It was first day of high school when Sehun sees her again. It had been two years since she transferred to another school for some reason he doesn't know and continues to wonder.

 

He remembers sitting on the edge of the standard wooden chairs, fingers tapping expectantly along the arm desk for her arrival. He also remembers how the bell for first period in fifth grade rang sharply in his ear, sending odd spikes to his chest when he realized then and there that she was never late and that she probably will never come.

 

Now Yin is back with the same charm that captivated him two years ago.

 

She had changed though. Her hair, which had been silky straight and long, now rests just above her shoulders in a feminine bob. She grew a little taller and she had pimples decorating her cheeks. She still wears the same smile though, genuine and warm, just like he remembers. Yin is beautiful.

 

Tao elbows him lightly, eyes twinkling in mischief as he shoots meaningful glances in her direction.

He rolls his eyes at his friend's childish antics and it takes him a minute to realize that the rascal is already marching off to where Yin and her new friends were standing.

 

"Sehun thinks you're pretty and that he'd like you to be his girlfriend."

 

Her almond eyes widen at Tao's sudden (and idiotic, in Sehun's opinion) declaration. It takes all of Sehun's willpower to refrain himself from connecting his fist to his moronic best friend's jaw but not really, because Yin sends a smile of recognition his way. He grabs Tao by the collar and drags him towards their classroom, silently praying that the blush rapidly creeping up his face goes away just as quickly.

 

----------------

 

Gone were his awkward days as a timid freshman. Instead, with genes like his, Sehun is a head turner and he has his fair share of admirers. He plays along with them once in a while, sending flirtatious smiles their way. He is a growing boy, of course, and his hormones and ego always act first.

 

Out of luck (in his opinion anyway), he is placed in the first section where all the straight A's and brainiacs are. But Sehun neither finds it boring nor stressful. He is glad because Tao and the rest of his friends were there too. Embarrassing as it would be, he secretly admits he likes being there because he is motivated to keep his grades on track. Plus, Yin is there too.

 

Yin has grown prettier. Her hair grew a little longer, now reaching just past her shoulders and she is noticeably slimmer. Last he heard, she is into dancing and that was what took most of her spare time.

 

Unfortunately, not only Sehun appreciates her now but a number of other guys as well. Jongin, a guy from another class often sits with her and her friends at lunch and that made Sehun want to slap his hand across his face for being such a wimp.

 

 Now, he is left with sneaking glances at her during class that he has memorized the way her brows furrowed whenever there is something she could not understand, or the way she sneaks an adventure novel under her desk during second period.

 

Countless times had he wished that they'd be grouped for a project, or that the teacher would make them seatmates for the quarter. Maybe then, he'd have an excuse to talk to her. No such luck.

 

Then came the day of the class party. Everybody had left the school and only a handful of them were left inside the campus for the classroom cleaning duties. Paper plates and cups were strewn all over the floor. Leftovers remain untouched atop the table.

 

Sehun surveys the amount of mess and his head spins because he doesn't know where to start cleaning. He sees a few of his classmates chatting while sweeping their side of the room. A pop song rings in his ears; the sound system they had brought wasn't unplugged yet, when his eyes finally land upon Yin.

 

She is by the door, broomstick in hand, head bobbing to the beat of the music as she works. Sehun longs to walk up to her aid but before he is able to take a single step forward, he chickens out. He thinks she'll find him weird or creepy. Or perhaps it is because he knows that there will be nothing but awkwardness between them.

 

He finally settles to cleaning the tables. But just as he starts, an idea pops in his head. He grabs the leftover cake and runs around, his classmates squealing in surprise from his sudden attacks until he finally reaches Yin.

 

She yelps in shock but he is already running far ahead. He looks back and laughs when he sees her sprinting towards him. She looks angry but she is far from intimidating. Not when she has cake frosting smeared all over her cheeks.

 

"Oh Sehun, when I catch you, you're dead!"

 

Out of all the class parties he'd been, Sehun marks the sophomore year's as the best.

 

-------------------

 

His junior year was a whirlwind, as far as he remembers.

 

He made his way up the honor roll for the first semester, surprising even himself. On top of that, he took a liking in photography and weeped his eyes out for his very own camera. Not only did Sehun's parents buy him one, but they also enrolled him to afterschool photography sessions.

 

Once, on his way there, he took the same bus as Yin's.

 

"Hello Sehun."

 

Her voice is melodic and her smile is so dazzling that Sehun trips his way down the aisle. He murmurs a quick greeting, plops himself on an empty seat next to hers and because Sehun at starting small talks, he starts by asking where she's headed.

 

"I'm going on a date."

 

Her reply sends Sehun's heart spiraling into a whirlpool of stinging confusion, hurt and displeasure. He his lips to buy himself some time because he can't think straight and he isn't able to conjure a proper response. The only coherent thought his brain is able to process was his piquing curiosity towards her date's identity.

 

He is surprised when she tells him that it is Jongin because he did not even realize that he had asked his question out loud.

 

She must have sensed his sudden mood swing so she takes the liberty of playfully requesting Sehun to take her picture, spying the camera sitting on his lap.

 

He obliges (how could he not) and snaps a photo of a ridiculously grinning Yin. She peers at her photo on the camera's display, her now long hair slightly tickling Sehun's forearm. He is entranced by the faint trace of her shampoo mixed with a hint of sweet smelling perfume. He notes how pretty her lashes really are upclose. He also marvels at the sight of her lush lips.

 

Sehun also wonders if they'd feel as soft as they look.

 

Yin abruptly stands, snapping Sehun back to reality. She reached her stop so she waves him goodbye and rushes down the aisle. His thumping heart confuses him, he is unsure whether it is because he was really close to her just less than a minute ago or because he knows she'll be out on a date with a man that is not him.

 

---------

 

When he learns weeks later that Jongin and Yin are officially together, Sehun vents his anger on NBA games with Tao on his Xbox. His best friend complains that he takes each game way too seriously. At least they weren't betting on anything or Tao would have gone broke since the first ten (and counting) losses.

 

While Sehun sulks his heart out, life takes on a sharp turn. Aya, another classmate of his confesses her feelings for him that one sweltering afternoon after a basketball game with his mates. She tells him that she'd have had feelings for him since first grade when they were partners for the mini kiddies talent show. All of Sehun's memory of that event though, was how Aya kept stepping on his feet during dance practice.

 

Now Aya's really popular. She's head of the cheering squad and also the student council president. Boys swoon over her and any guy in his right mind would definitely grab every chance to snag the prettiest girl in school (Sehun begs to differ).

 

Out of all the confessions he's had (about hundreds or so, really), Sehun thinks about this one the hardest because a): he's still hung up on Yin, b): Tao and the rest of his friend think that he'd be gay if he dares reject someone like Aya and c): he's way to chicken to start a relationship based solely on peer pressure but he seriously needs a move-on.

 

He flatly rejects Aya then and there because as much as he wanted to climb further up the social ladder and boost his wounded ego, the idea of him and Aya being together is just off.

 

But when she suggests going on friendly group dates, Sehun reconsiders whilst allowing himself to be into her world. He'd rather enjoy himself than stay cooped indoors wallowing in misery.

 

One group date turned to lots more, leading many to think that their relationship was more than just platonic. Correcting them was a bother, so Sehun lets the rumors float around without care. At least something now halts his incessant fan girls from stalking him each day. He's already "taken", so their efforts are futile.

 

As he walks out the mall on a dusky afternoon with Tao from a movie day with Aya and a couple more friends a few weeks before summer, he doesn't expect to witness a teary-eyed Yin rushing out of the same building. Her shoulders are hunched as she walks, hands fruitlessly wiping at her cheeks. Her tears stream freely and Sehun is alarmed, so much that he brusquely stops in his tracks causing Tao to bump into his back.

 

"What the he- Oh." Whatever cussing Tao was about to utter stayed stuck in his throat because he sees the same sad Yin getting inside their familiar family car. "What happened man?"

 

Sehun clenches his phone tightly in his hand as he feels exactly the same tight feeling slowly, carefully wrapping his chest.

 

"I don't know."

 

Sehun learns (from everyone) the next day about Yin and Jongin's breakup.

 

--------

 

Time flies fast and Sehun is finally in his senior year. The graduation ceremony would be a week from now and he is yet to confess his feelings to Yin.

 

He eyes her as she gracefully glides across the dance floor in the arms of Jongin, cheeks flushed from the stuffy heat of the ballroom but looking exceptionally radiant nonetheless.

 

She is wearing a peach, straight-cut gown that fits her stature perfectly, the lights making the beads around her neck shimmer almost magically. She wears a thin layer of make-up, something she rarely does, but what makes her the prettiest is the genuine and unwavering smile etched across her face the entire night.

 

 The music switches from some sappy and waltzy ballroom melody to a slow, romantic love song. She continues dancing with Jongin, arms now wrapped around his neck while his rest on her waist.

 

Sehun wishes it was him but he was stuck with Aya. And although he appreciates how pretty his partner tonight is (how could she not when she spent a grueling three hours of beauty preparation while he waited at her house), he still couldn't help but regret not asking Yin to be her date earlier than he intended.

 

He recalls a cheery, ecstatic Yin barging into their classroom during lunch period, announcing to her best friend that Jongin finally asked to take her to prom.

 

 He couldn't help but overhear and he couldn't stop the sudden pang in his chest when he realized that he's too late. He even brought her chocolates and wrote a little card himself for his invitation confession.

 

Tao told him not to give up. His best friend already asked Yin's to help them with the little surprise they've prepared. But as much as Sehun is thankful for his friend's effort, he didn't want to burden Yin.

 

She had been sending him meaningful glances the previous week, after he and his friends started dropping hints that he wanted to take her to prom. Just when he was about to ask Aya during graduation practice, he swears he saw Yin giving him the same glance, albeit with a hint of sadness.

 

He now questions what he saw while Yin continues to dance, unaware of his wishful, jealous, jealous gaze. Yes he is jealous, he knows he doesn't have the right to be, but his heart constricts even more and his feet feel as if they weigh tons with every step he takes as he sways with Aya.

 

Someone taps Jongin by the shoulder and starts to dance with Yin. Sehun feels that he should do so as well. He dreams of holding her in his arms, to look into her eyes and to be showered with her smiles as they swing to the music.

 

But he doesn't. Because he's too much of a coward that he sometimes wanted to rip his hair out for being one. Instead, he settles with watching one gentleman after another dance with a blissful Yin.

 

He excuses himself to a slightly annoyed Aya and heads to the pond outside, its calm water somewhat cathartic to his pensive thoughts.

 

Sehun just stands there under the moon's pitying glare, imagining how romantic it would be if he was dancing with Yin then and there.

 

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Hello! This is the first half of the one-shot because although I’m almost finished with writing the latter half, it’s taking too long for me to wrap up the ending and I’ve been wanting to post something since forever.

 

How’d I do? Comments and constructive criticisms are well-loved. Which part of the story did you like so far? Or hate? XD