Faint noises. Talking, flipping pages, birds chirping outside the window. They were all barely heard. I can't focus what the teacher was saying at the front. What period was it anyway? Biology? Math? English? It didn't matter though. My mind was too filled up with the thoughts about him.

It's all about him. His smooth, porcelain-like skin. His intricate features. How he never fails to obey anyone's request. How his clothes are tattered with small--almost microscopic, even-- blood splotches which were barely noticeable. How he keeps himself away from crowds. How miserable he looks with that empty void in his dark brown eyes.

I shook my head. No, I shouldn't over analyze this. They're probably nothing. I don't care about other's lives. They're their problem, not mine. Stop thinking about it. Stop it Lee Byunghun.

Ringing filled my ears. At first I wasn't aware of what was going on until a light tap was felt on my right shoulder.

"Coming? It's lunch time."

It was Sunggyu. He's really, really, really, really... bossy and it's really hard to please him and he gets mad if he doesn't get what he wants. That's what you expect from a grandpa like him, right? Even so, he's probably the most caring amongst the others who are just downright typical trouble makers--including me, of course. How we became the closest of friends still remains a mystery, though.

I nodded to his already retreating back so he didn't see the action. I quickly stuffed whatever that was on my desk into my neon orange back pack--people complain it's too bright but what do I care?-- and threw it over my shoulder.

I shuffled my way into the corridors, bumping into a few other students heading here and there. Small chit-chats were heard everywhere but my mind just focused on one thing. One thing I don't want to keep thinking about.

One person, to be exact.

Okay so maybe one person and food. Honestly, I'm starving here.

Upon reaching the entrance to the cafeteria, my steps immediately stopped in its tracks. I see him sitting there at his usual table, surrounded by no one. Not a single being. Nothing but untouched air.

A sudden wave of confidence surged upon me. I took quick and light steps towards him. Once I was merely a metre away from his back, I snatched his sandwich -which he was digging his face into quite a bit (and that made me jealous in a way I didn't understand)- away.

He didn't do anything to get it back so my trouble maker instincts automatically made my hand smack him straight up at the back of his head.

"Yah! Don't you want your lunch back?" I bursted out to him.

Still he did nothing. Not a single muscle was moved. Was he even breathing?

"Can't you see I'm talking to you? I'm asking you a question! Are you deaf?" I then started yelling. It seems though I have attracted the attention of the students inside and outside of the cafeteria but I didn't care.

While I was side-glancing around, I didn't notice he made a run towards the exit. That sneaky little kid. With my super quick cheetah reflexes, I pounced towards him and grabbed him by the wrist.

"Woah, woah, woah! Where do you think you're going, huh?" I tried my best to sound intimidating and I guessed it worked by the way he was shaking under my hold.

"I-I..." he stuttered. Was I over-doing it? That was the only way so I wouldn't fall for him any further. Keeping up the little act, I shoved him back towards the lunch table behind him. I didn't really give a damn towards the attention we were receiving.

I figured I should stop now. As much as I didn't want to fall for him, I cared really deeply about him, enough to make me stop. I bit my bottom lip and gave myself a little mind-slap, trying to put on a smirk as I ended the act by waving his lunch in a fake teasing manner followed by taking a huge bite out of it.

"I'm keeping this." I said, sending out one last grin. I felt kind of bad leaving him like that. His clothes were now dirtier and full of stains... and he definitely looked very hurt.

Deep breaths, Byunghun. Just take in deep breaths. The steps I took felt so heavy as I headed towards my group of friends. They were snickering. They were snickering and laughing at him. At my Chanhee. I wished I could've whacked their faces but the fact that they were my seniors stopped me from doing so.

"That was awesome!" Howon threw the first compliment.

"Agreed!"

The others just trampled me with pleased comments and gave me some 'congratulatory' hits--which made me numb all over-- except for Sunggyu. He just smiled quite sadly at me. I'm not quite sure why but I just let it slip by.

--

"Byunghun."

What's that? I heard my name being called. I whipped my head around to find a pretty pissed looking Sunggyu tapping his feet on the floor.

"Sunggyu? You called me?"

"Obviously."

"Uhmm.. actually, I didn't see so it wasn't really obvious and--"

"Why did you do that just now?" Sunggyu suddenly asked out of the blue. Was he talking about what I did to Chanhee earlier?

"You mean what I did to Chanhee?"

"Don’t try to play dumb."

I didn't understand the situation I was in. Why was he suddenly like this? Sunggyu would usually be the bubbly one who would cheer us up when our bully attempts backfires or even when one of us had failed to un-wrap a lollipop.

"I know you like to cause trouble like the others but even on your level, you don't usually go that far. Why him?"

I was practically speechless. What was I supposed to say? 'Oh, I really love him so I bully and hurt him!' ?

"You what?!"

.....

I hate myself now.

"Sunggyu, it's not how you think it is!" I tried to explain since my blabber mouth had apparently spitted out the words it shouldn't.

"Then explain." He looked at me with a straight face, almost burning holes into my squinty eyes (but not as small as his, though).

"I-I.." Before I could even explain myself, the bell had rang.

Phew, saved by the bell.

"Promise me that you'll tell next time we bump into each other."

"I'll even pinkie promise!" I did not know where that came from but apparently I just spat it out like grape seeds.

Sunggyu cracked a more cheery smile and playfully hooked our pinkies together. I noticed he glanced over my shoulder which made him grin really big for some reason. Must be Woohyun.

"I'll be going now, Byunghun! Remember the promise!"

Well, he seems a lot more cheery now. Is he on one of those mood swings girls usually go through? Oh well. That's Woohyun's problem now.

~*~