The Sidelines

      Jisoo held his Mom's hands tight as he walked into Gye-won English preschool. 

     Jisoo's eyes were swollen after throwing a fit about not wanting to go to this preschool. He had moved from England to Seoul after his Father's business failed and his entire life had downgraded. His house became the size of his previous room and he was no longer getting those fancy toys and clothes that his parents bought him regularly.

     At the time he didn't know that he was previliged because he thought everything was simply just given to him. 

He attended a rich private preschool and the next day he was here at this ordinary preschool with a million kids.

It was a brutal reality check for him at a young age. 

"I don't want to go," Jisoo growled as he stopped at the door. 

     "Stop complaining and come on!" His Mom slapped his and Jisoo started crying again. His Mom sighed and carried him inside the building, walking into the main office. Jisoo looked into the classrooms as he cried, staring at the children who stared right back at him. 

     After a few minutes of chatter, he watched as his Mom left the building and one of the teachers carried him into the classroom. 

"Girls and boys, we have a new friend in the class!" the teacher introduced Jisoo. "What's your name?"

Jisoo refused to answer and fell flat on his bum, throwing a tantrum. 

     The teacher bit her lips as she carried Jisoo and tried to calm him down. Across the teacher's shoulders, Jisoo met eyes with a small girl who stared right back at him with a contemptuous look. The teacher placed Jisoo down infront of a pile of toys and played with him for a few minutes before tending to other children. Jisoo held a piece of lego in his hands and continued crying, hoping someone would give him attention. 

"Why do you keep crying?" the girl walked up to him and stared at him. "You're ugly when you cry." 

"I'm not ugly!" Jisoo threw the lego at her face and the girl threw it back. 

"My Mom said people cry when they're scared," the girl said. "Are you scared?"

Jisoo didn't reply as he pouted his lips and stared at her silently. 

"Don't cry," she said as she sat down infront of him. "I'll be your friend so you're not scared anymore."

     That was Jisoo's first encounter of Jieun.

     Ever since that day, they were like two peas in a pod; they did everything together. They went to the same elementary school until Jieun moved away to DaeJeon during Middle School. Finally she came back after her Mother passed away, and it felt as Jisoo's life was back in piece. 

Jisoo didn't have much friends growing up; he was perfectly fine with Jieun. 

She was his best-friend and he was her best-friend.

     There was nothing that ever disrupted their relationship so when these weird people claiming to be wizards entered Jieun's house, Jisoo wasn't sure what to think or feel. He had never seen Jieun fall head-over-heels over someone like that before and he felt that it was affecting their relationship too. All of Jieun's attention was this short boy on a broomstick and that irked Jisoo.

Simply because they were just friends.

"What are you thinking about?" Baekhyun asked as he took a seat next to Jisoo. 

"Nothing," Jisoo grumbled and sighed, resting his head on the sofa. 

"That sigh doesn't sound like nothing," Baekhyun shrugged and followed Jisoo. 

"Can you like, control people's minds with that magic power youse have?" Jisoo asked, throwing a peanut into his mouth.

"I wish," Baekhyun shrugged. "But magic can't do that stuff for you." 

"Magic's no big deal," Jisoo murmured and sighed again. 

"Do you have a crush on someone?" Baekhyun asked, eyeing Jisoo.

"No," he sneered. "I quit that stuff a long time ago."

"I wish I could do that,"

"Why, you got a crush on Jieun or something?" Jisoo snorted, nudging Baekhyun.

     "Is it obvious?" Baekhyun replied, shocking Jisoo. He rose from his seat and stared at Baekhyun who laughed awkwardly and bit his lips. A weird feeling swept over Jisoo; he didn't feel so entirely pleasant.

"Wh..at?" 

     "I was really scared when I landed into this world. When I first saw Jieun, I was immediately setting boundaries because she was a human. Then she offered to help us and gave us food and helped us and it really surprised me because she wasn't really like what we were told."

"And exactly what were you told?"

"Back home they said that the moment our magic is caught we'll be exposed to the whole world and our magic society will be in danger."

"So... you just fell for her because she was nice to you?"

"I was eating and then I looked up at her face and she.. smiled at me and my heart kind of stopped," Baekhyun said with a small grin. "I didn't show it though, I was acting kind of distant because I was embarrassed. I just demanded my nametag and acted all stuck-up, but she was the first person who was so kind regardless."

Jisoo stared, silently.

     "I didn't know that I fell for her, I just thought I was entranced by kindness from a place I was scared of. But when Kyungsoo came and I saw the way she looked at him, I felt this pang of disappointment in my heart. Even then I didn't know what I was feeling. I hid my feelings damn well because anyone could see that she was head-over-heels for Kyungsoo and the way she looked at him was different to the way she looked at me." 

"I honestly had no idea," Jisoo said, shocked. "But if you like her why don't you just... go for her?" 

"I thought about that," Baekhyun shrugged. "But there's just too much variables."

"Variables?"

     "She's from this world and I'm not. When two people live in different worlds, that's usually a sign that they're not meant to be. I just feel as I was too reckless falling for someone who's from a different world."

"Is that it?"

     "Kyungsoo..." Baekhyun hesitated. "is my friend. We've been friends since we were 5. He's my best friend, you know? I just felt bad going towards Jieun when it's so obvious Jieun's in love with him and he seems to be opening up to her now. I couldn't do that to him, I'm pretty sure he'd be the same. That's why I just stayed in the sidelines, just watching."

     "You know there's no guarantee he's going to do the same for you, right?" Jisoo raised an eyebrow. The way Jisoo saw it, Kyungsoo was a backstabbing that had to get everything he wanted, even if it meant betraying his friends.

"I know Kyungsoo," Baekhyun said. "He wouldn't." 

"I think different-"

"I know Kyungsoo's always been that perfect kid that all the girls like-"

"You think you can't compete against Kyungsoo," Jisoo said as he looked into Baekhyun's wavering eyes.

"No," Baekhyun murmured.

"Yes," Jisoo said nonchalantly as he scanned Baekhyun up and down. "You think you're no match against Mr.Perfect." 

"I don't think that-"

"I'm no expert in dating but if you measure this and that, you're never going to get the girl."

"Help me Jisoo," Baekhyun sat up and looked at Jisoo. "Help me get Jieun."

"I-" Jisoo stuttered, looking at Baekhyun's desperate eyes. 

"What will I get in return for helping you?" 

"Suzy,"

"What?"

"I'll help you get closer to Suzy."

"I'm not even interested in her-"

"I saw you coming home with her the other day don't lie!"

"That's just because she was-"

"So you'll help me right?"

"S...ure," Jisoo replied unwillingly.

     Baekhyun smiled and walked off, leaving Jisoo lost for words. Jisoo was hit with so much information he wasn't sure what to think, but there was this weird feeling at the bottom of his heart, a feeling that he didn't like.

---

     "Good Morning," Baekhyun stared into Jisoo's face as he woke up, startling him.

"Holy -" Jisoo jumped from his couch and pushed Baekhyun away with his finger. 

"Did you sleep well?" Baekhyun asked with a creepy smile.

"What do you want..?" Jisoo raised an eyebrow. 

"Nothing," he smiled. "Friends wake each other up right?"

"Right," Jisoo grit his teeth and escaped from Baekhyun's view, rushing into the bathroom. "What's his problem?" 

     After washing, Jisoo opened the door and screamed to see Baekhyun standing at the door with a plate of toast in his hands. Jisoo sighed in annoyance and walked past him, pissed off.

"I made some breakfast for you," Baekhyun said and gave Jisoo the burnt toast. 

"I'm not eating that piece of ash," Jisoo placed the toast down and grabbed a bottle of water, gulping it down one shot.

"Should I make you some omelette then? Or do you like pudding-"

"Jesus Baekhyun," Jisoo grit his teeth. "I'll help you with Jieun alright? Don't follow me around like a five year old-"

"Help with what?" Jieun appeared from nowhere, tying her necktie. "I heard my name."

"Good morning," Baekhyun smiled, his eyes glued to Jieun.

"Morning Baekhyun," she smiled back, taking Jisoo's waterbottle and finishing it.

    Baekhyun watched as Kyungsoo walked out of his room and shoved Jisoo, taking a waterbottle out of the fridge. Jieun watched him with a shy smile as he rubbed his eyes and looked at everyone.

"Why is everyone crowded in the kitchen?" 

     "It's hectic in here right?" Jieun chuckled and pushed Jisoo and Baekhyun behind the kitchen counter. Baekhyun bit his lips as Jieun smiled for Kyungsoo, taking his empty water bottle and trailing behind him like a little duck. 

"It's raining a lot today," Kyungsoo said as he looked out the window. "I can get you from school today too, if you want."

"Really?"

"Sure," Kyungsoo grinned faintly and pat Jieun's head, glaring at Jisoo before walking back into the room. 

     Baekhyun and Jisoo stared at Jieun as she smiled in happiness. 

"Your mouth is going to rip," Jisoo poked at Jieun's smile with his fingers and messed up her bangs. 

"Hey!" Jieun pushed Jisoo. 

      "I'll see you later Baekhyun," she smiled and grabbed her backpack, walking out the door. Baekhyun forced a smile and watched as Jieun walked out of the door, completely clueless of his feelings.

Later that day

     The sun was almost down and the rain was pouring outside.

     Kyungsoo got dressed Jisoo's windbreakers and got his shoes on, looking around the foyer for the umbrella. He was sure he left it near the cabinet but it was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Suzy!" Kyungsoo called.

"What?"

"Have you seen the umbrella?" 

"Baekhyun walked out with it a few minutes ago." 

"Baekhyun?" Kyungsoo asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, said he needed to go see someone." Suzy said and slammed the door behind her.

     Kyungsoo sighed and pulled the hood over his head, running in the wind. He wasn't sure who it was Baekhyun had to go see, like he had anyone to see in this world. But if he didn't go Jieun would probably be waiting for him in the rain. Kyungsoo ran into a convenience store and bought a black umbrella, opening it as he slowly walked towards Jieun's school. 

     Jieun stood under the building shade, watching as students went home with their umbrellas. 

Jieun looked at her watch, shuddering in the cold. 

Kyungsoo was a little bit late, but she was willing to wait. 

     She couldn't believe what was happening to her; the boy of her dreams was coming to collect her in the rainy evening. If it wasn't for him, she would probably be running in the rain with her entire body soaked.

     Jieun smiled as a yellow umbrella walked into the school premises. She couldn't see his face because the umbrella was covering it, but her heart started to palpitate as he walked closer and closer to her. 

It was the exact umbrella that Kyungsoo used last time he came to get her.

     Jieun smiled as the figure folded the umbrella and walked towards her up the steps.

    Jieun's smile faded a little as Jieun stared at the unexpected figure walking up to her.

"Baekhyun..?"

     Baekhyun has finally entered the chat :D