Two

two

[ Jonghyun ]

The bell rings and Jonghyun slings an arm around Key’s shoulders. The choir room begins to empty of students that part around the spot in front of the room where Jonghyun and Key sit next to the wall.

“Come on, babe, let’s go,” Jonghyun says, beginning to stand.

Key sniffles and shakes his head. “I don’t want to.”

“Come on. We have a test this Friday. You don’t want to fail it, do you?”

“What does it matter?” Key snaps. “I’ve already failed enough anyway! What’s one more failure?”

“Don’t be like that. It’s just one audition.” Key doesn’t bother responding, just starts rubbing at his eyes again.

Jonghyun catches one of his wrists and holds it. “Stop. You know that’s bad for you.”

“I don’t care,” Key responds sullenly, jerking his wrist away.

“Key?” Jonghyun looks up and the choir teacher, Mrs. Black, is crouching next to them. “Do you want me to call your parents to take you home?”

Key nods miserably and Jonghyun resists the urge to roll his eyes. He supposes he’s just a bit tired of Key’s bull, making problems up where there aren’t any. Jonghyun has enough to deal with now as it is.

“Fine,” he says, and it comes out a lot more snappish than he meant for it to come out. “I’ll call you.”

Key gives the slightest nod to acknowledge that he heard and Jonghyun snatches up his bag.

“Bye!” he calls over his shoulder as he sprints out of the room. The hallway is mostly empty, and Jonghyun scans for someone to walk to class with. The only one he recognizes is, coincidentally, his new lab partner for this semester. His name is Taemin, and they have the next class together.

“Hey, wait up!” he calls.