• dis·e·qui·lib·ri·um;noun;a loss or lack of equilibrium or stability, especially in relation to supply, demand, and prices.

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"No, I'm not an only child.” I deny shockingly, the principal looks at me with confusion possibly thinking I'm out of my mind.

"Alright, we'll check into that. You may leave and go to your next class." The principal dismisses me.

       Heading to my next class, constant thoughts keep echoing in my mind giving me a mild headache. It's just a minor error. Now, because of that I feel that a certain amount of balance has been taken away from me.

        One certain statement can knock your cycle down in a single minute that certain statement can stay in your mind for more than a day or two. That is how much power words can hold. My eyes peak into my homeroom. Teenagers are running everywhere, throwing paper balls; spitting spit balls at the ceiling and writing swear words on the chalkboard.

    It wasn't anything new to me, but I thought this school was the well-disciplined school is all of Seoul. I guess I'm wrong. A boy with ruffled hair, chiseled jaw, and thick lips approaches me.

"Oh, are you a new student from...America?" He questions.

Shaking my head I say, "No, I live in Seoul." I take the seat beside the window.

      It's probably the only escape I'll get during class. The rhythmic clacking of heels starts to enter the room, as all students scatter from where they are to their original seats. A professor with her hair tied in a bun, wearing slacks and a black coat, formally pushes her enormous glasses up to the trunk of her nose.

"Good Morning,” we all stand and bow deeply.

"Today, we have a new student who had just transferred from America."

I disregard what she had just said; she's not talking about me isn't she? The professor's flickering eyes meet mine,

"Can you please introduce yourself?" She speaks, leaving me utterly confused. Of course I say my name,

"I'm not from America. I've lived in Seoul for most of my life." I state.

"I'm sorry; our program has been going through some technical issues lately." She apologizes, and I sit down.

      Eventually, her voice turns into a low vibrating sound and I'm finding myself looking at the circle-like birthmarks on my forearm. It's strange, it almost looks like burns caused by the ends of a cigarette. And to be honest, this is the first time I've seen it.

     The professor speaks but all I see is moving, she's not making a sound at all. I've always had concentration problems, and I've always thought they'd go away once I'd get older. But it seems like it’s getting worse. Luhan even says that there's a certain nature behind me, that's so eager to be revealed.

     What is it exactly? A fright crawls upon me, as a textbook slams hard against the surface of my desk. For the first time, my eyes become focus on the board and the number 295 is written neatly. Instead of turning to the page, I feel my eyelids go heavy. I make the textbook stand up so it could cover my face, and soon my head is planted comfortably on the surface of my desk.

      There's a difference between sleeping and resting. When you're sleeping you're unaware of what's happening, but when you're resting you could still hear the entire ruckus and are well aware of what's happening even if your eyes are closed. So I rest my eyes, and when they open Luhan sits at the empty desk in front of me.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I groan,

"Just came and visited. They wanted to see me, am I right?" Luhan beams a smile that I'm too lazy to respond to

.

"You can't just come in here, the teacher's teaching." I say giving him a weird look.

"Class is already over, Sherlock." Luhan messes up my front bangs. My body jolts up, as I grab my bags and my textbooks.

"- I'm late." I utter heading toward the door. But Luhan's too quick, he always has been.

"Relax, you won't be late. I promise." He gives my shoulder a light squeeze. I automatically lean on the door frame,

"Where did everybody go?" I realize that we are the only two in the classroom.

"Oh, I-I kind of pulled the fire alarm." Luhan uneasily rubs the back of his neck as if it's an uneasy action-and it is.

"Are you an idiot!?" Blood rushes into my cheeks. Great, now there's a very good possibility that I'm going to get blamed for it.

"I said relax didn't I?" Luhan sighs.

       I leave him in my homeroom, almost sprinting out and into the hallway. As I look back, Luhan peers out the doorway. As fast as I try to run, it seems like the hallway is extending and never ending. And then something sturdy hits my body and I pass out on the tiled floor.

...

"What happened to you?" A nurse looks down at me with concern.

"I-I don't know." I lie to hide the fact that Luhan was the one who pulled the fire alarm.

"Well, you should be happy that you friend here brought you here." She leaves, as the same boy with a chiseled jaw and thick lips approaches me.

"I don't think I've introduced myself yet." He smiles, but I don't return it.

"I'm Kai." He holds out a hand for me to shake.

But I'm slow at introductions; in fact I don't think I've had any friends at all. Must be because I spend a lot of time with Luhan; not enough time with real friends. Firmly gripping his hand, I smile a little.

"How did I end up here?" I question,

"A basketball knocked you out when you were dazing off on your desk." Kai gives an uneasy laugh.

        I mimic his uneasy laugh, Oh okay. So we're just going to pretend Luhan didn't come to this school and pull the fire alarm. Sure, I'm fine with pretending. "Okay." I purse my lips. Getting off the hospital bed, Kai follows me from behind as we enter homeroom once again

.

       Bulging eyes stare me down, as I sink back into my desk. My concentration skills still lack, but this time I manage to pay attention even though I can't understand most of what she's saying. When lunch comes, I sit at a bench in the front of the school's entrance eating half a foot long Subway sandwich with my favourite toppings.

"The breeze, it's refreshing right?" A voice comes out of the blue and crawls up into my skin.

Almost making me choke on my food, Luhan sits with his legs crossed to my left.

"Since when did you get here?" I say with a mouthful of sandwich.

"Did you forget or something? I was in your classroom today when I pulled the fire alarm." Luhan smirks.

"Must be because of that ball you got hit with in the hallway. It's a good thing that boy took you to the Nurse's Office." Luhan adds, yawning with his mouth wide open.

"So? Why did you transfer me into this school?" I say swallowing my food down,

"Didn't I tell you this already? Stop making me repeat myself." Luhan gives a grumble.

"Fine," I say. "Hey! Transfer student!" Kai waves at me from a distance.

I feel a tap on my left shoulder, "I think I need to go now." Luhan briefly says before sprinting in the opposite direction.

"Wait-" I blurt, but he's already out of the front gates.

Never mind then, I was going to introduce him to Kai. Kai takes the seat where Luhan had used to sit.

"Who're you talk ‘in to?" Kai sluggishly says,

"Nothing, just my older brother." I murmur looking into my half eaten sandwich.

"Interesting," Kai states examining my facial features.

      And when our eyes meet, they both flicker simultaneously. Somehow, I feel that he's eagerly concerned about me. In which he shouldn't be I'm perfectly normal-balanced even. Awkwardly, I bite into my sandwich. His finger wipes the corner of my mouth,

"You got some mustard on your lips." His face flushes red and I do to. I don't know why, but my heart is pounding right through my chest.

"You always seem to be startled a lot." Kai wrinkles his forehead as a sign of distaste.

"It's my nature- it always had been like that." I grin.

"You're very interesting." Kai compliments sneaking his shoulder behind my back leaning it on my shoulder. What? Was that really a compliment?

"Th-Thank you?" I question. Kai leans into my face,

"I'm being sincere you know."

      He chortles as he gets up and enters the school, leaving me with butterflies in my stomach that I really want to vomit out. For the rest of the day, I sat in class mostly dazing off. It turns out Kai is in every class I have. So, I have to see him every day-in every class. At least I have one new friend right?

...

       When I get home, I strip off my backpack and land on the couch. Burying my face into the couch, Kai's face merges into my mind. And that image gets scribbled out, by the doorbell ringing.As I take a peak to see who it is, Luhan pops out of nowhere and gives me yet another fright.

"What's with you these days? You get scared so easily." Luhan snickers as he jumps to the couch on the opposite end of mine.

"You're creepy, that's why." I stick my tongue out.

"Hey, you want to go out for dinner tonight? My treat!" Luhan says getting up once more.

"Are we taking the car?",

"No.",

"Then, I'm not going." I reject his offer. After a few minutes I forget, and I go anyway.

"Oh, don't forget to get your wallet. It might be a little short." Luhan says sneaking out the door without a single word from me.

As soon as I get my wallet, I find Luhan waiting for me outside the gate. After a few minutes of walking in silence, Luhan points to a restaurant with glowing letters.

"So, you're telling me: We're having dinner in McDonalds?" I almost spit those words out.

    Luhan starts to laugh real hard; sometimes he doesn't know whether to laugh or not. Crossing the street, Luhan goes first and I follow him. The headlights of a car blind both of us, yet still unaware, as it goes swerving toward both of us.

And black engulfs my vision.

...

      I awake to my own heavy breathing and the Heart Rate Monitor beside me recklessly beeping. My mother's eyes have pools and pools of tears in them, and Kai is staring down at me. What is he doing here? Who is he to be here? He's not even my relative. I want to speak, but I can't.Gently my hair, my mother leaves for a second and Kai is left-still staring at me. Do they know I'm awake? 

"L-Luhan" I grunt my only brother's name with struggle.

       To my left I see Luhan also lying on a hospital bed. His heart-rate monitor dropping, his line going flat. I get up and out of my hospital bed with Kai trying to tell me that I should stay in my bed. The insides of my gut wither almost like a plant. Seconds after a group a nurses and a doctor approach Luhan with a Defibrillator.

      With nurses yelling: 'Clear', the shocks make Luhan's body jolt up and then down. My arms thrash violently all over the place, one hand hitting Kai's nose. I even heard a crack. My voice scratches; trying to get out of Kai's hold.

"Let go of me!" I scream into my throat, unable to control the emotion. I prevent myself from making another sound by gritting my teeth.

They finally stop.

The flat-line never returned to normal.

He's dead. Luhan is dead. 

                        AUTHOR'S CORNER                    

HELLO! I hope this isn't too confusing for you guys. Find the flaw! Which dream is not real?

LUHAN IS DEAD LOL.

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