Seven: Something Close to my Heart
Keep Me"You know what? Go away. I don't need you here anyway."
~
Taehyun slumps on his chair, not quite ready to start the day at school. His eyes were puffy and it hurts a bit and Taehyun is annoyed.
"He doesn't need me? I'm fine by it. Who care? Whatever." Taehyun whispers to himself but he's still troubled by the events that took
palce last night. He's Mino's friend right? Taehyun just wants to check on him but Mino just had to lash out on him like that and it
really upsets Taehyun. Jinwoo's been quiet too, probably thinking like him. Even Seunghoon who would normally be very loud early in
the morning is there sitting quietly and checking his phone every minute. And just as Taehyun is settling on the fact that he's sad over
Mino hurting him verbally, Seokjae made an appearance beside him. "Good morning, Taehyun-ah~" he sings and Taehyun did not
fight rolling his eyes. "Stingy, I see. I guess you finally realized Song Mino's a bad friend?" Seokjae prods and Taehyun finally
faced him. "Will you just shut up?" Taehyun fires back and the guy in front of him smirks. "Chill, pretty boy." he chuckles and Taehyun
felt that that's not the last of it.
~
As expected, by the end of the day, Jeon Seokjae had annoyed Taehyun for about 27 times already and Taehyun was surprised he
did not reach his breaking point. Sometimes Jinwoo would interfere with 'Don't you have something elese better to do?' and Seunghoon
would pull both him and Jinwoo out of Seokjae's reach. And now, he's alone walking home. Jinwoo told him he's visiting Seungyoon
again and Seunghoon wants to come with him. So there, Nam Taehyun walking on the streets alone. Just then, a hand stopped him
from walking, tugging at his hoody. Taehyun looks over the stranger and his eyes went wide before his eyebrows narrowed. There
stood Mino looking like a kicked puppy what with his usually done hair is now down and messy (and Taehyun could not miss that pout
on his lips) and it's unfair because Taehyun wants to hug him right there. "What...what are you doing here?" Taehyun asks. There's
sadness and a tiny bit of anger laced on his voice and Mino flinched at that. "I just..." Mino looks at Taehyun's eyes. Mino feels
ashamed and the worst friend ever. Taehyun's right there in front of him and he just won't tell what he wants to say. He wants to
tell him that he's sorry for everything and that what he kept telling yesterday wasn't true. He isn't alright. In fact, he's scared and
maybe sad at the same time. He just doesn't want Taehyun to see that. "Tell me. Tell me what you want to say." Mino looks at
Taehyun because his words are still so soft just like yesterday. Taehyun looks at Mino and he sees that there are a lot going on
his mind. They're still awkwardly standing in the middle of the street, with Mino's hands clutched oon the back of his hoody.
Taehyun removes Mino's hand and faced the guy properly. Mino felt his heart sink when Taehyun removed his hand but Taehyun is
still looking at him expectantly. Mino did not realize that there are already tears falling on the concrete from his own eyes. His head
is now looking on his feet. He can't do this. He can't possibly do this. "Mino... what do you want to say?" Taehyun asks again and
it made Mino scared that if he did not answer, Taehyun might walk away and he won't get another shot for this. Mino took a deep
breath. "I'm sorry." Mino replied and it was so soft. Taehyun then pulled him into a hug. Mino cried silently on his arms, muttering
'sorry's and 'I shouldn't have said that's. And a simple "It's okay." from Taehyun made him free from all worries that it surprised him.
~
"It was nice for you to show up again after a week of absence, Mr. Kang and Mr. Song. I expect a valid excuse for this one later."
Mrs. Oh said as she checked the attendance for that day. Mino sighed and slumps some more on his new seat beside Seungyoon.
He glanced at the back at Taehyun who's currently glaring at the window beside him. Seokjae smirks at Mino as if taunting him again
and Mino had to take deep breaths to control himself like Jinwoo advised him and Seungyoon to do around Seokjae. "Okay, so
listen up guys. We'll have the anniversary of our school's foundation in a month and a half. As you all know, except for the new ones
maybe, that there's always a huge festival to be held. Mr. Kim Jinwoo, our class needs your leadership in planning and having a booth
for that festival. Your English teacher, Ms. Lee, asked me to relay this message. You need to prepare an English play about a classic
fairytale to be presented at the school auditorium on the last day of festival. I expect everyone to cooperate on this. That is all. use the
remaining time to brainstorm. Goodbye class." Mrs. Oh says and exited. Everyone turned to Jinwoo and he awkwardly stood up to
the front of the room. "So, any suggestions?" Jinwoo aska and no one raised their hands. This could be harder than he thought it would
be.
~
Taehyun was called (he was actually pulled out from Jinwoo and Mino's side at the school gates by Chanhyuk and Soo Hyun) for an
'emergency meeting' for the club. Taehyun told the rest to go on without him and followed the two towards the club room. Mr. Choi as
well as the few others were already at the club room. "So ummm... we were asked to put on an artistic exhibition for the school festival
this year. I was surprised they asked us this year... Anyway, I want everyone to get creative in what they are good at and we will
put it on display for everyone to see. I was thinking that we can make this art exhibit a little bit like a booth, yeah? So we can raise
funds for our club. We can also put other exhibits for an auction." Mr. Choi tells everyone who nods in agreement. The artists talked
about the theme and all that and after an hour or so, they finally settled on a theme that makes Taehyun nervous. "Are we really
doing that? I'm not quite good at expressing that." Taehyun whispers next to Soo Hyun. "Oh come on, I think your work will be the
best on this theme. I mean, I've seen your work a couple of times and it was all good." Soo Hyun smiles and it made Taehyun's
worries a little bit less. Taehyun soon tunes out the voices talking about the minor details for the exhibition and thinks hard. He's
quite known for being a not sentimental person and Jinwoo can prove that in a bulleted list. He needs to create a concept for
the theme presented. But how can he present the theme "Close to my Heart' well? Taehyun ruffles his hair and pushes them back in
place.
~
"What am I gonna do~" Jinwoo asks in front of Mino, Seungyoon and Seunghoon. They were sitting on the coffee shop of Dara and
ordered something to refresh them like fruit shakes and Seunghoon insisted on his favorite strawberry shortcake and so they ended
up buying it for the sake of keeping their souls SeunghoonWhining-free. "How about a cafe?" Seunghoon suggested, his mouth full
of cake. "That's too old school. I mean, I think half of the classes weere having that as a choice." Jinwoo says. "That's right."
Seungyoon agrees. "We need something unique for that." Jinwoo tells them as he scrunches his lips in deep thought. "And I still need
to discuss with the class what fairytale they would like. I could also do the script for it and I need to settle now which fairytale we're
gonna do so I could get started." Jinwoo adds with a long sigh at the end. "Isn't that too tiring for you? I mean you're already in-charge
of our booth and you'll still do the script?" Mino asks as if Jinwoo is a martyr. "Well, I would like to do it. I enjoy writing scripts
since before so i think I'll be fine. Besides, you guys already agreed to help me in planning for the booth right? That's why we're
here." Jinwoo says with a small smile. "That's true." Mino nods in agreement. "Jinwoo... how about a sort of a broadcasting studio?
I mean like a school radio where we'll play what the people requested or something?" Seunghoon suggests and all eyes were on him
in an instant. "Hoon, your idea...." Seungyoon starts. "...Is awesome." Jinwoo finished. "Oh my god, hoon. I never thought you can
give those kind of suggestions." Mino comments making both Jinwoo and Seungyoon chuckle. "Heeey, don't think so lowly of me."
Seunghoon hits Mino on the shoulder making the guy fake a cry.
~
Taehyun is stressed out of his mind after the meeting. He keeps thinking about what his concept should be. he sighs as he walked
down the stairs down to the school gate. His friends already left to plan on the booth their class would do at the shool festival.
Taehyun wonders if they actually got a good plan after having this 'meeting'. He's kind of worried for Jinwoo because he's in charge
with everything for that festival. He promised he would help with the best he can but it turns out, these upcoming one and a half
months would be stressful for him too. Taehyun expects that their place would be filled with stress and whines for the next weeks.
Just thinking about that makes Taehyun's head hurt.
As Taehyun approached their place, Jinwoo's already there preparing a meal for them. He's humming in a tune he'd never heard before.
Probably indie music because Jinwoo is the type of kid to love that kind of music and Taehyun finds those music enjoyable too.
"I'm home." Taehyun calls out as he removes his outdoor shoes and slips in his fluffy white slippers that Jinwoo got for him. "Oh,
welcome back Taehyun-ah." Jinwoo smiles at him but that smile seems a little bit suspicious. "Mmm, what are you cooking?" Taehyun
asks. "Chapchae." Jinwoo replies shortly and that grin is still on his face. "Ohh, what happened in your meeting?" Taehyun questions
again. "You wouldn't bbelieve this but we all agreed on Seunghoon's plan for the booth." Jinwoo laughs and Taehyun joins in. "Really?
Seunghoon's idea?" Taehyun couldn't believe it and it made Jinwoo laugh more. "Yes. It's this dedication booth thing. I'll explain it to
you later. More importantly," Jinwoo pauses dramatically and the smile was back on again. "Something's waiting for you at your room,
Taehyun-ah~" Jinwoo says in a sing song voice. "What is it?" Taehyun asks, ready to go to his room. "Wait, eat first. You must be
starving. How about your meeting with your club? What happened?" Jinwoo pushes Taehyun on the dining table and served their food.
Tehyun talked about their exhibit and the theme of it and Taehyun whines on how he doesn't know what to do for that said theme
and what his concept for his pictures should be. They talked about their ideas over dinner that Taehyun almost forgot about that
'something' that is waiting for him at his room.
Taehyun helps Jinwoo clean up on the dining room and the kitchen. After that they sat on the sofa for a bit to watch television but
since there's nothing fun on it, Taehyun decided to go into his room instead to rest. Taehyun was surprised-- well that might be a little
bit of an understatement--- when he saw a huge fluffy white teddy bear on his bed, sitting happily. Taehyun scratches his head thinking
what is it for. Then he saw a small card.
Taehyunie,
I'm really sorry for the other day TT I know that you said it's okay but I still need to apologize again to make sure you're not mad
at me anymore. I don't want tyou to be mad.... It makes me sad.... i even made you cry... I'm really REALLY sorry TT Even Nam
is looking at me with a glare after saying those mean things to you TT TT TT please forgive me?
-Mino TT
That's when Taehyun got an idea for his exhibit with a smile on his lips and a fast beating heart.
A/N: AGAIN sorry for the supeeer late update please forgive me TT I was really busy these days and probably be busier for the next
few weeks because of college.
To all who reads this fic, Thank you so so so so much. I promise I'll work harder next time TT
I love you all~^^
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