Chapter 16 Steps

***

On the first day of school after the school break Hanbin was on his way out of his last class that morning and there was a lightness on his steps as he had been looking forward of seeing Yunhyeong during lunch. They missed each other this morning since the older guy had an early morning class. He was almost out of the door when he heard his someone called him out. He turned around and bowed politely as his professor approached him.

“Kim Hanbin-ssi,” Professor Park sounded a little out of breath as he approached him, “Can you spare me a few minutes? I have something to discuss with you.”

Hanbin must have looked confused and a little anxious with the sudden request so his professor chuckled at him and pat his shoulder reassuringly, “It’s nothing serious. It’s actually good news so you have nothing to worry about. So?”

Even though Hanbin was still slightly skeptical, he agreed with a nod, suddenly rummaging his brain about anything his professor might have wanted to discuss with him.

“Good. Let’s take to this to the faculty room. Your coach should be there already.”

Hanbin backpedaled. “Coach?”

His professor smiled bemusedly as his expression became more perplexed but did not offer any more response. He gestured for Hanbin to follow him as he led the way.

It only took them a few minutes of walk before they arrive at the faculty room. Hanbin immediately noticed their basketball team’s coach familiar figure. Hanbin approached him with a courteous bow and greeted him politely. After all the three of them exchanged their pleasantries and had settled down, his professor went straight to business.

“You must be wondering what this is all about and why is your coach needed to be here, hmm?” Professor started amicably. He took his silence as his cue to continue. “There will be a special course and conference about Music Theory and Composition writing to be taught by famous professionals in the industry. It will be a long course starting next month until the whole summer. Our university was lucky enough to be offered for a slot on that course and we’re allowed to send a student to attend it.”

His professor paused letting everything that he said linger. He gave Hanbin a pointed look and his lips broke into a knowing smile when he saw the look of realization on Hanbin’s face.

“The student... are you saying that I’m that student?”

“Yes.”

“And it starts next month,” Hanbin repeated, almost sounding like he couldn’t believe it himself. There was a beat and his head snapped towards his coach. “But the regionals?”

Hanbin’s coach eyed him evenly like he was already expecting his reaction.

“Professor Park and I already talked about it and we know that you would probably decline given the situation,” He said, leaning to his chair. “But this is a very good and rare opportunity for you. Given that, we can have you take the course on spring break. The regionals should be done by then.”

Hanbin stared hard on his coach then back to his professor both looking at him with small smile on their lips. His mind still couldn’t process the overwhelming news to him.

“You don’t need us to say why you’re the one chosen for this. I think you already know that,” His professor said with a sound akin to pride after seeing the turmoil on Hanbin’s face. “That’s why we want you to take it.”

“But the choice is still yours to make. Please let Professor Park know about your decision.”

When Hanbin nodded, his professor turned to him and gave him the permission to leave but not after saying the last piece of information about the sudden news.

“There’s one thing you need to know. It will be held in Japan.”

***

“Hyung?” Hanbin was surprised to see Yunhyeong still at their usual table at the cafeteria. Not that his stay to the faculty was very long, it was his trip back out that took most of his time, with him clearly overthrown with the opportunity given to him.

Yunhyeong looked up to him, his face lighting up. “Hanbin, you’re here.”

“Are you waiting for me? Where are the others?” Hanbin asked, pulling out the chair next to the older guy and settling himself.

“They all got a class at one. Mine’s not until two though so, I waited for you. It’s not so fun to eat alone, no?”

Hearing those simple words from Yunhyeong was enough to put a smile on Hanbin’s face. When he thinks about it, the older guy’s presence has always been a steady rock that he could always depend on and never failed to calm his nerves. So, maybe he could talk about his dilemma to his hyung. He surely knows what Hanbin should do.

“Hyung, can we talk about something after school?”

Yunhyeong eyed him for a moment as if assessing Hanbin on the severity of whatever it is he wanted to talk about. “Sure,” he said after a brief pause not pushing the matter further.

Hanbin smiled gratefully and started to eat his lunch pushing all the thoughts about the everything that his professor told him at the back of his mind for now. They both fell into few bouts of domestic silence and small talks. It was only after Hanbin finished eating that he took notice the book that Yunhyeong has been holding.

“What are you reading?”

“This?” Yunhyeong turned the book to Hanbin for him to see. “It’s about baking.”

“You want to bake now, huh? Did Bobby-hyung finally wore you out to do it?”

“No, well okay, yeah.” Yunhyeong stammered with a chuckle. “Bobby might have to do with it, but I’ve been really wanted to learn how to bake. So, this year I’m planning to try it. You should have seen how happy he was a while ago.”

“Bobby-hyung even got you that book so you can bake for him.” Hanbin snorted and rolled his eyes, almost sounding spiteful. He was not sure why he was suddenly annoyed of the thought of Yunhyeong learning to bake for Bobby even though it was never a secret on their group on how Bobby has been begging for Yunhyeong to bake for him for a long time.

“Actually, Chanwoo’s the one that gave it to me. I mentioned it to him once. I can’t believe he’d remember and come up with this.” The fond smile on his hyung’s face only inflate his annoyance much more than the thought of Yunhyeong baking for someone else.

Why is there so many guys prowling around Yunhyeong?

“That brat again?” Hanbin scowled.

Yunhyeong only chuckled lightly at his peeved looked. “You should take his lead and try to be as thoughtful as him sometimes.”

“What? Am I not thoughtful enough to you, hyung?” The younger of the two replied indignantly. He couldn’t believe his hyung would say something like that knowing his fondness or lack thereof towards Chanwoo.

“I’m just messing with you.”

“Not funny.” Hanbin crossed his arms, glaring at a laughing Yunhyeong muttering under his breath something along the lines of, “Stupid Chanwoo, stupid book.”

***

The sky was a drab color of steel gray that it looked like it was about to rain or snow. Hanbin threw a quick glance above and silently wished for a delay to whatever might fall from the clouds. He was on his way to meet Yunhyeong and as he was rounding up to the main building, he came face to face with someone that instantly brought back the irritation he had during lunch.

Chanwoo was fiddling on his phone with a foolish grin on his face and Hanbin immediately hated the big possibility of that it migh