Chapter 4: Moonlight

moonlight: [n.] light shining from the moon

At lunch, seeing Lee Jihoon eating alone in the classroom is pretty normal. But today, he’s nowhere to be found. He’s standing near the school’s floral garden, staring at a fountain spraying cool water into the air. Students rarely come here, they’re usually hanging out near the cafeteria; it calmed him with no one around. He never goes out anywhere than the room but this was better than being pummeled with questions by people he rarely talked to. The rumor – or rather, fact – that Seungcheol and Momo broke up spreads in a speed of light. People are pushing Jihoon to talk but he had no idea what to reply, he just blinked them away with his usual blank expression. It’s not as if he holds the answers to the universe.

Overthinking led to what Seungcheol told him earlier. It’s the first time someone shared a secret with him, he felt his heart flutter to finally have someone special to him. Something to lose. Their improving friendship was unplanned. Maybe opening up to the other could cure the anxiety and sorrow lingering in his heart. He shook the thought off, he could never trust someone easily like that. It even took him a lot sharing his grievance to Ms. Lee. Although, he saw the tremendous change in himself when he started hanging out with Seungcheol. He became livelier, he didn’t look like he was a walking corpse.

His thoughts were startled, all of a sudden, when he heard a muffled talk coming from the garden. Jihoon is the type to mind his own business but if he hears a distant chattering of a girl confessing to someone, it gets the best of him.

He stealthily walked towards the sound, getting clearer every step he takes. He put a hand over a wall and peeked with his right eye. What he’s seeing right now – he’s not surprised, however – disturbed him. A student from another class fidgeting her fingers while pouring her heart out to Seungcheol. Jihoon caught a glimpse of Seungcheol's expression – it spells nothing. Aloof. As if he’s already used to being confessed to.

Why is Seungcheol everywhere? Jihoon thought while scratching the back of his head. He wanted to walk away now but curiosity is invented for this reason.  

Seungcheol glanced at Jihoon's direction so suddenly, forcing a surprised yelp out of him. Jihoon's face flushed fiercely without his permission, attempting to hide from Seungcheol although he knows it was hopeless due to the fact that the other instantly dismissed the girl. Jihoon brought his feet up to walk away promptly, to subtly play it off. 

With one fell swoop, Seungcheol caught Jihoon's arm without giving him time to let loose, “Eavesdropping, eh? Jealous?”

Jihoon shook his grip away and glared at him, looking at the distant figure of the girl tearing up from the rejection, “Why did you reject her?”

“What, you like her?”

“No, I’m saying if you continue like this, it’d be hard for you to find someone – a wife,” Jihoon said softly before heading back to the fountain once again, avoiding unwanted attention. He took a coin from his pocket and stared at the water dancing gracefully.

“I’m looking for someone who can click with me,” Seungcheol paused, “not just random people pointlessly confessing.”

Clearly amused, Jihoon raised a brow, “Yeah?” He brought the coin to his lips and whispered unintelligible words. He gently closed his eyelids, breathing into it. With a steady throw towards the fountain, his lips veered into the smallest smile Seungcheol has ever seen.

“What did you wish for?”

“It’s a secret,” Jihoon twinkled at him with a pleasant smile across his lips.

Seungcheol returned back his warm smile with a wide-set grin, “Interesting.”

•

Jihoon grimaced, thoughts constantly bothering him. He’s having such a heavy feeling in his chest without any explanation. He put a hand over his heart, in hopes of relieving the forming discomfort. He stared at the clock until the bell rang, waiting for the day to end. He was the first to go out of the classroom, gaining questioning looks from his classmates. Fortunately, no one approached him. He peered, searching for Seungcheol who disappeared to god-knows-where after excusing himself to the restroom.

He almost squealed but stomped down on it when a junior student approached him saying, “A man gave this to me, he said his name is...uh...Seungcheol.” She looked like a ghost.

Jihoon observed her before reluctantly taking the note offered. Before he had the chance to thank her, she vanished into thin air. It freaked him out, she's definitely a ghost. He burned his gaze down on the small paper in his hand as if it was something that could murder him,

Hey,  meet me at the locker room. :)

It doesn’t look like Seungcheol’s usual lousy handwriting but maybe he was in a hurry when he was writing this down. Jihoon’s already packed up and ready to go but his things are at Seungcheol’s car. Completely unaware of the whereabouts of the other’s glorious house, he can’t move on his own. He had no other choice but to comply. He stared at the paper before letting out a weary sigh.  

He swiftly moved through the crowd, trying his best to blend in, praying that people won’t start a small talk. He reached the desired destination, dialing Seungcheol’s number but much to his distress, there was no answer. He leaned towards a wall near the locker room, humming a song while his eyes roam the halls; the crowd is slowly fading. He waited there for almost an hour – doing random things such as reading and throwing crumpled papers – until he grew impatient. He exhaled and growled at nothing before letting himself walk away. He’s just gonna go home. What was the point of inviting him over to the locker room when they can just wait for each other at a normal place?

Suddenly, he heard deep voices that screams trouble bellowing from a distance, going towards his direction. He started thinking awfully, - did Seungcheol set him up to murder him? Was he betrayed? I even considered trusting him! He let out a voiceless scream, a lump in his throat halting him from calling out any help. The only thing left that he can do now is to look for a