Jisoo blinks and looks up from his guitar. “Err, pardon?”

“I mean, like what happened yesterday.” Seungkwan’s voice is nice to listen to. “Is your stuff okay?”

“Um, yeah. Thanks.” Friendly smile, Jisoo, friendly smile.

“Oh, good. Y’know, I’m sorry about Mingyu. He’s not usually like this.”

“I understand.” He doesn’t.

“He likes to act tough to impress his friends, but he’s really just a big softie once you get to know him.”

“No, no, I get it.” He really doesn’t.

“Yeah, I knew you would.” Seungkwan claps him on the back, beaming from ear to ear. “He’s a great guy. Really great guy. You should really come and talk to us some time. I’ll make sure Mingyu doesn’t play any more tricks.”

“Yeah, of course.” No, he won’t. Not while Jeonghan and Seungcheol are there.

“Good, good. I like your guitar playing, by the way.”

“Uh, thanks. I-I like your singing.”

“Thanks!” With that, Seungkwan bounces back to the center of the music room, where the members of the music club are gathering.

Jisoo wishes he had practiced elsewhere.

Wonwoo doesn’t even look up from his book when Jisoo sits down, huffing and setting his guitar case on the ground.

“Hello, Wonwoo.”

Wonwoo grunts and turns the page. “You’re sitting here again?”

“If you don’t mind.”

“Well, if you say that-” Wonwoo sighs, snapping his book shut with one hand. “No, I don’t. Do whatever you like.”

“Well, okay.” Jisoo is a bit taken aback by Wonwoo’s behaviour, but he’s seen worse. He pulls out Volume 8 of Death Note and starts reading. He’s barely gotten to the second panel when Wonwoo speaks again.

“You’re still reading that trash?”

“Trash?” Jisoo raises an eyebrow, more than a little fed up with Wonwoo’s attitude.

“Well, I mean, you have an entire library of quality literature at your hands and you choose to read a manga?”

“I see nothing wrong with that.”

“Of course you don’t.” Wonwoo rolls his eyes, pulling a thick novel out of his bag. “Here. This is better than manga, I promise.”

Jisoo bites back a retort and takes the book. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Jisoo doesn’t really pay attention to the words at first as he skims through the long paragraphs, but as the story progresses, he finds himself slowing down and taking in every letter.

The book- A Thousand Stars Away- is about a boy and girl who overcome boundaries so that their love can be accepted by the world. The girl is from Japan and the boy is from India, and their families and friends constantly give them crap for being together.

Each chapter evokes a clear scene in Jisoo’s head, and he finds himself completely engrossed in this fictional world- so much so that Wonwoo has to tap him on the shoulder to bring him back to reality.

“Huh?”

“I said, are you enjoying it?” Wonwoo looks amused, lips upturned the slightest bit. “You seem happy.”

“I do?” Jisoo realizes that his chin is practically touching the table, and he straightens his back, coughing slightly. “Um, I am. Enjoying it, I mean.”

“Good.” Wonwoo sounds satisfied. “Well, lunch is nearly over. Just thought I’d let you know.”

“Oh.” Jisoo’s heart sinks slightly. “Can I… can I keep it for the day? Please?”

“Sure.” The younger boy shrugs. “Just make sure you return it.”

Jisoo spends his evening reading the book and ignoring his calculus homework, and by the time he’s done, he’s in a daze, reading the last page over and over again.

He doesn’t even know why he’s so obsessed with this book. Maybe he longs for the love and kindness that the two lovers share. Maybe he’s just obsessed with reading about other people finding happiness and overcoming their obstacles, while never overcoming his own.

“Jisoo, are you done your homework?”

“Wha- yeah.” Jisoo tucks the book under his school binder in one swift motion as his bedroom door swings open.

“Okay. Good night, then. Don’t stay awake too long.”

As she leaves, Jisoo sighs, taking the book out and flipping back to the first page. If he could just experience it all again.

Jisoo stays awake well past midnight, listening to the quiet murmur of the variety show his mother’s watching and the outbursts of laughing of drunk college kids outside.

His phone buzzes with a text.

jeonghannie <3: i cant wait to see you tmo lol

jeonghannie <3: wait sry that was for someon els

jeonghannie <3: sry

jeonghannie <3: hey btw sry for like mingyu and stuff

jeonghannie <3: i didnt wanna speak up in front of him

jeonghannie <3: or in front of ur mom

It’s fine.

Jisoo doesn’t exactly understand how Jeonghan can pretend that nothing ever happened. It’s like putting a flower in a closet and expecting it to be the same after two months.

jeonghannie <3: just checkin

jeonghannie <3: btw u left ur jacket here last time u were over

You can have it. I don't really care.

jeonghannie <3: dude why r u acting like this

jeonghannie <3: ur so cold now

Well, maybe because you let your friend torture me for a good five minu-

Jisoo stops mid-text and erases it. There’s no use in getting mad at Jeonghan. He won’t understand.

It’s nothing. Let's not talk about this.

jeonghannie <3: if u say so

jeonghannie <3: hey, wanna hang out tmo?

Did you send that to the wrong person, too?

jeonghannie <3: no like for real jisoo

jeonghannie <3: whats wrong with u

jeonghannie <3: what have i done to offend u this time or whatever

Jisoo doesn’t respond after that. He turns off his phone and sets it to silent.

There are eighteen new messages when he wakes up.

jeonghannie <3: i literally dont know what ur problem is

jeonghannie <3: whats wrong with u

jeonghannie <3: for the record its u who was being weird first

jeonghannie <3: like ur a senior and ur still reading manga and watchign cartoons or watever

jeonghannie <3: and u never wantd to hang out at the movies and stuff

jeonghannie <3: u just wanted to stay home

jeonghannie <3: like whatever i mean its ur choice

jeonghannie <3: but its not our fault that we stopped hanging out with u

-4:32 am-

jeonghannie <3: dude im sorry

jeonghannie <3: i was tipsy last night

jeonghannie <3: i had like a few shots

jeonghannie <3: and seungcheol wasnt around to stop me

jeonghannie <3: you know how squeamish he gets around alcohol

jeonghannie <3: i mean like not to say its a bad thing

jeonghannie <3: anyways im rlly sorry, i didnt mean to send those things

jeonghannie <3: maybe i confused you with another person

jeonghannie <3: i wouldnt ever say those things to you i swear

jeonghannie <3: can you forgive me?

Jisoo takes a while to think before he responds. He scrolls up to see the last string of text messages they sent to each other, over two months ago.

-9:41 pm- August 29, 2016

jeonghannie <3: dudeeee you and cheol are so cute in this omgggg
[2732.png attached]

Oh goshhhhhh hannie that’s so embarrassing

I swear I wasn’t trying to look so………..................................................................……………………

jeonghannie <3: cute? Cuz youre adorableee in this omg look at ur eyes u little fluffball

Hannieeeee you’re embarrassing me stopppp

Wait did you send it to Seungcheol

No Jeonghannnn now he’s sending me kissy faces grossssss

jeonghannie <3: XD

-12:29 pm- September 9, 2016

Where were you and Cheol today? Lol

I didn’t see you guys at our usual lunch table

-3:52 pm- September 9, 2016

Jeonghannnn where are you

I swear you said we would walk home together this year

It’s really cold even for autumn ;-;

Why didn’t you say hi in the hallways? Well I guess you were busy

-12:45 pm- September 10, 2016

Jeonghan? Are you ignoring me?

Jisoo cringes and scrolls back down to their latest conversation, where Jeonghan’s question is waiting patiently for an answer.

Yeah it’s all good :)

He erases it. It’s a lie.

Leave me alone.

He erases it again. As much as he’s frustrated with Jeonghan, he still doesn’t want to hurt him.

Yes, it’s fine.

He sends the message and turns off his phone.

A.N.: Quick rushed filler chapter with bad writing, just tying up some loose ends from the last chapter and setting up the next chapter. Don’t worry, the next chapter will be full of ~action~ :)