[Middle-Parted Shrub]

Song Mino didn’t understand. Or maybe he was never meant to.

He found the boy, with his fair skin and middle-parted auburn colored hair, unusual. And what is the fellow trying to do with one of the weeds? Why is he staring at it with so much intensity? 

The boy didn’t even notice Mino entering the room because he was so deep in thought over a small shrub. He opens the window and was about to toss the pot when Mino abruptly exclaimed,

“Hey what are you doing?” Mino hastily walks towards the uncanny kid, grabbing his arm, swinging him round so that he could face him. The tanned kid was greeted by drooping eyebrows and harrowing eyes of the other. 

Mino felt something and his ego didn’t want to think of it as himself being scared off a gawky young boy. 

“Are you trying to kill someone?” Mino raises his voice as if an indication of his authority over the kid. He was sure that the other one was younger than him, considering that he never saw his bizarre hairstyle and baffling brows in class.

The kid’s eyebrows drooped even lower, almost forming the letter ‘A’ with his eyes that were b with emptiness. The boy’s black orbs looked as if they were uninhabited with emotions but still, Mino felt something and it was really weird. He didn’t seem to like it at all too.

“What are you boys doing with my plants?” a man, probably in his forties, enters the room and approaches the two boys. He grabs onto the pot without looking back, places it together with the other plants and smiles in content.

He then looks at the two boys as his smile quickly turns into a displeased frown. 

“You two, came here for a reason. Don’t add other things to the list because you and your parents will surely not be happy.” the principal stated.

“Yes, sir.” Mino said in reply. 

Taehyun gave a small nod. 

The principal reprimanded Mino for cheating and told him that this would be his last warning or else he’ll get an F on the class. Mino sighed in relief as he thanked the principal numerous times and promised that he will never ever copy from his classmate’s test papers again. It surprised Mino how easily his issue was resolved. He briefly casts a look at the other boy that was sitting on the opposite side of him and wonders what could be the reason why he was sent to the principal’s office too. He didn’t look like the type who messed around or bullied other people. 

“You can go now Mr. Song.” the principal motioned his hand to the door, signalling Mino to head out. Mino felt a little bit confused because it seemed as though the old man wanted to quickly finish his case to deal with the much bigger issue- the boy with the bizarre middle-parted hair and baffling droopy eyebrows. 

Mino bows as he says his goodbye and heads out of the room. He saunters back to class deep in thought on what the case with the peculiar kid could have been. 

Taehyun wanders around the halls, taking small and slow steps so that the bell will ring before he could even go back to class. He’d occasionally go for backward steps to take up more time because he didn’t really want to listen to his teacher’s boring lecture again. 

Four steps forward, then a step back-

“Hey, watch where you’re going.” a tanned kid exclaimed as his hands pressed onto Taehyun’s shoulders and jostled him away. 

Taehyun faced the other boy and gave him a little nod as an apology. He then briskly walked away and disappeared into the crowd of students who were gradually filling up the halls.

Mino had his gaze fixed at the retreating figure that looked so different compared to everyone else and wondered, how someone could be so rude. He didn’t even look at me in the eye, Mino thought. 

What’s wrong with that kid?

Song Minho - 3rd Year High School

It was the first day of school after summer break and I am feeling so lazy. I wasn’t able to sleep last night because the gang was at my house listening to some of the tracks we finished recording last week. They ended up staying there until midnight and I had to literally drag them out for them to leave.

“Hey Mino, wake up. The teacher’s here.” Seungyoon, my best friend, who’s also the top of the class, elbowed me in the stomach.

I gave him an annoyed face and wiped the drool on my cheek. 

“You’re so gross.” Seungyoon muttered under his breath.

“At least I change my underwear every day.” I spat back.

I could see that Seungyoon wanted to answer back but the teacher starts to speak to call our attention so he fixes himself up and diverts his attention to the front. Of course, I can’t mess up Mr. Prim and Proper.

The teacher gave his usual greetings of how happy and excited he is to be teaching us this year. He was blurting out other stuff that didn’t really interest me so I started doodling some random stuff on my notebook to occupy my time when I noticed that I was unconsciously doing a sketch of a shrub with middle-parted hair. Where did this come from?

“We will be having a new student for this year. You may have seen him already because he’s from the other class and is younger than you. But because of his high intellectual ability, the teachers decided to accelerate him a year higher so he’s now going to be a part of this class. I hope everyone treats him well. Taehyun, please come in.” The teacher proudly says as she opens the door for the smart kid to come in. 

Wow, this dude must be smart. He may be smarter than Seungyoon even. I glanced at Seungyoon and gave him a small smirk. “Looks like you have some competition buddy.”

“Whatever.” Seungyoon said but his gaze was fixed at the door waiting for the kid to enter. 

I turn around to see who this boy could be when something I didn't expect happen. I was seeing my doodle come alive in front of me.

Nam Taehyun - 3rd Year High School

“Hi, I’m Nam Taehyun. Pleased to meet you.” I said and gave a bow.

“Now, take your seat Taehyun. There’s an empty chair beside Seungyoon.” The teacher gave a warm smile as she pointed to the direction of a boy with neatly combed black hair. The boy got up and greeted me with a small nod as I approached the seat next to him. 

I took my seat and started fixing my stuff when I notice out of the corner of my eye that there was this weird kid staring at me intently. He was seated right beside the guy next to me but that didn’t stop him from looking. I peered back and in an instant, he looks away.

People in this class are so weird.

Song Minho

I don’t know why I’m feeling all flustered. It’s all because of that strange kid. I can’t believe I got myself caught from staring at him. And why is he suddenly here anyway? I still remember how he tried to throw one of the principal’s plants outside the window last year. He must be crazy. Really crazy. 

I look at Seungyoon and he’s already starting a conversation with the crazy dude. I better warn him before he starts trying to be friends with middle-parted weed guy. If Nam whatever starts to get associated with Seungyoon, then I have to be friends with him too. And I don’t want that. 

I don’t want that, at all.

The bell rings. Students start to head out to the cafeteria for lunch. Mino streches his body and gives a big yawn. 

Seungyoon gets up and walks in front of Taehyun’s desk. “Hey, want to have lunch with us?”

“I like eating alone.” Taehyun says as he fixes his stuff and prepares to leave. 

Seungyoon was about to say something else when Mino interrupts the conversation and places his arms on his friend’s back. “Seungyoon, stop bothering him. He wants to eat by himself so let him be, right kid?” Mino plasters a goofy smile on his face and tries to make eye contact with Taehyun.

“Yes, thank you. But please don’t call me a kid.” Taehyun says with a frown and heads out in a hurry.

Mino once again found himself staring at the boy’s retreating figure but this time, he sort of felt guilty because he was the one who pushed him away. This time, the boy’s eyes weren’t empty. They were just, sad.

But Mino didn't want to think that he could possibly be the reason behind the weird guy's frown and directed his attention to his friend who was giving him a confused stare.

“You’re not the type who pushes people away. What’s the matter with you? You don’t like him?” Seungyoon asked because he was surprised by his friend’s actions.

“No, no, no. It’s just that I felt like he wasn’t comfortable with us yet so I wanted to give him some time to adjust! And why are you so friendly with him anyway?” Mino was trying to change the topic as both of them headed out of the classroom.

“Oh, I was just curious about him, that’s all. He didn’t look like he was listening in class and half the period he just slept but when I looked at his paper, he already answered everything!” Seungyoon said as the two of them walked down the halls.

“As expected, are you scared that he might take your number one spot in class?” Mino teased his friend as he gave Seungyoon a light pat on the back.

“I AM NOT! I just-“ 

“Hey Mino, Yoon! Over here!” a boy with high cheekbones and smiling eyes called out from afar and waved his hand to the two boys. Seated beside him was his fair, doe-eyed friend who gave a meek smile as Mino and Seungyoon walked towards their table.

“Yo Hoon! Thanks for saving us a seat buddy!!!” Mino enthusiastically greeted him as both of them met for a hug and were jumping together in total synchronization. 

Seungyoon just rolled his eyes and takes a seat. “You dumb idiots got to stop acting like kids. We’re not in kindergarten!” Seungyoon stops midway and sees the doe-eyed boy seated in front of him and smiles. “Oh, hi Jinwoo.”

Jinwoo smiles and greets him back.

“Look at how I have to bear with his nagging all the time! Why do I have all my classes with him?  Why do I have him as my best friend?” Mino sits down and pretends to mope. Hoon or Seunghoon just gives a hearty laugh and pats his back.

The four friends haven’t seen each other that much during the break so they were happily chatting about some of their summer experiences when all of a sudden, a certain boy with droopy eyebrows caught Mino’s attention.

Nam Taehyun was standing quietly at the other side of the hall, waiting in-line for food. Even though he didn't have company, he didn’t look intimidated or anxious like how most people would be if they were in the lunchroom all alone. He stood with confidence and his eyes didn’t even falter as he looked straight to the food menu board. 

Mino carefully observes the weird boy that was Nam Taehyun. The more he stares at his peculiar features, the more he sees how different he looks compared to everyone else. Besides his brows and hairstyle, he looked so pale and for a moment, Mino thought that he might be a vampire. Heck, he doesn’t seem to fit being inside the cafeteria at all. His expression looked like he didn’t want to be in it too. 

Taehyun says his thanks as he got his meal and walks towards an empty table when all of a sudden, he falls down.

A loud thud was heard. All eyes were on the boy that passed out and was lying on the cafeteria floor.

Mino didn’t understand. He doesn’t understand at all but he finds himself running towards the unconscious middle-parted shrub. 

Or was he just never meant to?

A/N: What do you guys think? Is the pace of the story alright or do you find it too slow/too fast? Feel free to leave any comments about things I should improve on or whatnot! Thank you for reading!! Oh and btw, just to remind you guys again, this won't be a sad story so no worries!

But wait, do you want it to be one?