Despite Gyu’s newfound interference in Myungsoo’s life, which only took place at or just in front of the school mind you, not much changed initially.  The damn bastard had a habit of getting others into accidents around Myungsoo but never did anything to him in particular.  Someone tripped near him in the hallway between classes; another girl dropped a stack of books as he was about to walk by; and in PE, a basketball veered midflight to almost pelt another kid in the head.

                Though Myungsoo was not even remotely responsible for any of the events, because he saw them coming and were indirectly, sort of, caused by him, or his nuisance rather, he felt slightly obligated to help.  Of course he didn’t want to but the stupid hamster just kept looking at him and so long as he didn’t say anything to anybody, he was still the silent they knew and avoided.  Except people talked…  Not much in the first week at all really, but there were whispers and more eyes on him than he was used to.

                “So this is how you zoom in and out?” Sungjong asked once more with the lens pointed directly at Myungsoo’s face while they were in class working on the details of their assignment.

                Hidden behind the device, Sungjong’s face was impossible to make out but Myungsoo knew he was smiling.  He could hear it in his voice.  A small furrow appeared between his brows at the question though and he nodded slightly, looking away with the added, “Yeah.”

                “Hey.  Help me,” Sungjong urged, placing a hand on Myungsoo’s arm as he lifted the camera pointedly.  “Yours is nicer than mine and has more buttons,” he giggled, ignoring the way his companion looked at the hand touching his arm and back up again as if he expected the younger male to let go immediately.  Myungsoo’s camera was one of the few things he’d saved up and paid for himself; it was the best quality he could afford and up until now, he’d never let anyone else touch it.

                “Oh just go with it,” Gyu sighed on the other side of the table.  This time, he had his chin propped in both hands with his elbows on the surface, and he was grinning at them.  Myungsoo was just glad he was getting better about pretending he didn’t hear the nuisance that kept following him so he ignored the hamster and sniffed once, looking down at his hands instead.  “You are a stubborn thing.”

                The comment was innocuous enough but Gyu’s tone of voice gave Myungsoo just enough warning to know something was up.  He glanced up right in time to see Sungjong’s eyes widen in surprise as his stool was knocked enough to send him flailing backwards.

                “Sungjong!” Myungsoo yelped, practically flying off his perch to catch the flustered young man who appeared bewildered about what had almost happened.

                “Something I should know about?” Professor Lee asked from the front with a titter of amusement from the rest of the class, making them both realize that all eyes were on them as they stood together with Myungsoo’s hands holding Sungjong’s arms.

                As if burned, Myungsoo let go immediately and sat back down.  “No, sir.”  Sungjong shook his head in agreement and suspiciously eased onto his seat, eyeing the stool as if it might try to shift from under him again.

                “That was weird,” he murmured with a frown.

                “Sorry,” Myungsoo whispered, surprising his companion.

                “For what?” Sungjong smiled, settling in place.  “You didn’t do anything.  Unless,” he added with narrowed eyes, making Myungsoo glance up.  “You intended for the chair to fall so you could catch me,” he teased in a low tone.

                Denial flared at the comment and Myungsoo snorted in derision.  “As if.”

                “I was just teasing,” Sungjong sighed, placing the camera gently on the tabletop.  Heat burned in Myungsoo’s cheeks and he wasn’t entirely sure if he was irritated or something else altogether.

                One week turned into two; Sungjong didn’t get a new camera and simply insisted upon using Myungsoo’s.  Their collaborative project wasn’t due until the middle of the semester yet anyway and they lived close enough to each other that heading out after school wasn’t very problematic in general.  Myungsoo found it amusing how the other four of Sungjong’s friends weren’t entirely pleased by the idea of them being paired together though.

                “Are you sure you have to take pictures with him?” Woohyun asked determinedly, gazing at Myungsoo with narrowed eyes.

                “Yep!” Sungjong chirped while he pointed at the camera around his companion’s neck.  “He broke mine so we’re using his until I can get a new one,” he added, a strangely gleeful twinkle in his eyes as he did so.

                “What?!” Dongwoo gasped in horror.  “Shouldn’t he be buying you a new one?”

                “He should just give Sungjong his camera instead,” Hoya huffed with a disappointed frown at Myungsoo, which the other male mostly ignored with a bored look on his face.

                “It’s fine guys,” Sungjong smiled, waving his hand dismissively.

                “How do we know it wasn’t his plan all along?” Sungyeol asked perceptively, peering at Myungsoo as if the young man had some strange ulterior motive.

                That got a reaction out of him as Myungsoo choked and turned an incredulous expression on the group.  “Eh?”  The other three regarded him in a new light and he scoffed, “Aish!  Seriously?!”

                “That’s a guilty expression,” Dongwoo pointed while Sungyeol nodded along, pleased with his instigation.

                “We should go with you to make sure he doesn’t try anything,” Hoya pointed out as he sidled closer to Sungjong and whispered in his ear.

                “Really.  We’re fine,” the delicate young man promised with a laugh.

                Irritated with all the unnecessary commotion, Myungsoo ran a hand over his hair and rolled his eyes.  “I don’t have time for this.”

                Just when he started to walk towards his house though, Sungjong ran up and grabbed his wrist, stalling him in place.  “Wait!”  Myungsoo looked down at the contact and noticed how the others were staring too, unsure how to react.

                Eyeing the pair warily, Dongwoo drifted close and leaned in to murmur, “You sure, Sungjongie?”

                “Of course.  We’re just taking pictures after all,” he promised, giving them a smile that brooked no argument.

                “We’ll have our phones on,” Woohyun added as an extra warning since his gaze remained on Myungsoo, to which he rolled his eyes.

                “Sheesh.  Tough crowd,” Gyu laughed when the other four finally headed off, leaving Sungjong and Myungsoo to wander off on their own.  The latter declined to comment as his companion found a direction for them.

                “Let’s go this way!” Sungjong urged, randomly pointing; at least that was what it felt like.

                With nothing better to do, Myungsoo shoved his hands into his pockets and followed after, watching the way Sungjong walked in front of him.  His backpack bounced with each step and the tips of his brunette locks fluttered in the breeze.  In a polo t-shirt and khaki shorts, the pair were night and day, but Myungsoo thought the attire suited him.  Mostly.  Then again, when Sungjong looked over his shoulder to smile back, it didn’t matter what he was wearing.  The genuine expression always left him confounded.  What had he done to merit such a look?

                “Oh!  A memorial,” Sungjong pointed when his attention returned to the front.  “We should get a picture,” he added, reverence limning his tone while he approached the spot near the school with a thoughtful expression.

                “Sure,” Myungsoo responded, getting his camera ready.  He half-expected some smart remark from Gyu but when he took a quick look around, the bastard hamster was nowhere to be seen.  Odd.  Shrugging to himself, he raised the lens and took a couple shots, holding it out for Sungjong to approve.  He tensed up just a hair when the shorter male leaned close, using Myungsoo as a prop to steady himself while he looked, but, if he was honest with himself, he didn’t really mind.

                Contrary to what the younger male’s friends were worried about, Myungsoo had no intention of becoming interested in Sungjong though, even if the kid was doing his damndest to be friends.  His parents were prime examples of why he shouldn’t get close so what was the point?  That didn’t stop Sungjong from pressing for more outings for them and he still didn’t get a new camera in the meantime.

                The lens zoomed in on the butterfly fluttering a couple meters ahead.  Dutifully, Myungsoo followed its erratic path in an attempt to wait for the perfect shot.  He successfully had one already but a good photographer knew to take the pictures where they offered themselves.  His second shutter click never happened as Sungjong distracted him.

                “You can smile.”

                “Huh?” Myungsoo jerked, dropping the camera from his face and standing upright to peer at Sungjong with narrowed eyes.

                “Just now,” the seated young man nodded towards the butterfly fluttering away.

                “No I didn’t,” Myungsoo denied immediately.

                “Yes you did,” Sungjong laughed, hiding his mouth behind his hand as he ducked his head.  Discomfited by the observation, Myungsoo shuffled in place and turned so he wouldn’t have to see his companion, which brought him face to face with Gyu instead.  He gave the grinning specter thing a deadpan look and frowned as Sungjong added, “You should smile more often.  It looks good on you.”

                “I didn’t smile,” Myungsoo denied again, though the corners of his mouth twitched anyway as he glanced over his shoulder at Sungjong.  Try as he might, it was getting much harder to keep a flat expression around the vibrant young man.

                Their mid-semester project was a wonderful success and because of Gyu’s constant accident mongering, Myungsoo wasn’t as feared as he used to be.  People didn’t just talk about him, but also to him more and more of late.  Especially when Sungjong was around.  Like in photography class.  The collage approach blended pictures they’d both taken so that it was difficult to tell who had chosen and captured which images, and they received many comments and compliments from their peers, which Sungjong dutifully reciprocated while Myungsoo tried vainly to disappear into the floor.  What was worse… it felt as if people were actually beginning to like him.

                At lunch the following day, he was more than startled when his customary, solitary corner was invaded.  He peered distrustfully as Dongwoo, followed by Woohyun, Sungyeol, and Hoya all took a seat around him before Sungjong had a chance to arrive.  “You look surprised,” Sungyeol laughed while he stirred the… food on his tray.

                “You could say that,” he responded dryly, working at a stuck piece of food in his teeth with his tongue.

                “Sungjongie said he wanted you to sit with us but he knows you won’t come so here we are,” Dongwoo grinned with a wide mouth expression.  The explanation made Myungsoo groan internally but he couldn’t exactly deny it.  He would have declined anyway.

                Beside him, an already eating Hoya commented, “He also said you’ve been a real big help in photography class.”

                Feeling surrounded, Myungsoo nodded and pushed his tray away just a touch, ready to get up.  “Oh no you don’t,” Gyu scoffed as he finally made a move against Myungsoo; he jostled the chair he was on, threatening to dump the young man on the floor.

                “Yah!” Myungsoo choked, flailing for some sort of support.

                “Careful!” Hoya and a lunging Woohyun called at the same time as they reached to steady him.  “You okay?” Hoya asked, maintaining his hold while Woohyun backed off immediately, trying not to look helpful.

                “Yeah…” Myungsoo trailed off, not entirely sure what had just happened.

                “Did I miss something?” Sungjong asked curiously as he approached and sat down between Myungsoo and Woohyun.

                “Looks like Myungsoo barely avoided some sort of falling spell,” Sungyeol chuckled as he pointed at the young man with his spork.

                Sungjong gasped incredulously.  “Accidents seem to happen around you a lot, but never to you.  I mean, just the other day, I swear something tripped me and I fell right into his chest,” he pantomimed with an intense expression.  Four pairs of eyes focused on Myungsoo suspiciously and he focused on eating to avoid their gazes.  Sungjong continued talking though as if he didn’t notice the change in atmosphere, “Apparently, this school has a history of accident prone people, from what I’ve heard.  Before she graduated from here, my sister-”

                “Are you blushing?” Hoya asked incredulously while he leaned in close to inspect Myungsoo’s face better, cutting off the rest of whatever Sungjong was going to say.

                “Really?” Sungjong asked.  Just as fast, the rest of his friends followed suit, which only made Myungsoo’s cheeks burn more.

                “He is!” Dongwoo pointed excitedly and even Sungyeol clapped giddily beside him.

                It was too much.  With food still in his mouth, Myungsoo pushed himself to his feet and stalked away from the table, feeling very much as if he had a target in the middle of his back.  His cheeks remained unreasonably warm as the cafeteria became much too quiet, giving him ample opportunity to hear, “Myungsoo, wait!”

                His pace quickened and he sought the open air of the courtyard, only sparsely populated by students in the cooling weather of late October.  He didn’t want to deal with them and their laughter.  He didn’t need them or Sungjong or anybody.

                “Myungsoo!” Sungjong cried, still rushing after him.

                “What do you want?!” he demanded heatedly as he rounded on the shorter male, causing him to come up short.

                “To make sure you’re okay,” Sungjong replied without hesitation, concern coloring his face.

                “Why?  Our project is done!” he reminded the younger male.  “Why do you need to pretend we’re friends when we’re not?” he huffed, feeling the sting of his words inside himself, sharper than he thought they’d be.

                A flash of hurt appeared on Sungjong’s face but he didn’t turn away.  “Because you have sad eyes.”  Those same sad eyes flinched and dropped to the ground.  “You act like you want everyone to be afraid of you.  Or mad at you.  But your eyes are always sad.”

                “Yeah.  So what?” Myungsoo finally mumbled turning away.

                “So.  I don’t think you want to be sad,” Sungjong explained in a whisper.

                “You don’t know me,” he sneered, clenching his jaw tight.

                “I’m beginning to.”

                Hard eyes focused on Sungjong when he turned around again.  “Just because we shared a camera for a project doesn’t mean anything.”  He had to tighten his jaw again when he saw how the words cut the shorter male.  “Leave me alone,” Myungsoo growled, brushing by him on his way inside, fighting the emotions clawing at his chest as he did so.

                “That wasn’t very nice,” Gyu chided at his back, staying out of sight but reminding the boy he was nearby.

                “Shut up,” Myungsoo scowled, face darkening when he noticed Sungjong’s friends eyeing him in turn.  They didn’t try to stop him and he retreated to his next class.  Only problem was, his world wasn’t large enough to give him many hiding places, even if Sungjong did sit at a different table in photography.

                “You know.  You should really just go apologize to him if you’re going to keep pouting now that he’s actually done what you told him to,” Gyu commented dryly at the lunch table the following week.  He’d maintained his accident mongering so that Myungsoo was still a topic of conversation but Sungjong had left him studiously alone.  Irritatingly, Myungsoo found he didn’t like it one bit.

                “No.”

                Gyu sighed loudly beside him and eyed the table of five who were chatting among themselves.  Four pairs of eyes checked on Myungsoo occasionally but the one young man he wanted to look refused to do so.  “I think it’s safe to say you’re not the only one hurting.”

                “Shut up.”

                A hand smacked the table in front of him and Gyu peered into Myungsoo’s face.  “Have you been to the library yet?  Ever?” he added with a quirk to his eyebrow.

                “Leave me alone, Gyu,” Myungsoo grumbled, thoroughly tired of the hamster thing.

                Gyu chuckled at his comment and sighed, “I’m not that easy to chase off.  But, if you’re tired of me, I won’t be in the library today.”

                Myungsoo eyed the specter thing and hurriedly finished his meal before stalking off to the library for some peace and quiet.  He didn’t know why he listened to the stupid specter’s obvious attempt to get him there, but it was better than the bastard hounding him.  With no real task in mind, he wandered around aimlessly, noticing a few students hunched over books or using the computers in the back.  The librarian raised a brow but didn’t comment as he continued walking.

                He was about to plop down into an empty seat to wait for class to begin when a picture caught his eye.  It was hard to make out clearly at first since it was in a glass case and slightly distorted but Myungsoo approached the shelves and blinked in astonishment.  He wasn’t positive but it looked like a memorial case, immortalizing former students.  There was plenty of room left to fill it out but those present had their lives cut short by drunk drivers, unexpected accidents, suicides, and such.  He felt a jolt like a physical blow to his gut when he recognized one of the images.

                Gyu.  In his black suit.  Grinning like he always was.

                Leaning closer, Myungsoo read the name on the template: Kim Sunggyu.  Former class president in his senior year as of nine years ago.  Killed in a drunk driving incident on prom night not long after he left the school to go home.  Memory stirred and he frowned upon trying to recall something on the edge of his thoughts.

                “Son of a…” he trailed off, looking over his shoulder as if he expected Sunggyu to be there like he usually was.  Nope.  No ghost after all.

                His heart started to race in his chest as he hurried from the library, looking for Sunggyu and something else.  Myungsoo wasn’t exactly sure what it was until he found himself running out of the school.  He took a left at the gateway, avoiding the teacher on duty who was unable to keep up in her heels for more than a couple dozen yards.  It wasn’t like he had far to go though and his legs were only barely feeling the strain when he came up short at the memorial he and Sungjong had taken a picture of that one day.

                He hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, nor Sungjong’s choice of using it in their collage, but he stalked closer and peered down at the death marker denoting where someone had passed.  Scanning the area, there were no tire marks, nothing to upset the grass, no trace of what had happened save for this.  This spot that Sungjong had wanted to comment on.

                “It happened so fast.”

                Myungsoo stiffened but didn’t turn around.

                “I was going to take her home but she wanted to go out with the girls afterwards.  I’m glad actually,” Sunggyu laughed once, a sound without joy.

                “Who was she?” Myungsoo couldn’t help but ask, keeping his eyes trained on the marker.

                “Your neighbor,” Sunggyu offered gently, standing in the road when Myungsoo turned to look at him.  “She’s his sister you know.  Ten years apart but he likes to visit her when he can.  To help make her smile.”

                “Sungjong?” he asked in a mere whisper.

                “You leave your curtains open all the time.  Not on the ground floor,” Sunggyu smiled sadly with a shake of his head.  “Someone might see the lie you live.  But your window is never blocked.”

                 “How did you…?” Myungsoo trailed off, unsure if he felt more violated or just confused.

                “After… she had sad eyes.  You never know what people with sad eyes will do to make the sadness go away.”

                Myungsoo looked at the marker and chewed his bottom lip in thought.  “Gyu-” he stopped when there was no one behind him as he turned around again.  “Dammit.”  Troubled thoughts harangued his mind, enough so that Myungsoo declined to return to school and simply headed home instead.  It wasn’t like his parents would know he hadn’t stayed the entire day and even if someone called, he could just say he was sick.

                The principal did call and his parents briefly yelled at him for being a -up until they gladly bought the excuse of him being ill.  No additional concern was necessary beyond confirming that he was in no danger of dying so they left him alone after that, content to ignore or yell at each other, as was their wont.  Myungsoo, on the other hand, stationed himself in front of his bedroom window and watched their neighbor’s house.  Well, tried to.  The endless sea of stars above called to him when he let his attention wander and he grabbed his camera, taking pictures of the sky.

                When the wonders of the boundless canvas eased up enough for him to accept his confined fate, Myungsoo set the camera down and looked across the way.  There was nothing in the house but he was drawn to look towards the back porch where a swing moved gently on the chains that held it up.  There were two figures on it, though the nearest one was painfully familiar.  “Sungjong,” he blinked, rather astounded Sunggyu had been right.

                Sungjong’s pale face was looking up, clearly able to see Myungsoo in the window.  He nodded once, a simple acknowledgement, and then turned back to his sister.  He was still mad at him wasn’t he?

                Okay.  So maybe the whole looking in his window thing wasn’t half as creepy as he thought.  He’d envisioned Sungjong spying on him from the second level or something, which was stupid.  Did he really look that sad though?  Disgruntled, he scrambled for a mirror of some sort and inspected his face in the reflective surface.  Well… he didn’t look happy.  Not that he had before but now it bothered him.

                Sungjong had said he looked good with a smile; briefly, he tried one on, but it felt stiff and plastic and forced.  No.  It was easier around Sungjong.  Steeling himself, Myungsoo wrapped his courage around him and headed downstairs, wondering if his parents would question him.  It wasn’t really that late – only just after eight in the evening – but they had qualms with him doing things on his own.  Then again, they’d have to notice him first.

                His father was in the living room, back to the doorway and completely distracted.  Likely, his mother was in the bedroom or the study.  Neither paid him any attention when he stepped outside and quietly shut the door behind him.  Just as cautiously, he made his way to his neighbor’s door: home to the Greens.  Apparently Sungjong’s sister had gotten married at some point.

                Myungsoo placed a hand over his chest and willed his racing heart to calm down.  He didn’t know what he was doing or what he was going to do but for some stupid reason, he found himself in front of Sungjong’s sister’s house.  The doorbell sounded much too loud when he pressed the button and it felt an eternity before someone came to the door.  He’d expected his sister, or her husband maybe… not Sungjong himself.

                “Hi…” Myungsoo trailed off dumbly when the delicate young man stepped onto the porch and pulled the door closed behind him.

                “Yes?” Sungjong asked pointedly, arms crossed over his chest.  “I thought we weren’t speaking to each other.”

                Ouch.  Myungsoo winced at the reminder and frowned.  Slowly, he nodded his head in agreement and dropped his gaze, unable to continue looking at the angry young man.  “How-” he started to say before he didn’t know how to finish the question.

                “What do you want, Myungsoo?” Sungjong asked with a heavy sigh, waiting impatiently for the taller male to continue.

                Myungsoo his lips and took another breath, daring to try again.  “How do you cure sad eyes?” he murmured softly, picking his head up to meet Sungjong’s eyes so the other could feel the full import of his gaze.  On one level, he knew it was a stupid question, but it was also the most honest one right now as well.

                “Idiot,” Sungjong shook his head with a disbelieving smile playing on his lips.  “You came over here to ask me that?”

                Embarrassed, he hunched his shoulders and shrugged before looking away again.  “I should go,” Myungsoo mumbled, eager to get away now that he’d made a fool of himself.

                “Wait,” Sungjong called, grabbing his wrist before he’d gotten very far.

                Worry that his parents would see caused him to check the house and then he rolled his eyes, annoyed with himself.  What did it matter if they saw?  “Yes?” he whispered, taking a peek over his shoulder.

                “My sister says you let people in and you smile,” the younger male explained softly, giving Myungsoo’s wrist a tug to coax him into turning around more.

                “Does that really work?” he couldn’t help but scoff at the idea.  No way it was that simple.

                “Have you tried?” Sungjong asked with a beguiling expression, his hand warm on Myungsoo’s wrist.

                No.  He hadn’t.  Ever since he could remember, Myungsoo had been doing his best to push people away and keep them at arm’s length.  As such, his mask was not an easy one to break.  Feeling entirely self-conscious, Myungsoo smiled, the expression awkward and uneasy.

                Sungjong raised his fingertips to touch Myungsoo’s cheek, instantly softening the muscles so the expression became something more relaxed and genuine.  “It’s a start,” he chuckled, still holding Myungsoo’s wrist in his other hand.  “Would you like to come in?”

                His smile faltered a fraction.  Visiting people?  Especially ones he barely knew?  That was unheard of, but it was Sungjong.  And that daffy Sunggyu had a hand in all of this as well so he could guess he would be in good company.  More or less...  “Yeah,” he responded uncertainly, a worried furrow appearing in his brow.

                “Oh!” Sungjong gasped before he could open the door.  He leaned close and lowered his voice to warn, “She doesn’t keep them covered inside but don’t mention the scars on my sister’s wrists.  Okay?”  That would certainly explain why she always wore sleeves outside.

                “Sure,” Myungsoo answered by rote, feeling his gut twist with a nervous sort of tension as Sunggyu’s latest parting words came back to him.  Was that why he started bugging the hell of him recently?  Because he was worried about him and his sad eyes?

                “I told you a smile looked good on you,” Sungjong commented, looking up into Myungsoo’s face as his lips pulled up into a genuine expression he hadn’t even been aware of.

                “It’s a start?” he offered in response, losing a bit of the curvature, but feeling more at ease than he had in a while.

                Sungjong nodded his head and chirped in the back of his throat.  “We’ll work on it.”

                “I’d like that,” Myungsoo admitted hesitantly, feeling stupid but giddy.  When Sungjong beamed back at him, it didn’t really matter so much anymore and he almost blindly headed inside.  Something made him pause though and glance towards the road.  Seeing the figure dressed in black took a bit of focusing but Sunggyu’s face came into focus and he nodded once towards the irritating but helpful ghost.

                “Good luck, kiddo,” Sunggyu waved from the road, grinning in his usual way.  He imploded quickly and became the ridiculous hamster once more.  “I think you’ll be just fine.”  Hamster-Gyu waved with his tiny paw and then disappeared entirely as if he’d never been.

                “Me too,” Myungsoo sighed, the smile he was willing to acquire still playing on his lips as he followed Sungjong inside.

(a/n: And fin!  Not nearly as fluffy as I'd originally intended but it's not exactly fluffy subject matter.  :/  *sigh*  I did enjoy how it ended up though so I'm curious to hear your thoughts.  Plausible, endearing, irritating, etc?  haha  Constructive criticism is always welcome.  At any rate, if you've any questions, feel free to ask, otherwise, thank you for reading!)