~ Chapter Eight ~

“Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo called as the tall male closed the front door behind him fully embracing the warm temperature of their apartment. On Chanyeol's way home, it had snowed very brutally, the icy cold droplets wetting his hair and causing the tip of his nose to flush pink due to the angry winds. Chanyeol was more than pleased to enter their heated apartment. Kicking off his shoes and throwing his jacket over the couch, Chanyeol made his way towards Jongin's room. Pushing the door gently open not to cause too much noise, he found Jongin sweating in his sleep while Kyungsoo worriedly looked over at Chanyeol. “I think he has food poisoning or something,” Kyungsoo explained as he got up from the bed. Chanyeol nodded his head in understanding before walking further within Jongin's room.

“Should I go get some Advil?” Chanyeol wondered as he peered over at Jongin's messy state. Kyungsoo shook his head.

“I asked him before, but he just said he was fine,” Kyungsoo sighed, crossing his arms over his chest turning to Jongin. “But he doesn't look fine to me,” he muttered, pursing his lips. “Do you think it's anything serious?” Chanyeol scoffed. He cupped his hand over Jongin's forehead, contemplating his temperature.

“He just has a fever, he can deal with it,” Chanyeol reassured his friend as he brought his arm back to his side. “We should just skip the rest of school since we're here anyway,” Chanyeol suggested as he made his way to the door.

“Where are you going?” Kyungsoo questioned the boy as Chanyeol left the room.

“Shower,” Chanyeol answered him from the hall. He gripped the doorknob to the washroom and pulled the door open. As he entered the room, his feet touching the cold white tiles bellow, he shut the door behind him. He shivered once he took his shirt off and rested it above the counter top. It wasn't as warm in his apartment as he thought it was. He glanced at himself in the mirror, smirking at the fine abs he had sculpted on his torso.

Pulling the shower curtain to the side, he the water, cupping his hand under the liquid waiting for the heat to submerge. Their apartment wasn't high tech or well kept, so during the winter, it took a little while for the hot water to set in. But once done, Chanyeol was fully relaxed beneath the water faucet. His eyes closed and muscles calm, he couldn't enjoy this moment any better.

“Jongin!” Kyungsoo complained from the other side of the door. Chanyeol groaned at the interrupted silence he was now craving. “What the hell man?!” he heard a muffled call from his grumpy friend. A large thump was heard, probably because Jongin fell off his bed.

“Dude!” Jongin exclaimed in shock and annoyance, “what the was that?!”

“I told you not to wear my underwear you ! Now look what you did!” Kyungsoo snapped back with a fears tone, “you totally just mast-”

Before they brought Chanyeol into insanity, he cupped his hands over his ears only allowing the hollowed echo of the water splashing against his body to enter his system. Those bunch of freaks...Chanyeol chuckled to himself as a faint slap vibrated from the walls.

--

“You're coming to school whether you like it or not,” Kyungsoo grumbled as he yanked Jongin outside. Chanyeol waited for his two friends to move out of the way before closing the door and locking it with his key.

“Are you still mad at me, Kyung?” Jongin asked, pouting his lips in a teasing manner. Chanyeol put his key into his pocket before turning in their direction.

“Hell yeah I am!” Kyungsoo retorted as he stepped onto the sidewalk. Chanyeol and Jongin followed his lead as they made their way down. It was a quiet Tuesday morning, nothing in particular had happened except for Kyungsoo's ranting about Jongin.

The sun was just waking up from its peaceful slumber while the moon retired for the day. Unfortunately there weren't any playful chirping from the birds because they had flown south for the season, but the distant cars and chatter from people outside was satisfying just enough. Chanyeol was feeling quite cheerful with himself because he approached Chinsun the other day. It made him feel all bubbly inside.

He did the right thing which made his spirits lift with content. Doing a good thing every now and then could really have a huge impact on one's mood. Chanyeol smiled as he and his friends came to a stop at the red light, waiting just like the other people to get across the street. Many cars zoomed by as the green traffic lights shined for them.

As Chanyeol was staring at nothing in particular, he noticed a familiar black jacket across the street. He squinted his eyes to get a better look at the figure. He quickly took into account the words STAFF written in red at the front of the coat and a hand bag being hugged to its form. Chanyeol wanted to run across the street and say hi to the girl, but he couldn't due to the passing cars in his way.

Chinsun was wearing a purple scarf around her neck today, covering and the tip of her nose. Chanyeol had to agree it was a tad colder today, but it didn't really bother him all that much.

“What are you looking at?” Kyungsoo asked as he gave up scolding the teasing Jongin. Chanyeol didn't seem to hear because all he could process was Chinsun getting farther and farther away.

“Hello?” Jongin sang as he waved his hand in front of Chanyeol's hypnotized stare. The tall boy jerked his head back in surprise while blinking his eyes in confusion.

“Huh?” he mumbled as he looked between Kyungsoo and Jongin. Both boys raised a brow.

“What were you looking at?” Kyungsoo asked as he glanced across the street. Chanyeol zipped his eyes to the ground ignoring his question, slightly embarrassed with himself. Jongin, being Jongin, smirked at his friends reaction and crossed his arms over his chest.

“More like who were you looking at,” the tanned male stated. Chanyeol was about to bicker but the light turned green and both boys turned to cross the road. Chanyeol sighed in frustration as he followed along with the rest of the crowd. Once they began making their way down the sidewalk again, Jongin and Kyungsoo both glared at the tall male, squinting their eyes as if they were staring right through him. Chanyeol, who was feeling quite uncomfortable with the odd looks he was getting, sighed and picked up his pace to avoid their eyes. He could clearly hear muffled giggling from behind him, but he didn't say anything.

--

Chanyeol was the first to enter the school, while Kyungsoo and Jongin were a couple minutes behind. Like any other day, being the magnet of the grade, he attracted all eyes. It was as if he was made of gold. Everyone wanted him, like hungry lions stalking their prey. He was top quality and if there was a chance, anyone would grab him and take him as their own.

Walking his first couple steps inside the building, many of his classmates looked him up at down while their lips. It literally felt like he was going to be eaten alive. He didn't necessarily dislike being the one of the hottest males at school. I mean, what guy wouldn't love being able to have any girl he wanted? It made him feel superior.

Every boy's dream was to have a y girl eyeing him to no end. But to Chanyeol, he wasn't interested in love. It was a waist of time, and he learnt that the hard way...love could bring ultimate happiness. Happiness and a feeling of belonging and care that nothing could ever amount to. It made one feel the acceptance and hospitality that no one could ever share. A bond that only took a single spark, then it all clicked in place. Feelings and emotions flowing at the same rhythm, at the same pace, at the same time. It could only be contained by one other individual. That one special person that seemed to catch your eye the first moment you see them. And the second you realize it's love. Nothing could back away, nothing could change the feeling that resides within you. Nothing could take away the light shining within. But then again, if this love is false, and your lover lies and tricks you into thinking the pure ecstasy of it all is not true...not real. In the matter of seconds, it could tare you apart at the most unexpected of times. Your heart could fall and fall until it lands in one of the worst of places, making you feel hurt, lost, betrayed and broken.

Chanyeol had felt that once before, and he didn't want to experience it again. The pain and heartache was something no one should ever feel.

The boy sighed and looked up from the polished floor. Ignoring the stares and winks, the first thing that came into view was Chinsun. The only one who didn't seem to notice him. The only one who acted like herself. She was grabbing her books out of her locker. Every one that passed her by stopped chatting completely just to quietly watch her in utter disgust. Chanyeol knew that the girl noticed every reaction she got from the other students, but she didn't say anything. Because, honestly, if she did tell them to stop, would they listen? Chanyeol pondered that question. He didn't want Chinsun to have another bad year of high school, and being the last year, he wanted it to be the best. up his pride and pulling off one of his breath taking smiles, he casually walked up to Chinsun leaning on the locker beside her own.

“Sup,” Chanyeol spoke up as she ducked her head away, probably thinking it was some bully. Slightly realizing the familiar deep voice, she shyly tilted her head up to meet Chanyeol's killer smile. Her eyes grew wide in complete shock. She nervously bowed her head in hello before closing her locker. She adjusted the strap of her hand bag over her shoulder then squeezed her books closer to her chest in a nervous manner. Many girls were whispering in disbelief at the scene. They couldn't believe Chanyeol was talking to her, the ugly, lame, boring, friendless Chinsun.

Truthfully, Chinsun was confused as well, why was he talking to her? Chanyeol was extremely out of her league. She was way at the bottom of the chain while he stood right at the tippy top. He was adored, while she was rejected. He never noticed her, ever. She was always sitting alone in class, eating alone, she did projects alone, alone, alone, alone. Not until the ski trip is when he actually realized she existed. But even though he knew who she was. Why was he talking to her? No one ever talked to her. No one ever bothered to even consider her well being let alone smile at her. So why was the Chanyeol doing this?

Taking a few steps back, feeling quite uncomfortable with the death glares being sent her way, she bowed rapidly before speeding away as fast as she could from Chanyeol. Baffled with Chinsun's action. He looked around and saw all the glares piercing her back as she fled inside the classroom down the hall. Once Chinsun was out of sight, all the females attached themselves to Chanyeol, bombarding him with question after question about his sudden greeting to the stupid girl.

Chanyeol just tried to excuse himself, ignoring the pouting and big round puppy dog eyes.

--

Annoying :

Dude talk to me I'm so bored!!

Was Jongin's pleading text to Chanyeol during class. The tall boy glanced at Jongin, only to see that he was sleeping on his desk bored out of his mind. Chanyeol shook his head at his friend before quickly texting him a little 'no and pay attention' before stuffing his cell into his pocket and lazily counting the amount of tiles on the floor.

As Chanyeol was slowly drifting off, the sudden sound of whispering from beside him caught his attention.

“I heard that Chanyeol talked to that loner girl,” one familiar girl scoffed as the other rolled her eyes.

“Show off. I wonder what she did to make him do that.”

“Probably sold her body like she did to thatr in the street.”

“Oh my God yeah, she's such a .”

“Chanyeol shouldn't be around people like her, she's just going to make him as sick as her.”

“That's totally true, but what do we do?”

“I have an idea to make her stay at her level. She won't dare show her face at school again,” the two girls giggled before their whispers became even lower and Chanyeol couldn't hear anything else. What the hell? Chanyeol screamed in his head as he thought over their conversation. He couldn't believe what he just heard. They thought Chinsun sold her body to him just so he could say hi? What kind of ed up person-

“I stole her sketch book,” the girl suddenly spoke, just audible for Chanyeol to hear. His eyes grew slightly larger and his breath hitched in shock. Chanyeol leaned slightly closer into their direction. “And guess what I'm going to do with it?” The other girl shrugged her shoulders in response. It was dead silent except for Miss Kim's chock against the chock board. Chanyeol was feeling nervous. He couldn't understand how she could've stolen Chinsun's sketch book, she kept it with her twenty-four seven. That thing was literally attached to her body. He was seriously worried, he didn't want anything bad to happen to her. If the incident from the cafeteria wasn't humiliating, then what could she be planning? “You'll have no idea what I found inside.”