“Nam Woohyun, rooftop now.”

Students around the said boy immediately snapped their heads towards the direction of the door to see the infamous Kim Myungsoo leaning against the doorframe with a smug look on his face. Woohyun sighed and stood up, but Sungjong grabbed his wrist.

            “Woohyun, you shouldn’t—“

            “Everything’s going to be all right,” Woohyun smiled and patted the younger’s cheek gently. Sungjong bit his lips, refusing to let the other go.

            “Let him. He said he will be okay,” Sunggyu muttered.

Woohyun inwardly sighed. Sunggyu had been treating him as if he’s a certain kind of disease, and there’s nothing Woohyun could do about it. Sungjong reluctantly let go of Woohyun’s hand.

            “Don’t do anything stupid,” Sungjong mumbled. Woohyun just grinned lightly before he headed to the door.

At times like this, Woohyun was glad that Dongwoo wasn’t around. If the latter found out that he agreed to meet Myungsoo privately, Dongwoo might not let Woohyun walk around by himself ever again.

With his head held high, Woohyun opened the door leading to the rooftop. He refused to show his weakness. Heck, he would never let Myungsoo know how scared he actually was.

            “You’re here by yourself? I thought you’re going to drag your puppy with you.”

There was no need for him to turn his head as Woohyun recognized his best friend’s voice by heart. But Woohyun hated the fact that Myungsoo sounded so vexatious, so conceited right now. He glanced to his side to see Myungsoo smirking at him.

            “I don’t need a tail when I have a head here,” Woohyun crossed his arms. Myungsoo chuckled and walked towards the other boy.

            “But I thought kitties need tails for balance,” Myungsoo cooed, pretty much amused with the other boy’s calmness.

“Stop calling me kitty.”

“Why not? It suits you,” Myungsoo chuckled again. Woohyun raised an eyebrow.

            “I wonder if you’re really a homophobe because right now you sound like you’re flirting with me.”

Silence met Woohyun’s words. He noticed the boys behind Myungsoo started whispering things while Myungsoo’s face darken slightly. Woohyun gulped. He had a hint of what might happen soon, and he didn’t like it one bit.

            “Well, guys…” Myungsoo turned to the boys with a suspicious smile. Woohyun narrowed his eyes. “He’s all yours.”

Woohyun bit his lower lip when the group of boys walked closer to him, cornering him against the railing on the rooftop. He shot a glare at Myungsoo but his eyes went wide when he noticed a familiar figure standing next to the said boy.

‘Hoya..?’ Woohyun felt his chest tightened. Never in his life he felt anymore disappointed, betrayed by his own friend.

            “Let’s see how the kitty stands without its tail.”

.

.

Sunggyu sauntered his way towards the teachers’ room. His teacher apparently forgot to bring an important slide for their next session, and Sunggyu was told to take it.

He sighed, purposely slowing down his steps so he could spend a few more minutes outside. But the moment he saw Myungsoo and Hoya chuckling from the corner of his eyes, he stopped in his track.

‘Now that I think of it… Woohyun hadn’t returned to class,’ Sunggyu frowned.

He didn’t want to care. Sunggyu wasn’t the type of person who cares about others, especially strangers.

But then again, Nam Woohyun isn’t exactly a stranger anymore.

Dongwoo depends on him, and Sunggyu was aware of it. And Sungjong likes him, much to Sunggyu’s annoyance.

No, Sunggyu didn’t hate Woohyun. But he didn’t exactly like the other boy either. There was something about Nam Woohyun that made Sunggyu feels weird, and Sunggyu didn’t really like it.

            “Oh, Sunggyu,” Hoya nodded at Sunggyu.

            “Howon,” Sunggyu nodded. He didn’t even spare a glance at Myungsoo. He refused to acknowledge the other’s presence.

Hoya noticed the sudden heavy atmosphere. He cleared his throat and smiled lightly.

            “We’ll be going now,” Hoya said. Sunggyu nodded in response.

Before Sunggyu had the chance to walk away, Myungsoo suddenly grabbed his wrist making the older looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.

            “You might want to consider checking your new friend,” Myungsoo said with a smug look.

            “What friend?” Sunggyu growled slightly, not liking the fact that Myungsoo dared to make skin contact with him.

            “You know, that Nam-kitty.”

Sunggyu raised an eyebrow as Hoya nudged the chuckling boy’s side.

            “Stop calling him that, it sounds really weird,” Hoya mumbled. Myungsoo just chuckled.

            “Anyway, he’s on the rooftop. He might needs some help by now,” Myungsoo hummed as he glanced at his watch. Sunggyu frowned.

            “What did you do to him?”

Myungsoo shot the older boy a smirk. Sunggyu’s frown deepened even more, if possible.

            “Might as well go now and check it for yourself right? Time waits for no one.”

Sensing the weird tone in Myungsoo’s words, Sunggyu didn’t waste any second. He made a sharp turn by the corner and ran up the stairs as quick as he could, skipping two treads by each step he took. He shot a look at the familiar group of boys going down the stairs before he opened the door.

His eyes went wide when he saw the boy on the rooftop—no, off the roof. Woohyun was hanging in the air, gripping tightly to the railing until his knuckles turned white.

Sunggyu quickly approached Woohyun and grabbed Woohyun’s wrist, pulling him up with much effort.

The two boys later found themselves panting on the concrete floor, trying to catch some breath.

            “T-thanks…” Woohyun said still panting slightly. Sunggyu inhaled sharply.

            “I thought you said ‘everything’s going to be all right’? Do pray tell which part of that was freaking all right!” Sunggyu barked. Woohyun winced at the loudness of his voice.

            “It was out of my expectation…” Woohyun muttered.

            “Out of your expectation? I think you’re out of your mind, Nam Woohyun,” Sunggyu hissed, ruffling his hair exasperatedly.

Woohyun observed Sunggyu’s frustrated look and he couldn’t help but chuckle. Sunggyu snapped his head to glare at the other boy.

            “You’re laughing? You’re seriously laughing right now?!”

            “Sorry, can’t help it,” Woohyun smiled. “You’re worried.”

Sunggyu blinked at him blankly. His glare had turned into his usual composed look. It wasn’t much different to Woohyun, but at least Sunggyu wasn’t upset anymore.

            “Am I?” Sunggyu mumbled to himself, unconsciously touching his lips. Woohyun just continued to observe the older, silently admiring his features.

            “Stop biting your lips,” Sunggyu sighed as he tugged at Woohyun’s lower lip with his thumb. Woohyun smiled awkwardly.

            “I’m really nervous, Gyu…”

            “That doesn’t mean you should hurt yourself,” Sunggyu trailed his fingers along the younger’s jaw before his thumb once again landed on his lips, caressing it gently.

            “I’m not hurting myself, it’s a habit,” Woohyun pouted. Sunggyu raised an eyebrow at him.

            “Quite a bad habit, don’t you think?”

            “You don’t think it’s y?” Woohyun blinked at him. Sunggyu tapped his chin and brought his fingers to his lower lip.

            “Hm… Do I..?”

Woohyun chuckled and pressed a finger on Sunggyu’s lips.

            “Why don’t you just admit it that you like it?”

Woohyun snapped out of his trance when he felt fingers softly brushing against his cheeks. He blinked in confusion when he saw Sunggyu’s face at such close proximity with his.

            “W-what—“

            “You’re crying.”

Woohyun brought his hand up and he felt his cheeks wet with tears. Woohyun swallowed his sob.

            “I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…” Woohyun murmured. Sunggyu sighed and patted Woohyun’s back.

            “It’s all right… I know how scary it was,” Sunggyu said softly.

Tears started to well up in his eyes once again. It wasn’t because he almost fell from the top of the building. It was purely Sunggyu.

Woohyun let out a choked sob. He hated it. He hated the fact that Sunggyu was right next to him, comforting him, but not in the way Woohyun wanted.

He missed the old Sunggyu, the one who would hug him and whispered sweet nothings just to tell him how precious Woohyun is to him.

Woohyun hated the way Sunggyu treated him so differently, the way Sunggyu cared for Sungjong more than him. Woohyun hated them all.

‘But what I hate the most… Is the fact that I’m still loving you…’ Woohyun bit his lower lip, preventing more sobs to escape his mouth.

Sunggyu looked at Woohyun and extended his hand. His fingers brushed softly against the side of Woohyun’s face before he gently tugged at Woohyun’s lower lip, forcing the younger to stop abusing it.

            “You’re hurting yourself,” Sunggyu muttered.

All things didn’t matter to him anymore. Woohyun didn’t even think of it when his body reacted by itself, pulling Sunggyu into a tight embrace.

And he cried.

            “I-I’m so sorry…” Woohyun sniffled as he buried his face to the other boy’s shoulder.

‘I’m so sorry you died because of me…’ Woohyun felt himself tearing up again.

Sunggyu didn’t say anything. He just stayed silent and let the younger cry.

Yet he didn’t expect himself to wrap his arms around Woohyun’s waist.

.

.

            “I’m really sorry…” Woohyun sniffled.

Even though he had stopped crying, Woohyun didn’t feel like releasing the older just yet. Sunggyu, on the other hand, felt pretty much uncomfortable with it. Hence Sunggyu decided to let the younger rested his head on his shoulder after breaking the hug.

            “Stop apologizing,” Sunggyu sighed. “Why are you so afraid of me anyway?”

            “A-afraid? Of you..?” Woohyun blinked. Sunggyu shook his head.

            “You didn’t dare to meet my eyes, and yet you kept glancing at my direction during lessons,” Sunggyu said. “It’s…kind of creepy you know…”

            “S-sor—“

            “Apologize one more time and I’ll castrate you.”

Sunggyu’s threatening words and glare shut Woohyun almost immediately. But this time, Woohyun looked up timidly and he let himself stare at the pair of black orbs looking straight back at him. Woohyun’s eyes soften at the sight.

            “It’s not that hard, right?” Sunggyu raised an eyebrow. Woohyun smiled a bit.

            “I-it’s because you treated me so coldly…” Woohyun mumbled.

            “What?”

            “Yesterday you didn’t even bother to turn around when I called for you and Sungjong…” Woohyun muttered. “And yet when Dongwoo was there you… Well, you know…”

            “Ah, right, about that,” Sunggyu rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I thought you’re friends with Kim Myungsoo and Howon, so…”

Woohyun’s ear perked up at the mention of Hoya’s name.

‘So the two of them are really friends? Hoya is a part of Myungsoo’s group..?’ Woohyun felt himself getting irritated just by the thought of it. ‘So that’s why Dongwoo and Hoya… , this is seriously harder than I thought.’

            “I met Hoya—I mean, Howon, yesterday. He didn’t seem to be as bad as Myungsoo,” Woohyun blinked.

            “That’s because Howon’s friends with everyone,” Sunggyu said. “Unlike the other guys in Kim’s group, Howon doesn’t care about Kim Myungsoo being the leader or anything.”

Woohyun nodded, letting the information to sink. Sunggyu raised an eyebrow at him.

            “Are you a transfer student or something? Because you seem to know nothing about this school,” Sunggyu looked at the other boy weirdly. Woohyun laughed awkwardly.

            “Ah, well… I’m a—“

Woohyun didn’t have the chance to finish his words when suddenly a surge of pain came shooting his whole body. He let out a groan as he clenched at his side painfully, trying to get rid of the massive throbbing in his side.

Sunggyu grabbed his shoulders as he yelled out something that couldn’t be comprehended by Woohyun. Woohyun glanced around and his eyes caught sight of a pair of legs near the staircase.

Before he had a chance to see the face of the unknown figure, the figure scurried off leaving the two on the rooftop. Woohyun winced when another murmuring voice reached his ear.

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

            “Nam Woohyun!” Sunggyu frowned at the younger. Woohyun looked at the other boy, his body shook slightly.

            “I… S-sorry…” Woohyun mumbled. “It happens quite often nowadays…”

            “You sure you’re all right? Why don’t you rest for a bit in the infirmary?” Sunggyu furrowed his eyebrows. Woohyun shook his head and smiled at the older.

            “I’ll be fine, thank you.”

‘The person just now… Don’t tell me it’s one of them..?’ Woohyun recalled the voice inside his head minutes ago.

‘But… Why did they say they died..?’ Woohyun frowned inwardly.

.

.

            “You okay? You look weird,” Dongwoo raised an eyebrow at the boy sitting next to him.

            “I’m fine.”

            “What’s wrong? Did you find them?”

            “I…couldn’t find them,” Sungjong muttered looking down. Dongwoo patted the younger’s back gently.

            “Don’t worry! They’ll be back for sure,” Dongwoo smiled at him. Sungjong managed to give a weak smile in return.

‘Sunggyu… And Woohyun…’ Sungjong felt himself frowning at the thought. ‘But why..? Sunggyu doesn’t even allow me to lean on him like that.’

Sungjong clenched his fists tightly when two boys entered the class. He bit his lips when Sunggyu sent a worried look at Woohyun. He felt his chest clenched painfully when Woohyun gave the older a soft smile.

Sungjong recognized that twinkle in Woohyun’s eyes. And he didn’t like it one bit.

Being a worrywart, Sunggyu glanced once again at Woohyun and he couldn’t hide his surprise when a tall lanky boy suddenly stood up and pulled Woohyun into a tight hug.

            “Finally I found you,” the boy whispered.

Woohyun’s eyes went wide almost immediately.