing his seatmate always made him feel happy but with the new semester, things noticeably changed between them. 

Ever since the day when Doyoung texted him to hang out instead of Taeil having to gather some courage to ask him first, it felt different. As if they really were becoming best friends at that point—although Taeil wasn't sure about that term yet. They were closer than before, that was for sure.

One rainy afternoon the two randomly found a place to spend time at — a small but cosy café near where Taeil lived that smelled of cinnamon and chocolate. It was one of many unsaid rules between them to go there after drama class every Thursday but later they found themselves visiting the place more often than that. Besides the comfortable and calming atmosphere—perfect for studying in peace or just relaxing, the workers there were also one of the nicest people Taeil has ever met.

It ended up being something like their hideout spot, a tree-house their parents didn't know about—their own little secret. And Taeil loved it.

Bringing himself back to the present, the smaller greeted his friends with flashing smiles but that soon changed to frown when he noticed their faces. Even Doyoung, who until lately looked always expressionless, now appeared to be troubled by something. Taeil instantly wore a worried look, like the mom of the group he was.

"What's up?"

✈✈✈

"Are you sure he doesn't want to be friends with you anymore?" Taeil asked slowly as he sat down next to his friend, putting his arm around his shoulder.

"Well, he kinda made it sound like that..? I don't know, he told me that this morning and didn't give me a chance to ask for the reason." Yuta sighed, his usually big, sparkly eyes now full of sadness. The japanese tried to act as he understood and accepted Sicheng's request to stop hanging out but it was clear that it hurt him—a lot. It stung his heart like a needle, over and over again the more he thought about it.

"It's because of Ten, who else." Johnny groaned. He wasn't particularly angry, rather irritated. 

Maybe the boy wasn't part of their clique entirely but in those few weeks they talked to Sicheng, they all saw him as a good friend. Sharing dance classes with the boy on top of that, Yuta obviously grew to like him the most. However, at the end of the day, the boy had a stronger bond with Ten and so whatever the thai boy didn't like about them, he decided to respect it and stick to his side.

Yuta shrugged as Taeil made him put his head on his shoulder, both lost in thoughts. Doyoung sat there the whole time, eating from a small bag of gummy bears he brought for the lunch break. He offered Yuta some which his friend gladly took, with a sad smile playing on his face. At least Doyoung was on their side, despite the already-known fact that there was a big possibility of him being closer to the other boys in the past.