Hello Stranger

Part 4- Realization

1063 words

-the next day-

Math is stupid.

That is the phrase that repeatedly flies through your head as you drop the pencil on the bench, sighing in exasperation. Maybe you were unfocused. Maybe you were tired. Maybe you would much rather drop out of school and work at your dad's car dealership, I mean it pays well and who needs college anyways-

You let your thoughts run loose as you held your head in your hands, listening to the calming lofi music that played in your earbuds. Hopefully it would help calm you down, because this assignment was due after lunch and you needed to buckle down and finish it if you didn't want your grades to slip.

Your thoughts turned back to the equations you had now spent half an hour on.

I'm supposed to simplify the radical, then multiply it with the parentheses, or am I supposed to add the exponents first? Add the exponents, then simplify the radical...

You didn't notice when someone's footsteps drew nearer to you, or when they had called your name more than once. You didn't notice when they tapped your shoulder several times, or when they peered down at your paper, a little too close to your face. And when you didn't open your eyes still, you almost didn't notice when they pulled out one of your earbuds. Almost.

The lofi music in your right ear was replaced by the sound of a voice that should not have sent chills up your spine.

"Y/n, you're supposed to add the exponents first, then simplify the radical-"

Minho's voice was cut off by a shriek from you, causing him to explode into a fit of bubbly laughter.
"MINHO!" You yelled, cheeks flushing as you watched him nearly fall over from laughing.
"What?"
"Why did you do that?!"
"You were ignoring me," he finally collected himself, walking back over to you. "I am right though, add the exponents first."

He nodded towards the paper, silently telling you to try it out, and you sighed, writing down more useless numbers.
"And then what?"
"Simplify the radical," he crouched down so he could see what you were writing on the worksheet. And you wished he hadn't, something about his closeness made it hard to focus.

"Okay now what?"
"Now doesn't your answer look like letter C?" He pointed to the paper, revealing that now one of your various attempts matched an answer on the sheet. He smiled at you triumphantly.

"I-" you sighed, understanding what you did wrong. "...thanks Minho."
"You wouldn't need my help if you stopped daydreaming in class," he said, sitting down on the bench beside you. You scoffed, but before you could reply, he cut you off.

"But you're welcome. And besides...you were right about what you said yesterday." Your eye brow raised in confusion, and he corrected himself. "I listened to what you said about the dance, and you were right," he looked away, playing with his hands. "...so thanks for helping me with that. Seriously." He smiled at you, and you didn't know how to react to him being so sincere. It was almost...charming?

And now you were staring at each other.

The bell rang, breaking the weird tension and causing Minho to jump up from the bench. He cleared his throat, turning to face you.
"We should get to class," he dusted off his blazer, watching as you packed up your things. You half expected him to leave, but he didn't, instead rocking on his heels and surveying the scenery as he waited.

"Aren't you going to go then?"
"Well I was going to walk you, but if you want me gone so badly," he turned on his heels to leave, making his way across the concrete as he heard you shove everything inside your bag rather quickly.
"No no no I'll walk with you-" you scrambled to catch up with him, not noticing the smirk on Minho's face as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

...

You and Minho strolled through the hallways, the students' latest news and gossip floating in and out of your ears as your shoes hit the tiles. However a particular sign over the water fountain caught your eye, and you realized that every fountain you passed had the same sign as well.

"What's wrong with all the water fountains?" You wondered aloud, and Minho looked at you funny, adjusting his back pack on his shoulder.
"You haven't heard?" He began, blinking his eyes several times. "One of the students during first period dumped heavy metals down a lab drain by accident." You raised your eyebrows in shock. "They turned them all off so no one would drink from them, just in case the water is tainted."

"That's weird, I never would have thought those drains were conn-"

You were ripped from the conversation as someone was shoved into your side, making you release the binder and books you carried onto the floor.
"Hey! Watch where you're-"
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," Hyunjin immediately dropped to the floor, quickly collecting your things off of the tile. Your eyes widened at his sudden appearance, not sure what to make of this increasingly awkward situation.

"I didn't see where I was going, my bad," he smiled as he stood up, handing your books back to you as you struggled to form a sentence. Minho stood behind you, eyes darting between you and the tall blonde boy.

"It's okay, it was an accident," you choked out, chuckling nervously as you took the textbooks.
"Are we still on to meet up in study hall?" He asked, eyes hopeful. How could you forget?
"Yeah! Of course," you responded, nodding your head vigorously. Minho cocked his head, noticing that your face was turning a bright shade of crimson, and he smirked slightly.

"Great! I'll see you then," he flashed his trademark smile and walked past both of you, catching up with a boy around the same height with brown hair. You let out a shaky sigh before continuing to walk down the hallway to your locker.
As soon as you unlocked it and started to put your things inside, Minho chuckled lightly, folding his arms as he leaned against the metal doors.

"What?"

He sighed before looking you over, stopping once he got to your eyes.

"You like him, don't you?"