Chapter Six

To go or not to go?

***

It's the final year in Middle School and the fourteen year old Kibum tries to hurry in arranging all his belongings on his bag as his Imo called him downstairs.

She's on her way to the hospital and she'll be dropping him off at school since Jonghyun went earlier already, practicing football.

"You ready?" Yubin asked once she saw Kibum hurrying down the flight of stairs, bag on one of his shoulders.

"Ne." Kibum smiled when he got off the stairs, following his Imo out of the mansion, waving goodbye at his JinHae-noona at the main door.

"Did you bring your eyeglasses with you?" Yubin asked while buckling her seat belt, Kibum nodding while doing the same thing to himself.

They arrived at the campus half an hour before the first bell would ring, Kibum bidding goodbye to the doctor before proceeding to their classroom.

Once he arrived, he spotted Woohyun laughing with some of their classmates before the said male notice him, lips breaking into an excited smile.

"Kibum!" Woohyun started before sitting at the vacant table in front of the raven, "you heard about our upcoming game with Seoul High, right?"

The raven settled his things before sitting in front of Woohyun, nodding at his question. "Yes...I think. It's the one with the same sched as the football championship, right? This coming Friday?" Kibum asked while cocking his head slightly.

Woohyun is now part of the school's basketball team and this season is where the Interschool Sports Competition took place. The soccer competition has already begun and is now to their final game this coming Friday where students were free to watch and cheer for their respective schools.

"Why are so hyped about it by the way?"

Woohyun grinned before inching closer towards the raven, propping his elbows on Kibum's table. "You'll go to our game, right?"

Kibum scrunched his nose, deep in thought. He doesn't like to be sweaty that's why he doesn't like sports and that includes watching them. But, seeing the look of expectation on Woohyun's face, he suppose could give it a try.

"Okay." He agreed while Woohyun  cheered, just as the bell rings, cuing the entrance of the school's football players who were joking with each other, Kibum immediately breaking his stare at them when he saw Jonghyun's emotionless persona, looking bored as ever.

He tried to fight off the weird sensation on his chest as he remember his interactions with Jonghyun recently. As far as Kibum can remember, Jonghyun has been pretty... quiet lately. It seems like he got bored of making Kibum’s life miserable, and the latter don’t know how to interpret the sudden situation. He would either look at Kibum weirdly once in a while before glancing at another direction. He was glad that Jonghyun stopped on picking on him though and it made their school life easier.

He was also glad that Jonghyun and Woohyun didn’t fight anymore though he’s not sure if those two consider each other as friends. He mentally shook his head, Nah… Woohyun hate Jonghyun’s guts. They would never be friends.

Jonghyun entered the room with a sigh, hands casually on his side pockets while his bag was slung from one shoulder.

Football practices were frequent now more than ever since they only have three days before the final match, their school pursuing to defend their title as the defending champion.

His eyes fall on the back of that Woohyun kid who was leaning his face to Kibum's, a little too close for his liking, elbows propped and all.

Tsk, this brat.

"Okay." He heard Kibum reply to the brat before their eyes connected briefly, Kibum the first one to break the stare.

Jonghyun stared ahead like nothing happened, passing Kibum's table before situating at one of his chairs at the back, plugging his earphones on and burying his face at his table.

Their morning period ended with Jonghyun sleeping most of the time, Kibum biting his lip when he saw the other still sleeping during their last period which is Math. Their teacher left them with an assignment and honestly speaking, Kibum didn't get the part about the quadratic formula-something.

He released a sigh, Math is really his least favorite subject and to think there's only one person he knew who is brilliant with it.

"Come on, Kibum!" Woohyun called his attention who was already at the door, waiting for the raven.

He gathered his things and went to his locker, placing his belongings that were not needed for the afternoon classes and headed to the school cafeteria to get some lunch.

They started to fall in line with Woohyun whining about the menu for the day. Kibum merely shook his head before scanning the room for any vacant tables, glad to see one near the wide glass windows that showcase the wide field for football practices.

Once they got their food tray ready, they made their way to the vacant table Kibum saw earlier.

"By the way, I want you to meet someone this coming Friday..." Woohyun grinned while Kibum hummed in recognition, drinking the juice beside him.

"Who?" The raven haired boy asked.

"You'll see."

***

Kibum bit his lip in concentration as he stared at the Math problem in front of him. No matter how many times he read the notes he copied during the lesson earlier, his mind still can't process the stupid steps to get the right answer.

A sigh left his bow shaped lips before he gather his things and clutched them to his chest, exiting his room and making his way to the room next to his.

He knocked on the door three times, hearing a small grunt inside before a slightly deep voice muttered an audible ‘come in’.

He bit his lip and shakily reached for the door knob, heart racing and palms becoming sweaty for some reason he don’t know. It’s not like the owner of this room would kill him right?

Besides, he just need some help in answering this equation. He released a sigh one more time before opening the room, closing it softly before him.

He was not ready for the scene that was presented in front of him though…

Jonghyun… just got out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist, brunette locks still wet while the owner of those locks held another towel to his head, drying his hair. Kibum’s eyes caught a certain drop of water from Jonghyun’s hair that flowed down to his chest, rolling…

Faster than lightning, he immediately turned around and stared at the door, cheeks dusting a rosy blush, embarrassment steaming off from his system.

“I-I’m s-sorry, I d-didn’t mean to intrude l-like that. I-I’ll come b-back later.” He stuttered before exiting the door, not even bothering to hear Jonghyun’s reply.

On the other hand, Jonghyun just shook his head with a smirk playing on his lips, walking towards his closet and changing to a pair of boxers and a white tank top, brunette hair still slightly wet from the bath he took earlier.

He waited for a few minutes for Kibum to come back and ask what he want but the other still hadn’t come back yet so he just released a sigh and lay on his bed, eventually falling asleep after realizing that Kibum won’t come back anymore.

***

After slamming the door shut, Kibum dashed to his bed and buried his face on his pillow, cheeks still slightly red at the embarrassment he was still feeling. He just walked on to Kim Jonghyun half- and to think it’s not the first time he saw him without a shirt yet in that moment, everything felt different, completely different.

His heart started to beat faster and he doesn’t know why if is it from embarrassment or the fact that he saw the son of his Imo half-. Releasing a silent curse for behaving like a stupid girl, he dragged himself towards his table and forced himself to answer his assignment, alone.

One hour later and he was regretting his decision. Swallowing the lump on his throat, he decided that only that person could help him with this stupid assignment.

“J-Jonghyun?” He called out hesitantly outside the brunette’s room, knocking unsurely.

The door opened after few moments and Jonghyun looked at Kibum impassively before opening the door widely, letting Kibum enter with his head down.

He opened his mouth to say something but Jonghyun beat him to it, “What do you want?”

Kibum flinched to the cold tone that sent shivers down his spine and he momentarily thought for a moment if was this a good plan.

“First, I’m s-sorry about earlier. I didn’t know that–” he dared a glance at the brunette and saw Jonghyun’s lips formed to a smirk, “you’ve just got out of s-shower.” He mumbled the last part to himself, cheeks slightly blushing again.

“As for the reason I came here,” he continued, playing with his fingers, “can you teach me how to solve our math assignment? I just don’t get it…”

Jonghyun hummed before placing his chin on the palm of his hand, studying Kibum who shifted uncomfortably.

“Okay, but on one condition.” Jonghyun traded, little bit of excitement blooming on his chest at his next words. “Watch my game this Friday.”

“Game?” Kibum frowned, the other not noticing it and instead grabbed the raven’s book and placing it on his desk, Kibum staring at Jonghyun’s back.

“Yes,” the other said before glancing at Kibum behind him…

“… and I won’t take no for an answer.”