StarryNight

"So how was your basketball date yesterday afternoon?" Lay asked their towering handsome as the four of them makes their way to the classroom for their morning subject. Seriously the three of them asked the question for the nth time but Duizhang decided to not spill a detail of what just happened to the both of them.

Hence, the most precious moment for him was when she hugged him happily. 'Sorry guys, I love you three, but as much as I want it to share to you I know you're going to tease us big time and I don't want to ruin our closeness right now. I know I am too slow compared to the three of you...but I want things to be sure and make it step-by-step. She's really different and she's too precious for me.' he thought as he silently kept his mouth shut as the four of them walked their way into the classroom.

Seohyun was sitting upright on her seat, reading her self-improvement book when the four of them came.

"Your princess is here." Luhan whispered as he literally tiptoed to reach their towering handsome's ear. "Go now." the three of them literally pushed their Duizhang really hard that he lost his balanced and his chin hard on the belle's desk.

Seohyun went all jumpy as she saw how hard Kris landed his chin on her desk.

"Ouch!" he irked hard, that he could not even move properly in pain.

"K-Kris" Seohyun carelessly dropped down the book she was reading and held the latter's face.

"Sorry Kris-gege." the baby panda apologized but was pulled back by his two geges.

"We made him a favor you see Tao?" Luhan whispered to their youngest ear.

"And it serves him right; he doesn't even share a story to us." Lay seconded.

Being the most concerned about their Duizhang, Tao cannot help but to sigh. As much as he wanted to help his Kris-gege with his Seohyun-jiejie it became his nature to worry about Kris like Kris always worries for him. "Kris-gege...I hope you can bear all the pain we caused and we will cause you in the future just for you to get closer with Seohyun-jiejie." he mumbled to himself as he looked how Kris was irking in pain. But he couldn't do anything but to say sorry since the two wanted him to make a move early in the morning. 

"It must have hurt a lot." she was still holding his face and was checking on his chin for bruise or damage.

"Ouch!" he irked in pain as the latter touched his chin lightly.

"Sorry, Kris." she anxiously apologized and helped the latter to sit on his seat.

"I-it's okay Seohyun." he assured the latter though his chin really hurts as hell."...I can manage."

But suddenly, tinged of blood came out from one side of his mouth.

"Kris, you're bleeding...you must've bitten your tongue." she grew more worried towards the latter. So she held his face and leaned closer to check if he really bit his tongue due to his 'accidental' fall.

He still feel pain, it was really painful and he still felt that if he move his jaw a little wrong it would literally fell off of him and his tongue just wanted to stay numb as he tasted the mix of his saliva and own blood, yet he could not feel any happier seeing the girl he likes so much was actually worrying and taking care of her that moment. 'God, she's not just a face. She's really kind and very caring, I'm certain now she's the one I wanted to be with after college.'

"I think you I should bring you to the clinic." she held his arm, stood up and dragged the out of the classroom and even shoved off the three who were just watching their Duizhang.

And so, the trio high-five each other for a well done job.

"See that Tao? We just made a big favor on behalf of your Kris-gege." Lay pointed to the direction of the two who just went out.

"But that's quite harsh Lay-gege. He even bled." Tao reasoned out obviously anxious towards his favorite gege.

"You see Seohyun's face Huang Zi Tao? She's really worried towards Kris...she did not even notice us!" Luhan defended their side.

----------

As the two walked pass the hallway of the school, people kept looking at how Seohyun held Duizhang's arm, like a worried girl friend. Well she's really his 'girl-friend' with a hyphen on the title.

Even Hyunah and her group saw the scene, but she really did not mind and just walked pass them.

"She's really a flirt acting like she's Kris girl...Kris is mine, she'll see." Hyunah hissed furiously as she and her group watched Seohyun and Kris fade away from their sight.

"You stay here okay?" she anxiously reminded Kris as they sat down on the hospital bed.

"Thanks Seohyun." he attempted to smile despite the pain he was experiencing on his jaw and tongue.

The school nurse then arrived with a bottle of cold water, ice pack and pain reliever tablet. "Gargle this water for about a minute so the bleeding of your tongue will stop, then drink this pain reliever and press this ice pack on your chin Kris, it's advisable that you skip your first class now." she reminded as she turned back to the two and opened the convertible door of the clinic cubicle where they were in. But the school nurse slid her head and remarked, "Kris, your girlfriend is really pretty and kind. Good taste!

The two of them got stiffened with the nurse’s remark.

Kris could not look at the latter who was sitting next to him. ‘Girlfriend, do I really look good with her if I become his boy friend?’ he asked himself. He was happy for hearing such complement, but as he look at the girl who got frozen and silent beside her, his happiness immediately blended with worry, he does not want her to feel uneasy with him, that’s the thing he is avoiding since it’s best to stay where he is right now – a secret admirer who chooses to become a friend to the girl of his dreams.

“About that, I’m sorry…you know people these days, malicious minded.” He apologized, trying to lighten up the tension between them.

“It’s okay Kris.” She smiled awkwardly to the latter. “I don’t really mind their teasing.”

 “G-Good.” Good thing that Seohyun’s mature enough when it comes to facing people who often teases, though he knows that she never had a boy friend before. But at the same time it made him feel disappointed, of course, though he feels awkward being teased with her a part of him really likes it.

“I think I better go now.” Seohyun stiffly stood up. “It’s already class, catch you later.” She then sprinted without even looking at the latter.

Kris got dumb-founded being left alone by her; his worry seemed to grow even more after seeing how awkward the girl of his dreams just sprinted away from him.

As she dashed her way to their classroom, Hyunah’s group cornered her again. She tried to shove them; she was really late for their first class.

“I’m sorry, but I’m really going to be late for our Anatomy class.” She tried to make her way in between Hyunah and her other mob member

“Not so fast FLIRT.” Hyunah mocked her as she pushed her shoulder hard.

Seohyun heaved a sigh of annoyance, “Look, I am really late.”

“So if you’re late?” the latter gave her an indolent look. “You took time flirting with my Kris early this morning.”

For her, it’s really understandable that people might get a perception that she’s Kris’ girlfriend, but it’s unbearable to be dubbed as FLIRT by a possessive fan-club president who overly fancy him. She spoke, “Look, I’m really close with Kris maybe because we have too much similarities, but please don’t accuse me like that because it’s really starting to annoy me.”

“Do I even care if I annoy you?”

“I know you don’t. So will you please excuse me?” she attempted to escape them again.

Hyunah's temper has really gotten to its peak due to Seohyun's brave attitude, she's may look frail and seem not the type to fight but she really knows where and when to defend herself, her hands flew hard on the beautiful lady's face. "!"

The slap was hard; that she could not immediately looked at the latter. The pain lingered on her face, that the side of her lip was cut. As much as she wanted to fight back, she thought of how lowly it would be if she's going to stoop down on the latter's tactless level.

"I think you did what you want." she wiped the blood off of her lip with her finger. "Please let me go to my class now."

This time, the mob girls let her escape buy before she could really even walk away from them Hyunah threatened her, "Get away from Kris if you don't want to get something worse than that."

As she walked her way to the classroom, her persistence to stay on Kris' side and the fear that her threats might even get worse if she would still be courageous to stand up for her closeness to duizhang battled inside her mind. She does not want to distant herself to the person who welcomed her wholeheartedly the moment she stepped her foot into Qingdao University, the silliest yet the gentlest towering handsome she ever met in her life, but her life might be put at stake if she's going to keep hanging out with him. So she decided,’ I think I should set barriers with Kris now.'

She shyly entered the door of the classroom as she tried to cover her swollen cheek and bruised lip with her hand. She then spoke to the professor, “I – I’m sorry Ms. Song, I just brought Kris in the clinic.”

“You go to your seat now Ms. Seo.” The professor instructed giving her a puzzled look why she was covering her face. “…but what happened to you Ms. Seo?”

She denied not looking to their professor, “It’s nothing Ms. Song. Really….I’d be heading now thank you, Ma’am.” She then headed her way to her seat with her head low.

Even if she tried to cover up her face, Luhan, Lay and Tao have keen eyes that they knew something bad has happened to the belle.

“Look Lulu, seems that Seo’s cheek is swollen.”  Lay whispered not diverting his gaze from Seohyun.

“I’m seeing it; you don’t really have to tell me.” He hissed to the latter.” The redness is really obvious I could really see it even at this distant. Who could possibly do that to her?”

Tao who was sitting behind Seohyun and Kris’ seat wrote a note and showed it to his two gege, ‘Seo-jie’s face seemed got a slap. Her lip was even bruised; I’m seeing it clearly here.’

“We better tell this to Duizhang as soon as he gets back here.” the unicorn-boy anxious uttered to the deer-eyed guy beside him. “I think I know the person who did this to her.”

Luhan immediately perceived who was the latter talking about, “Hyunah, I think Kris won’t let her pass this time. She’s really getting overboard… even I would lay a hand on a girl for the first time if I were Kris.”

Even the two of them felt enraged seeing the belle being hurt by other people, though Kris lost time with them because of her, she is still the most precious girl for their beloved Duizhang. Hence, she’s precious for the three of them as well.

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Kris attended the second subject, but Seohyun has not approached nor uttered a word to her. She was even covering her face and kept her head low for several hours for him not see her face. Lunch came but the latter kept avoiding him.

‘I guess she really took the nurse’s tease seriously.’ He thought as disappointment grew on him.

“Kris-gege we’re there’s something we need to do.” Tao’s arm enveloped his shoulders.

From the tone of their youngest he perceived that It was something really important. “What is it baby panda?”

“You’re not that silly not to perceive that she’s been covering her face because she was avoiding you, right?” Luhan asked.

“Then why is she covering her face then?” Kris shot him a quizzical and innocent look.

“Dummy!” the deer-eyed boy immediately fumed up for his insensateness. “She’s covering it because she’s got swollen face. I think Hyunah did that to her!”

‘Stupid Me! How could I not even notice that? She’s just beside me just now.’ Kris cursed himself. He then stood from his seat and without a word furiously exited the classroom to confront the wicked female who hurt his dream girl.

“I think we should start running now.” Lay forewarned the other two as he sensed Duizhang’s fierce side. Kris is really a gentle person, really has the longest patience amongst the four of them, and the one who would really raised his voice last even when someone offended him. But his turning into a different person once someone who is dearly closed to him got hurt, when the three of them were bullied before he’s the Duizhang that saved them and fought for them and what more that it’s Seohyun who got hurt? She’s the person who is becoming the source of his happiness ever since she came into their lives. So the trio ran out of the classroom as fast as they could to follow the towering handsome.

Kris was already banging lockers when found him. He was already confronting not just Hyunah but her entire mob group. They were almost on their knees full of fear as they watched the enraged Duizhang brazening out with their leader.

“Did I just tell you yesterday to stay away from Seohyun?” Kris pinned Hyunah on the lockers.

“I-I…we just bumped into each other accidentally…and I kind of hit her hard. T-that’s all. Hasn’t she told you about that?” she lied.

“You think I’m that dumb to buy that?” he smirked, projecting his famous face. “Whose person is going to cover her face for almost three hours if that was just an accident?”

Hyunah cannot make an eye contact to him, “That girl, she just wanted to get your attention.” She scoffed, “What a in the making acting too frail in front of you!”

‘’ the foul word echoed in Kris’ mind which made his blood boil in one hundred degrees celcius. At that moment, he was not seeing the latter as a girl to respect anymore. His patience was all consumed up. He growled, “? Aren’t you talking to yourself?” he breathed heavily trying to grip a little more patience.

“Yes, she’s a Kris! Can’t you see the way she’s flirting with you?” the latter countered him.

“One more time you call that girl I swear I’ll forget my title as this school’s Duizhang and make your remaining years here in Qingdao a living hell.” He really wanted to hit the girl’s face but rather swung his anger to his lockers and ruined them with his own fist.

The latter immediately fell into her knees full of fear, it was the first time ever that they saw Kris’ angry side – and he really looked so evil, so different from his usual mysterious yet gentle personality.

“Get out!” he cuffed his fist once again to the locker. “Your face is annoying I might strike my fist in your face at any rate.” He deviously looked down at the latter.

Hyunah and her friends immediately escaped from the scene like scared cats beaten by a wolf.

Lay, and Luhan sighed in relief that their Duizhang managed his being gentleman, and did not lay his hand on the girl despite of what she did to Seohyun.

“I thought you’ve already erased her face Kris.” Lay expressed as he reached the towering handsome’s shoulder.

“Kris’-gege, you’re really something, you’re scary but you’re still a gentleman indeed.” Tao praised his favorite gege for maintaining his patience.

“Hyunah’s still a girl after all…I still respect her though.” He expressed, as his anger subsided a little.

“That’s why you’re called Duizhang, Kris.” Luhan gave him a hug, too proud that he is friends with him. “…but seriously Kris, I think you should really make a move to Seohyun. You’re getting too obvious in front of the others, and she’s the only one who really doesn’t know.” He broke his hug, and added, “Time is running, make her your girl before she gets back to Korea.”

It was true that he only has two months to make a move to Seohyun’s heart. It’s indeed a plenty of time for Luhan, but quite a little too short for his pace. He hasn’t even made a move to her yet.

----------

Lunch passed and their late afternoon classes just finished, but Seohyun was still avoiding him.

The belle quickly put her things inside her bag and immediately stood up as the professor left their room.

“Seo – “Kris reached her hand with his attempting to stop her.

“I – I better be going now Kris.” She retracted her hand from his without even looking back at him and sprinted her way out of the classroom.

He got frozen on his seat as his mind lagged due to the latter’s avoidance.

“Goodness Kris, we don’t really have to push you every time this kind of thing happens!” Luhan growled on him.

He realized that the dear-eyed boy was right; he couldn’t be acting all slow motion especially at those kinds of situation, because he might just lose the chance given to him to get that girl’s heart. He needed to know when to act reserved and aggressive, the right time to act meek and the right time to be bold. He then literally jumped off from his seat and ran his way to follow the belle.

“Seohyun!” he summoned her name loud as he ran furiously on the school ground.

She briefly got frozen the moment she heard her name called by a familiar voice, she then looked back briefly to him and began fastening her pace to avoid the latter.

Seeing how obvious the girl was really avoiding him, he ran at his full speed and was able to reach her.

“Seohyun – “he called her name as he panted hard gripping on both of her arms to stop her.

All she could do was to keep her head low and avoid looking at him.

They froze in the same position for a few moments until he decided to raise her chin.

He saw the latter’s swollen cheek and bruised lip; it was the first time he felt that his heart just got crushed. “I-I’m sorry.” That was all he could mutter.

“I – I better leave now, it’s getting late Kris.” She tried to escape from him, but his grip was really tight, he won’t easily let go of her.

“Don’t try to avoid me, please?” he suddenly begged.

“I – I am not.” She lied. “…I just needed to go home early that’s why.”

“Just please, don’t avoid Me.” He repeated his pleading, as the pressure heightens up inside him.

She knew herself, she wanted to remain close at the latter, but she needed a peaceful stay at Qingdao University for she was the exchange student with high reputation sent by Dongguk University and she needed to keep her records clean. Moreover, she’s innately a peaceful person, who doesn’t want to create war with people and now that she’s close with him – the reigning Kingka, Qingdao’s Duihang, a lot of girls were envying her and hating on her. And it gives her an awful feeling.

“But I think it’s better to distance myself to you a little Kris…you’re this school’s Duizhang, and now they’re hating on me because they’re thinking that I’m flirting with you.” The word flirt still hurts her.

“Then I don’t want to be Duizhang anymore…I’d rather read books with you.” He reasoned out. “Don’t mind what others say about you, they’re just insecure because you’re really a wonderful person.” he could not contain himself and pulled the latter into a hug.

He takes pride for his Duizhang title a lot, but it seems that the more important person has really arrived in his life that he would unhesitatingly throw his precious title for that special girl under the starry night.

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