The following week was filled with late nights, nauseating smells, and heavy lifting. Hyukjae was exhausted from the week of setting up his classroom the way he wanted, but he was almost finished.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and sat down on top of his desk to look around at what was left. Books were stacked on the student's desks, waiting to be put on the shelf and bags of materials were sitting on the floor waiting to be put away for later use.

"Get out of my presence!"

Hyukjae's ears perked to the sound of yelling, which he knew was none other than Donghae's. It was followed by a door slamming and feet running down the hall.

The red head had moved quick enough to see a glimpse of the boy running down the hall, papers falling from his arms as he made his getaway. Hyukjae stepped out into the hall, dusting his hands off as he watched the boy run out the building.

He sighed and stepped over to Donghae's classroom door. He looked through the glass and saw the brunette sitting at his desk with his face in his hands.

He knocked quietly, and when he got no response, he opened the door and stepped in. Donghae hadn't made a move to look at him and went back to grading summer work, so Hyukjae took the liberty of looking around his classroom.

Everything was perfectly arranged throughout the room. There wasn't a book out of place, a picture not straight, or a spec anywhere in the room.

"Are you done snooping around?"

Hyukjae turned to see the brunette staring at him from his seat. The other's dark orbs looked into his own. He could see the look of indifference on the other man's face, but curiosity in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Hyukjae replied.

"Did you figure me out?" Donghae asked.

"Excuse me?" Hyukjae asked.

"They say you can find out a lot about a person from their surroundings. What'd you find out about me, don't act as if that wasn't what you were doing," Donghae said, placing his chin on his palm.

"You're hiding," Hyukjae said after a few moments of silence.

"Hiding?" Donghae asked. "From what?"

"That," Hyukjae began, "I don't know."

Donghae thought for a moment, his eyes not leaving Hyukjae. He studied the red haired male, making Hyukjae feel awkward under his intense gaze.

Hyukjae felt as if the other wasn't looking at him, but through him; as if Donghae could see every aspect of Hyukjae, even his past with those dark eyes.

"You're very bright," Donghae said, breaking the silence. "Perhaps I am." 

"Seems personal," Hyukjae said, sitting atop on of the desks.

Donghae's face contorted as he thought about what Hyukjae said. Hyukjae watched as Donghae leaned back in his chair and crossed his hands over his chest.

"You seem very comfortable around someone you've just met," Donghae said.

"You're my co-worker, I should get to know you, shouldn't I?" Hyukjae said.

"I'm only obligated to help you with teaching related issues," Donghae said.

"But that's a bore. Shouldn't I get to know you on a more intimate level if we work in the same department just a door away from one another?" Hyukjae asked.

"How intimate are you planning on being?" Donghae asked, raising a brow at the other.

"What are you hiding from, Lee Donghae?" Hyukjae asked, his eyes challenging the other.

Donghae's face grew red with anger. He stood up and walked toward the door and opened it and held it ajar as he motioned his hand for the other to leave.

"You may leave," Donghae said.

"Why so hostile, Donghae?" Hyukjae asked.

"I don't wish for you to speak to me without formalities, Mr. Lee," Donghae said.

"If I'm not mistaken, I'm the elder of the two of us. You can call me Hyukjae hyung, and I'll call you Donghae," Hyukjae replied with a smile.

Donghae didn't seem to like this notion.

"Please get out of my class, Mr. Lee," Donghae said.

"Not so fast, didn't I just tell you to call me Hyukjae hyung?" Hyukjae was teasing Donghae now, and the brunette wasn't happy about it.

"I asked nicely," Donghae said sternly.

"If you want me to leave so bad, I shall," Hyukjae said while getting up. "Have a nice evening, Donghae."

Hyukjae stepped into the hall and the door slammed behind him. He chuckled as he walked to his classroom. Donghae was a very tough case. He put up a wall, but under it all he was fragile.

"I'll get to him," Hyukjae said softly to himself.

He grabbed his things and headed back out the door for home. He was exhausted, and still had work to do before the two weeks of summer were over and the students came back to class.

He knew it was going to be a long year.

------

this is so short but I'm tired and sick ;_; they'll get longer, I promise but y'all have to deal with this little taste for now~