The rest of the week was hazy to Woohyun. His mind was too preoccupied with Sunggyu’s confession, along with the promise he accidentally blurted out. Sunggyu’s affectionate acts the next days didn’t help at all too.

‘That’s it. I’m not only crossing the line. I’ve walked through the wall,’ Woohyun sighed as he buried his face to his hands.

            “Nam Woohyun, is my lesson boring you so much that you had to sigh that loudly?”

Woohyun immediately snapped his head and stood up, biting at his lower lip. Sungyeol glanced at Woohyun worriedly.

            “N-no, sir. I was… thinking,” Woohyun said. It wasn’t a lie, he was thinking about a certain Kim Sunggyu.

            “Really? Is my lesson that hard for you?” The teacher frowned. Woohyun lowered his head even more. “I see. Meet me after school for an additional class.”

Woohyun mentally slapped himself, but he just bowed politely at his teacher before he took his seat once again. Sungyeol patted Woohyun’s back comfortingly as he glanced at Sunggyu’s direction. He was surprised to find Sunggyu calmly passing notes with Sungjong.

‘Is it a right thing to set the two of them up together..?’ Sungyeol frowned. He had to do some talking with Dongwoo later.

.

.

            “So, Hyunnie,” Dongwoo started, “I heard you get into trouble with teacher Kim?”

            “Yeah. Is he… you know..?” Woohyun asked worriedly. Dongwoo laughed loudly.

            “No, no, he’s nothing of that sort. He’s a nice teacher, in fact he told you to get an additional class because he’s worried about you,” Dongwoo smiled.

            “Ah, I see,” Woohyun let out a sigh of relief.

            “Don’t worry, kitty. The only person who can molest you is me,” Myungsoo grinned, earning a smack across the head from Sunggyu.

            “Don’t say such things when we’re in the middle of eating,” Sunggyu muttered.

            “As if we ever talked about something that is morally acceptable,” Myungsoo muttered. Dongwoo and Sungyeol laughed at him.

            “Much to my dismay, that’s the truth,” Woohyun said nodding. Sunggyu sighed and shook his head.

            “It’s bad enough that I have to get stuck in this ‘hellhole’ for ten hours a day and now you’re saying that the ten hours is basically filled with immoral talks?” Sunggyu raised an eyebrow. “Wow, my mother would be so proud.”

            “Don’t worry, Sunggyu. As long as your teacher hasn’t wrote that on your report then you’re safe,” Sungyeol said nodding.

            “Yeah. That happened to him last year. You wouldn’t want to know what happened when he reached home,” Dongwoo cackled again.

Hoya stayed quiet during lunch. Not because he wasn’t in the mood or something, he was paying attention towards another quiet boy sitting across him.

            “Sungjong, is there something bothering you?” Hoya asked. The others were too busy laughing at whatever suggestive jokes they just spluttered out. Sungjong snapped his head up to look at Hoya, pretty much surprised that the latter had initiated a conversation with him of all people.

            “Hm?”

            “You seem to be really lost in your own world,” Hoya shrugged. Sungjong chuckled at him.

            “Oh, don’t you worry about me. I’m just thinking about something,” Sungjong smiled. Hoya blinked and nodded slowly.

            “Okay.”

Hoya was too immersed in his food that he didn’t notice the smile had left the boy’s face, replaced with a scowl instead.

.

.

The bell rung, indicating that their so-called ‘hellhole’ is finally over. Sunggyu approached Woohyun’s table once he finished packing up.

            “So… You have an additional class today?” Sunggyu asked.

            “For the umpteenth time, yes. Jesus. You don’t have to rub it on my face every minute, you know,” Woohyun sighed. Sunggyu quickly muttered a quick apology.

            “Well, I actually planned on taking you out today,” Sunggyu shrugged.

Woohyun turned to him almost immediately, and he almost regretted it. Sunggyu’s face was really close to him and he felt his face heating up again. He mentally smacked himself when he saw Sunggyu smirking.

            “Well, I’m sorry that your plan had to be cancelled because of a last minute call,” Woohyun huffed and continued packing up his things. Sunggyu chuckled and ruffled Woohyun’s hair.

            “True. In a way I had a feeling that you’re actually doing it on purpose,” Sunggyu said, the corner of his lips turned up forming a playful smile.

            “How can I know that you’re planning on asking me out?” Woohyun raised an eyebrow.

            “Oh, I don’t know. It’s just, it seems as if you know the future somehow.”

Woohyun froze up. He doesn’t know… does he..?

            “But yeah, sometimes things don’t always go with the plan,” Sunggyu sighed. “I guess life hates me or something.”

‘Well, for sure ‘death’ took a liking on you,’ Woohyun mentally laughed dryly on his stupid joke.

            “So how about tomorrow? Is it a deal?”

            “Tomorrow after school? Don’t you have club activities or something..?” Woohyun blinked.

            “Nah, don’t worry. I can skip it—“

            “No. I don’t want to interfere with your academics. I will go with you if there really is nothing in our schedule,” Woohyun said. Sunggyu puffed his cheeks dejectedly and Woohyun internally squealed. He was dying to squish those cheeks.

            “All right,” Sunggyu said extending his hand. Woohyun eyed his open palm with a confused look.

            “Give me your number. How can I ask you out when we don’t have school the day after tomorrow?” Sunggyu raised an eyebrow.

Woohyun let out a small ‘oh’ before he hurriedly took out his pen and wrote his number on Sunggyu’s wrist. The latter looked at him amusedly.

            “Thanks to you now everyone will think that I just asked out a random stranger,” Sunggyu said. Woohyun laughed lightly.

            “Well, I’m sorry. Someone is just too lazy to fish out his phone,” Woohyun stuck his tongue out. Sunggyu blinked at him.

            “You own a phone? Like a real cellphone?” Sunggyu’s eyes went wide. “Wow, you must be filthy rich!”

And Woohyun palmed his own face. How could he forget that he had travelled back to his high school years? His number was practically non-existent too. He decided to take out his pen once again and drew a hideous line across the number scribbling on Sunggyu’s wrist.

            “Actually, I don’t really remember my number. I’ll tell you tomorrow once I’m sure of it, okay?” Woohyun smiled awkwardly, earning a firm nod from Sunggyu.

            “Gyu! How much longer are you going to stay behind?”

Woohyun rolled his eyes when he recognized the voice as Sungjong’s. Sunggyu chuckled and patted Woohyun’s head affectionately before he leaned in to whisper on Woohyun’s ear.

            “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Hyunnie.”

The nickname never failed to make his heart race faster. Woohyun just bit his lower lip and nodded, telling the other male to hurry up or else Sungjong would lose his patience. Sunggyu chuckled and walked away before sparing another glance at the flustered male.

Woohyun looked at the door direction and had to hold back his scowl when he saw Sungjong giving him such look. He just shook his head and sighed, mentally preparing himself for whatever additional class coming for him.

.

.

            “Truth to be told, you grasped the whole lesson. It’s just your basic is totally screwed up,” the teacher chuckled. Woohyun sighed and nodded before he rested his forehead on the papers.

‘Not only my basic, my whole mind is screwed up right now,’ Woohyun frowned when he remembered that he had to approach Sungjong too.

            “Don’t be so down, Nam Woohyun. Learning is just a process. I’m sure you’ll be able to catch up with the others soon,” the teacher smiled, making his cheeks puffed up slightly.

Woohyun observed the quite youthful-looking teacher and noticed how much he resembled a steamed bun. He sighed when he remembered Sunggyu puffing his cheeks and he couldn’t help but smile and giggle at the image flashing in his head.

‘He looks more of a hamster than a steamed bun, though…’

He cleared his throat and regained his composure when the teacher sent him a weird look.

            “So where were we again, sir?” Woohyun was about to reach out for his textbook, but a hand gripped his wrist before he managed to grab it.

            “Let’s just finish this now, it seems that I have stressed you enough,” the teacher smiled awkwardly.

Woohyun blinked at him but he decided to shrug it off instead. Well, at least he managed to go home earlier.

.

.

Woohyun definitely didn’t expect Sunggyu to be standing on the school’s gate. He approached him almost immediately.

            “Sunggyu?”

The voice brought Sunggyu out of his trance. He turned his head and smiled when he saw Woohyun standing next to him.

            “Why are you still here? Don’t tell me you’re waiting for me because that’s just plain… sweet yet creepy,” Woohyun raised an eyebrow.

            “I just finished my task in the library. And well, I saw you walking out of the building, so I thought I’ll just wait for you,” Sunggyu shrugged. “Does that still make me creepy?”

Woohyun almost laughed at the nervousness plastered all over Sunggyu’s look. He shook his head and smiled.

            “Nah. That was plain sweet.”

The two walked home comfortably that day. There wasn’t a single second passed with silence, either one would suddenly blurt out something and the other would respond to whatever they said.

To say the least, Woohyun really enjoyed Sunggyu’s company that evening.

.

.

            “Woohyun, you crossed too many lines.”

            “I know, I know. And I’m sure you’re really tempted to smash my head against nearby wall right now,” Woohyun sighed as he let the shadowy figure to circle him. Not that he can see him in the middle of darkness.

            “Not really. I’m actually kind of interested to see how things would turn out, even though I’m nowhere near pleased right now.”

Woohyun raised an eyebrow, feeling the cold creeping on his back. He flinched when he felt fingers curling around his nape, pressing lightly against his neck.

            “Let’s just say that your stupidity managed to buy him some time,” the figure smiled. “And if I’m kind enough, I might let all of you live for a few more years.”

            “I thought we’re not supposed to die until the next ten years..?”

            “You signed the deal to play the game, Woohyun… You can just die within the next few hours,” the figure sighed. “Basically, you just threw your future away by accepting my deal.”

Woohyun blinked at this. So he doesn’t have to completely rely on his future? But then again there are chances that his future changed to drastically and the thought of Sunggyu going to the aisle with Sungjong really ticked him off.

            “We don’t play with rules anyway, there’s nothing for you to be afraid of,” Woohyun said. “You’re talking as if I’m going to live in the future.”

The figure stiffened and once again circled Woohyun, making the latter had to rub his temple because the whole circling thing started to result to headache.

            “Are you saying that you don’t want to live?”

            “No, that’s not it…” Woohyun sighed. “You killed this era’s Woohyun. Then how am I going to be alive in the future?”

            “You live as him, what’s wrong with that?”

            “You’re saying that I replaced his existence?”

            “Well, of course. If his death means that much to your existence, you would’ve died the moment he died.”

Woohyun contemplated for a moment before he raised his head once again.

            “The voices I heard in my head… Are those..?” Woohyun heard a snicker coming from his side.

            “Those people who I was targeting. They would give you a sign through those so called ‘voices’,” the figure gave a sinister smile. “If they’re lucky enough, you would be able to figure out whose voice it was within time.”

Woohyun opened his lips again but the figure quickly clasped his mouth shut, lightly clicking his tongue at him.

            “I’ve been giving you too much information. The rest is for me to know and for you to find out,” the figure muttered out, “I wish the best for you, Nam Woohyun. Stay alive and keep me entertained.”

And just like that, Woohyun woke up from his nap.

.

.

‘I lived for you yet I died without you.’

Woohyun ruffled his hair in frustration. Who is it? Who could think of such melancholic words? That sentence was something that suits more in some song lyrics than some people’s last words.

‘Died without you? A one-sided love? Dongwoo? Sungyeol? Sungjong..?’ Woohyun blinked when he remembered the situation he and Sungjong were currently in.

            “I’m really selfish…” Woohyun sighed. “There are still years to come until I actually go out with Sunggyu, and yet I forced him to wait for me.”

‘And in actuality who knows? Probably Sunggyu and Sungjong went out for a while. He popped out of nowhere suddenly being all close to Sunggyu,’ Woohyun thought. ‘Right. He must’ve known Sunggyu somewhere before.’

            “Why can’t he fall for someone else instead..? Why does it have to be Sunggyu..?” Woohyun mumbled to himself.

Brushing away all negative thoughts, he decided to think of a way to approach his pretty little friend. For after all, Sungjong is still his friend, and Woohyun cares about his friends.