chapter 2

It's not a big class and some of his classmates come over to ask if he's okay. Truly, Sunggyu looks like he's going to die. Red in the face and hair disheveled from the wind, he looks not-so-good. 

He waves them off and says he's fine, he just thought he'd be late, but he can't forget the stranger. 

Thankfully, Jungwook comes to distract his thoughts. Jungwook is a good friend of Sunggyu's, perhaps one of his closest friends, and he is always a welcome distraction (well, not always but most of the time). 

"What's wrong with you? Did you run a marathon or something?" he asks as he takes the seat adjacent to Sunggyu. Sunggyu frowns and nods because he definitely feels like he just ran a marathon. 

"Why were you running?" he asks.

"I thought I'd be late." 

"Well, you're not. Maybe you should run more often so you wouldn't be so winded every time you ran five feet."

"Hey," Sunggyu blushes, "I can run fine, I just choose not to."

"Okay, I absolutely believe you. Anyways, did you hear about the new model?"

"What happened to our other one?"

"Had to drop out for whatever reason. But apparently this new model is gorgeous. Like greek-god body. Apparently his face isn't too bad, either."

"Why does that even matter?"

"Eye candy is nice. Now this class can be enjoyable."

Sunggyu scoffs and sets up his things. Just when he's setlled, their professor walks in, behind her a young man no older than Sunggyu himself. The man is breathtaking and Sunggyu even gasps quietly. Black hair darker than the night sky falls effortlessly around a face with chiseled features and the best jawline Sunggyu has ever seen. His complexion, though, reminds Sunggyu of the stranger he'd met earlier that day and it makes his skin crawl. 

Around him he can hear incoherent whispers and everyone is staring at the model, but the model doesn't seem to care. Instead, he looks right at Sunggyu and when their eyes meet, Sunggyu shudders. Sunggyu bites his lip and looks away, ears red. 

"Psst, Sunggyu!" Jungwook hisses, reaching over to tug on Sunggyu's sleeve. 

Sunggyu doesn't answer right away and Jungwook impatiently scoots over to whisper in his ear. "I think Mr. Model likes you."

Jungwook's words take a moment to register and when they finally do, Sunggyu goes impossibly red. "Stop it, would you?" Sunggyu protests, but his tone is meek and he's too flustered to put any bite behind the bark. 

"This is our temporary model for today. Woohyun, when you're ready, please strip down and wait for instruction." 

Sunggyu peers over his drawing board and watches as Woohyun takes off his clothes until he’s completely . When the professor sees that he’s ready, she explains what she wants him to do. He does it effortlessly and Sunggyu can tell this guy is a natural model and is comfortable in his own skin. Rightfully so, considering how gorgeous he is. Sunggyu is usually not so affected by the models they get, but today seems to be different and he's having a hard time looking at the model lower than the shoulders. 

Woohyun’s got this smug look on his face when the professor tells the class a few things and orders them to begin. He's still looking at Sunggyu and Sunggyu tries to ignore it. He really attempts to draw now, pushing his embarrassment away. Sunggyu’s eyes travel along every dip and curve of Woohyun’s body, and he's got some magnificent features. Sunggyu thinks it’s almost humanly impossible to be so beautiful. 

Time seems to slow down and Sunggyu really wishes it would go faster. Every line he makes is crooked and just plain wrong, and he curses at every mistake he makes. Whether it's Woohyun's beauty or the fact that Woohyun keeps looking at him, he isn't sure, but it's distracting whatever it is. Jungwook glances over at Sunggyu's work every so often and gives him sympathetic pats on the knee in consolation. 

When class is finally over and the professor tells them that they're done, Sunggyu packs up his things with speed that he thought impossible for him. He runs out of the classroom, not daring to look at Woohyun again, and once he's outside he feels he can finally breathe. 

He doesn't bother waiting for Jungwook. He'll text him an apology later. Thankfully, he doesn't have class after this. Unfortunately, he has to work, but perhaps that will take his mind off the stranger and Woohyun and even last night. 

____

Sunggyu hangs up his apron and exits through the kitchen. He doesn't have the closing shift this time (thank God) and he leaves at a relatively normal time. Outside it's colder than any night he can remember, and he frowns at nothing in particular. 

At this time of night, the main street is busy. Christmas is nearing and the streets are lit up with fairy lights and large signs. Amidst the pretty lights are pretty store windows decorated with Christmas trees and tinsel. It reminds Sunggyu that he has to go Christmas shopping soon, and he starts to list off the people he needs to buy presents for in his head. 

He's knocked out of his daze, however, when he hears a scream. The crowd turns to find the source, unsure of what's happening. "A knife! He's got a knife!" someone shouts and then time seems to freeze. Panic ensues and the crowd disperses. Sunggyu is pushed around and he's moving toward the source of the scream now. In the next moment, he can see a man in a hoodie, a knife brandished in his shaking hand. The man is visibly trembling and time seems to slow around him then. The man looks up, but Sunggyu can't see his face. He steps forward and Sunggyu hadn't realized how close he was to the man until the man is right in front of him.

And then, a scream. 

so y model woohyun and OH MY GOD A KNIFE

HMMM WHAT WILL HAPPEN 

WHAT WILL HAPPEN INDEED