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Partners in the Shadow || Partners Behind Shadows [Hiatus]

Summer at their vocation art high school meant long hours of self-studies and extracurricular activities to fill in any void, and everyone knows the library is the perfect haven for someone, anyone, needing some quiet and alone time to tend to whatever. So at one corner of the building, a good looking pair occupied the wooden table hidden by lofty shelves. The young duo was 11th grader Kwak Dongyeon and 10th grader Sana. Sitting side by side, the two were dressed in their summer short, black school uniforms while doing their own thing.

Sana had wavy dyed brown hair that fell around her shoulders as she sat with her upper body leaned forward. The girl was reading from a rather large paperback to enhanced her English speaking skills, her chapped lips slightly parted as she read the content with her breath and not her voice. Simultaneously her un-painted nails dug into the wood under her seat to keep her from drifting in any direction that would distract her from her reading. However, her company did not have the same problem as her and was drawn to something else.

Dongyeon scan through a paper packet with a yellow highlighter to mark any important keywords or information that stuck out to him. As he reached the end of one of the pages, something irked him to check the time on his watch, strapped to his left wrist. When he did, noticeably Sana entered his line of vision and captured his gaze.

A soft smile spread across his face as he watched her study. And with her every frown, the corner of his lips would curl higher and the whiteness of his teeth would revealed itself from his dried lips. Three hours had passed since they came into the library to study after skipping breakfast. With his attention span disturbed, Dongyeon suddenly felt the emptiness in his stomach and hunger began to take its course. Dongyeon finally snatched her attention when he got up to stood opposite of her in order to shut her book.

“Let’s eat,” he said once their eyes met.

Sana who didn’t get the chance to bookmarked her place was about to object, but Dongyeon knew very well and thus quickly added, “IV 365 is where you’re at, don’t forget, I’ll lock them in here in case you forget,” Dongyeon said as he reached down and pointed toward the sides of Sana’s head, “IV 365, you won’t forget. If you do, just remember that there are 365 days in a year,” the lad said before pulling himself straight and true. Sana couldn’t help but smiled.

How great would it be if she could spend everyday, every 365 days with Dongyeon. How much happier would she be if he was always with her, like how he was with someone else.

As they got their food in the half full cafeteria, Dongyeon and Sana were seated across from one another. At the table, able to hold thirty bodies, only Dongyeon and Sana were sitting alone and away from the rest of the students. As Dongyeon opened the sauce packet for his sandwich, Sana eyed their milk cartons. It still amazed her of how different she and Dongyeon was when it came to preference. She liked chocolate milk, he prefer white, she like pizza and greasy food, but he likes the green stuff. It upset her to a great degree that they’ve never really liked the same stuff. They were also different in terms of specialities and interests. Maybe that was why Dongyeon liked someone else.

“Dongyeon,” Sana spoke, Dongyeon looked up despite being in the middle of squeezing the sauce packet.

“Hm?” He questioned. As Sana looked into his chocolate eyes, admiring his sharp features, drawn by his handsome eye bags and deep voice, she quickly dodged further eye contact before asking.

“What are your plans later today?”

Dongyeon hummed to fill in the time he needed to take before giving an answer, “Later today there’s a club meeting so I'll have to attend,”

“Will you be staying there for the whole evening again?” Sana quickly asked even though she already knew the answer.

Dongyeon nodded before adding, “Most likely. After all the end-of-the-year-project is still in the middle of being discussed. I don’t think the drama club has decided on any of the storylines submitted so far by the students,”

Sana could have just processed his words and kept silent, but it was Dongyeon. So she wanted to make small talk or any kind of interaction just to hear his voice and have his un-divided attention, “If that’s the case then when a story does get chosen, it would mean that every club would be given less than a year to complete their parts, right?” She asked.

Once again the lad nodded with a hum, “Exactly, that’s why nowadays some club meetings run throughout the evenings and even nights. Plus, with the yearly exams coming up, I’m sure the drama club would choose something soon,”

Sana nodded as she pulled her lips together to form a thin line. Dongyeon was passionate in everything he does, but she was well aware that it wasn’t the exams or delayed choices from the drama club that worried Dongyeon. It was his club’s president that he was worried would be affected by the slow progress and approaching tests. As Sana played with her corndog, Dongyeon watched her carefully before flashing another smile.

“You haven't forgotten where you’re at have you?” He questioned. At that Sana paused for a moment as she tried to recall the many digits.

“IV 365!” She exclaimed, he gave her a thumb up which brought a bright smile onto her again.

“I’ve locked it well,” he added. As lunch flew by, they went back to studying until the meetings start around three. Sana who was not in any clubs had volunteered to help around the school in order to get a sense that she and Dongyeon was still in the same area. After Dongyeon had left to meet his club members, Sana was left to organized books in the library.

Dongyeon was checking the time on his watch again as he speed walk down the hall. Finally he came to a room at the end of the hall with its door wide open. Inside he scanned the room until he saw the prettiest girl in the room. Standing at the front and before the white board with a marker in her hand was the club’s president, Lee Mijoo. The great Lee Mijoo who is a 12th grader at the school and was one year older than Dongyeon. The great senior who runs the Stunt club and is at the top of all of her games. Mijoo had curvy black hair as dark as dark can be and stunning Asian features. Her healthy pale skin and smile were definitely what made her one of the school's top beauty. With such appearances in the end many were always shocked to hear or see that she does stunts let alone leads a whole a club.

Mijoo was writing on the board with her right hand, when she noticed Dongyeon’s silhouette at the door. After a brief smile they shared she was about to carry on with what she was saying to the other twenty members, which consisted of fifteen males and five females. But the rest of the crew growing roars and awes when they noticed Dongyeon ceased her from doing so. Thus after waiting for them to quiet down, which also gave Dongyeon enough time to make his way into a seat saved for him at the front, she quickly proceeded, “The cheerleading squad has asked that we help them in creating new stunts, body movements, patterns, and so on. With the upcoming new school year, I think it would be very beneficial if I personally lead this task. It will also be a good opportunity to recruit new members as the majority of us in here are already seniors. Also—”

In the middle of the crowd, one of the member raised his hand with a cunning smile glowing on his face, “President, can I ask a question?”

Mijoo knew where his question was going but challenged him anyway, “You can if you stay on topic,” But the moment she gave her words, she immediately regrets it.

Just as she feared, the obnoxious boy chose related words, but did not stay on topic, “So who leads in your guy's relationship?” His tease aroused ‘ohs’ and giggles from the exhausted and sweaty students in the room, but Mijoo wasn’t amused even when Dongyeon showed a shy smile.

Out of habit she clapped her hands together behind her back, hiding the marker from the rest of the group, “You went off topic,”

“Oh c’mon pres, every student in the whole school knows you and Dongyeon are dating. Why can’t we get updates when we’re all friends here?” one of the boys asked.

“Yeah! He’s right!” another shouted.

“Actually even the teachers know, everyone knows you guys are the Stunt couple President Mijoo,” one of the girls added as she bit her nails with a grand smile. The room grew noisier and rowdier by the second. But before anything else, Mijoo looked to Dongyeon who shrugged innocently with an amused beam. Even the strict senior give up as his smile melted any invisible barriers she wanted to have up.

Mijoo dismissed the club early as she thought to give the students who were locked up at school all day in the summer heat a break. So when the sun is down, the night will began to cool itself thus will give the others some free time to practice their stunts or do as they wish. In the empty-messy room Mijoo, Dongyeon, and the vice president of the club, Yein, were left alone to organize that day's meeting. 11th grader Yein was one of the many cheerleaders who joined the stunt club last year due to Mijoo’s past involvement with the squad. As Mijoo read through the stack of paper which were turned in by the members, Yein was organizing projects and reports submitted in by the notetaking member, Mina, during the meeting.

Dongyeon on the other hand pushed in chairs and did some picking up after the crew before joining Yein with the paperwork. As Yein and Dongyeon sat with their back to Mijoo, who had taken a seat near the back of the class after receiving the paperwork by departing students, Dongyeon would peek back once in a while to see Mijoo. She wouldn't spare him a glance but it made him happy inside just to see her. "Dongyeon, what genre do you think the drama club will go with this year?" Yein asked to the half-focused Dongyeon. Swiftly the lad faced her and blinked a little longer than usual.

"Uh maybe action romance again? I heard they did that the previous year too, when we were in middle school,"

The blonde Yein smiled, "I remember, I came to watch my older sister perform. It was a lovely piece," Dongyeon agreed with a nod. After some time Yein left after her work was done, meanwhile Mijoo remained unchanged from her position and workload. Hence being unawared of Dongyeon's whereabouts, until he surprised her from behind. Mijoo reacted with a sudden forward maneuver when she felt Dongyeon’s strong hands combing gently through her silky, wavy black hair from behind. With the papers in her hands, Mijoo turned her head a little before looking up to meet his tired eyes.

“Are you bored?” She questioned softly. Dongyeon replied with a small smile before shaking his head. Mijoo sighed before saying and patting him on the hand, “Once I’m done reviewing these, we can leave,” As Dongyeon let her proceed with it, he too continued playing with her hair. After some time he turned her loose hair into a braid, a skill he obtained after being with her. Mijoo’s bouncy and lively hair was something that attracted Dongyeon, just like how her fresh and optimistic personality did.

Once the clock struck ten, Mijoo and Dongyeon was prepared to leave school’s campus. Mijoo waited in the hallway as Dongyeon shut off the lights and made sure nothing was left behind. When all was done and clear, Dongyeon shut the door to the room before meeting gazes with Mijoo. The lass gave him an energetic smile before offering her hand out to him, in return he took it with his own warm one and swung it once or twice before they headed out together. Despite the lateness, lights in some rooms were still on as some club meetings were still ongoing.

As the couple finally reached the outdoors, Dongyeon’s first-go-to was the night sky. There weren’t any stars but still the colorless sky was exciting. Mijoo, however, noticed something else. “Dongyeon,” she began, earning his eyes and ears, “isn’t that your friend Sana?” Dongyeon followed the direction Mijoo was looking to until he saw Sana asleep at a table through the door-size window, in one of the library room. Surprised by her appearance, Dongyeon unknowingly squeezed Mijoo’s hand a little.

“Why is she sleeping there…?” He mumbled to no one in particular.

“Let’s go get her,” Mijoo said as she ripped her hand out of his and headed back inside. Dongyeon followed and in the end he ended up carrying Sana on his back, all because Mijoo insisted he should carry the girl, as Sana’s sleep was more important than the tired and worn out Dongyeon.

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kim_soojin
#1
Chapter 2: Poor dongyeon~ >°<
kim_soojin
#2
Chapter 1: Nice story! Update soon authornim! XD