Chapter 17:

Seungyoon didn’t know what to do.

What should his next move be?

He had everything laid out clearly in front of him. He only had to act.

Take action.

But was he really ready to get involved again? Wasn’t he already involved?

Seungyoon let out a long sigh as he lifted his head and stared at the clear blue sky from the school’s rooftop.

Mom. What should I do?

Will you forgive me?

Seungyoon sighed once again as he was hit by a small breeze.

A soft violin tune reached his ears.

He closed his eyes and let the music sink in.

His chest felt heavy and the uneasiness continued to grow inside him.

Pachelbel.

Seungyoon had heard that piece countless times. But… The music felt different today.

It tugged on Seungyoon’s heartstrings. He could feel the ache.

„If you can move people’s hearts with your music, you’re truly an accomplished musician.“

Seungyoon felt empathy. It seemed as if the piece is reflecting his current situation. He wanted to comfort that person. He wanted comfort himself.

„Don’t be nervous, Seungyoon. We’ll be right here. You’ll do great! Just show the people out there how much you love it.“

He remembered the warmth of her hug. He stood up, grabbed the railing and looked over the school yard.

„Whenever you’re sad, play your heart out. It’ll help a lot.“

Tears welled up in his eyes. He missed her.

The music stopped abruptly.

„Life is too short for regrets.“

Yes, it is. I want to live. A happy life without regrets.

Now. I want it now.

Seungyoon dashed inside, down the stairs, to the empty classroom. This time, he barged into the room without a single hint of hesitation.

He’ll stop being hung up in this transition of his happy and painful past and the unknown future. He wants to live now. Again.

He froze at the door, breathless, the doorknob still in his hand. Wide eyes and a blank mind. He stared at the person standing next to the window.

The mysterious violin player was standing in front of him. After all this time, picturing their first encounter, the first greeting, the first sentences, nothing of what he had ever imagined happened.

That person stood still, equally shocked. The violin was already put back into the case, the lid still open.

The silence engulfed the room.

„Y-You…“, he stuttered but he interrupted himself to let silence follow once again. He noticed the teary eyes which were still glued on him with surprise.

His heart dropped.

„I-“, he made a tiny step forward. He took one final deep breath before approaching in big confident steps. He engulfed the petite figure in a comforting hug and murmured: „I heard your pain.“

She broke into tears as she reciprocated his hug, sobbing into his uniform blazer.

„So, it was always you.“ Seungyoon whispered, getting teary-eyed as well.

She didn’t reply but tightened her grip on his blazer as response to his statement.

„I always heard a part of myself. A part I’ve been missing for so long. Always longing for it and hating it at the same time. You…“ He patted her back, tears finally rolling down his face.

„It comforted me.“, he croaked out.

„I-“, he gulped the knot in his throat away while taking big breaths to steady his voice. „I like you, Sora.“

Her sobbing stopped, her grip on his blazer weakened but Seungyoon prevented her from moving away by tightening his embrace. He couldn’t face her, couldn’t see her expression yet.

„I like you, I like you a lot. I know that you might not feel the same, I don’t expect anything from you after this confession but please… Just don’t hide your pain, tell me… I’ll always be your friend, I’ll be here for you. Don’t leave me out when you’re feeling so down.“

Her sobbing diminished and a shaky muffled voice replied him: „S-sorry for dragging you into all this. It’s selfish, I’m so selfish.“

„It doesn’t matter. I don’t care. I’ll endure every pain as long as you can be happy. My feelings for you won’t change, Kim Sora.“ Seungyoon answered unwaveringly.

„I’m sorry, Seungyoon.“ She whined into his chest. „We can’t be together.“

„Is it because you already have a boyfriend?“ He whispered almost inaudibly, his strength leaving his body. He didn’t want to guess and imagine things anymore, he wanted to know for certain.

Sora stilled for a moment. „I don’t have one.“

Seungyoon’s heart jumped out of relief. So, it really was because of that other reason. He couldn’t hide the faint smile which was spreading on his lips.

„Then, is it because your family runs one of the country’s biggest underground organisation?“

This time, she pushed him away vehemently. Her rosy puffy eyes looked at him incredulously, shocked and nervous. She was highly alert.

Silence followed as they stared at each other.

Seungyoon noticed how her eyes flitted to the open door.

„No one wanders around here during lunch break, you know that.“

She kept shut and a wary eye on him. Her stance was tense, ready for attack. She shifted her weight and her left foot moved almost unnoticeably towards the only exit of the room.

„I know about it. I found out about your family.“ Not wanting to unsettle her unnecessarily, Seungyoon continued. „I don’t care about it one bit. If you can only accept me fully as your friend in your life…“ His voice cracked again.

„You don’t even know me, we’re too different. You can’t possibly accept me and the world I live in.“ She replied curtly before turning away.

„You don’t know anything about me, why are you so quick to dismiss my words?“ He stopped her from walking away by stomping in front of her.

His sincere eyes meeting hers.

„I’m not entirely clean as you might think. I also have a dark past… In the Dog Kennel.“

His last words caught her attention.

„I worked with Hugeboy Mino in the past.“ He broke into a shy teary-eyed smile. „I fought there for some years. I do get the gist of your situation… You are the first person I considered a real friend after I left my past behind. I want to know more about you, I want to become someone close to you who you can rely on. You changed my life… you mean so much to me. I don’t think I can live without your presence anymore.“

Kim Sora couldn’t help but stare at him in silence.

He just confessed his past and his love for her.

She was too confused to process anything in her head, the only thing she knew was that he wasn’t lying.

The Dog Kennel, the most well-known club of its kind in the underground scene. One of the few close-lipped open organizations. They never used their real names among themselves, that’s how secretive the members were. To know Mino, the key figure behind the club, he must have been a Regular at least.

„If you can accept me…“ Seungyoon trailed off, his eyes intensely focused on her.

„That… this is the first time someone confessed to me like that.“ Sora answered calmly and composed. „I have to warn you, it’s difficult… my world…“

„I’m ready to take it all in for you and even more.“ Seungyoon replied seriously.

Silence followed again.

„Does this mean you’re accepting my confession?“ Seungyoon blurted out before he could help himself.

Sora broke down laughing while leaning herself on a dusty desk. Her carefree laugh was like music in his ears, he loved this sight of the relaxed girl in front him who worried him with her tense behavior these past days.

„Smooth way to change the conversation back to its original idea. Very subtle.“ She gave him a lovingly gaze, grinning widely. „Yes, it does.“

Seungyoon’s heart dropped out of relief as she laughed again. Before he could react in any way, she bolted up right in front of him and pecked him on his lips.

„I do like you as well, Kang Seungyoon.“

For the rest of the day, Seungyoon was over the moon. He couldn’t help but break into a wide grin every time he thought back on the kiss.

To his surprise, Sora was acting all normal again, chatting with the others as if nothing happened.

Should they tell their group of friends of their relationship?

Suddenly a thought crossed his mind.

They were in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, right? Neither of them explicitly said to go out… He only confessed his love and she only accepted his confession… Were they together now?

Seungyoon was hit with a wave of uneasiness once again. He wanted to slap himself so badly.

, he should have been more clearly with his words. After all he mustered up his courage to confess and now he doesn’t even know if they’re really together yet.

He didn’t even ask her out on a date…

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