20.

Long legs fast pace is heard sprinting across the buzzing connecting corridors. Changmin has run all over first and second floor of second year building looking for Junsu. He only pauses running in every toilet corner in each inspected floor to look. No Junsu. He runs amidst the moving and walking students going to and from cafeteria, eyes scanning faces and figures for the missing and very much wanted person, still no Junsu. His feet begin to swell from running nonstop but he couldn’t stop. He must see and meet Kim Junsu asap. He must clear all the foggy misunderstanding Junsu might have on him. Changmin is not dating Jung Jihoon. Changmin is not dating anyone at all. In fact, he hasn’t dated anyone for real yet. Junsu must know he isn’t planning to date or is in the stage of dating. He is not! God, what an awful mess! How could he not notice it sooner? Junsu ignoring and treating him like dust must be because of that stupid ID. Because Junsu doesn’t want to be involved with Changmin anymore because Changmin is dating Jihoon and because Changmin or Jihoon is dueling in Air Force battle nearly every night! It’s the worst way parading any relationship to anyone. Air Force couple ID? Changmin only plays the game when Minho makes him do. He rarely plays any game anymore since he entered high school. How could Minho…

Later. He’ll deal with Choi Minho later! Now! Kim Junsu. He must meet and talk to Kim Junsu RIGHT NOW!!

The long sprinting legs have to pull brake due to harsh kicking lung demanding to get proper cooperation with the chest and air. Why is it so difficult to find someone when you desperately need to see the person? Changmin catches his breaths while thinking where Junsu could be. He has run past Junsu’s classroom twice peeking his head inside, no trace of Junsu. He asked one of the lingering students in class whether Junsu was absent today. The look Changmin got in return was awkward. The girl said Junsu was in. After Mr. David’s quiz, Junsu left the class till break.

Changmin has checked the whole cafeteria too. He doesn’t see Junsu’s usual attached classmate there nor the second year advance class student who always sits together with Junsu in canteen. Changmin sprints forward to baseball quarter. It’s empty. None is there. The open field is filled with mixed students from any year having their homemade lunches or simply enjoying break yet Junsu isn’t one of them.

Where is him? Changmin’s reddish sweating figure from running exercise is about to explode from frustration. Just where is Kim Junsu hiding himself so well? Do they slip way each other? Or does Junsu make himself super scarce to Changmin on purpose?

Should he check Junsu’s class again?

Changmin makes a quick stop to nearest toilet refreshing his sweaty face and taking a minute to calm himself a bit. Class will start in fifteen minutes. Changmin must return to class on time due to his coming late to class this morning. If he’s late again, he’ll be sent to see his homeroom teacher. Changmin can’t handle any scolding or long lecture in his current situation. He has fifteen minutes. He could go to one last place looking for Junsu then proceeds to class.

Eunhyuk has been told that a junior student came to their class running and asking about Junsu. Which junior student? Oh. That one? Twice? hm.. sounds important. Sungmin seems to share Eunhyuk’s thought.

         “Shim Changmin came here?”

         “Sending more juice, perhaps?” Eunhyuk hopes. “That duck has raw talent collecting food from his admirers.” He clicks his tongue. “Anyway, has Ms. Alenia given any quiz yet? How was the quiz?”

         “Ms. Alenia doesn’t teach my class, Hyuk.” Sungmin says. “We get Mr. Fello instead.”

         “Ah right.” Eunhyuk sighs. “It’s no fun without duckie in class.”

         “You said you wanted to switch class with me.” Sungmin snickers at the other student. “Now you said it’s no fun without Junsu.”

         “Yeah. I did.” Eunhyuk grins. “But only during monster duckie days. You know, even Mr. Fujitsu averted his gaze when he asked Junsu to read some passage and our duckie sort of glared back at him. Haha.”

         “Junsu glared back?” Sungmin frowns. “At Mr. Fujitsu?”

         “He did. Not intentionally. I told you he’s scary when he’s in black mud.. I mean mood. His eyes go like-

Eunhyuk is imitating Junsu’s cold knife-like gaze to Sungmin who instantly breaks into laughter when they are interrupted by a sprinting tall figure.

         “Hyung..” Changmin is panting. “Where’s Junsu?” He asks right away.

Eunhyuk’s eyes are back to their normal size at once. Sungmin turns his laughter into wide grin.

         “Junsu?” Eunhyuk eyes the first year tall student. “Why do you want to know?” he sticks up his chin keeping his status as the tall boy’s senior.

         “I can’t find him everywhere.” Changmin replies in half panting breaths. “I need to talk to him, please.” He pleads.

Eunhyuk and Sungmin exchange glances.

         “Have you tried school clinic?” Eunhyuk casually asks. “He doesn’t look too good this morning. Perhaps he fools the school nurse?” his expression is flat and nonchalant.

         “Is he sick?” Changmin is worried. “I’ve checked the clinic but he’s not there.”

         “Cut it, hyuk.” Sungmin punches Eunhyuk’s arm. “He’s serious.”

         “I’m serious too.” Eunhyuk squints his eyes, trying his best to look upright. “He received a paper wrapping yesterday. The nurse had told him not to consume sour drink with empty stomach. He didn’t listen.” Eunhyuk forces himself not to grin despite the itching urge to do so. “He drank it all by himself not even sharing a drop with me. Serves him right if his stomach burns now. Hah!”

Changmin looks like he’s about to hit Eunhyuk. The pleading in his eyes transform into bubbling anger. It’s easy to see that Changmin does like Junsu.

         “Hyuk!!” Sungmin laughs again. “Don’t mind him.” He says to Changmin. “Junsu isn’t sick. He’s called to Coach Han’s cubic.”

Eunhyuk almost smiles too. This first year student is so fun to troll.  “He left class before break. I’ll tell him that you’ve been running all over the school looking for him later. Any other message?”

Changmin must explain things himself to Junsu. He can’t afford another misunderstanding. “I really would like to..” he bites his lip. “I need to talk to him.”

         “You need to talk to him. Noted.” Eunhyuk nods. “Ice punch and cheese-filled lava bread will help, I guess.”

         “Hyuk! Stop it!” Sungmin facepalms.

         “For Junsu.” Eunhyuk scrunches his nose. “You think it’s for me? I could take care of my own tummy.” He states. “But I won’t say no if you bring me some too.”

--

Junsu returns to class in the middle of Ms. Hwang’s lesson. He knocks the door, hands an envelope to the lady teacher then sits on his desk.

Ms. Hwang watches him sitting on the back row desk before she opens the envelope reading the content.

         “Psshhtt.” Eunhyuk pokes Junsu’s back using his thick book. “Hey duck! Someone came looking for you.”

Junsu ignores the unwanted mild noise beside him. He retrieves his note book and pen writing down whatever sentences written on the white board.

         “Yo! Avian breed!”

Junsu side glares at the monkey. “Quiet!!” he hisses back.

Eunhyuk makes a face at Junsu. “Listen! Shim Changmin came here at break. He needed to-

         “Kim Junsu.” Ms. Hwang calls.

Junsu glares hard at Eunhyuk before lifting his face meeting Ms. Hwang’s gaze. “Yes, ma’am?”

         “You may leave the class.” She says in imperative tone. “Your last quiz score would cover for today’s exercise.”

Junsu blinks processing the sentence. “I may leave class now?”

Ms. Hwang walks approaching the student. “Give me three good sentences in proper Chinese then you may rejoin the selection.”

Wow. The famous killer strict Ms. Hwang allows a student to leave her class for extra-curricular activity? That’s rare. She usually would sit the student through her class unless it’s emergency. She isn’t that fond of sport clubs either.

         “Yes, ma’am.” Junsu continues copying the exercise to his note book. Three good sentences isn’t that difficult if he has Jenna’s brain. The pattern looks alright. Well, any language pattern does. The example also looks alright. The exercise though…

A folded paper lands on Junsu’s desk.

         “Lee Eunhyuk!!” Ms. Hwang’s thunderous voice reverberates in the quiet class room. “Have you finished your exercise? Bring it here!”

Eunhyuk gulps down nervously. “N-Not yet, ma’am.”

         “Then do it! Don’t play airplane paper here!”

Eunhyuk’s head is bent low on his desk.

Junsu snickers in delight. Eat that, monkey! Fooling yourself in Ms. Hwang’s class, yeah? He continues writing down the pattern and examples. Now, the exercise. Three sentences. The rest must do eight sentences. Junsu frowns as he tries to apply the formula and the word in question together. Recalling his Chinese vocabulary isn’t as hard as trying to write down the alphabet correctly.

Junsu is too focused on the task that he ignores the folded paper on his desk. He seriously tries to conjure answers for the exercise. Two sentences are done. Not too bad. One more to go.

Ms. Hwang’s clear heel steps are heard as she walks around the class checking briefly over the students’ exercises. She stands in one spot for a long while watching Junsu writing and erasing answers on his book. She holds back a thin smile. Coach woo personally met her discussing over Junsu’s academic progress. The coach would like to add Junsu into the team facing Mayura High school next two weeks. The timing is tight since exams also take place near the match. He needs best players for the opening regional high school baseball annual competition since their first opponent is the ace of west high school region. If they win the match, they would secure early shoot for quarter final. Junsu is one of the needed players but if his academic score isn’t good enough, Junsu would have to go to extra lesson to be able to play with the team.

Junsu does well lately, better than his first year and first semester academic record. Something has motivated him to study more and play around less.

         “Done?”

Junsu hands his book to Ms. Hwang. The teacher inspects the answers briefly. Only two small mistakes. He gets most alphabets correctly, even ones with suffixes. Good.

         “Leave your bag here.” She instructs. “I’ll notify your next teacher that you are in selection process but you must return to class as soon as you finish it.”

Eunhyuk has no chance to say or ask a word to Junsu. Junsu simply walks exiting the class as soon as Ms. Hwang dismisses him. He doesn’t even look back to his desk. The small folded paper on his desk is left untouched. Dang that duck!

On second break, Changmin is seen by the class door just a couple of minutes after the bell rings. His hand holds plastic wrap which sways along his sprinting long legs. Eunhyuk feels bad for the younger student.

         “I’m sorry.” Eunhyuk means it