*three chapter update! ♡＾▽＾♡ 030816

The First Time We Met
(triple update, 60, 61 & 62)

Our campaign came to an end on Wednesday. We collected four hundred and eighty one signatures, though the number is probably smaller since there are likely some who signed multiple times as we didn't have a system to keep in check who had already signed. I was kind of amazed we could amass so much support and it made my morning today. There may be people who were so against the theme of same love that they wrote in and demanded the school take action so negatively, but there are even more people who believe the measures taken weren't fair and chipped in to help protect what I and the other club members love.

Aaron was a bit down in the dumps when we submitted the collated signatures, since the whole thing was very anti-climatic. We worked hard over these two months, spending our pocket money and Im-songsaengnim's kindly donated share to craft out our campaign materials, and in the end, the administrative staff didn't bat her eyelashes more than once as she placed it away for the principal to see when she arrived.

Still, it was right for us to stand up for what we love, and without spreading any hate. And like Heechul said, some students out there may have taken comfort in what we did. Heechul and I were texting the other day and he said the initial reason why he came back was because it was something to add to his portfolio, but after he learnt we weren't just fighting for our own shut-down clubs but him as well, he started coming back on his own accord to help out.

I... haven't heard from Daehyun at all since yesterday. We were supposed to have literature together but Park-songsaengnim was on a course and thus cancelled our lecture. Daehyun didn't swing by my class nor did he call me last night.

The last we talked was on Wednesday and I cut our phone call short, saying I needed to finish up my homework. I guess that was the last straw. Daehyun's done trying and rightfully so.

There's no way out, huh? I spend time with him; I feel miserable. I avoid him; I feel just as horrible. And now that he's officially washed his hands off me, it stings so badly. If only I wasn't so stupid to like a guy who's already given his heart to someone else, I wouldn't have made everyone miserable. I ruined everything and I have no one to blame but myself.

I hope Daehyun isn't too angry at me. There has only been once where he was upset with me and that was because he wanted to spend time with me but we were separated. And now... I've made him upset to the point he doesn't even want to talk to me.

I'm a horrible, horrible person. Daehyun has only ever made me happy and I'm pushing him away because of my fears. He must hate me so much now. Maybe he thinks I'm an ungrateful, spoilt brat who took advantage of him and is now throwing a tantrum for no good reason. Maybe he regrets ever becoming my friend. Who wouldn't regret, when I'm a childish idiot that runs away from everything?

Dejection collapses onto my shoulders and I pull my legs up into my chest, the stairwell eerily quiet. I decided not to go for lunch with the rest of the class boys because I had no appetite, so I've been sitting on these steps for a while now. Thinking and making myself more and more upset.

I'm so stupid. I'm avoiding him and Daehyun is giving me what I want, yet I feel like crying. Patting my eyes and evening out my breaths, I lean against the wall, loosely hugging my legs.

It's a good thing. Daehyun doesn't bother about me anymore so it's even better reason for me to get over him. After all, I have to know that this is what I am to him. When he's in a relationship, I can't keep on expecting him to always be available, to always call me at night and talk to me till I fall asleep, to walk me home and ask if I've eaten dinner.

Yeah, it was all too good to be true. I have to open my eyes to the reality of things. It's not the first time I've expected and been disappointed; I should get used to it.

Silence clogs the closed stairwell, heat toiling in the back of my throat. I swallow back the bout of tears threatening to spill and remind myself that I brought this upon myself. I chose to avoid Daehyun because it hurt and I couldn't tell him why. I shouldn't go running back to my delusion for comfort.

Daehyun must be so angry with me. Thinking about him hating me hurts so much. I... I should apologise to him, but I've already done the damage to our friendship. What should I do?

Thoughts thrash in the back of my head and I fold my lips upon hearing footsteps. It must be the end of the period; I can hear the students' chatter growing closer and closer. Maybe I should have left early when I could instead of waiting for Jaebum.

I miss Daehyun. I sniffle back the slight trace of tears along my lashes, slinging my backpack over my shoulders. I pad through the hallways down to the foyer as I wait for Jaebum to arrive. It reminds me of us in our freshman year—we used to wait for each other all the time, even for hours on some days because we were so attached.

We've grown quite a lot since then. Two thirteen year olds who would share tteokbokki while walking to school.

A sudden gust of warm air prods at my neck and I flinch with a sqeak, turning back to see Jaebum grinning unapologetically at me. He dodges when I try to prod him in the stomach and yells, swatting my arms away.

"Have you eaten?" I ask as we stroll towards the school gates, mid-afternoon sun peeping from behind the billows of white clouds.

"Nah, my Mum's cooking for me," Jaebum fills in, tugging me out of the way when a stream of oncoming pedestrians breeze past us. "What about you?"

"Mm, I'm going to cook ramen for myself when I get back."

"Ugh, you're making me hungry. I hope my Mum cooked something good; I'll cry if it's fish again," Jaebum whines and pats his stomach. "I'm stopping by Woonmyung Central to buy some shoes first, though." He begins to hop on one foot, pointing at a tear along the sole of his shoe. "Wanna come?"

"Sure. I've got to buy some new clothes too," I muse, lugging lightly on my bag straps. "Else, I'm gonna have nothing to wear for tomorrow."

"Is it for Beacon?" Jaebum chimes. Our footsteps fall in sync as we cross the road towards the station.

"Yep. Are you going?" I echo, the warm sunlight simmering into the air. Jaebum slings an arm around my shoulder and comfortably rests himself against me.

"Yeah, the whole junior team's going to support Daehyun. Probably laugh a bit if he screws up," Jaebum guffaws unabashedly. "Hey, yeah, have you been talking to Daehyun recently? He looked really depressed at practice on Wednesday. Junkyu and I tried to talk to him about it but he just kept quiet the whole time."

"Oh, he was? I'm... not sure," I ricochet softly. It won't be because of me, right? I'm not the only person taking up his time...

"Maybe he got dumped," Jaebum snickers. "I think he's probably freaking out because of the competition. He's up against a lot of people."

"Yeah," my voice thins away, drowned ou