“Imagine meeting someone who understood even the dustiest corners of your mixed up soul.”

 

Being in half conscious state, my mind still was active as a running hamster. I laid on my bed, staring at the ceiling for an eternity to find a reason to actually get up. All I saw was blue lath, imitating a clear sky which only made me more desolate than how I was already feeling. A few steady breaths and discontented sighs later, my legs went off the bed and I was walking to the washroom to get ready for school.

 

You see, even if I wanted to skip school, I need to leave the house to at least make my mom think I was going to school. Staying in means endless nagging and talks about finding a purpose in life with becoming a certified doctor in between. I don't want to be a doctor and face diseased people on a daily basis. I was already ill to the very atom of my cell, let alone fixing people of less problem like a cold or cough.

 

---

 

I saw Kai at the bakery cafe again. Playing with the dogs in front, making them do tricks and giving them treats afterwards as a reward. His face was all cherry and I could hear his enlivened laughter. Dogs must make him happy. Puppies to be exact. So this was his way of making himself feel genial everyday. On the contrary, I have never even touched the canines at home.

 

I didn't want to disturb his fun time and walked past him to school. To which now, I was just standing in front of the gates, glancing at the other students coming. They all had someone with them, to talk to and to laugh with. And me, still standing here alone so it seemed.

 

“Should I skip classes again? Or should I go? Maybe I can pass the time by taking a round trip in the city,” I was considering my choices of the day when suddenly someone pushed me from behind and made me walk into school grounds. I was surprised so I turned around to face a widely grinning Kai.

 

“I thought you needed a jump start,” he said.

 

“I think I'll skip the day,” I replied, as if it was normal to be this comfortable with Kai. His face was suddenly a few centimetres away from me making me swallow the nervous lump in my throat.

 

“Hyung said never to skip classes ever again.”

 

“What does that have to do with me?” I think my voice was shaky at this point. Then again, how can I not when this conversation does not allow any existence of personal space. He pulled himself back right after.

 

“Well, nothing actually,” his realisation came in and his face turned blank.

 

“I just wanted you to be in class with me,” he then spoke. With what intention, I don't know but I went with him and that's that.

 

---

 

Day dreaming was all I did in class. Dreams of rare lucidity. Dreams of me jumping off a building, and during the moment of flight to feel like a bird before finally escaping this cruel and lonely world. Hideous to be called a day dream but it made a smile. My heart was at ease through that course of mind absence.

 

“Bullseye!” at the same moment, something hit my head. Something small, and wet, and slimy. Spitball! And two came again, hitting my arm but the other missed my face by inches. Cheers from the other side of class. Rowdy of boys and a few es who hate my guts. Where's a teacher when I need them?

 

“Stop that,” Kai raised his voice and their ugly cheer stopped abruptly.

 

“Do you have a problem with me?” I guessed that was the leader.

 

“Yes.”

 

“What the hell are you up to?” I shot Kai a piercing look to stop him from doing whatever he had in mind. But that was useless. Kai walked towards the rascal but he took no time for leisure. He grabbed Kai by the collar and slammed his face to the table, just enough to show how angry he was but not enough to break Kai's precious face.

 

“SEONSAENGNIM!” Kai's voice was rather muffled due to his situation but that didn't make him sound any less loud.

 

“There's no teacher you prick. You're going to reg-” the rascal's threat didn't live at all. Before he could finish his sentence, the door had open to a very horrified Miss Gu. Her favourite new student was being bullied and that had made her found another student to gladly send to detention, which she immediately did to the rascal.

 

“Little piece of ,” I muttered under my breath as he shot me a glare when he was dragged out by Miss Gu.

 

“How did you know she was coming?” I asked Kai when he had went back to his seat. The side of his face was still red but he didn't look minded.

 

“I don't,” I was stupefied by his answer. So whatever happened before was out of luck and coincidence. If his luck was at its vilest, Miss Gu wouldn't appear and he would have a broken nose and bloody mouth. And I would be devoured by guilt.

 

During recess, I had company again. Kai had tailed me and even though I asked him to stop, he was still behind me like a looming shadow since he was taller than me. It was uncomfortable to sit and eat when someone is constantly stealing looks of me. Kai was the perfect example of a creep but I found myself appealed towards him.

 

“Oppa~ Long time no see,” Junhee came and sat next to Kai.

 

“Oh hi, Junhee,” he seemed completely uncomfortable but I can't do anything to help him. And staying means making things more awkward, so I left. I met Kyungsoo, 'Pororo' when I went to return the food tray.

 

“You have to save Jongin. You have to save him from the stingray,” his big eyes looked pleading ever so badly but I can't say yes.

 

“I can't. You go save him,” I avoided his eyes. I might just fall for it, help Kai and end up being in trouble with Junhee. Not that I wasn't. But I'll be in bigger trouble.

 

“No. You. You have to,” his voice was stern.

 

“Are you kidding me?”

 

“Come on, go.”

 

“No.”

 

“Do it!”

 

“What?”

 

“Say something about Dasom.”

 

“I can't just lie. She will- Dasom asks me to call you. She's in the...toilet,” I don't know how I got to this point but it was too late to turn back. The bicker between Kyungsoo and I was darn right useless because somehow he managed to get me to lie. Junhee looked really worried and left in a jiffy.

 

“Thank you!” Kai let out a loud, relieved sigh. I guessed Junhee made even other people feel pressured.

 

“I can't eat properly and she kept saying she missed me,” Kai broke out in a fit of suppressed laughter. He thought this was a light matter, something he could laugh off at the end of the day but not to me. If Dasom found out what I did, I might be spat at or she might cut my hair and make me look like Chucky or told people I'm a . Or she can do all three.

 

“You're done eating?' he asked me later. Kyungsoo had sat at my place and picked at Kai's side dishes. He was inspecting it, making sure it's not poisonous. I can see why these two are friends. They're both queer.

 

“I'm going,” I simply told him and walked away.

 

---

 

After I was out from the cafeteria, I felt like running. Running away from everything. But I can't run out this instance because someone will report me to the discipline teacher for my evident school offense. Though, I did ran. I ran to a place where I found solace and wish I could stay there for all my pathetic life. Fortunately, no one was in my personal haven so I went inside.

 

The thought of being alone made me feel relaxed but by the same thought, I would feel that my life is useless and I have no reason to be alive. I'm just going to entertain my own feelings by being in the midst of inanimate beauties of brass, string and wooden instruments. I can only play the piano but that didn't mean I was any less interested in the other instruments.

 

A few school bells later, I was still here. I sat on the piano bench without doing anything. Just sitting down still and gazing at the ivories. I'm not bored. I'm always full of thoughts. I'm just without company. Suddenly the door opened and startled me.

 

“What are you doing here?” his voice was ghostly and I was rather freaked out. I almost screamed my heart out but a person came in vision after I turned around. It's 'Pororo'.

 

“I don't want to be anywhere else,” I answered with much indifference.

 

“Jongin's looking for you.”

 

“I'm avoiding him. And Dasom,” all good things die at her name.

 

“Do you know, by any chance, why Kai is talking to me?” I finally let out the itch in my heart. His best friend should know why, no? Kyungsoo took a chair and sat in front of me. He sat rather awkwardly proper, knees together with his hands on his thighs.

 

“Jongin said he likes you.”

 

“What?” my voice came out louder than I thought it would be.

 

“He likes being around you. He said that it's comfortable and he doesn't have to add any compliment in every sentence,” and I had a good guess on how he and Junhee broke up.

 

“Can you do me a favour?” it was weird that he's asking me. But I nodded anyways.

 

“Be his friend. I was sceptical when I first saw you. I thought you were just the same as stingray. Conceited and selfish. But Jongin told me otherwise. He tried hard to stay away from his old ways, Hyerin. I just want him to graduate with good credits. I don't want him to live on the streets. You're the second person he trusts,” Kyungsoo's words meant a lot, though he could fix his expression a bit because I wouldn't believe him if he kept that. Expressionless, as if he had rehearsed his lines and forgot to practice on his face.

 

“I supposed you're the first person?” I asked.

 

“One person is not enough to keep him on his feet,” just like a dagger, his words pierced my heart. Not in a bad way. I was touched that he cared so much about his friend. Just a friend. They're not even related in any way. That was the first time I envy Kai to the pits of my stomach. He had someone, and he still has someone. I never had anyone.

 

I didn't want to think about his favour, to be honest. I turned back to the piano and played something to distract myself. After a few notes, I heard a familiar voice singing the words to the song I'm playing. I could stop right now but that means the singing will stop too.

 

Love
Ever since the first moment I spoke your name
From then on I knew that by you being in my life
Things were destined to change cause......
Love
So many people use your name in vain
Love

 

It was Kyungsoo all the time. The stranger who had sang into my heart and ease my soul when my mind was making a din. His voice of honey with grit. The same feeling when frozen yoghurt melts in your mouth. When velvet and silk slides from your skin. Of flowers blooming in the spring to his voice. A fleeting moment of bliss which came to a end when my fingers stopped dancing on the keys.

 

“I miss singing that song. And you should go back to class,” he said before leaving. A simple persuasion that I ignored, despite.

 

---

 

I did went back. Went back home. It was quite late, just a few hours before prep class finished. 5pm. When I turned the corner, Kai was waiting in from of the bakery cafe. His distressed expression told me something was bothering him.

 

“Hyerin!” he was surprised I had came up to him.

 

“Do you work here?” I asked him.

 

“No. My sister owns the place,” as if he had expounded on my question, I came to know all the reasons for him being constantly appearing at the bakery cafe before and after school.

 

“Hey, I'm sorry for troubling you earlier. Hyung must have pestered you to it,” his apologetic face displayed sincerity. I didn't deny the fact that Kyungsoo was annoying but he did it out of pity I supposed.

 

“I'd like to offer a frappe as an added apology,” he didn't wait for a yes or a no, dragging me into the cafe and asked me to sit, to wait. Minutes later, he came back with fruit frappe.

 

“I don't want to make you stay up late tonight so no coffee,” he explained as he handed me the drink. I would love a hot drink to warm me up but it's a free offer, why should I ask for more?

 

“Say, why stingray?” I wondered why Kyungsoo called Junhee that. It's a nice nickname but I want to know why. Kai had let out a chuckle before explaining.

 

“I made up a story on how we broke up because I don't want to look like a douche bag. Saying that she made my heart ache until I feel like dying like Steve Irwin. And he got killed by a stingray. So, the nickname. He's really smart, you see,” he explained, a sense of proud for his hyung oozing out from the last sentence.

 

I asked more about the cafe, he answered. I asked more about Kyungsoo, he answered. I didn't left any opportunity for him to ask about me. Simply because I don't want to talk about myself. After a few minutes, I was out of questions and done with my drink.

 

“For supper,” he proffered me a vanilla puff before I left.

 

---

 

I think Kai had put sleeping pills in my drink because I was already starting to feel sleepy around 10pm. Too early to crash in considering my wrecked body clock.

 

 

 

Kim Jongin. Should I open up to him? He was definitely a lost soul before. Maybe if he understands, I'll have someone to live on with. But only until graduation. And I won't have anyone again. That's useless. He does deserve a story. An epic horror of a pathetic being. He would be the last person I'll be nice to before I die.

 

My body clock had failed to stop me from closing my eyes, drifting into whimsical dreams of hamburgers, bananas and a golden Rolls Royce.

 

---

 

A/N : So Kyungsoo is her beautiful stranger in voice! Woot woot. Will Hyerin tell Kai all he needs to know about her? Will Hyerin be able to survive the remaining days and continue living? Or will she stick with just seven days and jump?