chapter 6;

Yoomi panted upon reaching the door of her classroom. She had her knees bent and she was supported by her hands on the wall. Finally, after a series of breathes, she had come to calm down once more. She steadied herself and stood still, having to regain her composure.

Whilst she was still on the verge of having to steady herself, the voice of a woman was audible appareantly, it was inside of the room.

*Oh no, I'm dead.* She thought.

She took wary steps as she opens up the door. Immediately, all the attention was shifted through her and who she assumes that was their homeroom teacher had her hands on her hips. The woman cleared her voice and adjusted her spectacles.

*Oh no, not a good start.* Yoomi thought while grinning at the sea of students, obviously having judging gazes at her. Well, not all the percentage of the students do have negative stares, some are positive too.

"You're the transferee, right? Well then, introduce yourself." The woman stared at her whilst adjusting ger spectacles. 

Yoomi stepped forward, halting just at the center of the room. She can feel her heartbeats palphitate with a fast pace knowing the fact she'll have to talk infront of swarm of strangers that she''ll have to get along. What makes this process hard is that she''ll have to leave a nice impression just so to acquire her a positive outcome. Either way, she cleared , washing away all her vexations.

"An-an.. Annyeong! I-I'm Kim Yoomi!" She says as she stutters on her words. 

"Ok Yoomi, you can seat there at the vacant seat." 

Yoomi scanned the whole room and finally found the said vacant seat at the middle of the room. Two girls were sitting beside her which whom she smiled after passing at them. The two girls only smiled and said nothing else after the gesture. 

Yoomi might be talkative and a cheery girl but she can be also awkward at her first meeting. 

A certain boy nudged on the girl beside her. 

"What?" The girl coldly says as she spun around, facing the boy. Yoomi knew it is still early to judge but then she suddenly got scared approaching the girl.

"Can I lend some pens?" 

"I have no other spares." She shortly replied.

"Pssh, liar." The boy muffled in a low tone, having an apparent tone of dejection.

"I heard it, Baekhyun." 

The boy just shook his head, whispered something on his friend beside him. His friend just shook his head and gazed back at their homeroom teacher, actually ignoring the petty problem of his dear friend.

"Even you Kyungsoo? You're on her side?!"

"Shutup Baekhyun, you're so childish! It's just a pen!"  

"Aish forever filthy old man." 

"Shutup!" He threw a crumpled paper on his face." 

Baekhyun attempted on a counter attack but then they can feel their teacher glancing on their direction.

"Baekhyun and Kyungsoo, what's the commotion all about?"

"Uhh nothing Ma'am! We were just talking about math, right, Kyungsoo? The square root of 144 is 10, right?" He says as he faces Kyungsoo.
Their homeroom teacher then cleared his throat before sighing in hostile manner before continuing on her discussion. The homeroom teacher along with the class didn't bother to put their attention to them after. 

"It's twelve, stupid." Kyungsoo rolled his eyes but Baekhyun wasn't able to hear it.

"Dorkies." The girl beside Yoomi mumbles then rolled her eyes. When the girl notice Yoomi is starring at her, she shifted her face to her. Yoomi jumped up on her position tiny bit then adverted her attention to the teacher, pretending to listen at the teacher for the fear that she might be welcomed by a pair of narrowing eyebrows.

 

 

 

The class ended but at the end of the day, Yoomi wasn't able to make a friend. Some are asking small informations about her but that's it, she didn't even ended up having a friend at all. Another thing is that she isn't the sociable type, it had always been the shame that has always been the first to overpowers her before she even approached a person.

On lunch, she spend her time roaming around the school after eating her lunch. She even landed on the place where she had seen Kai crying but when she got in there, Kai wasn't even there. So, she took advantage of Kai's absence and savour the serenity of the place. She laid down the greeny and fresh grasses and rest her head on her stretched arms behind her head.

She closes her eyes and just breathed in with the fresh air.

Once she got bored, she stood up and walked in circles. She noticed a big apple tree standing still on the center of the hill. She took her pen inside her pocket and wrote something on the rough skin of the tree. Since the texture of the tree is rough, she has to exert harder effort in writting down. 

Currently, she's standing at the entrance gate of the school, actually waiting for Kai. Her mom had told her to go home together with Kai. It has been almost 10 minutes upon waiting for him. She sat on a seat on the waiting shed whilst swaying her feet back and forth. 

After some minutes, she can recognize Kai's figure together with some company. She came to a speculation that they were his friends. It took some moments for Kai to see Yoomi. Yoomi took a glance at Kai but then Kai glarred at her in response. She took a step but then Kai is sending daggers on her and threatening her by his piercing glares as if sending her a message to don't dare approaching him.

Yoomi's arms deflated and she sighed in deploration. 

Kai had passed on the gates but he didn't even care to cast a single glance at Yoomi.

Yoomi once again sighed, the grip on her bag tightens as she walks.

Without her knowing, Kai took a glance when she walked pass at the gate while he was behind the gates together with his friends. He had seen how Yoomi's face crunched up and he admits, he felt a pang of guiltiness rushing out on his body.

"Hey, why are we here anyways? Are we spying?" Baekhyun suddenly asked out of curiosity. Kai had ignored his question and walked away. 

"What's the problem on him?" Chanyeol's eyebrows twitched. 

"As always." Kyungsoo just shrugs.

Though it had always been a fact that Kai is friends with them for so long, there are still times that he has things he always had been keeping for his ownself that what makes him a mystery for them to solve. He had always been so picky at the things he's been sharing and often things that are too private are kept for his ownself. Though the trust they worked so hard to build is already substantial, it was as if Kai is still scared to share his own thoughts.

Either way, his friends followed suit.

 

 

 

The rain came an advantage for Yoomi since she grew accustomed bringing an umbella along with her whenever she goes out. Whether any various types of weather that will come, she'll bring it. It might be because it was a habit she inherited from her mother who happens to inherit it also from his father. So, if you view it, she actually inherited it from his late father without her knowing it. 

The rain comes in a series of small drizzles little by little gaining into severe downpour, making it hard for her to walk in the cold slippery ground.

Without her full knowledge, Kai had been going for a search for her. For the first walks, Kai had followed her whole throughout. It was due resulted by his
own conscience distressing him by the thought she might get lost. But at the middle of the walk, Kai had lost sight of her and instantly, his inner anxiety kept on bugging him.

He had no umbrellas along with him and he is now fully drenched up in the rain. Either way, he doesn't know why he is still continuing for his search for her despite the fact that this person is someone who he detested so much. His vexations just kept on dominating him and whenever he fought it hard, it wouldn't just let go and he just can't get enough of it.

On the contrary, Yoomi is nearing their house. She find it hard to find directions and commuting to one public vehicle unto another. She even texted her mom, asking directions going home. It was sooner when the sight of their house were already visible within her eyes, proclaiming her self-proclaim success.

She stride a few steps until she had reached the house. The house had it's lights flickered on but her mom and Kai wasn't on the living room. She laid down her shoes on the shoe rack and beamed happily, having to get at ease already. But one thing made her halt for a moment, Kai's shoes isn't here.

"Mom? Kai? I'm home!" 

After a few seconds, her mom came out from upstairs, welcoming her with a smile.

"Oh Yoomi! Where's Kai? Didn't I told you, you'll have to go home with him?"

Yoomi's eyes went ajar. Kai is knowledgeable about the directions here on Seoul and she knew he went off earlier than her so he should be here. But why isn't he?

"Don't tell me you didn't go with him?"

Yoomi wasn't able to arrive in any answer. The feeling of remorse is eating her up. The very thought of Kai being not here is very unsettling. Knowing Kai for a small span of time, she knew he has reasons and with those reason, he can do things that possibly can inflict his ownself.

Without further ado, she grab her umbrealla and slam the door.

"Hey Yoomi!"

Yoomi wasn't able to come on a response to her mom since she's already on a too much haste.

 

 

 

 

Yoomi's eyes wandered everywhere, cheking on whether Kai might be appear on a certain direction. After not having to gain something, she returned back to the direction of their house. As she walks, a familiar figure walks across from her direction. 

Yoomi stopped on her steps and squinted her eyes for awhile.

Though she stood meters away, she can fully recognized the figure. It was Kai, his head starring at the ground whilst walking and while being all soaked up from the rain.

She ran going to his direction in immediate response.

In a few seconds, a shade casted above Kai's head and Kai could feel his background getting darker.

It wasn't late though when Kai regained on his senses and lifted his head up, seeing an umbrella shielded him from the drops of rain, preventing him from getting drench any further. Small drops of rain streaming down on his wet hair.

"Why didn't you call me? Or even texted me? Why didn't you tell me you have no umbrella so we can walk together? Don't you know you'll get sick in what were you doing?" It was the first words that came in Yoomi's mouth upon seeing him with this poor state.

"I was.. I was searching for.. for y--" He was hesitant to say the word so he didn't bother to say anymore.

*I was searching for you.* He mentally thought.

"For?"

"Nevermind." He then walked away.

"Hey! Wait! Kai! You'll get sick!" She chaste unto him, shielding him with her umbrella.

 

 

 

Both Kai and Yoomi entered the house all dripping wet and immersed from the rain. For Yoomi's case, she run and chaste Kai so she ended up getting wet despite the fact that she has umbrella and as for Kai, he is stubborn enough to accept her offer. 

Currently, they were wiping their clothes with towels. Yoomi noticed something strange to Kai. He doesn't bicker or complain, his movements are slow and
weak too. Without any second thoughts, Yoomi placed a hand on his forehead, her expression is serious and full of edginess and concern.

"Are you sick?" 

Kai harshly push her hands off him, "None of your business." He put down his shoes on the shoe rack and proceeded upstairs. Yoomi shook his head, starring at Kai's direction. 

Just then when she attempts to go upstairs, her mother came barging from the kitchen. She held two cups of hot chocolate, the subtle steaming aroma wafted through the air.

"Did you found Kai?"

Yoomi nodded.

"I had prepared hot chocolate for the both of you." 

"He's already upstairs."

"Oh is that so? Well then, bring this to him."

"Neh umma."

 

 

 

Yoomi knocked on Kai's door for several times, but the door didn't even budge any single bit and had still remained intact at the midst of her knocking. Finally, at what seems like eternity, the familiar voice became aural within the area. Yoomi stood at the doorstep, carrying the cup of hot chocolate whilst her ears placing on the door, seemingly listening on his voice on the other part.

"Wha--wha..what do yo.. you want?" His voice is apparently lacking of strength, confirming Yoomi's suspicion about him getting sick.

"Kai, I brought a hot chocolate here. Open the door." 

A series of coughs sounded on the other side and the voice was owned by him. Getting panicked right away and being indecisive, Yoomi precitipously twisted the doorknob, having hopes that fortuity might come that it might be opened. But then again, it didn't earned her anything. The door was shut and securely locked.

"Kai! Open the door!" Her desperation of opening the door dominated her will.

No matter how innumberable sound she emits, there was no response on the other side, the door remained shut and closed. Yoomi became weary of trying any further any more. A sigh of desolation was escaped by her lips. She badly wants to see his condition.

"Kai, if by chance you'll open this door, I'm going to leave this cup on the side of your door. Drink it, ok?" 

She positioned her ears closier to the door. She waited for some seconds to pass on, waiting for his answer but then she gained not even a single response from him. She sighed once more. Kai has always been this stubborn.

She knelt down and left the hot chocolate on the side of his door. As stupid as what the idea is, she just can't do anything just so to make his conditon any better.

After a few minutes, her mom called upon her.

"Yoomi, go upstairs and call Kai. We'll be eating dinner already."

Yoomi rushed through upstairs in an instance. She took a stare on the cup of hot chocolate and saw that it wasn't even intact any single amount. It became cold without even drinking it by him. Yoomi sighed. 

She then proceeded on knocking on his door. "Kai, open the door. Dinner is ready!"

No response from him. She is getting unpatient and sick of pursuading him.

"Fine! If you don't want to eat then don't." She sighed exasperately and descended downstairs.

 

 

 

A few hours later and Kai didn't even dare showing up and it's making Yoomi worry and fretting. She's currently on the living room, watching re-runs of her favorite variety show. The show is runnig for a half an hour already but Yoomi didn't pay attention even once on it. Her face remains blank and her thought and mind is flying somewhere.

"Why isn't he going down?" He mumbles to no avail, only to his ownself.

"Aish! That bastard he doesn't know who's he's making him worried." The moment she muffles the words, it cause her to got shocked. 

*Worried? Me?* She shook her head and ruffled her hair in frustration. "I bet I'm going crazy." 

She switched off the T.V. "No, I should not worry. I should be happy, he didn't appeared."

Either way, she still continued going upstairs to confirm all her worries. She knocked a few times but the door didn't even move.

"Kai?"

The more the silence engulfed the area, the more worried and anxious she is. 

"Kai? Are you still there? Open the door!"

Yoomi shut her eyes, she once goes for an attempt on opening the door. 

The door is open.

Yoomi contemplated for awhile how stupid she is not even figuring this ever so soon. She just felt her energy and effort all squandered and she just wished she figured it out earlier enough, maybe she could help Kai. But it is never too late, she can still help Kai though how late it may seem.

She hurried on his room and saw him all being buried by the sheets of his blankets, his pillows all disseminated and scattered in an unparticular places. inside, he was a big mess, his lean body shivering and quivering as if all his system just drained out all his energy. He only confides on the thickness of the fabric of his sheets, entrusting his weak and ill body.

"Kai! Oh my gosh, what happen to you?!" She was in a great awe, leaving her slack-jawed and shocked and at the same time she was worrying. 

Yoomi bit her lip, seeing more his tremendous state after lifting slightly the sheets. Kai only lifted his head to take a weak glimpse of her.

No wonder he isn't answering and the hot chocolate remained untouched. Yoomi felt guilt for awhile seeing him being so anguish for the moment. She once bit her lip.

"Wait for me here, I'll just going to get something."

She hastily head off unto head off on her and gathered all the things she might need. She also went downstairs to grab some lukewarm water. She came back on his room with medical kits, small basin with a warm water, towel and a glass of water. When she came back, she found him sleeping soundly. She sat on his bed just near him. 

She set aside the basin on his wooden lamp table and dipped the towel as the water absorbs and suffuses the entirety of the towel, leaving it drench and warm. She massaged his forehead by the warm towel before laying it down fully on it.

She notices how Kai was shivering and how his sweat lingered around his body so she hesitantly pull his shirt off, revealing his body. *Ugggh, this is embarassing.*

But what more alarming thing is that his body were actually filled with bruises despite it's lean and muscular form. Her jaw dropped and starred worriedly at him. Just imagining someone hurting Kai made her feet wobble and weakened. She doesn't know he's walking behind this path and she has been too judgemental about him.

"I'm sorry, Kai. I didn't know." She muffles in the best possible lowest tone.

She headed off on his closet to rummaged search for his shirts. Finally, having to find a suitable comforting thick shirt, she pulled it off at the midst of pile and heaps of clothes. She came back on him and immediately slid down the shirt. She can heard him stir by growling some sounds but then immediately get back on sleeping. Yoomi opens her medical kit and searched for her medicines. Once finding the medicine for fever, she wake him up softly. 

"Kai, wake up."

Kai is a heavy sleeper so it wasn't that easy for Yoomi to wake him up. She nodged him multiple times until it had wake his senses.

"Why.. why are you he-here?" His voice is weak.

"Kai, you're sick.. Don't force yourself to speak anymore." She worriedly says.

"Take this medicine, Kai." 

She handed him the glass of water and the medicine.

"Look what I've told you. You shouldn't let yourself soaked up in the rain! Now, you're sick!" A tone of edginess and concern is evident on her tone. Yoomi brushed his bangs aside, her eyes full of anxiousness and care but even so, Kai flinched. Yoomi just sighed and retrieved her hands on her sides. Kai only starred at her and couldn't believe his eyes.

Never did ever in his life did someone cared for her like she currently do. It was just too good to be true, he even thought his eyes were just deceiving him. Kai looked down at the ground, not even taking the medicine.

"Go away. I don't need you."

"I won't until you take this. No matter how you push me, I won't."

"You will as I said so."

"No, I wont! Kai! Don't be so stubborn! I'm doing this for you!"

Silence took over on the atmosphere, both stayed starring at each other's eyes. Yoomi cleared .

"Just take this. I'll go after you take that." Yoomi finally says.

That was a huge lie. She just end-up saying it due resulted from the urge to take away the awkward atmosphere. There's no way she'll leave Kai with his current state.

"I still won't."

"Kai! Do you have plans on killing yourself?!"

"Why do you care so? I thought you hate me?"

"Because I care so!"

Yoomi opens hastily to reconstruct her sentence. "Because we care! Because umma cares and even your father cares! They all care about you! There's no point wasting your life! There are many people caring for you! You just don't try to see it."

"Liar! Dad cares? Really? How come so? Don't even speak about it, you don't know anything! Don't you dare pretend you care, because really, you aren't."

Yoomi taken aback on what he just said. She cares. Hearing it from Kai that she isn't just made her heart crashed. She can feel a small teardrop rolled down on the apple of her cheeks.

"Fine. You don't need someone who cares for you." She stepped out from his room, leaving it with a bang of a door. As she walks going through her room, her tears just won't stop flowing. It came a glut of tears, seamlessly flowing endlessly and at the same time, her heart hurts by his words.

She buried her face in her pillows the moment she reached her room. "He's so cruel." 

She had never been so hurt ever on her life.