Warning: There's a bit of swearing in this chapter.

Eun Hyuk was finally finished with his piece. It was a colorless glass sphere exterior with transparent red, yellow and blue swirls within it. It may look simple but it had taken him more than ten times of reheating in the ¹ to get the swirls just right. Eun Hyuk sighed. If anyone looked, he was a talented artist who learned the delicate process of glassblowing in a very short time.

However, in his mind, all he could think was that it took him more than two hours to get such a simple thing done. The sphere was not much bigger than his fist. He has not even decided what theme he wanted to do for the art show yet. It was going to be hard.

He put the glass sphere in the lehr² for it to cool. It would be ready by the next morning.

He heard Dong Hae say that he would be in the darkroom so after he changed out of the sweaty white t-shirt, he headed towards the room opposite the furnace room.

The walk was not as short as you think. The art room was structured this way: there was a large semi-circular lecture area where all the students gathered for lessons. But that was mainly for first year students. Seniors like Hyuk Jae and Dong Hae rarely had lectures anymore and were allowed to use their specific work rooms to work on their own projects or assignments. So, the circular room was connected to different areas such as the furnace room for glass, darkroom for photography, drawing room for all kinds of paintings and pottery room for all things made of clay. It was unique and huge. That was why Hyuk Jae was in the school really. This high school allowed the students to take up their choices of art, music or dance together with other subjects that “mattered”.

The students all had regular classes like Math, Physics, Biology and Chemistry in the morning. After lunch however, they would all head off to different art, music and dance classes. The school was the first of its kind in Korea, the government’s attempt to reduce the heavy dependence on “entrance exams” that pretty much defined a student’s life. Hyuk Jae was glad to be here, away from all the crazy competition for the best universities.

He quietly entered the darkroom, not wanting to disturb Dong Hae who was working. Unlike the piping hot and noisy furnace room where he slaved away everyday, the dark room was cool and quiet. That lucky bastard. Hyuk Jae may love working with glass, but it did not mean that he enjoyed the exposure to extreme heat and the constantly roaring fire. Even in their choice of subject, Dong Hae had to have the one that looked high class and professional. Not that his face looked high class. In that area, Hyuk Jae could beat that fishy looking face anytime. Hyuk Jae smirked.

He saw Dong Hae’s back turned to him, clipping damp photographs that he was done finalizing on rows and rows of strings. A wicked idea crossed Hyuk Jae’s mind. He crept slowly towards Dong Hae, evil smile in place.

“BOO!”

“OH MY ING GOD!”

Hyuk Jae laughed out loud as he saw Dong Hae’s body jerk and froze. It never got old.

“You stupid monkey!” Dong Hae wanted to throttle him.

“Oh shut up. You love me. Here, I saved your precious print.” Hyuk Jae handed him the photo he had dropped when he jumped.

Dong Hae’s jaw hang open. Hyuk Jae could not have meant that! No he did not love him. No he did not!

“Hello?” Hyuk was waving his hand in front of the re-frozen Dong Hae. “Earth to Fish land? Seriously, you look so much like a fish, you could be an animagus like in Harry Potter.”

Dong Hae shook himself, straightened and attempted to smirk as he said, “Oh that does not insult me at all. As you know, my NAME is the East Sea which means I have no problems with being called a fish.” He folded his arms haughtily. “In fact, I welcome it. I LOVE Harry Potter and being an animagus would be so awesome. No way you can insult me, you monkey.”

In Hyuk Jae’s opinion, Dong Hae’s not-smirk just made him look silly. He could never smirk or pull off puppy faces like Hyuk Jae which meant that Hyuk Jae could always see through and manipulate Dong Hae like the kind best friend he was.

“That’s beside the point.” Hyuk Jae took out two thick envelops from from the shoulder bag he was carrying and handed one to Dong Hae. “I know we agreed to go to SAFA together. But my parents think I should have back up in case things didn’t work out.”

“So what’s this?” Dong Hae asked dubiously. “An application to Seoul University?” He laughed nervousl, despite his joking demeanour. Actually, if Hyuk Jae wanted or was forced to go to Seoul Uni by his parents, he could. With all his good grades and glassblowing as extra credit, any university would be stupid not to accept him. Not to mention all the secret but awesome dancing he does. Dong Hae could never compare to Hyuk Jae.

“No you silly being. These are applications to New York Academy of Sciences and Arts. Do you know this school?”

“What? Of course I KNOW!” Dong Hae exclaimed. “What do you take me for? Some kind of closed off idiot?” Okay, at least it was not Seoul University. Dong Hae would never be able to get in.

“Whatever. Good. Then you know that this is the only school that has both successful scientist and artist graduates every year. You can apply for a double major in Physics and Photography and I can go for Biology and…”

“Wait,” Dong Hae interrupted Hyuk Jae. “What are you talking about? Why is this all so sudden? We AGREED…”

“Yes, I know we agreed. But that was like a child’s pact when we were in first year! Don’t tell me you’re still hung up on that.” Hyuk Jae immediately regretted what he said as he watched Dong Hae’s face grow dark.  He could see Dong Hae clench his fist and breathed to curb his anger. Dong Hae closed his eyes. One. Two. Three.

“Look, I’m sorry. Okay? But really? It’s time to actually decide on what we want to do with our lives!” Hyuk Jae threw up his arms, not wanting to give and apologize. Besides, Dong Hae always forgave him if he threw a little tantrum.

“Well, you can go ahead and step on the goal that I set for myself since I was in middle school. A CHILD’S PACT? . YOU.” With that, Dong Hae gathered his things at lightning speed. There was a sense of déjà vu as he remembered that he had run out like this just yesterday for an entirely different reason. How ironic.

“Wait!” Hyuk Jae called after him as he stormed out of the darkroom.

Dong Hae saw Sung Min and his recently acquired boyfriend Kyu Hyun entering the art room.

“Hey DONG HAE! Kyu came before he went to his school for your boyfriend issues. And was just saying that there’s this guy who would like to meet…”

“SHUT UP!!! NOT NOW.” Dong Hae just shoved Sung Min away from the door and marched out. He felt sorry Sung Min was knocked into the doorframe but he was too angry to stop and apologize.

“What’s up with him?” Kyu Hyun said, a bit annoyed, as he helped his boyfriend up. “If he doesn’t want my help, he can just go ahead and be alone until he dies. You okay?”

----

I cannot believe I was even, okay I admit it, I am interested in Hyuk Jae as more than a friend. Especially, after that display of muscle and concentrated face and everything.Wait. Getting sidetracked.

Anyways, that ing wanker. I know Hyuk oversteps boundaries often and speaks without a care. But I will not tolerate him crushing the common goal that made the two of us friends in the first place. No matter how much I lo... LIKE him.

SAFA has been all we’ve talked about since we started here. I know he has obligations and should have other options; and honestly, I want to apply to NYASA too. But that dig at my dream since the time I knew photography was . That’s what it was. But I plan to forgive him, in time. I just need to make him suffer a bit and realize his mistake.

It’s time for a little evil me cos I’ve left him all wild and untamed until now. It’s time to teach him a lesson. Be prepared, Lee Hyuk Jae.

But I should go fill in the countless forms that increased due a certain git now.

1 The , althugh it sounds dirty (LOL), is a real technical term for one of the three glass blowing furnaces. It is used to reheat the glass as the glassblower works on his piece.

2 The lehr is also a furnace but this is used to cool the glass pieces.

Sorry for this dramatic turn of events. As I was rereading the stuff I wrote, it all sounded and looked so childish! As I am this mature (no lol not really) person now, and I too, need to start applying to colleges, I put a little of my experience into this. And the word count went out of control. But I still put in a little humour and hope you stick with me for more fluff next chapter!