only look at me

[not beta-ed. I will come back to correct mistakes.]

1.

Hanbin moves to Italy when he's thirteen.

It's November. While in Seoul was snowing just one day ago and he expected the same weather in Pise, a shirt and a sweater, worn out jeans are enough to keep him warm. He's walking down the street, lazily following his father. Wondering why the hell he had to fly and start staying in this ing place. Being so young you can't decide what you want to do with your own life balls.

He can't even text his friends because he hasn't bought an italian sim card yet. . It so ing it hurts.

"Couldn't you dress yourself better?" His dad asks with a sigh, and Hanbin frowns because there's nothing wrong with his clothes. The only thing Italy has than Korea doesn't is the no uniform required in high school thing.

"You have holes there." Yeah, his jeans are totally cool and badass, and he likes them that way, thank you very much for pointing the holes out.

Hanbin simply shrugs.

They turn around the corner, stop at a bar where his dad buys him lunch because apparently his new high school doesn't really have a cafeteria and you have to bring your own food or else you'll be left starving. Great, huh?

The building looks old.

It's bigger than his korean school, though.

Hanbin hates it immediately. And he hates even more when his dad reminds him that he'll have this teacher that will translate everything for him - - because, oh, well, of course, Hanbin doesn't know any Italian words except for "ciao" and some profanities that he looked up on the internet when he was at the airport.

It's going to be so fun being the dumb kid who knows nothing, and has a ing person be his breathing italian to korean dictionary. God. 

He's able to find the class only because one of the janitors finds him staring confused at the piece of paper the school sent him via fax, takes pity on Hanbin and guides him until they reach the room. 

There are only two women inside. Wow, fantastic.

The oldest looking one starts walking towards him with what seems a practiced smile on her face. Hanbin takes a small step back on instinct.

"Sono la professoressa Vani. Puoi sederti in questo banco qui. Spero che ti troverai bene." She tells him, and, oh, yes - - no, actually no. The is she saying?

"Uhm." 

"She's your teacher. You have to address her as professoressa Vani." The other woman supplies. She's younger, around her twenties maybe. Hanbin is this close to make a face, but she's the only one who can understand him. It would be stupid of him to treat her bad when he needs her to survive this day and the many others coming.

"You can sit there."

There is a desk on the first row, the one on the right of the teacher's. At least it's not the one right in front of the teacher's, he tries to console himself.

"Oh," the translator adds after Hanbin nods and is already going to take his seat, because no way he's going to wait for other people to arrive to sit down. No way in hell. "My name is Laura. I'll be your translator." Wow, oh, wow, look at that. Hanbin had no ing clue. "I'll help you for the whole year. Professoressa Vani and I hope that you'll like it here."

He won't, but Hanbin gives them his most charming smile since he was raised with manners even if he likes his jeans worn out, and with a brain. He needs them to ing love him.

People start arriving a quarter of an hour later. They give him curious looks. Hanbin has his hands on the table, rolling his thumbs. He pretends he doesn't notice any of them.

Prof - -huh. Prof - -what was that? it. Teacher Vani and his translator are happily chatting with each other. They've ing abandoned him. It's fine. He can handle this.

There's this ing blonde guy that won't stop staring at Hanbin, though, and when he catches blonde guy point his dirty index at him and then snicker with some other ers, Hanbin bristles.

He waits until he makes eye-contact with any of them to give them the finger.

It's with satisfaction that he smirks as the blonde splutter before glaring at him. Universal hand gestures are pure gold.

"Don't with Gabriele, dude." 

It's korean. And it's a male voice.

Hanbin turns his head to the guy talking to him so fast that his neck hurts after the movement. 

He meets a pair of asian eyes, black, small and oddly comforting somehow. His attention is caught by this mole that the guy has on his cheekbone. It's really visible, and is Hanbin seeing wrong or is it heart-shaped?

"Hey, dude - - " The guy drawls, snapping his fingers like Hanbin is an idiot. He's ing rude as , but Hanbin just moves his body further from him. "You okay there?"

The only thing that is preventing Hanbin from throwing a punch to this guy's face is that a) apparently he's korean which is good, and b) he's kind of really cute. 

Which is good too. He thinks. Hanbin is not so sure about this last one, though.

"Why are you sitting next to me?" are the first words that Hanbin says to this weird guy. (It's totally weird to have a mole in that shape, okay?) Maybe he should have paraphrased it differently, or he should have conveyed more displeasure because it just makes the other laugh.

"Jinhwan." The guy offers with a bright smile. . He's really cute. Like, Hanbin is already into his face. Kind of a lot. "And duh, I'm your deskmate."

He's really cute, okay, but Hanbin doesn't get duh-ed by anyone. "Shut up, ." He says. It comes out with no heat.

"I'm not going to do anything you want me to with that attitude, dude." Jinhwan replies teasingly, one corner of his lips turning up. 

Hanbin frowns at him.

The lessons begin at eight o'clock.

It turns out that teacher Vani teaches Italian Literature. Everything's horrible because Hanbin feels lost because he needs an interpreter to understand, and feeling lost makes him pissed off. So pissed off that he cannot concentrate sometimes. Laura giving him a concerned pitiful look doesn't make him feel better.

He relaxes a bit during Maths and English. He can do numbers. About English - - he might not be an American boy like his friend Bobby is, but he's not that bad. His pronunciation sounds better than most people's in the class.

"Surprising." Jinhwan comments after teacher Carli made Hanbin read three verses of a poem. It's said mockingly, and Hanbin ing blushes. his life, really.

He grits his teeth. "Don't talk to me, motherer."

Jinhwan gives him a wicked grin. "Scusa, ma riesco a capire solo l'italiano." He whispers back.

Hanbin might not get what the other's saying, but he can guess which game they're playing. "Figlio di puttana." 

Jinhwan gets called on, but it's only because he's got tears in his eyes from laughing so much because Hanbin's pronunciation that much.

-

2.

Jinhwan doesn't accept friend requests from random strangers, nor he accepts friend requests from people that he doesn't really know.

He posts too many private things on his profile - - he's the kind of person who likes to make his family and friends know what he's doing. Like, if he's watching a movie, he'll write that he's watching this movie so the others know. Or if he's going to sleep, he'll write good night so everyone knows better than getting in between him and his beauty sleep. 

It's something he likes doing. He finds nothing wrong with that, even though he's heard and read a lot of comments about having this one friend who tells the web every single thing about his life. 

Well, it's not like Jinhwan writes when he's making dinner - - he was tempted to that one time, but only because he was making this delicious pie. Junhoe stopped him, and then because he's a party pooper and he doesn't get that Jinhwan made art with his hands, he declared Jinhwan addicted to the social network just because he posted a picture of the perfect Nutella pie that he made. Anyway, it was just that time. He didn't do it anymore.

That's not the point, though.

Jinhwan shares his stuff to his family and his friends only. 

There's not anyone in his Facebook friend list that he doesn't know well. The main reason why he doesn't add people he just met like others do, or worse, random people, is that he'll feel uncomfortable afterwards, because hello? His Facebook is personal.

Only a few have the priviledge to know what he's doing, thinking, planning to do.

So, for the third time, Jinhwan doesn't normally accept friend requests from people that he doesn't know much, but this Kim Hanbin guy who has Bobby and Mino as their mutual friends looks like Jinhwan's dream guy.

Kim Hanbin's profile picture is of him staring seriously. It's hot. He's hot. He's got his hands in the pockets of loose black pants, he's wearing a hoodie, and he's got a beanie. Jinhwan hasn't met him yet, but he can imagine him being best buddies with Bobby and Mino. He's got a feeling about this, yeah.

He looks at the other pictures, finds himself staring at this one where Hanbin is smiling and he's perfect - - his teeth are the shade of clouds of paradise white, and his lips are shining and, holy .

Jinhwan accepts the friend request.

He regrets it immediately. 

The cursor is on "remove" when a chat window blinks red. Jinhwan blinks too, because, huh, it's from Kim ing Hanbin.

Kim Hanbin: thanks for accepting! (;

you: thanks for your req!

Kim Hanbin: is typing

is typing

is typing

is typing

Oh, my god. Come the on. Is he ing writing a novel?

Kim Hanbin: couldn't help it. saw you with bobby the other day. found you immediately adorable. it took me two days to get your name from bobby.

uh..i hope you don't find what i said creepy. i'm not a creeper, i swear. 

Jinhwan finds himself staring at the screen. He recovers from the shock. His fingers are shaking when he types on the keyboard.

Kim Hanbin (9): .... :( 

you: lol adorable?

Kim Hanbin: super adorable

-

3.

It takes the boy five minutes to start breathing again. "Oh, , yuo're a vampire!" He shouts. And , it echoes, because there's only Hanbin and him in the hallway. "Oh, my God! You're a ing vampire!"

Hanbin tsks. He takes two long strides that has the other gasp at him. ing drama queen. He rolls his eyes. Before he can hear another shout, Hanbin closes the boy's mouth with his hand.

And then removes it instantly.

"Ew!" He protests, staring indignantly. "Why the hell did you my hand?"

The boy is spitting on the floor. "It tastes like sardines! It's disgusting - - you're disgusting! And you have the guts to say ew!" He snaps back, looking genuinely offended.

There's a moment when Hanbin clenches his jaw.

How the does this stupid human being dare? ing sardines. That's insulting. Hanbin doesn't eat human food. Let alone ing sardines. His hands have never come close to touching things like fishes. The far he's gone is picking up apples from the supermarket because his brother-in-law asked him to.

The boy is wiping his tongue with his palm. "I'm Jinhwan, by the way." He says afterwards. He's grinning from ear to ear. Hanbin watches him. Why the hell is he saying his name now? As if. 

"This is when you say your name and add that it's nice to meet me." The Jinhwan boy suggests with a glint of hope in his eyes.

Hanbin tenses. "I'm a vampire." Because he got caught with his fangs out. It's not like he can deny it now. "Why aren't you afraid anymore?" He liked it more when the boy was screaming - - no, he's joking. He really doesn't.

"I was not afraid." The other says dismissively, and Hanbin frowns because that kind of insults him, hurts his ego and all. Vampires are supposed to scare the out of you. What the actual .

"Is it Edward Cullen?"

Hanbin is practically trying to burn this boy's head with his gaze. "Say it again and I will rip your throat."

The Jinhwan boy's response is a small shrug. Then, he's giving Hanbin this tilted to one side head and puppy eyes expression. Hanbin's hands close into fists - - he doesn't find it cute at all. He doesn't.

He doesn't. It makes him want to vomit. Yes, vomit. Even if vampires don't ing vomit, the sight is so revolting that it makes Hanbin want to vomit.

"What's your name then?"

" you is my name."

The Jinhwan boy rolls his eyes skyward. "I'll call you Fangs-y if you don't tell me."

-

4.

It's exactly how his mom's described it to him.

While his dad is taking their stuff out of the million of boxes scattered at the front of the entrance, Jinhwan is told to have fun exploring the house.

It's huge. He loves the big garden and the swimming pool. , the swimming pool is fantastic. His bedroom is like larger, much larger that his one in the old house. It's great, very great. He wanders around, and stops only when he finds this tall wardrobe in his parents' room.

It's brown, made of wood. Antique, and it's three times Jinhwan's height. His mind immediately provides him images of the last movie he watches at Jackson's. And suddenly, he's feeling so excited, because what if this is the wardrobe to Narnia?

That would be so cool. Jackson would be so envious because Jinhwan would get to go to Narnia where there's snow every month of the year everytime he wants.

So, Jinhwan opens the wardrobe - - to find a kid around his age or so, with a jam jar in his hands. His hands are all sticky, and he's got jam on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Jinhwan asks, alarmed. He jumps a little. "Are you from Narnia?"

The kid has small eyes. Like Jinhwan's. "No, I'm from Seoul." He replies, getting up. "I'm Hanbin. I live in the yellow house next to yours." He pushes the jar on Jinhwan's chest, and the latter accepts it, and then puts it on the floor because it's all sticky and sort of empty. Plus, he doesn't want jam right now. He's just eaten.

"My name is Jinhwan. But why were you in my parents' wardrobe?" Jinhwan asks, folding his arms over his chest like his father does when he wants an explanation.

"I was playing hide and seek with my friends." Hanbin admits sheepishly. "I guess I won. I've been there eating jam for a while." 

"How did you enter the house if it's locked?"

"From the window." Oh, yes, the window is open.

"Okay." Jinhwan takes a brief moment to think. "Yes, you've definitely won if you've been here for a while."

Hanbin looks at him with a happy face. "Yeah?" He nods his head a few times. "I'm the king of hide and seek."

Jinhwan is looking at this kid. He seems nice. "Do you want to wash your hands and then play games with me?" He asks, and the other gives another train of nods. "Do you want to stay for dinner too? Mom said that she's cooking chicken nuggets, fries..and salad." He scrunches up his nose. Hanbin mirrors him. "But fries and nuggets!"

-

5.

Hanbin has done some terrible things in his life - - for example, he's such a bad person that he literally stole a candy from a baby once. When nobody was looking. And there were too many ing candy for one baby, and Hanbin had a craving.

It's something kind people don't do, though.

He's so sorry for everything he's done wrong, and if we could go back in time, he sure as hell wouldn't do them. But because it's not possible, there's his karma that makes him pay for his sins.

And that is the reason why, when he meets his long lost soulmate, Jinhwan, for the first time, he literally runs into him.

Hanbin is a living failure, a student who constantly fails at waking up early even when he sets four ing alarms - - so, his shirt is half on, he's wearing shorts and everyone can see how he forgot to put one sock on. His shoes are unlaced, and his bag open. His books are threatening to fall out. If that's not enough, he's got half a brioche, his breakfast, in his mouth.

He's trying to say, "sorry, I didn't see you, I was - -", a half-assed apology when Jinhwan raises his head, and Hanbin sees him for real.

He chokes on his brioche which falls to the ground, and he's nearly suffocating. Trust his karma to give him the most ridiculous death.

Except that Jinhwan hands him a bottle of water, and Hanbin inhales the liquid until he feels alive again.

"!" Hanbin curses. Then, remembering the extra-handsome guy that helped him, he ducks his head. "T-thank you," and of course he stutters, because apparently, this day can get worse.

"It's nothing." Jinhwan has the voice of an angel. Maybe Hanbin is already dead and he doesn't know. "Are you okay?"

"Yup! I mean yeah, yes - -" A failure. A living failure. "- - thanks for the water. You saved me."

Jinhwan chuckles. It's a nice sound. "It's fine. I'm Jinhwan."

"Good." Hanbin says, properly inappriopriately. "I mean, my name is Han - -" and then his cellphone is ringing again. It's the alarm that is telling him he's got five minutes to run all the way to the class. He'll be late. What else is new. He's got to hurry. "- - bin. . , . I, , uh, have to go, even if I don't. Don't want to because - - " He wants to say because you've captured my heart, but it's not the right time, and he doesn't know if Jinhwan will appreciate a lame line like that. "- - because, just because."

"Uhm, okay?" Jinhwan looks bewildered. Nice, just nice. Hanbin finds the love of his life and he weirds him out. "See you at the cafeteria?"

Hanbin doesn't blink for what feels like an eternity. He can't believe this. "Really?"

"You have to repay me," Jinhwan answers, glancing at the bottle. He's wearing this small smile, though, and oh, oooh, Hanbin can recognise a flirty look when he meets one.

"Sure, of course, everything you want - -" Hanbin replies, before he's swearing again as the last of his alarms rings. "See you later then, Jinhwan!"

"Later, Bin!"

He is running. Bin? Did he say Bin? He does the big mistake to look back at Jinhwan. His name is Hanbin, not Bin. But Jinhwan is nowhere to be found.

Hanbin bumps into a girl who has a paper cup of coffee that obviously gets spilled all over him.

me.

-

6. (bonus)

Jinhwan doesn't know what to say.

His hesitation seems to annoy the guy, but what can he do? It's not everyday that a Slytherin asks a Hufflepuff if he can sit next to him. The Hogwarts Express is never full, so he doesn't get why this Slytherin wants to be here.

"Can I or can I not?" 

Jinhwan looks at him suspiciously. He eyes the green and silver scarf with disdain, but in the end, be it because the guy is tapping his foot impatiently, or be it because Jinhwan doesn't want to argue with anyone at all, he concedes. 

He gives one nod.

They sit in silence, interrupted by Jinhwan's occasional sniffs. He's caught a cold, he doesn't have tissues with him.

"Oh, my god! Your nose, for Merlin's sake!" The Slytherin says all of a sudden, startling Jinhwan. "Here!" He gives Jinhwan a handkerchief. "Blow your bloody nose!"

"I don't need - -"

"You do!" The Slytherin counters back. "Now, be silent. I'm going to take a nap." He announces before turning his back at Jinhwan.

The latter blinks. He looks down at the handkerchief. There are two letters, two initials, on it. 

K.H.

He tries to be as loud as he he can while blowing his nose.

FIN.

COMMENTS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME.