Minho set the wonderful snow globe on the ledge, next to his bed. He wanted to gaze at it even in his sleep. It'd be like his very own night-light-- like a bright friend. It glowed extraordinarily bright in the dark room. (The lights were turned off)
So bright...so pretty...like a firefly--but better...
You're-
Minho jumped up and whirled around at the sound of a door slam.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded at his sister.
She paused, for a second, in alarm, then replied, "You were shut in that room and didn't come down for an hour. We've been calling you down for dinner, that's what!" She stood there, glaring at him, then went back out and slammed the door shut, loudly.
Minho instantly regretted what he said. He never had a problem with her sister bursting in his room; anyone was welcome, especially her. He resolved to make it up to her.
Then, what she'd just said struck him and he seized his alarm clock.
Oh my gosh.
Had he been staring at The Snowglobe for almost an hour? Just staring? Boy, he must've looked so goddamn stupid.
He silently cursed to himself, ignoring his mother yelling his name. At the second call, he gave in and ran downstairs to confront her lecture about how you can't yell at your younger sibling because she has to depend on you and...
That Globe glowed especially bright tonight. Really bright.
Unlike everyone else, Krystal wasn't looking forward to the holidays. Much as she didn't like it there, she found it unpleasant to stay at home. She actually liked being with people. Not certain people, just people in general.
Of course, she doesn't like to interact much with people. They gave her funny looks, which made her uncomfortable. And the downside of being in school was getting stuck in class with him. So maybe the holidays is a good thing?
Krystal stepped inside the classroom and thought maybe it was. After all, it was tiring to have to avoid looking at someone continuously. It limited her eye gazes, and she wasn't entirely sure where he'd be so there was a chance they would meet, eye to eye.
Thank god that won't be happening for next week.
With that thought in mind, she plopped down in her seat, with a bright expression on her face. She ignored the other chatterings of friends. She pleasantly waved to Taemin, just as he entered the classroom. Krystal didn't mind Taemin that much; he was different from him. He was much more tactful and engaging.
"Are you planning anything for the holidays?" she began, hungry for conversation.
"We're going to do the usual. You know, celebrate at home, open presents, eat," replied Taemin, laughing a little.
"Did you buy anything? You know, for your friends and family and stuff..." she asked, biting her lip.
"Well, now that you ask..." he started to dig into his bag. Krystal's heart thumped quickly, then died a little as he stopped and looked up.
It was him.
Krystal looked down immediately at the faded, white desk. She wasn't up for glaring. It was nearly the holidays, right? It's the time to be amiable. And the most amiable she could manage, is to avoid him. To not acknowledge him.
"What's up?" That was him.
"Nothing. You?"
"Wonderful."
"What's up with you? You look funny."
"I'm wonderful." No, you're not.
There was a nervous laugh. Then, someone zipping a bag. Probably him.
"You brought that thing?" said Taemin, incredulously. Krystal refused to see what he was talking about. She felt many stares coming their way.
"That Globe." The way he said it made it seem important. She looked up at the thing.
He was holding a big snow globe. It was gray and blurry on the inside and was unlike any other snow globe she'd seen. It didn't even have snow. She thought she saw a dark figure in it but it was so blurry, it was hard to figure out the shape. And there was nothing bright about it. It wasn't Christmasy at all.
What made it ridiculous was the way Minho regarded it. He was holding it up as if it were a shiny trophy. And his eyes were filled with wonder and glee. He seemed to be proud of it. Krystal thought that Minho was waiting for a reaction. She immediately hated it.
"It looks stupid," she blurted out.
His eyes turned to meet hers, and there was a glimmer of anger that made her feel uncomfortable. She kept her countenance, though.
Then, he shrugged and said, "Whatever." He looked away.
The bell rung, and we all took our seats. Thankfully, his seat was in in the back, way behind me, whose in the front area.
"Class, take your seats now!" the teacher ordered us, as he entered the rooom.
"And put that ridiculous thing away!" Krystal hissed at Minho, so only he could hear. She quickly looked away from him, however she could imagine the look in his eyes after she said that.
Throughout her classes, Krystal thought that he was staring at her. Was he? She couldn't be sure, because he was behind her.
Well, I won't try and find out.
She tried to concentrate on her textbook. The silence wasn't helping. She preferred it when the teacher was lecturing or doing the actual teaching.
A moment later, during history class, she made up her mind to check if he was looking at her. If he is, then she'll stick her tongue at him, then turn away.
And so, she slowly turned her head to the back area, where Minho is seated.
He wasn't looking at her.
Instead, he had his eyes on the thing in his hand. He held it under his desk and stared at it with that same stupid wonder, as if it was the only thing that mattered in the world. He actually had the nerve to take it out just to look at it!
Krystal turned around, her hands clenched into two tight fists. The teacher wasn't looking up. (What stupid, careless old man!) Without thinking, she wrung her hand up in the air, so forcefully that some students looked up.
Of course, he wasn't looking up. Not even for the rest of the class. She kept it up, hoping that he'd risk a glance toward his students and discover that hand, craving for his attention, waiting to sentence him to a week's detention.
But he didn't look up. She gave up and dropped her sore, weak arm. There were slight giggles at her defeat. No matter. She'd tell him at the end of class.
"Mr. Jung, I don't know if you've noticed, but I had my hand raised during class," Krystal told the teacher, after the bell rang for lunch break.
"I knew."
"What? I mean, really? I-I didn't know that." He was lying, she's sure of it. He didn't look up the whole time. Of course, he was a teacher, and she wouldn't dare call him out for lying.
"I knew. I didn't answer because you were suppose to be doing your work."
"Oh. I'm sorry, I just really wanted to tell you something." She waited. The teacher didn't look up. Why can't he just face us?
Krystal continued, "I happened to see him-Minho out of the corner of my eye. I don't think he was paying attention too. He had that thing-a snow globe on his hand, and he was just staring at it. He wasn't paying attention to his work. I was really concerned with him." She added that in so as not to seem like a snitch.
The teacher peered up a her. "I don't think he was. He handed his work in with full marks which makes me think he was concentrating on his work. While you, who haven't turned your paper in, should have been doing what everyone else was doing, minding your own business."
"Oh, okay."
"Now, I would give you a 3 day's detention for carelessness, but as it's the holidays next week, I'll let you off. Next time, just mind your own business and try not to put other people down. Now, go to lunch, you're taking time off my break too."
Krystal bowed to the teacher and scurried off to lunchbreak.
Krystal did her best to hide her face from her peers. A few were staring, wondering what happened to her. Of course, she wasn't crying, she wouldn't live it down if everyone saw her face like that.
Did he see her, with her hand in the air? Or was he still staring at that thinig? Did he plan for her to embarass herself in front of the teacher?
That last thought made her want to hurt him, to take his precious thing and throw it down...
Oh there he is. Sitting at that other table with his friends. Krystal noticed that his arm is dug in deep in his bag. Clutching that thing.
Where did he get it? Where did it come from? Why is he being so enraptured to it? it's just a-a-dirty glass ball!
Oh, look, he suddenly took it out to show it to his friends. They looked at him and laughed. Krystal grinned a little. Then it shrank completely when she saw that he still looked at it as if it were anything special. As if it were his special love...
Krystal suddenly stood up so suddenly that many students stared at her. She went toward Minho, taking big, slow strides. There was a hush amongst a table, yet others were oblivious to her. So was he. She stopped right in front of him and stared him down.
What an idiot! He was still staring at it, not paying attention to me. His friend nudged him, and pointed at me. He finally tore his eyes away from his precious thing and looked up at her. At first, he looked surprised, then glared at her.
Krystal glared back, with all the bitterness she could give. You bastard! how could you leave me like that?
A rash idea struck her head and, with a vicious swipe, she had the thing in her hands.
"Hey!"
She ran up the stairs that ran against the wall, leading toward the upper space where you could see the entire cafeteria. From the upper level, the floor was about 40 feet below. Footsteps and eyes followed her, and she knew Minho was chasing her. Minho was fast but Krystal was faster.
She reached the last step leading to the upper level. He was right behind her.
"Krystal, you-"
Just as he was about to catch her, everyone gasped.
She threw "the thing" down to the floor.
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