A long chapter because of Super Junior's comeback!!
Super Junior hwaiting!!
Tinywings

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“Minhee, could you help me with these boxes? Miss Ho said I have to bring them to the classroom before lunch break is over.”

I chuckled as I saw Amber trying to carry all those boxes to the classroom. I quickly grabbed a box from her hand.

“This is all I can carry, but I can walk a few times.”

Her face brightened up and I could not help but to feel happy.

“Thank you, Minhee!”

While walking to the classroom, Amber began to talk about the new movie everyone is talking about.

“We have not been going to a movie together for such a long time already, Minhee-ah! Let’s go this week!”

“Sure, sure.”

Amber has a lot of club activities nowadays and school work is growing with the day, so having some time to spend with friends is rather little.

“All right then!”

 “Just tell me when you want to go- Ah!”

I stumbled because of the sudden bump into someone. As I steadied myself, I quickly apologized.

“It was my fault.”

I heaved my head to meet a warm expression.

“Ah, Myungsoo-sshi, I am really sorry.”

His chuckle and warm expression was the total opposite of his calm, quiet attitude in class.

“I already told you not to worry about it. Where are you two going with those boxes?”

“We have to bring them to the classroom before lunch break,” Amber said while looking at her watch, “and we only have ten minutes left. I am never going to get to eat now.”

“Wait, let me help you.”

He grabbed my box and some boxes Amber was holding.

“Then I will go get the other boxes.”

I said while pointing to the direction we just came from. They both nodded.

“I will come help you after leaving these in the classroom.”

Amber said and I just gave her a thankful nod. I quickly ran back to get the boxes. There were only three boxes left. Maybe I could carry them all, so Amber does not have to come back again. I carefully heaved the three boxes, but my limited strength was not helping at all. After some time I was finally able to carry them all, and I slowly walked towards the classroom. Fortunately it was lunch break, which means I could slowly walk through the school without getting pushed over by someone. I was about to turn the corner when suddenly someone grabbed all the boxes.

You look like as if you are about to get buried under these boxes.”

His amused voice made my heart beat faster.

“Thank you, Sungyeol-sshi.”

He just smiled as he walked next to me.

“How are you doing?”

He asked as we walked to the classroom.

“Good and you?”

“Good as always. How are things at home?”

My expression fell as I heard his question. School was the only place for me to forget those problems, but his question just brought it all back.

“They do not talk to each other anymore. My father always comes home late nowadays, and mother does not want to do anything anymore.”

“I see.”

I gave him a grateful smile.

“But thank you for asking.”

“How can you still manage to smile when you are having problems?”

I scratched the back of my head.

“Is it stupid to smile then? I just think that instead of always thinking about it and feeling burdened about it, it feels better to just smile. I mean,” I turned my head to him, “were you not the one who told me that it does not matter?”

I still remember every word he told me, every encouraging word he said to me. But on top of that, I can still precisely remember his beautiful smile when he talked to me. Just like how he was smiling to me now.

“Such a strong girl.”

“I cannot even carry those boxes, so in which way?”

I playfully joked, earning a playful chuckle back from him.

“In your own, innocent way.”

-

“Please make groups of four-”

The teacher was interrupted by a sudden opening from the door.

“Sorry, I am late.”

Sungyeol said while panting, the sweat dropping from his hair. The teacher quickly gestured for him to sit down and continued explaining the upcoming group project.

“Like I just said, a group project of four. Please make your group today and give me the name list at the end of the lesson. I will hand a paper out with all the information.”

I quickly turned to Amber.

“Amber, are we together?”

“Of course!”

She said while looking around.

“Why does it have to be groups of four… How are we going to find the other two?”

“Amber, come with us!”

Sulli happily waved, but Amber shook her head.

“Sorry, but I am already with Minhee.”

“Amber, you can join them if you want… Are they not your friends?”

She simply shrugged, which amused me. Amber had such a cool attitude, I envied her.

“I do not want to join them, because they are too loud.”

We both laughed at her comment. I looked around, looking for two peoples who would want to join our group. Unconsciously, my eyes landed on Sungyeol. He was laughing out loud, his carefree smiles never leaving his face. I was startled as I saw him approaching us, and quickly looked away. He would never ask us to join him, right?

“Would you mind if Myungsoo and me join your group? Our friends decided to throw us out, and you two seem to be in need of two partners.”

Amber and I gave each other a thoughtful look, before turning to the two.

“Sure.”

We both said in unison, earning two amused smiles.

“Alright then!”

Sungyeol grabbed a nearby chair and took place on it, while Myungsoo asked for a chair like a gentleman. Just by looking at them, you could see the big difference between the two. And when he glanced over at me, I could not help but to feel my heart beat fast.

-

Gymnastics, basketball; great. I was and will never be a person to be good at sports. It is not that I do not try my best, but whenever I see a ball heading my way, I will quickly avoid the ball. Well, at least I got quick reflexes.

“Wow, Minhee, look at Sungyeol!”

Amber said while pointing in his direction. I followed her finger and smiled as I saw him playing. His height surely worked in his advantage, as he stood out from all the others with his incredible playing.

“You know,” Amber said while following the boys’ playing, “he does not seem to need anybody else.”

“What do you mean?”

I asked her, puzzled because of her sudden comment.

“I do not know how to put it, but… No matter how much we talk or what we do, it does not reach him.”

“But Amber, he is so talkative and cheerful, he-”

“It is because he is always so talkative and cheerful, that he seems so unreachable. It feels like everything does not matter to him, at all.”

I never saw him in that way. Not once did I found him unapproachable, but unreachable… Did I miss an important little detail? When I talk to him, I feel comfortable, I feel like he understands me. I tried to recall every moment with him, trying to recall something that would make him unreachable. And it was then, that I recalled the crucial words he once told me.

“Worrying is a privilege of the living, is it not?”

-

“Sungyeol-sshi, here are the ideas Amber and I came up with. Maybe you and Myungsoo could have a look at it and if you do not like it, we can think of something else to do for the project.”

I said as I handed him the list of subjects we came up with.

“Sure, we will look at it.”

He said with a smile. I gave him a polite smile in return and turned around to leave.

“Wait.”

His voice made me instantly turn around.

“Yes?”

“You got paint on your clothes.”

He said while pointing at my skirt.

“Oh,” I said as I inspected my skirt, “thank you for saying. I did not even notice.”

He held his hand up to his mouth to cover his chuckle, but his eyes showed his amusement.

“Well,” I said in a mocking tone, a joking smile forming on my face, “that just means that I worked really hard, right?”

My smile fell as I saw his blank expression. I scratched my head confusingly. What did I do wrong?

“Did I say anything wrong? I apologize for whatever I have done wro-”

 “Why do you think you were the one who did wrong?”

His cold expression made me shiver in fright.

“I just thought-”

“If you did not do anything wrong, you should not apologize!”

“I am sor-”

“What did I just say!”

My eyes widened in fear upon hearing the rage in his voice. I only wanted to apologize for whatever I have done wrong… My heartbeat calmed down as he heaved a sigh and seemingly calmed down.

“I must have frightened you, sorry.”

He said while trying to put up a sincere smile. I was beginning to think he is actually good at acting, because whether he is faking it or for real, I cannot seem to see. Whether he is lying to me or speaking the truth to me, it feels like I am blindfolded. Already, I believe every word he tells me.

“A-are you okay?”

I asked cautiously, and once again he was back to his own self, giving me a reassuring smile. The way his mood swings, it was slowly hitting me that it may be something more than just normal. Slowly, I am trying to put the pieces together.