chal·lenge

A call to take part in a contest or competition, especially a duel.

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September 8 (Saturday)

Saturday. Plainly written, yet it was definitely the perfect way to begin such a day albeit the fact that it had already been mentioned before. Nevertheless, it was and is also true that emphasis is not always a bad thing. Enough about that, however, for the chapter is to begin without any more delay, in spite of its prominent significance.

Nineteen year old Gongchan was in the supermarket. The lighting provided made shopping much easier, but one would be able to tell by the slight frown on his forehead that he was unable to find a particular item. The long-sleeved boy, nigh sulkily, tucked his hands into his pockets. The red converse shoes he donned enabled him to walk along the abundance of aisles available in a silent manner. It was something the adolescent was rather thankful for, since he almost always found it to be rather unsettling whenever a random shop assistant approached him, regardless of gender. He was very aware of their general intention to help, but he was the kind of person who would only welcome it easily if he asked first. Then again, he figured that if it was done in such a way — then the shy, reserved people would always feel horribly stuck and mistake-filled.

“May I help you, young man?”

To the query, Gongchan could have almost sighed. In the middle of his impromptu musing, he must have attracted the female assistant to speak up. Perhaps the nineteen year old appeared lost; confused. Maybe even perplexed. Whatever it was, the teenage boy was kind enough to decline the proposed offer aloud.

“No thank you,” replied Gongchan briefly. His manner that was displayed as he walked the aisle must have betrayed him, however, since the aforementioned assistant spoke once more. Although it might have seemed rude, she topped his shoulder with a pen.

“Please, I won’t judge you,” said the female rather earnestly. “How is she like? I promise you that I’m actually good at this.” At that implication, he allowed a sigh to articulate this time.

“I meant the word no when I first said it,” responded Gongchan almost curtly. Just why, oh why, wouldn’t she go? This was important business anyway. She then looked rather apologetic, and perhaps timid despite the fact that she was probably the older of the two.

“I’m sorry if I offended you, but you seemed quite awkward in trying to find an item in the specified girls’ section of this supermarket…” trailed off the assistant, half-staring at his reddened complexion. Perhaps a little displeased, Gongchan groaned at the absurdity of it all and considered the idea of slamming his face into the wall.

Before one would possess the slightest notion of accusing Gongchan Shik of apparent indecency, do listen to a fragment of his thoughts. The male student had allocated time on the weekend — therefore being today, really — to venture into the nearby supermarket. In slight guilt, he had been thinking about a certain bespectacled girl and her saddened state when he firmly decided against spending the day with her. Sure, it had been her birthday and perhaps he had been far too harsh about it. Then again, he had reasons of his own. However, it was obvious that she would have not heard of it. Deciding to cheer her up or at least make up for it, the best friend was searching for something that he found fit to be a present for Kyung Mi. He was undeniably horrified and somewhat embarrassed when the girls’ section proved to be more direct that he imagined it to be. Wait, what did he ever envisioned it to be in the first place?

Anyway, to cut the long story short, the male was tensely and trying his best to be discreet amongst these certain aisles, hoping no other people belonging to the female population would appear when one of them did. Finally, perhaps after a minute of two, Gongchan Shik snapped out of his frustrated state and caught his subtle reflection in the nearby mirror. And what he sighted truly shocked him. Here he was, standing with a scowl on his face, sleeved hands tucked into his pockets rather roughly, not to forget the assistant that was in front of him. Why, and she looked quite fearful too. Realizing that he was technically blaming someone innocent, the boy finally allowed a smile to soften his expression.

“I’m sorry for that,” tried Gongchan kindly once more as he rubbed the nape of his neck with his left hand awkwardly. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I appreciate your intention. However, I would prefer doing this alone.” Also, he decided mentally that he was going to speak of her approvingly to the manager. That would definitely make up for his strange unruliness.

Nevertheless, it was evident that he was dissatisfied with all the choices there — be it the skirts, dresses, fancy hairbands, no — and so the student found himself walking towards another section. Gongchan was beginning to wonder if he would be able to find anything he wanted to get for her. Was his standard getting a little too high as of late? Although he tried not to, the nineteen year old was so terribly close to frowning when at least, at last, really, that the best friend descried a certain item of his liking. It was a colourful candy jar, one that would fit in his broad hands just appropriately. He remembered that eighteen year old Kyung Mi had a weakness for those particular ones. It was almost mean, but the small twitch tugging at the end of his mouth was irresistible when he thought about the girl’s would-be reaction. His left hand, it was placed promptly on the small jar when he realized another’s on it.

“… Mister Shik, I presume?” began a clear voice. Gongchan’s head tilted significantly to the owner of the voice, and he identified it to be a short-sleeved Oh Sehun.

“Oh,” the older of the two had thought subconsciously. “So he was holding the same jar as me.” Though it was apparent that the best friend had sighted the item first, it was no longer clear as to who had claimed it. Perhaps the younger was in a mood for indirect teasing, for he spoke once more.

“Cat got your tongue?” asked the expressionless boy deliberately. A little stung, Gongchan spoke with an unintended tinge of coldness.

“If that was the case, what about it — Oh Sehun?” he responded. Whatever funny business the eighteen year old planned to do, he hoped it wouldn’t be robbing the only candy jar left on the shelf. That would be horrible. However, with the pregnant pause lingering in the air between the two of them, it was clear that the other had no intention to let go. This day was just not Gongchan Shik’s brightest day.

Now, the nineteen year old male was patient most of the time, but today was an exception. And so the silence broke.

“… If you don’t mind, Sehun,” added Gongchan almost darkly with a strained smile. “Perhaps you would keep your sweet tooth under control and allow me to take this one last jar. It’s important that I do so.” A smile formed on the younger’s complexion upon hearing the older one’s hesitant plea.

“A birthday present for Han Kyung Mi?” asked Sehun rhetorically. Then, in the mannerism in which the emotionless male spoke, made the best friend of the aforementioned girl feel more edgy than ever. If his memory served him right, this Oh Sehun guy was the person who had been accompanying Kyung Mi throughout the days that he hadn’t been there due to studies and such. This male proved to be mysteriously unnerving.

“Since you know, you are aware that I should buy this for her,” replied Gongchan with a forced, breathless chuckle. “I don’t suppose you need this too, right?” The next words nearly made the nineteen year old student insane with agitation. The eighteen year old only tightened his grip on the jar.

“… They say great minds think alike, but I’m not going to elaborate on that,” suggested Sehun. “Now, wouldn’t you like to know, Mister Shik.”

His impertinent raise of the brow was enough to get Gongchan started on a tired protest.

“Come on,” he said with a strained tone. “Stop beating around the bush and just please, give me the jar. Besides, why are you even calling me Mister Shik instead of by my surname if you wanted to be polite or something— “

“Oh,” interrupted Sehun calmly as his eyes flickered to the space behind Gongchan. “… What’s Kyung Mi doing here?” Being so high-strung, the nineteen year old had failed to notice the faint glint residing in the other’s obsidian eyes. And so he obviously fell for the oldest trick in the book — the power of persuasion. With his hand led astray from the said candy jar, Oh Sehun was quick to take hold of it and make his getaway. The nineteen year old’s eyes widened when he realized that he had been fooled, and he didn’t waste any time in chasing after the supposed culprit. The younger one only smiled indistinctively upon realizing that he was being chased.

“You know, I won’t deny that I was planning on getting her the same thing,” declared Sehun with a scintilla of cheekiness. “And so we should make a deal — I don’t think you can deny it anyway, since I have the advantage to this situation.” Well, if Gongchan wanted to say anything offensive or express his vexed state, he was wise enough to keep it to himself for the time being. The culprit, nevertheless, unexpectedly continued with a temporal digressive topic.

“Oh, and I call you Mister Shik because I heard that one should always respect their seniors,” he explained abruptly. “I am aware that Gong is your surname, but calling you Mister Gong just seems a little… too amusing for my liking.” With a laugh that bordered impoliteness — well, in the older one’s eyes anyway, the nineteen year old couldn’t help but to feel that Sehun was everything but being polite right now. Why, it was almost like a bullying case going on.

They were both quick when it pertained to footwork, but the distance never increased or decreased at all due to their constancy until Sehun reached the cashier, greeting the person with his stoic demeanour. None would have imagined that an adolescent like him would be running around like some childish thief.

“… You,” asserted Gongchan with gritted teeth. “What is it that you want from me?” For a moment, the younger’s expression had darkened so drastically that it definitely meant serious business. However, it almost appeared to be his own imagination playing tricks on him since Sehun’s countenance remained largely unexpressed. Finally, he spoke as he handed the candy jar to the cashier.

“… I’ll pay for it and you’ll get to give it to her without mentioning even a syllable of my name,” offered the eighteen year old student. “Is that a deal, Mister Shik?” Perhaps the best friend would have been irked by that namesake, but he was far too glad about the deal that had been suggested. It felt like a win-win situation, and so he readily complied. However, exiting the supermarket made Gongchan realize a whole new situation that was being played at hand.

The younger’s eyes; they nearly had the audacity to narrow with devilish delight.

“Just because I paid for it already, it doesn’t mean you get it that easily,” remarked Sehun plainly. To that, Gongchan could only sigh. He mainly thought about how this seemingly incapable boy was hanging out with Kyung Mi as of late, and his enigmatic character was somewhat worrisome. Not to mention that it was misleading, too. Like what was happening now, exactly. Gongchan supposed that he could snatch it from the other, but it was unkindly and quite lowly of one to do so. And so the two walked on, one being wary while the other almost seemed burden-free. Ridiculous, really. By and by the pair halted by a basketball court, where the aforementioned sports item laid in the mid-court line; alone. The eighteen year old adolescent placed the jar filled with colourful candy aside and went up to the said object, eventually picking it up.

“Mister Shik — I challenge you to a game,” mused Sehun in an undaunted mien.

Everything inside Gongchan’s head that was rational and reasonable screamed at him to just grab the candy jar and walk away. After all, why should he subject to the other’s mild torments any longer? It was not funny at all and it was definitely unnecessary. Yet surely it must have been something within him, be it the luring sound of the basketball’s bouncing or the expression other held in his eyes. Something told him that he was never meant to walk away from this. Then again, that feeling could have been wronged, right? They faced each other squarely and Gongchan couldn’t help but to take a good notice at the other’s physique. He was tall, about the same height that he owned and his firm expression would surely take him to great heights. Perhaps he had been staring at him so weirdly until Sehun’s voice broke him out of it.

“The win goes to the one who makes the first five baskets,” he mentioned. Then silence ensued until the inevitable word that would cause two different very worlds to spin out of their general orbits appeared.

“Go.”

The short-sleeved male was quick to overtake the other, much to his surprise. It wasn’t like Gongchan intended to be arrogant, but he was undeniably good at this particular sport. So it was a great astonishment when the basketball had been stolen effectively from his left hand. Though the long-sleeved male ran after his sole opponent, it proved to be rather futile most of the time. Their speed were comparable, in fact, they were likely on par. However, the inner workings of the other’s mind showed that Sehun was one that prioritized strategy and subtle persuasion. Perhaps, he had even managed to separate his emotions and thoughts from his outward appearance. Crazy. That was the only word left for the time being that made a spark of sense at all. When Sehun’s hand finally threw the fifth basket on his count, the said male caught hold of the falling basketball neatly before turning to look at his opponent, Gongchan Shik. Maybe he nearly felt a twinge of pity since the other chanced to put on long-sleeves, unlike he who was short-sleeved.

“Good game,” commented Sehun almost quietly. “I heard that you were a notable player, and it is likely that you were unable to be at your full potential due to your studies.” Upon hearing that, the nineteen year old that was panting for breath actually looked up to the other with a tired smile. Pesky or not, the younger was nice to have said something like that. Maybe he would have uttered his appreciation in the form of thanks too, if it had not for something else that eradicated that trail of thought for a time close to forever. Sehun’s eyes then narrowed grimly as he tossed the basketball aside haphazardly.

“Hands are really important for any sort of paper work, now isn’t it?” he asked rhetorically, taking delayed steps towards the older. “Whether it’s writing notes or essays, I know you can name it.” Suddenly, an improbable grin flashed past his expressionless face.

“A person by the name of Gongchan Shik, or the person who I decided to address as Mister Shik,” continued Sehun as he began reaching out for something that was not of his own. The older, a little taken aback, tried to retreat but it was already too late. The insouciant adolescent took hold of the other’s right wrist, earning a breathless shiver from him.

“… Hurt their right wrist by playing a sport, namely basketball lately,” he added unwaveringly. “Executed at a time when one would not expect, on the day of a certain person’s birthday.” Sehun’s eyes flickered to his, and he felt like the boy was one of those people who could see through everything. Then the male smiled, as if he was extemporaneously extending grace and forgiveness for the hurting Gongchan by indirectly implying that he had been there for Kyung Mi. Or not, that is. Finally, Sehun threw the candy jar at the older with a strong gaze.

“Make this one count, Mister Shik,” declared the eighteen year old. “This is probably going to be the only shot you’ll be able to do for now, with that condition you’re trying to disguise.”

Then Oh Sehun actually snickered as he walked away, and in the midst of that weekend morning, the speechless adolescent was definitely rendered to absolute turmoil.

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Let's just say that I've been waiting for their meeting, haha. I hope my readers (no matter how few because I appreciate every one of you) are enjoying this chaptered story of mine, c: