“ing hell,”

 

                cusses Himchan upon bumping into a door once again. Today, Himchan's been kind of ghost-like, except he can't walk through walls—instead, he hits his head against them accidentally.

 

 

 

                “Mr. Kim, are you alright?”

 

 

                Startled, he quickly spins around. As he turns to face his teacher, his school satchel hits his teacher's knee. Himchan was such a klutz today.

 

                “Ah, , I'm so sorry.”

 

                The teacher raises an eyebrow.

 

                Realizing he had practically cursed in front of his own teacher, he bows down to apologize. “I-I'm sorry.”

 

                “For cursing twice or for hitting me with your bag?”

 

                “Uh, both.” Himchan says sheepishly.

 

                “You know, Himchan. Doors open through the doorknob.” The teacher tells him, then pushes the door open.

 

               

 

                God, I'm so stupid. He plants his face on his desk as soon as he gets to his seat.

 

 

 

                Was Himchan kind of rejected, in a way?

 

 

                No way, he thinks to himself. I haven't even told him anything and he already thinks I'm gross?

 

                He searches in his mind for a time he may have dropped a hint and... oh. Maybe telling him he was gay wasn't the brightest of ideas. And nagging him every so often might have been a turn-off too.

 

                “I'm so stupid.” He grumbles out loud.

 

 

 

                “I'd usually agree with you, just saying.” Sunhwa chirps from beside him.

 

                “Shut up.”

 

 

                Strange thing was that even up to now, he wonders about Yongguk.

 

                Has he eaten? Was he alright with being alone? Is he coming back to school?

 

 

 

                Does he... miss me, maybe?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                “Turn in your final projects before we begin.” The teacher speaks from the other end of the classroom.

 

                The whole class collectively sigh as if the whole time they've been holding their breaths, and now they don't have to. This was the project everyone's been having problems with. Everyone including the president who was no other than Himchan.

 

                The papers are being passed by row, differing in thickness. Himchan flinches when he lays a finger on a project written like it were an 800-page novel. He doubts himself for a moment because he was the president after all. His work might be lackluster in comparison to everyone else's.

 

 

 

                “Ooh, 'Missing Puzzle Piece'? Sounds romantic.” Sunhwa refers to the title on Himchan's paper, printed out in bold black ink. She's looking over Himchan's shoulder, and Himchan gently pushes her away.

 

                “Yeah, whatever. And what's your title?” He replies, handing the stack of papers to the person in front of him.

 

                “'Misunderstandings'.”

 

                “Huh?”

 

                “Misunderstandings—like what you and Yongguk are having at the moment.” Sunhwa smiles cheekily.

 

                Himchan frowns. Sunhwa was cruel at times.

 

 

 

                “And as for the absentees, do you know how they will be able to submit their projects?”

 

                The teacher is looking intently at Himchan. He assumes that Himchan knows what Yongguk's been up to because they were really close.

 

                Emphasis on were.

 

                Himchan averts his gaze, slowly drowning in guilt because no, he doesn't know what's happening to Yongguk. The worst part is he hasn't tried visiting him or whatever he could have done to make sure he was okay—that they were okay.

 

                He should have confessed earlier, as well as he should have at least checked up on Yongguk.

 

                But he didn't. Typical of him.

 

                Himchan might be happy and friendly, but to himself, he thinks he's more of a coward.

 

                He's a coward because he doesn't know what Yongguk would say—how their friendship would end if he did or say anything.

 

 

 

 

                “Does anyone have them?"

 

                Himchan continues to hide his face from his line of sight, trying to seem as unaffected as possible. He's so painfully obvious though, ever since the beginning of this week. While he's lamenting silently, a student raises his hand to say that he has Yoo Youngjae's project. He steps to the front, and places the paper on his desk. The teacher thanks him, and he returns to his seat.

 

                "Who else? Besides Bang Yongguk; he's already submitted his.”

 

 

 

 

 

                Wait. What?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

xxxx

 

 

 

                He slips on his jacket, pulling his hoodie over his head. The sun was high up in the sky early in the morning, but it was extremely cold out. Yongguk was still shivering under the jacket's thin fabric.

 

                The school's a half-hour walk from his house, but he manages. He comes inside the school since the guards are asleep anyway and lucky him, a certain writing class teacher was early for school. Since he wasn't exactly the most sociable person ever, he stands frozen, unsure of how to approach him.

 

                The teacher notices him, though. (Yongguk inwardly sighs in relief because now he doesn't have to try and communicate.) “My, my, Yongguk. I thought you've disappeared from the face of the Earth completely!” He jokes, laughing.

 

 

                Yongguk doesn't laugh, however.

 

                Seeing this, the teacher coughs and apologizes. “Well, Himchan's been quite down and out of it lately, if you were going to ask about him.”

 

                Yongguk's ears perk up at the mention of Himchan's name.

 

                “I might be wrong, but it might have been something to do with you.” His teacher tells him. He was on his way to the office at the moment, and Yongguk should get straight to the point. Yet, he wants to know how Himchan's been. Even more, he wants to see him.

 

                “Why do you say that...?” Yongguk finally speaks.

 

                “He's been my student for a long time now—and he's always been fine. Even better when he met you!” His teacher explains. “Since you've been gone, he's had 180-degree change.”

 

                Yongguk nods, unable to reply. He walks over to the balding middle-aged man and hands him papers hastily stapled together.

 

                “What's this?” His teacher asks, scanning through each page.

 

                “It's my project.”

 

 

                “Can't you give it to me later during class?”

 

 

                “I... I'm not going to class today.”

 

                is all Yongguk says before he left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

xxxx

 

 

 

 

                Classes are dismissed and Himchan and Sunhwa, along with the others, are preparing to leave. Since this was the last day the writing class was ever going to meet this year, they decided to hold a little get-together right after class. Something to do with liquor and music blasting in full volume. Himchan declines the offer, despite being the president, much to the rest of the class' dissapointment. Because of such, Sunhwa misses it too. Not that Sunhwa really wanted to attend it anyway; she was getting over a recent heartbreak.

 

 

 

                “Mr. Kim?”

 

 

                Himchan stops his conversation with Sunhwa, to direct his attention to his teacher. “Yes, sir?”

 

                “Can I talk to you?”

 

 

                Himchan looks at Sunhwa, and she nods. She says that she'll go ahead, and she bids Himchan and the teacher goodbye as she walks out of the room. Himchan can almost imagine her crying over a new episode of her favorite drama, a tub of ice cream in hand. Her best friend, Jung Hana might visit too, and she'd yell for her to go away. Girls and their periods.

 

 

 

               

 

 

                Once the room is completely evacuated, the teacher simply places some papers in front Himchan. “You might want to read this.” He says, smiling.

 

 

                Himchan's rather confused as he stares at it. He sits unmoving. “Wait, what's this?” He tries to ask, but his teacher's already gone.

 

 

                Everyone in this school is crazy. Including me. The boy thinks.

 

                He sighs and considers that maybe he should read it. After all, his teacher said so. Feeling defeated and more tired than he's ever been before, he rests his head on his hand.

 

 

 

                But the first line catches him off-guard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                “You're so stupid, Yongguk.” Himchan whispers.

 

 

                “But I'm stupider.” He couldn't help as tears started to flow from his eyes. His breathing is choppy, and he looks like , he's sure. But he's smiling so wide and his heart is fluttering; he can't find it in himself to care anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Stories—whether mystery, drama, fantasy or love—have settings.

 

                It could be an adventure in the heart of the trees and the mountains, or a castle made of glass that floats upon a cloud.

 

                In his, that place is under a star-filled sky on a cold night. The closest he has to a blanket are the patches of grass below him. His story starts when the school is empty, or at least that’s what he thinks. It doesn’t really matter, because all he notices is a person whose smile is so bright it can power all the lights in the night sky.

 

                The same way it lit up the depths of his heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

----

A/N: HIIIIiiii i'm back after like idk 15 days????

so sorry that the update prior to this was short eek

im not the typical writer so i dont know how to make yongguk's???? essay?????

i wanted to make something pretty orz 

oh well, just pretend yongguk is a pretty writer anddd

this is maybe a couple more chapters from the end?? yes uwu

sorry i have this excessive use of question marks ??????????

i love you