Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

“Sometimes we forget

what world we actually called home’”

“One of these days I will make you see another fireworks” Kyung Soo said to her. Seuk Ri was dumbfounded. Did she heard right? The White Leader just promised her something like that. She cannot hold her blush anymore. Seuk Ri was flattered but she tried her best for not showing it.

Thus, she looked away from Kyung Soo. They watched the show, admiring the colorful sky. Seuk Ri fiddled with her fingers as she started to spoke. “Kyung Soo, do you really mean it?” she asked carefully.

Another silence, but before it become awkward Kyung Soo took the liberty to talk. “Well, I let you missed one here. I owe you one” he told her. Seuk Ri’s responded by turned towards Kyung Soo with slightly reddened face.

“But Kyung Soo, we missed because of me!” she rambled. It was all her fault, she had thought. She won’t let someone feels at mistake because of her. “We’re late because I made a stupid decision on drinking the hot chocolate” she insisted. At that the White Leader turned to face her.

His face is blank but a small smile slowly appeared on his feature. Slowly he raised his right hand. It trembled a bit, as if he was putting a real effort by only doing so. Seuk Ri suddenly has a feeling he was about to do something he had done in the past. She waited for the palm of his collide with her head but instead she felt a pain on her forehead.

“Ouch…” she whined quietly as her hands in instinct rubbed the slightly sore spot. “Kyung Soo, what’s that for?” Seuk Ri was slightly angered because of shock. She didn’t think Kyung Soo would poked her forehead, again.

Kyung Soo merely chuckled as his hand returned to his head, somehow looked quite limp. “Are you an idiot?” he inquired and received a confused look from Seuk Ri. “Yah, Seuk Ri, we won’t be late if I let you to throw all the content of your stomach. Might hurt but more effective that way”

The girl fumed a bit at the implication. She playfully hit Kyung Soo’s left arm. “How could you ever think of such an option?!” Seuk Ri half-laughed. The White Leader then only listening to the painter’s complains but a small voice came from him.

“Kyung Soo, are you just laughing?” Seuk Ri asked in a tone that somewhat saying she had found a great discovery. Kyung Soo glanced at him, taking some offence of her innocent implication.

“Kang Seuk Ri,” he started and his laugh faded. “I’m a human too you know!” he shouted and the girl was slightly taken aback.

“I’m so sorry! I don’t mean that!” Seuk Ri shouted her apology and Kyung Soo laughed again. She found a liking to his laugh. Shouldn’t he does it more?

“Wah, Kang Seuk Ri, you actually make me laugh this loud” his words somewhat sounded like a praise. “I thought only Luhan and his gang managed on making me laugh like this”. Seuk Ri giggled at the thought of Luhan getting angry over Kyung Soo but actually he provide an amusement to the White Leader. She was curious on how Luhan reacted on this sole fact. Soon enough all people could see is a pair of teenagers laughing without stopping – maybe awhile but soon laughed again.

Although it may look weird but the both of them are laughing for the matter they don’t shared, but neither of them may not deny that they actually enjoy it. Just them, laughing all the matters away just beneath the sky of a foreign land.

~//~

Seuk Ri tried to close her eyes, but she couldn’t. And Risa who lays next to her is trashing around. She might not sleep right now, but even if Seuk Ri want to have someone to talk to in the night, waking Risa might be impolite.

Suddenly Risa turned to face Seuk Ri. “Kang Seuk Ri, have problem sleeping?” Risa asked in a whisper. Seuk Ri’s lips brought into a frown as she nodded. The White Representative heaved a sigh as she moved a bit to face the ceiling now. Seuk Ri followed her actions and both of them are now looking in bored to the white ceiling.

“Me too” Risa admitted.

“Have something in mind?” It’s not a question but more like a statement. However Risa nodded at this. She whipped her head towards Seuk Ri.

“A lot actually, you know that?” Seuk Ri raised his eyebrow as Risa made that confession. Seuk Ri watched Risa yet shuffled a bit and looked up to the ceiling once more. “I saw you laughing with Kyung Soo, in front of what it is?”

“It’s a Small World…” realized she had said that, Seuk Ri clamped with one of her hands. Risa giggled softly at this and it became a little louder when she saw Seuk Ri slight pinkish cheek, thanks to the light from outside.

“I’m sorry, I must makes you more flustered than you are now” Risa apologized before smiling widely. “But still it’s make me happy to see Kyung Soo laughed like that. I’m tired of him laughing like there’s no tomorrow mentally”

At Risa’s words somewhat Seuk Ri was reminded with Kyung Soo’s admittance about laughing Luhan and some silly Blacks. “Why you in the White Risa?” the question just blurted itself. Seuk Ri partly felt bad for asking but before she could withdraw it back, Risa already answered.

“Why you ask? Do you suddenly want to join either faction?” Risa joked but then her tone started to be more serious. “Me? It’s simply I had known Kyung Soo since middle school. That’s when we know Baekhyun too. Back then we simply amazed by his painting skill…” her tone trailed before laughed it off.

“It doesn’t actually answer the question, right?”

“Please continue, Risa” Seuk Ri begged a little.

“We entered the same high school, Baekhyun wants to be a painter, and I want to be a singer whereas Kyung Soo wants to be…”

She was hesitated before continued. “Anyway in the very end our dream stopped when we realized how the school is. As you know we started to rebel, but after that, we, this is still unable to reach what we want. Baekhyun and Kyung Soo have their issues, and sometimes I saw them staring at me, pleading me to work harder so I can reach the dream I want, unlike them”

Risa paused, giving a dramatic feeling as Seuk Ri is still listening attentively. “So I decide I will be in the White. Supporting Baekhyun until he recover and return to his old self, and I can help Kyung Soo with the student council work and the faction’s too”

There was a silence before Seuk Ri smiled. “Wah, I don’t know you have a big heart”

She soon received a playful nudge from Risa who is also smiling widely. Risa sighed again but still with a happy look on her face. “Even though some of weight lifted,” she turned her head towards Seuk Ri with a slight depressed look. “There’s something I’m still bothered by”

“What it is, just tell me” Seuk Ri told her. Risa mumbled something in incoherent words and by the sound of it she used Japanese. Before the painter ask her what she meant, one of their roommate made a snoring sound.

Risa laughed softly. “We should get a sleep too, tomorrow is our flight back home” with that she turned around and Seuk Ri faced Risa’s back. “Good night”

Seuk Ri moved around a bit before she gave her a ‘good night’ too. She fell asleep rather quickly although she still asking herself, what Risa had mumbled earlier.

~//~

“… To Incheon Airport, Seoul, South Korean. Will depart on…”

“I can’t believe we’re going home today!” Risa dragged her stuff with her. Seuk Ri also pulled her luggage next to the White Representative. Curiously enough Jong In is with them. He complained distinctly about girls and their huge need of shopping. Either Risa or Seuk Ri can deny on this matter though. Even if Risa is actually gritting her teeth together, perhaps holding her seething anger.

But aside of all that oh-so-normal commotion. Everything is pretty normal. Luhan and Kyung Soo are still inseparable. Although it was noticeable now that Sehun followed the Black Leader almost everywhere. Did something made the younger boy looked highly upon Luhan all of a sudden on trip?

It’s hard to suggest but all the guys know is Sehun planned to be the next heir of the Black Faction. When someone asked Luhan he said he didn’t actually mind though he does care. Kyung Soo who heard this just smiling so evilly and like the usual Luhan would burst into rage. But like every day they spent on Hong Kong, when someone asked, their ‘best friend’ banner returned way too instantly.

Overall everything is fine. The students took one last picture in front of a random place. Chen and Baekhyun asked a fellow Korean that passed by for taking their picture. Not everyone are present, the teachers are too missing. But it’s not the students care about their absent.

Luhan who saw Seuk Ri, quickly grabbed the girl by the arm and flashed her a huge smile. “Let’s take a picture together” he said to her. Seuk Ri’s eyes widened when he pulled her closer to him. Luhan raised his other hand with the phone’s camera looked at them.

“But, Luhan, we’re about to take a group photo” Seuk Ri tried to free herself as some students are gathered around them, posing for a photo. And that’s only makes it looked weird. But Luhan’s smile hasn’t fade yet.

“1…2…3… Say ‘kimchi’” Both Luhan and the Korean tourist chorused and both, with a flash from the camera and the phone, took their pictures.

Chen received his camera back and bowed to thank the guy. Quickly enough he was surrounded by fellow students. All were eager to see the photo looks like.

Meanwhile Seuk Ri pouted at Luhan’s direction. “Why you take our picture in the same time with the group photo?” she interrogated him, but Luhan is still smiling as he pocketed his phone.

“Because I feel like too” he told her. “Kind of want something a little unforgettable too” Luhan added. Seuk Ri is still pouting and she eyed him, still unsatisfied by his answer.

“Still, there’s no reason for you to…” she paused herself for spilling the last part of her sentence. However Luhan already thought what the rest of it.

With a grin he answered carelessly. “Was it wrong if I want to take a photo with you?” his answer almost made Seuk Ri blush. Or maybe she did, but neither of them manage to see it.

~//~

The plane ride was less eventful than before. No remarkable thing happened, sadly enough. Seuk Ri doesn’t sit between Jong In and Risa so there is zero quarrel. It was quiet but sitting in the same row as the teacher Kris, gave a new challenge into a whole new level. She hadn’t thought even in a million year, to be seated next to a teacher from a school such as where she came.

“Thank you” Seuk Ri slightly bowed her head. Sometimes habit sticks.

At the girl’s polite gratefulness, Kris chuckled. He waved his hand casually after he put down the lunch tray that belongs to Seuk Ri. “Don’t need to be that strict” he told her. “I never feel comfortable with students swarmed me with respect from the start anyway” Kris half smiled at her.

Seuk Ri was flabbergasted by the warmth from the seemingly cold teacher. All she could do is nodding her head in agreement and proceed to eat her lunch, even if she’s not that hungry to start with. She’s eating slowly and sometimes she took peeks towards the English teacher.

As far as she knows, Kris is like her teacher version. Between all the teachers, he was the newest member. But maybe it’s already affected his personality. Seuk Ri cannot build thousands of word regarding him. But all she knows until now, is that he’s a good guy.

Her train of thoughts stopped when small but yet obvious laughter came from other row. Seuk Ri peeked and founded Luhan was laughing with the fellow Blacks. But somehow faintly she could hear Chen, Baekhyun and Risa’s voice. Did they on the back of Luhan, Sehun and Jong In? She thought before returning to a better position.

Kris who had been talking with Chanyeol next to him returned his attention to the girl. “How was it?” he asked her suddenly. Seuk Ri turned her head towards the teacher and pointed herself. It seems Kris is really directing the question to her.

“How was it, what?” she asked, doesn’t quite sure of what he has been implying. Kris titled his head towards the muffled laughs from behind.

“That” and Seuk Ri could only nodded her head. Ah, that…

“I think it’s wonderful” Seuk Ri answered honestly. “It’s like to distinct color finally met each other and create an amazing harmony” Kris nodded his head, understand on what she said. Chanyeol’s head suddenly visible within’ the girl’s sight.

He gave a toothy smile. “That’s sounds like what Baekhyun would say!” he exclaimed loudly with his deep voice. And it was a mystery to Seuk Ri how come such voice would bring so much cheerfulness in it.

“How about you Chanyeol, enjoying much time with the Whites?” Kris asked him and the boy nodded his head happily.

“I got the same room with some of the White faction guys and they’re fine. Fun too, if I must add” Chanyeol explained exaggeratedly. Seuk Ri laughed softly but when she saw that sad look on Kris’ face somehow sends an unpleasant feeling.

~//~

The buttery sensation from the toast melted right to her taste buds and it’s a breakfast she’s been missing for the past few days. Na Mi could only giggled when she saw her only daughter eating so happily.

“Slow down, you might choke if you continue that way” Na Mi scolded Seuk Ri who’s not paying a bit of attention to it and continued to eat the way she is.

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry” Seuk Ri grinned before drinking down her milk.

Na Mi eyed her daughter. “Weird, usually before going to school you would ramble about the whole ‘black’ and ‘white’ things” Na Mi observed as she keeps looking at her with interrogating gaze.

“Did something happen in the study tour?” Seuk Ri upon hearing really chocked her meal. Na Mi hid her roll eyes when give her daughter a glass of water and soft pat on the back. “I told you to slow down, did I?”

Seuk Ri, who finally calmed down somehow still look weird in her mother eyes. Something is definitely there. But she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. And it’s depressed Na Mi. She knows her daughter well, and maybe it’s going to be the first time she was left behind from Seuk Ri’s progress.

“Mom, I’m going first” Seuk Ri kissed her mom’s cheek before going off to school. Na Mi mumbled a ‘yes’ when she saw her daughter away. She titled her head to the side when the door closed.

Slowly, she stood up from the chair and cleaned the table. “Am I seeing things?” Na Mi halted her work when her face showed how confused she was. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. With a bewildered expression she looked back at the front door.

“I never see that on Seuk Ri before, but I swear she’s glowing or something…”

~//~

“Baekhyun, Baekhyun!” Seuk Ri’s face lifted when Park Chanyeol’s rather towering – or it is – passed her. She looked at the boy’s back as he ran towards the White who’s ignoring him all the way through. Seuk Ri was confused as she titled her head to the side.

Did they get into a fight? She wondered. The only time between today and study tour is weekends. And before the time skip, Seuk Ri remembered how close those people are. They’re practically stuck on each other like a stamp. But what in front of her now is a surprise considering the time they had spent together on the trip.

Seuk Ri keeps watching the duo. Chanyeol who’s taller than Baekhyun is definitely pestering the other boy. But Baekhyun doesn’t waver. It’s like Chanyeol was talking to a stone, a walking stone that is. A perfectly expression-still statue.

She was walking when finally the sight of the representative came to her vision. “Maybe I should ask them what’s going on with Chanyeol and Baekhyun” Seuk Ri decided as she rushed towards Risa and Jong In who are currently making an attendance to each faction.

“Risa, good morning!” Seuk Ri waved with a smile. Risa quickly drop her job and hugged the painter. She was grinning. Risa doesn’t say anything, but she knows the half-Japanese is still exciting from the previous event.

“Good morning too, how’s your Saturday?” Seuk Ri shrugged at this. To be honest all weekends she did most boring activity which starts with ‘L’ and ends with ‘Y’. And to be frankly saying, Seuk Ri found herself to be very smelly after the whole thing.

Seuk Ri laughed a bit. “You know, laundry. Thanks to the trip I got piles of dirty clothes”

“Me too” Risa chirped in with her sheepish respond. Suddenly Jong In’s deep sigh followed, and Risa, sensitive as usual, sent him a glare. In which Seuk Ri almost face palm herself for forgetting the Black Representative’s presence.

“You wash your own clothes?” his tone has some other possible implication and of course, some not-well hidden motive. And sensing this, Risa was already set into an active-mode. She started it with rolling her eyes.

“Not everyone has someone to do their business, Jong In” Risa spat which Jong In just smirked before handing a student’s ID back.

Jong In chuckled. “Well, at least my weekend’s free” he announced as if it was the greatest thing ever, or that’s what the White Representative thought.

And that thing started again. What, you asked? Bicker, fighting, argumentation? All words described the same as Seuk Ri could only weak laughed at the representatives. But somehow, Seuk Ri couldn’t wait any longer. It was weird and unusual for her. And the thing is, she don’t quite understand why she suddenly found Jong In and Risa’s argument a bit tad annoying.

“A Blacks like you won’t understand!”

“Whites are always overly-sensitive”

Or maybe is it because the way the arguments heading to? Seuk Ri is still not sure, but she finally remembered why she was here in the first place.

“Uh, by the way” both representatives look at her way with a message ‘hurry up’ blinking imaginatively on their foreheads. Seuk Ri try not to smile at her own imagination. “Do you know why Baekhyun was avoiding Chanyeol? They were really close at the study tour”

Jong In sighed as he continued his job briefly – very briefly – and returned his attention towards Seuk Ri. “They made some weird ‘vow’ not to know each other after they’re both got into different faction”

“But they were-“

“After it was said that both group merged. And since the trip had ended, the law is well, expired. So, we, Black and White shouldn’t actually care about each other being” as he said this, he wasn’t exactly looking at Seuk Ri. Instead he was already in a heated glaring session with Risa.

Risa made a small growl. “I totally agree on that” she said.

“Excuse me,” Seuk Ri was slightly pushed aside as a White member was about to give his ID card to Risa. Risa smiled at Seuk Ri apologetically since she was busy, and she continued with her duties, alongside Jong In.

But in the middle of this, Seuk Ri was in deep of her thought. Jong In’s words were swirling on top of her head. She was trying to make sense of everything when the answer was right there. She was looking at a smaller picture but when she looked at the bigger picture, she will eventually get it.

This is Seoul Art High for crying out loud. There are two leaders leading two different group. What she was expecting, just because of a situation everyone would become friendly to each other? Is this a joke? Seuk Ri never actually aware of it, but she actually really want the school become that way.

When everybody still can be what they are, but also be friendly to each other.

Maybe now, when Seuk Ri was walking backwards and stumbled around other students, she can see the whole picture. But in the background of her sight she found herself remembering the sad look painted on her English teacher’s face.

~//~

Sehun was happy. No, he was excited. Not because he’s going to an anime convention or that since Chen was so into with his studies, Sehun was less busy with their usual small and unofficial acting ‘club’.

The real reason, you asked, why the first year was so happy today, is that Luhan finally agree to make Sehun an apprentice. He was half-joking of course but Sehun could still feel that it was a small chance for him to do something for the Blacks or even perhaps, the school.

For a shy Sehun, Black Faction wasn’t his first choice. But the day he met Luhan, Jong In, Chanyeol, were dancing on a random studio, Sehun knows he must join this exact faction and that there’s no turning back.

Sehun had cherished the time the day afterwards, and it gone fantastically better when he met Chen sunbae who had a same thought of Black and White should cooperate. Even for what he has been doing for a moment. He was waiting for Jong In and Luhan, the Black Leader at the Broadcasting Room. Or widely-known as the Black official HQ.

Sehun’s finger traced the broadcasting system. And he smiled, so cutely if anyone would walk in the empty room. “Ah, ah, test, test, 1-2-3…” Sehun played around the mic. He was already daydreaming, sitting at the office chair and making announcement to his friends. It was a wonderful thing to think of.

Although he might appreciate it more if Jong In and Luhan returned faster. Sehun frowned as he spun the office chair and making a tour of the room. “They said to come right after setting my stuff at class, but they haven’t arrived at this hour…” his voice was left trailed when the Broadcasting Room’s door is being knocked.

Sehun smiled brightly, thinking his Black Leader and representative return. So he stood up abruptly, leaving the chair a bit moving back as Sehun ran towards the door. With a happy face he turned the door knob.

But when the door swung open, Sehun’s jaw dropped as he paled. The sight of his math teacher, science, and a bunch more was truly terrifying. For one, he still afraid teachers. In a pure shock and fear, Sehun slammed the door close.

The knocking sound came again and Sehun locked the door immediately. “Student Oh Sehun, open the door” the teachers shouted from over the door. Sehun bit his lips as he panicked.

“Why they’re here?!”

author's note--

author's note--