Shadow’s POV 

            I carefully place the potassium into the water and tell everyone to scoot back a little as small sparks fly from the beaker. I find myself smiling at Sehun’s reaction. He stares at the sparks in childlike wonder and claps his hands in excitement.

            “Wah, Krystal, you’re like a scientific genius,” Sehun says, his eyes still wide.

            I laugh. “Thanks, you’ll get the hang of it soon enough too,” I say, patting his shoulder.

            I turn to look at how Kyungsoo is doing and I find him glaring at the table with his fists clenched. My eyebrows furrow in concern and I see Luna ask him if he’s all right. He nods but I don’t find it convincing. From across the table, I gesture to ask him if he’s really okay. He seems to understand my question because he gestures back that he’s good and gives me a thumbs up along with a bright smile. I study his smile and to my relief, I conclude that there’s nothing fake about it. I smile back at him because I know that he can always tell when I’m smiling, and then I turn back to the project, going back to work because I know that I can’t stare at him for too long or he might get suspicious.

            As I’m in the middle of arranging the beakers and cleaning up some of the chemical spills, I feel someone nudge my elbow. I turn around and to my surprise, it’s none other than Sehun.

            “You have a nice voice,” he says and I turn red in embarrassment. I hadn’t realized I had been humming Miracles in December till now. Kyungsoo’s voice must have gotten it stuck in my subconscious mind. Ugh, why does his voice have to be so beautiful?

            “Um, thank you,” I reply, not very sure of how to respond.

            “Do you think you can sing something?” Sehun asks, displaying some rather irresistible aegyo. I have a feeling that this is a very rare thing for him to do and I am actually considering singing for him when Kyungsoo interjects.

            For the second time today he screams, “NOOOO!!!” We all turn to look at him in alarm and he clears his throat. “Um, I mean….singing isn’t related to the project at all. Focus, people, focus.”

            We all slowly turn back to do our respective tasks, sneaking glances at Kyungsoo who seems to have calmed down a little. Something is definitely wrong today, but what? I turn to look at Sehun to see if he has any clue about what is bugging Kyungsoo exactly, and sure enough, the maknae has a knowing twinkle in his eyes. He grabs a piece of paper and writes down “Watch and see.”

            He takes my hand and intertwines it with his and I’m about to ask him what he is doing but he puts a finger to his mouth, signalling me to keep quiet. I purse my lips together and nod and he lowers his hand away from his mouth.

            “YAH! OH SEHUN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” we hear Kyungsoo’s shouts less than a second later. “That’s it!” He comes towards us and pulls Sehun up, dragging him all the way to Kyungsoo’s original spot.

            “Now stay there! And don’t cause any trouble, just….do your work!” Kyungsoo says to Sehun as he plops down beside me, sitting in Sehun’s original spot. Sehun smirks and I finally understand.

            Kyungsoo is…..jealous.

            I want to laugh and cry for joy and I feel like a horrible person at the same time, because what sort of friend does that? But at the moment, I don’t really care. All I know is that Kyungsoo is actually jealous over me.

            But the big question is why. Why is Do Kyungsoo jealous over me? Is it because I’m his best friend? Because he doesn’t want Sehun to replace that role? Or is it something more? Could he possibly like me back?

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            “Bye Krystal,” Luna says, giving me a warm hug. “See you soon, okay?”

            I hug her back and grin. “Yep, we have to catch up some time.”  

            She nods enthusiastically and turns to D.O. “Kyungsoo, is it okay for me to drop by some time after school this week to visit Krystal?”

            Kyungsoo smiles. “Why not?”

            Luna turns to me excitedly and hugs me again. “It was really nice to see you again.”

            “You too,” I say, smiling brightly at her.

            Sehun pouts and reaches both of his arms out towards me. “Krystal, don’t I get a hug too?”

            Before I can even take a step in Sehun’s direction, Kyungsoo steps in between us and shoves Sehun away.

            “No, you do not,” he tells Sehun. “Now goodbye.”

            He waves to Sehun and Luna one last time before closing the door shut.

             “Don’t you think you were rather rude to Sehun?” I ask Kyungsoo, grinning.

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            Kyungsoo and I are sitting beside each other watching a documentary. I don’t even know why we chose to watch this. I feel my eyelids slowly drooping as the documentary’s boring commentator drones on about who knows what. A few minutes later, I stop resisting the urge to sleep and just lay my head on the armrest of the sofa and close my eyes.

            I drift into the land of half slumber and half consciousness. Somewhere in the middle of my semi-nap, I register the movement of Kyungsoo getting up from the couch and I hear his soft footsteps walking away from the television. I assume that he’s just going to get a drink of water or something so I keep my head on the armrest and I let my eyes remain closed while I try to drown out the sound of the television in the background.

           After he doesn’t return for a while, I sit back up and look around. He’s nowhere to be found. I go to the window and peer out, finding him standing outside his house. I watch him rock back and forth as if waiting for someone, and then that someone finally comes. The person looks oddly familiar and I narrow my eyes, trying to decipher who it is.

          The figure looks up to the sky for a brief moment but it is enough for me to recognize her. I step back for a second in slight shock. It’s Luna.

          She and Kyungsoo talk for a while before Kyungsoo pulls her by her elbow out of the front gates. Luna ruffles Kyungsoo’s hair playfully and in return, he pats her head. My heart aches as I watch the two of them. That was me and Kyungsoo as kids, and it could’ve been me and him now, but I guess he has found someone else to fill the gap.

          I know I told myself not to raise my hopes up, but I guess my heart doesn’t listen to my brain. Now it’s hurting and so am I.

          As I watch the two figures walk away out of sight, a tear unknowingly flows down my cheek, and this time, there is no one here to wipe it away.