2. One in particular

The day after I discovered two new things: he could speak and Lay's idea of asking him if the wrist hurt had already been used by the girls in the class. Strangely the room was noisy as I arrived but, after seeing the teacher's desk empty, I understood the fuss: the woman was late and the students were using time to chat.

I was sharping slowly and precisely my pencils when I heard girls voices from the middle of the room; without looking, I tried to listen at them.

"It hurts?".

"It looks painful!".

My body was shaked by the slightly low pitch of voice that answered with a simple 'no'; I stopped moving and tended to the voice, keeping my gaze on the blank paper before me.

"How did you do it?".

"Uhm.. during a lesson".

My eyes widened at the realization he had a lisp, making some of his 's' sounding like a 'th' but, I found it attractive and even just right in his calm and slow way of talking: it fitted well with his body, with the quiet image I had puzzled in my mind. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't a total jerk. I lifted my gaze unconsciously to the group of people at the center of the room but, gladly, the three girls around him, blocked my sight. I could see only his legs, still covered by a pair of dark grey bangy sweat pants. His weight shifted from a foot to the other, he seemed uncomfortable but I couldn't look up to confirm it on his face.

"I have to change, excuse me". Concluded him and I could image the girls being disappointed in his blunty zero interest in them. Lost in my thoughts of him being even a nice person, I jumped surprised as I heard some steps nearing; out of stupidity I let my pencil fell to the floor, immediately turning to reach for it cursing slightly, praying for the lead to be still entire; I follow the pencil's trail 'til a pair of grey and used-at-their-limit All Star; how come I remembered them?

Realization hit me when a slim and bony hand reached out for my pencil and stretched it to me.

"It's yours?".

I couldn't tore my eyes from his slim fingers around my pencil, I wanted so much to photograph it, having another piece of him for my wall.

"Thanks". I mumbled both ashamed and needy to have a contact with that skin: our hands didn't came in touch though, I hastly took the pencil and bowed slightly, returning to my easel without other words.

Why, for the entire lesson, I was that distracted and nervous was a mistery. Probably, finding out that even his voice was perfect, even with that little flaw, was making me wander how his face was, how his eyes would look at me. I had tried to image it but my mind couldn't fill the gaps, I just knew that he had light brown hair, slightly messy and a long neck with pale, smooth skin.

◊

"So, how's him?". How come Lay's first question as soon as he saw me after lesson, was about him? I stumbled, my iPod falling out of my hands, luckily the leather cover was protecting it. After brushing away some dust from the cover, I glanced at Lay with a small smile.

"We talked".

Lay's eyes almost popped out of his head as he patted my shoulder satisfied and curious : "Really!?! What about? You asked his name?".

I stopped walking realizing than even today I hadn't grasped his name but it didn't really matter.

"No, he gave me my pencil". And I had used it all the lesson, shifting it in my fingers, asking myself why it didn't fit my hands in the same marvelous way as in his. It was unfair, I had stared at the pencil in my hands but it didn't looked as right as in his.

As we reached the subway Lay nudged me again, pulling to my shirt with curious eyes. "And?".

"I said thanks". As I rummaged in my bag for my camera, I sensed him sighing loudly.

"That's not what is called a conversation Lu".

I ignored him and took some macro of the damp drops outide the glass behind me, they created a natural pattern that was interesting; luckily, Lay just stopped bothering me for the rest of the travel after muttering in Chinese something like 'already in his world'. I ended up following Lay and Xiumin, whom caught up with us to the center, in various shops.

"I need something for the party!" announced Xiumin, looking at the rack full of skinny pants in front of us; I had already lost the count of the shops we had entered but that one looked more fancy than previous ones.

I usually chose clothes for their confortability or for how I feel the fabric on my skin and, mostly in light and natural colors. I like wearing colors such as brown, grey or dark green so, my brow furrowed as Xiumin came out from the changing room with a fancy pair of silver pants on.

"They're.. flashy". It was all I could say. He looked at me pouting a bit and crossing his arms.

"It's a club! And I am single from too much time for sure, with these at least I'll attract attention".

I was answering when my mind registered his words: club? I glared at Lay, he had said it wasn't one! He noticed my glare and smirked apologizing.

"You need something too Lu?".

"I'm going to dress normally". My wish of going was dropped down from a 50% to a poor 10% by then.

"There is selection at the entry".

My eyes widened, he always say I dress pretty good, what was the problem now? I sighed loudly seating down on the near armchair with a clearly hopeless expression on my face.

"Just a shirt will do..". Suggested Lay smiling at me knowing well my mood and avoiding my glare.

◊

Classes were inexorably long that day, boring topic, boring explanations, boring persons. I had even forgot I had an exam in history class, just before the usual draw class.

The sun warmed my neck as I reviewed my notes seated on a bench in the intern garden of the school; some tall trees gave enough shadow to the students that wanted it but I choose the most sunlit bench, crossing my legs under the book, reading slowly my notes while eating distractedly an apple. Soon, I was tired of the subject and, even if I knew I should have read it another time, I closed my eyes and rested my head backward, on the bench, bathing in the spring sun.

While my iPod shuffled casually in a playlist with Nell and Mates, I lost perception of time, mumbling the lyrics softly, listening to each keys of piano.

Luckily, the bell rang in the middle of two songs, my ears reaching its sound briefly: I was late. Leaving in a rush, I threw my stuff into the bag without much care and ran to class. Just after the test, searching for my iPod, I noticed that my leather case wasn't in the bag. I groaned sadly, I loved that case, the leather was printed as wood, it was the last one of an old model that I had also paid a lot. I ran to search for it on the bench from before but, it was nowhere in sight. Plus, I also had to rush to draw lesson.

I walked to my usual position, few people entering with me, room still quiet. Surely, I hadn't expected to find my iPod case on my usual stool, like waiting for me. Looking around, I searched for who could had possibly put it there but I didn't find an answer. The only girl I knew pretty well was with me in history's class so she couldn't the had time to go search for it.

"Hi".

Startled, my body stiffened at the voice that was more familiar that it should have been to me; He shifted past my easel, my eyes forcibly stuck on the paper in front of me: I was scared of looking at his eyes, his face. I didn't wanted to crack the perfect image in my mind. I mumbled a 'Good morning' not even aware it was past 12 AM and rushed at the rubbish to sharpen my already sharp pencil.

"Luhan-sshi?".

I turned my head up as someone called my name, the teacher was smiling at me, from the desk. I approached the table nodding to her.

"I heard you're searching for a part-time job".

"Ah yes". Nodding automatically, I didn't even ask myself how she knew it.

"Come to me after lesson, one acquatance of mine is searching someone for a Lomography shop".

My eyes widened at the name of the shop: Lomography! I loved their cameras, I had three of them, one was a Diana F+, a vintage model I used rarely as I was scared of ruining it. Smiling brightly, I nodded my head, for the first time glad she was my teacher: "Sure! Thank you!".

"Lay!! I've got a new work!". Lay stared at me surprised, I had waited for him in front of his class, smiling widely, to share the news. "A Lomography store! You know, the amazing old school cameras?!?".

No, he didn't knew but he was happy seeing me so excited about something so real. I punched him jokingly while we started walking; We chatted for the remaining time til my flat.

"Classes?" asked then Lay, making me sigh as I knew what he was asking. I thought back at lesson, I had been strangely pleased that he had greeted me and, staring at the blank paper, I had realized that I wanted to draw something new. I had gulped down at how near his face was to my focus: his chest, his collar bone, his neck. He has a mole on his neck, near his Adam's apple. I had draw that single particular countless time.

Snapping back to reality, I scoffed looking at Lay: "Why you're so fixated on him?".

One brow arched in my best friend face, followed by realization and then laughs: "I asked you about classes Lu, it's you that are talking about him. I thought you had a test today".

I blushed looking away: "Oh. Yeah, that. It was ok". I hadn't even spared a single thought on other lessons.

Lay kept laughing mocking me. "What did you draw today?".

Pouting I mumbled the answer without looking at him: "Chest, neck.. He has a mole.. I like moles".

We were in from of my apartment's door by then and Lay was still laughing like an idiot. I stopped to search for the keys.

"You sound like an old ert!".

"Shut up! I'm not ert".

"Sure". The door closed soundly behind him as I left my bag on the small couch before taking a bottle of fresh water from the fridge. Lay yelling a 'OH MY GOD!' though, made me almost choke.

"What?!!?".

He run to me bouncing like a kid, phone in one hand, toothy smile wide.

"You know the club we're going for Chen's birthday tomorrow?!". I nodded grimacing: How could I had forgotten? "Kai is going to be there too! There is something like a dance battle and Kai and his crew is going to be there!".

I took some moments to understand what was he saying and then, a memory flashed in my mind: "Isn't he 18? Is it even legal?".

Obtaining a glare from him, I chuckled and stopped talking.

"I'm going to see him!!!!!"

"Aren't you two in the same course?".

I slid out of my jacket fastly, searching for our cups and preparing some ice tea.

"This is different!".

I stared down to the ice melting in the cups: was I ever been that attracted by anyone? I looked at Lay, he was fervishily writing on his phone, probably answering Kai's text.

"You like him right?".

The puzzled expression on his face made me laugh.

"Of course! He's just.. GOD! You should see his body! I bet he is big even ..".

My hands stormed to his mouth to stop him saying more detailed things I surely didn't wanted to know.

"Stop right there. I don't want to know more!".

Sticking his tongue out, Lay my hand making me jerk back: "Ehww!".

"I'll see him later at the dance practice, I'll ask him about tomorrow night!".

I nodded chuckling while pushing his tea to him; I was happy to see Lay like this.. It hadn't happened for awhile. He tends to be easily fooled by people, throwing himself into crush totally, blindly. I just hoped that the famous Kai wasn't a total idiot but actually a good person.

◊

The huge grin on Lay's face that Friday worried me a bit as I walked slowly to him and Xiumin waiting for me at the door of my apartment, I was a bit late thanks to the rain that had decided to pour like crazy the exact moment I was going out of my draw class. Plus, I wouldn't have lost my train if a certain someone hadn't run til his bus stop, head covered in a blue baseball cap, grey all star completely wet and backpack swinging onto one shoulder: I had to take a photo. Had to. And it soon was clipped beside the other photos of him on my wall.

"Are you stalking that guy?". Xiumin laughed looking at me strangely as I alined the newest one to the other photos.

Lay, smiling even wider, patted my shoulder without muttering a word.

"What's wrong with you today?". I asked still confused by his strange behaviour; I wasn't really sure that I wanted to know though. Xiumin's comment too, had bugged me so I just pushed them from my way and went to put some water on the stove.

"Lu, you know you should actually eat sometimes? All I see you doing is tea!". Xiumin scolded me before reaching for a plastic box into his backpack, shoving it into my rarely used microwave and pressing unknown buttons. A familiar smell filled up my kitchen: Dumplings. I smiled and hugged my precious friend happily: dumplings were actually one of the few food I really liked, in their simplicity and cute rounded shape. They remember me my younger day, when everything was way more simpler, natural.

"Lu, have you decided how to dress tonight?".

My eyes shifted on Lay as I munched on the first dumpling, cursing a bit for the hot temperature of the meat inside; still with my mouth full, I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't really cared, I knew that they were going to prepare at my place so, I was sure that they would had choose for me anyways.

"You have to be all dressed up tonight!".

My perplexed gaze shifted again on him: "Wae?". It wasn't like the people that were going to attend didn't know me or my usual clothing.

"You don't know who you could meet!".

I sighed and shook my head, surely he wasn't being his normal self but, probably, I knew why: "Are you like this because Kai is going too?".

The wide smile on Lay's face became even bigger as he simple nodded.

"I want you to know him!", he paused biting down on a dumpling, smiling with his mouth full before continuing: "..and his friend! I bet you'll find them interesting, one in particular.".

I shrugged nodding but, before I could answer, Xiumin complained pouting: "I'm not included?!".

Lay laughed patting his shoulder and nodding: "Sure! Sorry Minnnn!".

I sighed and stood up to clean the empty plate, leaving those two at their bickering while drinking slowly my tea. As the warm drink filled me up, my eyes returned at the wall behind my bed and on the photos.

Was I really being obsessed?

No, he was just my source of inspiration. Just like other past painter.. I wasn't different from them. It wasn't nothing more.

◊

Chen had invited half of the cinese people living in Korea plus, half of Korea's population: we had seen him for about three minute, the time to congratulate and give him the present, and then he had disappeared in the crowd. The party was on the second floor of the noisy club, in a private space with little couch and tables; on the first floor, open to the public, there was a battle of dance crews and tons of people were dancing and chatting while waiting for it to start.

Lay was scanning the crowd to find Kai, complaining about the millions of people and keeping me on the balcony's border to look down. It was partially interesting though, observing those strangers, looking at how they interacted with each others, guessing who they were. He interrupted my little personal game clenching a hand on my forearm, smiling widely.

"I think I saw him!".

He pointed to the lateral part of the crowd, it looked like a separated area and we guessed it was reserved for those whose battled in the contest; the people there were divided in small groups.

"They're the team with black mask on the mouth! Can you see? They're six".

I focused on a group of black dressed guys, each one of them wearing a leather black mask on their mouth. One of them, whom I supposed was Kai, looked to our direction and waved an arm in the air; Lay gasped and, laughing, waved to him while pinching my side.

"Yes! It's him! Gosh, he looks sooooo good in black!".

I laughed stopping his fingers to tear off skin from my side and looked again towards the group; I could see Kai smiling behind his mask which was moving slightly, he seemed like talking so, my eyes shifted on the guy beside him, the boy was the tallest in their crew and the messily styled hair and the black mask almost covered his face entirely. I was still staring at him when his eyes shifted on me; my gaze diverted instantly, focusing on Lay while I mumbled embarrassed of being found out staring.

Instants later, the loud music shaded briefly becoming lower and a voice announced that the battle was going to start soon; the crowd rejoiced and moved out of the central stage, staff people putting dividers around the central squared area.

"Ah! They're lining up! They're fourth I think..". Nudging my arm, Lay motioned down, at the contest's members area; I looked down and spotted the masked group near the end of the line, some of them stretching arms and legs. My eyes though, landed again on the tall guy and I flushed red as I noticed that he was still staring at me, eyes half hidden by the messy hair. A strange feeling made me uncomfortable, not being able to ignore his stare, not understanding why he would be staring at me all the time, questioning myself if I was just paranoing.

"I'm going to take something to drink..". Before Lay could stop me, yelling that it was already started, I walked swiftly away from the balcony, taking a small breath. I slowly went through the chaos to use the bathroom and, after almost 30 minutes of waiting, I managed to do my business and wash my hands. The way to the beverage's table took me less and, soon, I returned to Lay, careful of not dropping our glasses of coke.

"Where were you!" he eyed me taking one of the glass and pointing down, "It's their turn!".

Their dance routine started with only Kai in the middle, legs moving fastly in a convulted steps session until the tall guy jumped beside him taking instantly the same pace, performing the same movements like in a mirror. They were amazingly synchronized with each others but I couldn't divert my eyes from the tall guy's slim figure.

The other four joined them and the all group started to dance like a unique corp, switching position of each others, moving like a wave of black limbs. Surely Kai was the leader of the group as he headed them all imposing the rhythm but, my eyes were still on the guy from before; In his flawless movements and sharp steps his body hypnotized me and, absurdly, during the whole dance, he kept glancing at me.

He wasn't messing even a step and, keeping his eyes locked in mine, prevented me to avert my gaze.

A loud cheer followed their performance, snapping me out of the trance, making me realize what I was doing and die in embarrassment: it wasn't like me at all.

"Oh my GOD! they were sooo good!".

I nodded, smiling at Lay and finally taking a sip from my untouched coke while listening to his rambles on how good Kai had been.

"Let's go down!".

My eyes widened at his words: "Why?!". He wanted to go there?! After I had stared at a stranger for about a hour, he wanted me to go down there?! I mumbled some excuses to stop him but he wasn't listening.

"C'on! I want you to know Kai! Xiumin has disappeared ages ago with that round eyed guy!".

Lay's happy smile made me surrender and I sheepishly followed him to the stairs. While I was trying to walk through the mass of sweaty and flashy people, an unmasked Kai waved at Lay walking to us; my polite smile froze on my mouth as I noticed another figure following him and, Oh my god , it was the guy from before.

I shifted uncomfortable on my feet before moving again ahead, reaching Lay's side; he was praising their performance with a warm smile on his mouth but, as I arrived, Lay introduced me. Kai, smiling after gulping down some water, bowed his head briefly: "Nice to meet you, I heard a lot about you! I'm Kai".

I bowed slightly, smiling awkward at his words: "Nice to meet you too. Cool performance".

He smiled widely and pulled the tall guy in front of him, an arm folded to the taller's one: "Thanks! And, he is Sehun!".

My eyes shifted on the tall guy, on Sehun, and he was bowing briefly.

I bowed slightly too, cheek flushing a bit red, words leaving my mouth slowly: "Ah.. Nice to meet..".

My voice died as my eyes focused on him, he was taking off the mask covering his mouth. A finger sliding it slowly off the ear, the hand taking the leather fabric.

It couldn't be. Those hands.

"Nice to meet you".

Startled, I recognized the voice and my mouth fell open, realization hitting me dead on, a soft gasp escaping my lips. He smiled at me softly, eyes studying my expression without talking.

I could barely heard Lay laughing while my lungs started functioning again, stuttering.

...................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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