Dream ≠ h.h.j

08

"Hyunjin?" I questioned, lightly tapping on his shoulder.

"Hm?" he answered, not turning around.

Is something wrong?

Was what I had planned to ask, but I kept that question to myself, not wanting him to worry. There was something bothering him, but knowing the person he is, he wouldn't want to bother anyone else with his worries. 

I looked to the direction he was facing, the horizon of the sunset. The orange glow of the sun casted upon every entity on the land, illuminating the tree and the tall grass; the day was coming to an end. Time seemed fluid when I was near him, the sun stayed exactly where it had been and though there was wind and air, everything else stayed still.

"Nothing," I shook my head and smiled sadly. 

"It's nothing."

...

I was still embarrassed by what happened yesterday.

The more I thought about it, the more humiliated I felt. I didn't want to believe that I collapsed in his arms, just like that. 

From my classroom to the nurse's office was a distance that would be equivalent to my running record for 1km- in simple words, too long. Everyone would have to endure the horrible sight of me clinging on to Jaehyun's arms, like a fish that was not quite dying but was on its last straw. 

Not that I was dying, at least, I hope. 

In my defense, suddenly fainting in the middle of class and have a random student drag me to the nurse's office was would be more humiliating, but I digress. 

Still...

"Kim Hanna," a voice disrupts my thoughts. "Pay attention."

I looked to the male at the front, my face flushed as I was caught not paying attention for the sixth time.

I was back at detention again and after convincing my mother that I was feeling healthy and exceptionally well, she narrowly allowed me to attend school as she could not argue because she was already late to work. I barely escaped, but now I think it would be better if I had just pretended that I was sick so I didn't have to deal with whoever was in front of me. 

"Uhh, of course," I stammered. 

"Right," he asserted his voice and looked at me in a challenging gaze. "What did I spend the last 10 minutes explaining about?"

I tried gathering my thoughts together. I swear I tried really hard, but all I could think of was the absurd color preference for his neon green-colored glasses which was what distracted me. I didn't know why, the color didn't sit right with me, maybe a simpler color like black would fit him more. But I couldn't possibly tell him that, could I?

"Your glass-"

"Roy that won't be necessary." a cold voice cuts through from the back and he swiftly marched towards where Roy was.

My head shot to the voice and there I saw the person I knew all too well. As always, he was frowning with that annoying death glare fixated in his eyes, and I thought the person I know knew as Roy flinched. 

Ha-Jun. My mother's best friend's son, a mouthful of a title so I often stuck to his nickname 'pompous ass' . Our latest interaction was around three weeks back, with both mothers wanting to have a cute little date at some famous café. They insisted both of us to be with them, and I would have enjoyed the trip if only he wasn't there, vice versa, the same applied to him. 

It was the usual silence that blanketed us. Not that I had any problem as it was better than socializing with an insufferable rock.  

His hatred was founded on my existence, and I didn't know how that worked but it just did. Even when I had first met him, he knew he hated me before he even talked to me. I was the friendly one, trying to converse with each other when our mothers had abandoned us for more shopping, but it was to avail. I grew too tired talking to myself and eventually, we just sat there as far away from each other looking at our phones. 

It was an unsaid agreement to act like we didn't know each other in school, and any other places for that matter. Even now, as I take a look at his face for the first time directly in school really, do I realize that nothing had changed. He was the same and I wasn't expecting him to be different in school, just friendly perhaps. 

I could not visualize him being in my school, wearing the same uniform as me even though I was the newer student. Meeting him again felt like reuniting with an old friend, and I would expect to have some drinks and catch up on what we've missed. Except, I didn't want anything to do with him but I had strong tug in my conscious to do so. It was weird, having two contradictory thoughts that pursued against each other and believing in both of them so sincerely that I could not dismiss either. 

A raging war had commenced in my head and it was starting to wear me out. 

"My name is Ha-jun and I will be explaining the procedures of how the detention is going to work." he briefly introduced himself and looked at all three victims in front of him, holding some papers. 

I thought that detention had already begun since yesterday, but there was more activities? I didn't understand why it took around two or three days just for clarification, briefing to explain the simplest stuff that a six-year old would understand, but I guess we're treated as idiots here.

He glossed over all of us in that cold gaze, and I appreciated that he did not give any indication that he knew me at all. If he did, I could not notice any difference in his expression. Like a stone, it was hard and harsh. It was as though all of us were a breeze that brushed past him, so light that it did not leave a mark or a remarkable impression.

He spoke indifferently to the usual tasks and schedules to the detention. I got confused amidst the complicated and detailed timetable that were set for us, wondering what was the true purpose of everything. It couldn't be possible that they were using their free time to punish us- no, 're-educate' as they have kindly stated. 

"Don't worry too much if you can't remember, the activities would be pasted there." he pointed to the wall at the back of the room. I looked to the direction and saw a piece of paper stuck to the wooden wall, too small compared to the lavish painting right beside it. 

"Jesus." a boy that sat next to me muttered. 

I didn't blame him, I could also feel myself dreading to come to detention every day.

"We'll make it as fun as possible, so don't worry." Roy flashed a smile at all of us.

I was absurdly entranced and even attracted to his smile despite how wrong the glasses had fitted on him. Don't get me wrong, I didn't like him in the slightest but it was unnerving how a smile could overshadow those ugly thick square glasses that seemed invincible.   

It was almost like I could see a faint glow outlined all over his head, the ray of sunlight emitting from his smile that only exist from an angel. An angel that was luring us into his trap, maybe. I looked at both the boys beside me, relieved to see they were just as captivated as I was, and the repeated phrase of 'I'm straight' in their minds. Or maybe they were looking at Ha-Jun, I couldn't be too sure.

Regardless, Ha-Jun didn't respond or match to Roy's statement and just stood silent, only flipping papers one after the other.

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