Seatmates 

 “Oh and before I forget, I don’t how you do it in Mrs. Choi’s class, but in both my Math and English class, we have fixed seats” the teacher said, while continuing scribbling down mathematical formulas on the blackboard. Haru could feel Jongin’s eyes on her, when he sat down again, but afraid that he would recognize her she did not dare look. Trying to ignore his obvious stare, she started to write down the mathematical formulas written on the blackboard. 

“Psst” Haru heard Jongin trying to get her attention. Conflicted, she kept on scribbling down the formulas. What was she going to do? It would be rude, if she did not answer but if she did, then attention and questions like; “do you know him?” and “how do you know him?” would be waiting for her when lunch-break arrived, since over half of the girls in class had been secretly peeking at him every five seconds, ever since he had entered the class.

“Pssssssssst” he whispered again, but this time he leaned a bit closer, thinking that she probably did not hear him the first time. His movement made Haru flinch away and for a second their eyes met. Jongin could see the startled look in her eyes, but there was something more hidden behind her startlement before Jongin could place it, she had quickly looked away again.  

“Haru, Kai what’s going on in the back?” the teacher asked

“No-nothing Mrs. Han. I was just a bit clumsy, and dropped my pencil” Haru nervously replied. Accepting her excuse the teacher went back to explaining the different formulas. Mrs. Han’s question confirmed Jongin’s recognition. When he had sat down he recognized the petite girl’s face he had helped yesterday right away, but he became unsure on whether or not he could trust his recognition, when the teacher indirectly had revealed that Haru was not a freshman, like he was convinced she was. A bit taken aback and curious about her previous reaction, Jongin was not about to give up and turned around to face her again - but that was until he saw how uncomfortable she looked on the corner of her chair farthest away from him, and decided that it could wait until next time they meet. Laying his head down the table closed his eyes and dozed off.

When Sehun had woken him after class ended, Jongin had found Haru’s seat already empty, alleviating his curiosity he went to lunch. Sitting at the usual table by the big windows Jongin and his friends was enjoying their meals, and were happily chatting away, but Jongin could not seem to focus on their conversation, only hearing every fifth word that was said, while and looking out the window, where he had the perfect view to the library right across. He could see the first five bookshelves of the library waiting and yearning for a couple of curious eyes and gentle hands, to pick up one of the books. Suddenly he recognized a familiar small figure appear pushing a book trolley. Haru’s sudden appearance awoke his curiosity and made him completely block out his friends’ conversation. He watched how her failed attempts to place a couple of books on one of the upper bookshelves, resulted in the flood of books pouring right back down at her. He saw how she instinctually raised her hands trying to cover her head, how she looked up and then down as if she had no idea what had just happened. Her clumsiness and cluelessness made him unintentionally let out a soft chuckle, which caught the attention of his friends. Turning their heads in the direction their friend had looked to figure out what had made their friend let out a sincere soft chuckle, they only found an empty library, completely oblivious of the girl, who had been hidden by the building’s wall as she had bent down to pick up the books on the library floor.

“I think this it, it. Our dear friend has finally lost his mind” Beakhyun stated earning laughter from everyone at the table.

“Shut up” Jongin lightly punched Beakhyun. His friends continued their conversation, while Jongin continued listening half-heartedly to it. Secretly he took another peek out of the windows towards the library, where he saw how Haru had found a library stool to help her reach the upper bookshelves, which reminded him how small she was and young she looked. He smiled remembering how her young-looking appearance had fooled and made a fool out of him in the previous class. He could have sworn on his life that she could not be more than a cute freshman, but discovering that they were the same age made him surprised. *I guess you shouldn’t judge a book on its cover* was the last thought he bestowed her, before retuning to his friends’ conversation.

The rest of the classes went a bit quicker than yesterday, and before Jongin knew it he was on his way home, with Sehun and Mari. Sehun and Jongin had walked home together for as long as he could remember, but for the past month or so, Mari had also joined. Neither Jongin nor Sehun was bothered that she walked with them, since all of them lived in the same building anyway. Jongin enjoyed watching how comfortable and uncomfortable the serious and cautious Sehun was at the same time, when he was around the carefree and spontaneous Mari.

“So why is it that you guys walk home, when you’re filthy rich?” Mari asked in all sincerity, looking at the two boys.

“Ahhh there’s you mistake, it’s our parents’ who are filthy rich” Jongin cheekily pointed out.

“Ok, then why do your parents let you walk home when they’re filthy rich? Why don’t they just sent a driver, since they already pay for your living expenses?” she continued curiously.

“They did put a driver to our service. We just decided not to use him,” Sehun shortly answered without explaining any further

“What do you mean by “we”? YOU decided not to use him” Jongin claimed teasingly, even though he was more than satisfied with getting some fresh air in the morning before coming to school and clearing his mind on the walk home after school.

“Well why don’t you just use him then? I’m not stopping you” Sehun counterstroke

“If I did that, who then is going to look after my little Sehunnie?” Jongin pouted teasingly. Before Sehun could send back a sarcastic reply, Mari who had been silent during Jongin and Sehun’s little sidetrack, spoke up again.

“Why did you decide not to use your driver?” she continued, still looking them.

“Because, it wouldn’t only be pointless and ridiculous to drive to school with the insane morning traffic, but also irresponsible to add to the pollution, since we literally live eight minutes away from school” Sehun answered expressionlessly, to which Mari nodded and “ahh-ed” as if it all had made sense now.

“What about during the winter? No driver there either?” Mari raised one of her brows.

“No. Like I said, traffic and pollution” Sehun’s answered indifferently

“Ahhh and here I thought I could take advantage of my filthy rich neighbours” Mari teased honestly, making the stone-faced emotionless Sehun smile.

“So that’s what all the questions was all about” Sehun chuckled.

“What? Everybody take advantage of each other. Whether it’s for the good or the bad, we all do it, I’m just honest about it,” she said casually making both Jongin and Sehun laugh. Jongin watched how the two of them continued the conversation. Even though they were complete opposites, Jongin had noticed how his friend had begun to take a liking in 5.b. When they reached the apartment building they each went to their own apartment. As he stepped inside his, his phone started to vibrate, fishing it up from his pocket, the phone had identified the caller as “The House”

“What?” Jongin picked up the call coldly.

“Is that how you greet your mother?” Jongin’s mother answered as coldly.

“What do you want?” he continued.

“We’re having dinner tonight. The driver is going to pick you up at 7:00 pm, so be ready” before his mother could continue, he had hung up. Jongin had planned to make himself a sandwich before going through the different TV-channels, when he got home, but the call had made him immensely tired that he just threw himself at the couch and dozed off. It had felt like he just had lain down, when the door phone woke him from his slumber. Fully aware that it was the driver and being too lazy to answer it, Jongin just lied motionless on his couch hoping that the driver would give up, but being persistent he kept calling. Annoyed Jongin finally stood up and went over to answer the door phone.

“You’re annoying! Go back and tell them that I’m not coming” Jongin said not hiding the annoyance in his voice. Before he could turn around and walk away the door phone called again.

“What don’t you get by go back and that you’re annoying?” Jongin asked more miffed than before.

“The Mr. and Mrs. told me to pick you up, and if I came back without you, I would be fired. And to be quite frank Mr. Kim, I can’t afford to loose this job” The driver answered tenaciously. Both Jongin and the driver knew that Jongin’s parents did not make empty threats. Jongin sighed when he realized that his stomach had started to grumble and that the driver was not going to give up, he decided to give in.

“I’ll be down in a minuet,” Jongin said shortly, to which the driver sighed in relief. He took his jacket, ran his fingers through his hair and went down to the waiting driver. The house was about 10 minuets away from his home in car, but it had instead felt like a half hour before they had reached it. As they reached the black gate to the house Jongin started to regret his decision to come. When he entered the house he directly went to the dining room, w