Chapter 5

It was a peaceful day, until he came storming in their direction. The sun had decided to come out and play and as a result, many had spent the day lazing on the grass out on the school grounds.
  Hyukjae and Donghae weren’t an exception to the crowd.
 

They had opted to forget their usual spot on the front, shady lawn and relish in the heat that the sun provided them in abundance that day. Winter was making way for the approaching Spring and the sun came charging ahead of the biting chill they’d grown accustomed to this morning.
  The two boys made their way to a sunny spot in the centre of the opened school grounds and plonked themselves down. They hadn’t bothered to go by the cafeteria to buy food as both had made lunchboxes the night before and they happily opened them and began to devour the contents with ferociousness. The day had been a long one so far and Eunhyuk had earlier complained about the amount of school work they were expected to do before the end of the week. Another two weeks had passed since Hyukjae’s first visit to the hospital and Eunhyuk and he had found it easier since that day to penetrate the walls put up by his assigned family.

Donghwa, however reluctant, had come to him thrice during the time passed and they had hung out and communicated as humans do. At first it was a tad bit awkward as Donghwa struggled for words but as they spent more time together he began to feel more comfortable around him, even at the hospital when Donghae took him there again, Donghwa was more accepting than he had been the first time around.

Donghae had asked him to accompany him home the one time and Hyukjae had willingly gone without consulting his vessels parents, leaving them furious at his disappearance. He had been more careful to inform them of his comings and goings from then on, not forgetting the fact that Eunhyuk would have to suffer the consequences of any of his actions when he finally gave him back his body.

Hyukjae lay down on the grass and looked at the blazing sun, his tummy full and his body wanting nothing more than to relax before he’d have to go back to lessons and being cooped up in a classroom again. He occasionally gave Donghae a glance as the other lay flat on his stomach and chatted away about the time when he and his family had gone to Jeju and he had forgotten to pack underwear because he had packed in too much of a hurry. He was going on about how embarrassing it was to have to walk around without any underwear beneath his clothes when suddenly their sun was blocked by a looming figure.

Hyukjae looked up at the figure; his expression pained as he adjusted his eyes and focused them on the source of the shadow. Donghae looked over his shoulder and quickly propped himself up and into a sitting position when he realised who it was standing there.
  “Sungmin!” Donghae said happy to see his old friend. He hadn’t seen his regular group of friends for a while now and it only hit him then that his absence might have been ill noted by them.
 “Ah, Donghae. So here’s where you’ve been. I can’t believe it.” Sungmin said, folding his arms in an adorably angered manner. Donghae found his attitude confusing though. Had he done something wrong?
 “Kibum is going to hate you for this you know. And I won’t even defend you. How could you do this to your own friend? I can’t believe that you would stoop so low as to steal your best friends crush away from him like that! I just can’t believe you.” Sungmin said, revolt written all over his face. He stood hovering over a confounded Donghae and an even more confused Eunhyuk for a good minute before turning divarishly and heading in the direction from which he came.
  “What was that about?” asked Hyukjae as he dumbfoundedly looked at the receding figure. Donghae could only shrug his shoulders as he followed Sungmin with his eyes. At that moment, he couldn’t think as to what he had done wrong. It was only when he started hearing whispering as the day progressed and he went about his business that he started to realise that whatever he had done had made Kibum really mad. Mad enough to get the entire school talking.
 “Kibum” called Donghae from behind the boy as they sat in their Social studies class. It was the only class that they shared together and up until that moment, Donghae had never had reason to talk to him during class time.
 
When Kibum turned around, it was with a death glare aimed in his direction. For as long as Donghae had known the boy, he had never experienced such a look coming from him before. It was unnerving to say the least, and for the first time since his father became sick, Donghae found himself concerned with social matters.

“What do you want Donghae!” it came out as Kibum had intended it to; a command rather than a question. As soon as the words were said, Donghae became aware of the eyes that were glued on them. From the way Kibum neglected to hold his tone, Donghae knew that nothing but trouble lay ahead of him.

At late, he had been aware of naught else but his own world and suffering, so much so that he had failed to realise his greatest mistake whilst seeking kinship.
  The person he’d chosen to find refuge in was spoken for, but that was all. As Kibum continued to optically heave knives at him, Donghae recalled their conversation in the cafeteria the last time they say together, or rather, the last time he sat with them.

He recalled how Kibum had been going on about his latest infatuation and how he’d pointed at someone whilst doing so. He recalled Sungmin’s earlier words and with that, he recalled one very important face; Eunhyuk was the reason for the sudden animosity between old friends. At this realisation, Donghae felt jumbled as to what to do.

“That’s what I thought” he was pulled back to reality by Kibum’s sharp voice. “You can’t even say a damn word to defend what you’ve done! You’re a ty friend Lee Donghae! And stinking too!” and with that, Kibum turned back around just in time to avoid a scolding by a newly re-entered teacher who had gone out to run a quick errand.

Donghae found himself at a loss. Had he really been so dumb as to forget that the person he now considered invaluable to his existence was also the same guy that Kibum was head over heels for?
 No matter what, Donghae felt he has to rectify the situation and so, with good intent, he started scribbling his apologies on a spare sheet of exam paper and when he felt his teacher wasn’t paying attention, he tossed it forward onto Kibum's desk.
  The moment it landed Kibum unfolded it and read the contents, only to throw him another sneer and crumple it up before tossing it in his opened backpack.
 

This isn’t going to end well, Donghae thought as he clutched onto his pencil. For the moment, he decided, he would focus on his school work and when class ended along with the school day, he would then go about making amends with the friend who he’d so carelessly wounded by his actions.

*

Chasing after a hastily fleeing friend was not what he was supposed to be doing at that moment. He had made plans to meet with Hyukjae at the schools main entrance that day, as that entrance was the one that led them down the road that would easily lead them to the hospital where his father lay.

They had planned for another visit but now, now Donghae found himself exiting the school from a side gate in the opposite direction to where he was supposed to be but he felt the matter couldn’t be helped. He had to sort out this newly sprung rivalry between him and his old friend because being Kibum's oldest friend; he knew how much damage a bitter Kibum could do.

“Kibum!” he yelled as he finally caught up to the hurrying boy. He grabbed him by the elbow just as the other was about to reach the awaiting group of friends just a few meters away. Donghae, of course, didn’t fail to notice how by-passers seemed to freeze into spectators at the commotion they hoped would take place. One of his biggest fears at that present moment was their wish for drama coming to realisation.

“Let go you stinking !” it seemed his fear would be realised. Kibum was fuming from each strand of his primly styled hair and the motion for his revolt against Donghae's touch sent the boy stumbling backwards in stunned amazement. Kibum had never been this way toward him before. Could he really let his anger ruin a decade of friendship?

“Why do you keep calling me that?!” Donghae yelled unintentionally. He’d meant to keep his voice down and the commotion at a minimum, but it seemed his emotions had gotten the best of him. it was when Kibum crossed his arms and spat in his direction that the tears welling up in his eyes began to fall freely.
“Because that’s exactly what you are. A stinking who can’t control himself. I can’t believe you’d stoops low as to steal your