Chapter 7,

The last bell had rang fifteen minutes ago and I had waited at my desk until everyone shuffled out. Sejong being one of the last.

He waves goodbye to me seeming to be in a hurry like he usually was after school. I wanted to ask him a lot of questions but I didn't, rather I couldn't get too close to him. I couldn't touch him.

I pull the blue notebook out from my desk and stare down at it. I sit it on top of my desk and let my fingers grasp around the cover of it moving to open it.

"Taeran, let's go!" Dohwan walks up to my desk.

I pull my hand back from the notebook glancing up towards him. I almost forgot I would have to stay with him again tonight, I was so caught up in thinking of how weird Sejong was acting that I'd forgotten about my mom kicking me out of the house and my encounter with her this morning.

"We need to hurry home before my grandma gets there. That way we can fix food for you to eat without her noticing." His hand rests on my shoulder.

I nod, "Okay."

I glance back down at the notebook before sighing. I grab it slipping it back into my desk, I'd look at the notes on Monday once I was back at my place and not Dohwan's. I grab my stuff and following Dohwan back to his place.

-

Dohwan set up our separate piles of blankets again tonight. Each of them a good distance a part like last night. I took the one closest to the window again in case I needed to rush and leave in the morning, I didn't want to risk his grandma seeing me here. Tonight was less awkward than last night so I felt more comfortable and not like I had to rush to bed.

I happen to glance up just in time to see him pull off his shirt and my eyes widen. Oh wow, he looks...nice. But my eyes run across a couple of large purple bruises on the skin of his chest and shoulders.

What were those from? Had he gotten into fights with someone outside of school? He didn't seem like the type to fight unless really needed to? I zone out, which brings me to the conclusion I didn't know everything about him. How could I fall for someone when I didn't even know them all too well?

“Turn around ert.” Dohwan snorts his hands on the button of his uniform pants. I shake my head from my daze, quickly turning around and glancing down at my own uniform. If I wore this to bed it’d be uncomfortable. My mind goes back to when I stuffed my clothes from yesterday in my locker at school, I had forgotten to grab them when we left today. I was too distracted today.

“Dohwan, do you have any clothes I could borrow to sleep in?” I ask my back still facing him.

“Yes. Give me a moment.” He answers shuffling around. He places a hand on my shoulder so I turn around and he hands some articles of clothing to me.

“Your turn to turn around.” I raise an eyebrow. I notice his adam’s apple bob as he swallows.

“Of course I’m no ert like you.” He laughs. I stick my tongue out towards him once he’s turned around. He's such a tease.

After changing I got into the pile of blankets and sighed. I lie on my left side and awkwardly make eye contact with Dohwan who was lying on his right side facing me. This was way different from last night since I went to bed long before him.

I roll my eyes and turn over to my right side. I tried to push it off as I was just being sassy but in reality I just felt too giddy seeing his face before bed.

The room seemed even smaller in the dark so we were closer than I originally thought we’d be. It was awkward. I’m not sure who thought it was more awkward though.

After moments of silence my mind reels back to those bruises on his chest. Should I ask him about them?

I roll back over to face him, he was lying in the same position his eyes still open.

“Where did those bruises come from?” I speak