"Your second semester is approaching soon," Their teacher points out one day as if she had just realized it but the students knew its a rather impending announcement. The weather is calm and soothing but his heart is not. He already knew where this is leading. "And you will have the whole semester to do your year-end project with a partner."

Groans and excitement filled up the class with the mention of a partner. "I'll let you choose to make sure you're comfortable just promise that there will be no conflicts nor delays in your deadlines." 

His classmates immediately partnered themselves with one another, he looked around him to see if there will be still someone available only to see almost everyone with a partner already. He signs, if he has to do it on his own then so be it.

He is used to being treated like an outcast afterall.

"Hey."

He flinched from the deep voice and found a rather intimidating male sitting beside him with a faint smile on his lips as he laid out a hand in front of him. He's pretty charming just like how a social butterfly seems to be with an aura of warmth that a lot of people seems to like and find comfort. 

Unfortunately, he's not one of them.

Looking at his hand again, he realized he's aiming for a hand shake. However, he pretended to not notice the hand in front of him much to the other's chagrin "What are you doing here?"

"Uh.." He grinned "I saw you sitting alone so I approached you. I like meeting new people, you see. What's your name?"

He looked at him trying to make him see that he's not interested in saying his name especially with meeting new people like he do.

"Okay I see that you're still shy. I'm Chanyeol." He chuckled seemingly amused, he was not. He suddenly felt him stare at him intensely as if the friendly aura surrounding him didn't exist a few minutes ago.

"Well hello to you too, Baekhyun." 

He gave him a small smile as he furrowed his eyebrows, thinking that he is his classmate so it's just normal that he knew his name but why did he have to ask if he does is what baffled him especially when he said it with such intensity "I'm not playing your games."

"But you're my partner."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You're my partner." He grinned. He glared at him and just like a few minutes ago, his friendly aura is back again as he leans to him and whispers, "I'm really looking forward to doing the project with you. Partner."

He went back to his seat leaving him questioning what just happened.

🍀

Kris Wu ; the varsity captain, the student council president, a topnotcher and the art club vice president. He's like the best package deal one could offer and the product of everyone's desire where only the best and most fitting could lay its hands to claim. 

He started having a little crush in the said guy back when he's a freshman and the captain was still a sophomore. Now that he's a junior and he's a senior graduating in few months, he took a brave step of watching the captain without hiding anymore.

He wants to watch him play clearly before he leaves so he did once during his first month as a junior in the university.

Baekhyun watches him play as he does almost everyday, exactly since two years ago he met him in that winter. The only difference is he's not hiding anymore.

Fixing his glasses and attempting to fix his already crumpled shirt. He continued to stare at the guy who successfully landed another point against the other team. He wants to cheer for him but he decided to stay silent as he knew his presence is enough disturbance already to the people around him.

An outcast, he can already feel the odd stares from the other students. People assumed he got this place as his new spot or as what the rumor said - there's no way that someone like him will get interested in one of the varsity players.

if only they knew.

Baekhyun looked at him again, heart flattering to the way he laughed with his team. To Baekhyun, Kris was like a light to his life. He never knew he would feel like this to someone he barely even knew but here he is admiring him for the past 2 years.

But seeing the strange glances thrown at him and the large anount of people already filling the gymnasium due to the championship being so near, Baekhyun knew he has to go.

And with one last glance, he did.

🍀

It's so dark. Almost like a cage-like hell awaits him once he sees a light. Pain, trembling fingers trying to put together what's happening as he breathelessly whimpers in defeat.

But how the scene unfolds is so clear to him because no matter what he do, it always haunts him in his dreams.

Gasping and clutching at the wound in his chest, he fought his way to see the image taking place in front of him but he can only see a blurry picture as he falls to the ground.

There he felt two arms hugging him, he remembers the sensation and the connection he felt to the male grasping him in place. He can feel his sorrow, pain and misery.

Who are you?

Are you really him?

He woke up confused and breatheless.

Another nightmare.

He doesn't understand why he kept on dreaming the same thing over and over again eversince he turned 16. The same dream of him dying and someone hugging him tightly as if he also died with him that time.

All that he remembers is that he felt the same connection with Kris. Almost as if something is pulling him to him without his control and just like the other days, he continued to think about it even that he knew he'll never come up with any answers at the end.

He looked up from the comforts of his bed to his sleeping roommate, Do Kyungsoo. It was a relief that his roommate sleeps like a dead log so he doesn't notice his gasps and little whimpers as gets the same nightmares every night. He felt a little envious of how he could get sleep without any troubles of something so haunting occuring in his dreams. 

He looked at the digital clock residing besides his bed. It's already 1:46 a.m and if Baekhyun could went back to his slumber right now, he can have 5 hours of sleep. 

Except once he tries to close his eyes the nightmare still in his mind, He accidently touched something besides his pillow and that's when he realized something is there.

Focusing on what might it be, he noticed that its green color is illuminating in the dark room making it rather noticeable, he questions as to why he just noticed it now.

Squinting his eyes and staring at the foreign object, he finally realized it is an emerald that is next to him.

He felt more awake than before.

The image of the nightmare vanishing replaced by the mysterious flower instead.

Another restless night.