Talk about timing. Maybe it was bad but…

Chanyeol sighed. He had stayed behind for a few more minutes, totally gutted, as Kyungsoo went hurrying back to the dorm with Junmyeon, who sounded so panicked. He wondered in vain what could conceivably go wrong now.

The swimmer dragged his feet heavily to their room. “What the…?” He saw Kyungsoo frantically stuffing some clothes into a duffel bag. “Are you leaving? It’s not about… the kiss… is it?”

“No… Chanyeol, I need to go home.” Kyungsoo pushed past him in his haste to get his chargers and other things he would need. “It was my grandmother who called. I need to see her and Eun-soo, who got into an accident and she might be miscarrying…” He said practically in one breath, emerging from the bathroom. “I already called my mom and I have to go to bus station to catch the last trip for the night to Ilsan. It’s all going to work out because I can still get back on Thursday to submit a report the next day that I haven’t even started yet. If I don’t submit that report, I would evidently suffer the consequences… so please… I can’t deal with this right now.” Kyungsoo surveyed his closet again to see what else he would need. “I’m so stupid to have forgotten to bring my phone!”

Chanyeol felt depleted with blame. The omega sounded so defeated, so tired… “Kyungsoo… Kyungsoo, just wait…”

Kyungsoo stopped midway into closing his bag and turned to the alpha. He tried to gulp that gigantic lump in his throat as his eyes filled with fresh, instinctive tears. “God…” he whispered, “I can’t believe I don’t even have time to…” he faltered almost abruptly, catching himself.

What was he going to say next?  

He didn’t have time to, what?

Fall in love?

Kyungsoo tried to divert his gaze before his tears started to fall. He couldn’t bear to see Chanyeol looking at him like that so he quickly grabbed his bag. “I have to go.”

“Kyungsoo…”

The omega moved to the door.

“… don’t…”

The door slammed close.

“… leave me like this…” Chanyeol whispered helplessly as he plopped down on his back on the omega’s bed, closing his eyes. Even though he could hear still Kyungsoo’s running footsteps down the hall, he knew he was far gone.

Chanyeol stared at the ceiling for the longest time, forgetting that he had missed dinner, trying to sort everything out. Just where did he stand in Kyungsoo’s life? He wasn’t his boyfriend, that much he knew. Not yet, anyway. There were just… circumstances that constantly happen. It was like something uncontrollable kept sneaking up from behind them everytime he tried.

Dr. Lee recently commended him for the drastic improvement in his grades, which meant his punishment was technical over, and he received the email that week to rejoice over...

Funnily, Chanyeol wasn’t looking forward to it.

There were only four days left until Christmas vacation. After that, Chan