True Light

***

The corridors were quiet as he slowly walked towards the classroom. There was still some time left before the school’s halls were filled with students and teachers heading hastily towards all directions to make it at class in time.

Yunho was used to the calmness that surrounded the school every morning but for an entire different reason. While now he was too early for anyone else besides the janitors to be at school, usually he was just a tad bit late and everyone was in the classrooms-teachers already halfway through the lecture.

That was also why his mother, after a call by his homeroom teacher, had woke him up so early to make sure he won’t be late again. He just hoped that this wouldn’t last more than a week and that then his mother would trust him in waking up on time.

He dragged himself to the classroom, still sleepy from the sudden wake up and groggily threw his bag on his desk getting ready to lay his head on it and get some more sleep. However as he sat on the chair and faced up he was startled by another person in the room, staring at him with wide eyes and a hand on his chest probably surprised by Yunho’s entrance.

“Good morning Yeosang!” he greeted the other cheerfully, his joyful self slowly waking up.

“Good morning… Sorry I was surprised-didn’t really expect anyone to come this early… especially you” the other murmured quietly, almost inaudible and continued writing something on his notebook.

Yunho chuckled at the cute boy and apologized earning a brief nod from the other. He would swear that was a blush tinting the younger boy’s cheeks if it wasn’t so early. It was probably his brain playing games again and confusing reality with a dream.

Because Yeosang was often part of Yunho’s dreams.

***

The two boys had met in elementary school-Yunho, sociable and friendly just like now immediately trying to befriend the new kid in class. He later learned that they lived in the same neighborhood. He still sometimes spotted the younger boy playing with his drones in the nearby park.

He wasn’t sure if they could be called “friends” or just mere acquaintances. Sure they talked from time to time, Yunho actually one of the few people that Yeosang chose to speak to, but still they had never hanged out nor had long conversations like Yunho did with his friends.

Over the years Yunho realized that the smaller boy was actually really shy and more on the introverted side, having few friends and being quiet and somewhat unnoticeable by his classmates. After some tries to get close to him they decided that the boy preferred being alone than with a big group of people.

However the last couple of years Yunho started getting more and more interested in the quiet boy. He began noticing small details about him, things that he would never pay attention to if it was for someone else. Like how his milky skin matched perfectly with his soft chocolate hair, usually slightly parted in the middle giving a glimpse of his forehead. Or that unique birthmark on the left side of his face that he covered with makeup cause he didn’t like it as he had answered Yunho when he had asked about it. Even small habits of his like the way he was biting the pen’s cap when he was thinking or how he always spent the recess listening to music through his earphones slightly humming from time to time and tapping his foot to the rhythm.

It wasn’t that Yunho only noticed Yeosang due to his good looks. He had always found him quite good looking as did most of the class. But lately his peculiar personality drew the taller more and more. Many thought that Yeosang was unfriendly and cold. Of course Yunho knew that that wasn’t true. It was the opposite more like. He got really shy and bashful every time Yunho attempted to start a conversation with him. His sweet laugh when Yunho cracked a joke made the latter’s heart skip a few beats. He truly reminded Yunho of an angel-so pure and innocent, almost childlike.

You could say that Yunho had a tiny crush on the younger boy.

***

Yunho and Jongho entered the school’s cafeteria spotting immediately their groups of friends occupying the usual table beside the big windows.  They quickly made their way towards them when Yunho stopped abruptly making Jongho stumble on his back.

“What-” the younger boy begun but smirked when he followed his friend’s gaze.

“Ooooh our Yunho got it bad~”

“Yah brat I’m your Hyung! And please do speak louder; they didn’t hear you all the way across school.” The taller hissed at Jongho. He kind of regretted telling him about his crush on Yeosang. The maknae was looking for any chance to about it.

He looked back at Yeosang who had by now sat down on a small table in the corner as he usually did, his friends yet to come, ignoring Jongho’s kissy noises and nudging on his ribs.

“Go to the others, I’ll join you later” He said and made his way to the cute boy. (He’d later take care of the young boy for yelling a “Whipped” after him).

As he got closer he realized that his eyes weren’t playing games with him back when he saw the boy entering the room. They didn’t share today’s first classes so he hadn’t seen him at all till now. That’s why he only noticed now the marvelous pink locks that peaked out from the beanie that covered Yeosang’s head.

“Hello there” Yunho greeted once he reached the table, startling the other a bit who was busy playing with his phone.

“Yunho, hi… How are you?” Yeosang, polite as always, replied with his deep sweet voice. Yunho zoned out a bit when his eyes met with Yeosang’s but quickly snapped out of it.

“I’m fine but why don’t you tell me what’s this?” He replied cheekily at the other while circling his finger above his head to show the other what he was referring to. He loved the casual relationship that they had developed over the years. He would always go randomly at Yeosang and talk to him about whatever. It was a normal thing to do for Yunho. He had no problem starting a conversation with even a stranger and being his outgoing happy self. Maybe that made Yeosang open up to him more than he had with the others. Maybe he had gained his trust somehow…

“Oh you mean my hair? I just lost a stupid bet and my cousin made me dye them pink” He grumbled obviously not happy with the result. It was expected actually. Pink hair drew too much attention on someone like Yeosang who didn’t like being in the spotlight.

“I think it’s nice. You look cute” Wow where did that come from.

“Uh… Thanks I guess? But how do you know it’s nice? I didn’t take my beanie of yet”

Because anything looks good on you “Then why don’t you show me?” Yunho teased the younger boy not really expecting him to actually reveal his pink fluffy hair with a blushing face.

“Taeyong hyung, my cousin, did all the bleaching and dyeing”

“Oh, Taeyong sunbae?”

“Yes, him” Yeosang said like he holds a grudge against him. Which he probably does.

Yunho remembered Taeyong when he was still in school (he had graduated by now). He still saw him sometimes with Yeosang when they were hanging out at a local coffee shop or at the park. He always experimented with his hair and Yunho remembered when the older had them pink for a while. The two boys kind of looked alike even though they were only cousins and now siblings. Well, bless Taeyong and his pink hair dye.

When Yunho saw Yeosang’s friend, Seonghwa, approaching he bid the other goodbye and returned to his table earning a lot of teasing from his friends.

***

It was a boring day today. Yunho had still two classes left till he could finally call it a day. He was walking back to class when he stumbled upon Wooyoung. Unfortunately, this year they didn’t get to share many courses together so he only met the boy during breaks. Since they still got some time till classes started they stayed behind a bit to fool around and get lose from the stressful day. Yunho was almost out of sight when Wooyoung called him and ran after him.

“Hey Yunho! Wait!”

“What happened?”

“Kang Yeosang? He’s in your class right? And you’re friends?” He said a little breathless.

“Uhm… yeah?” So to others it looked like they were friends?

“Can you give him this assignment? It’s due to Monday and he was absent today so the teacher gave it to me to pass it to him.”

“Yeah sure, I’ll give it to him”

“Thank you! See you later!!”

***

Valentine’s Day was always hectic. Flowers and cards all over the school, heartbreaks and love confessions and