Within These Shadows || Park Chanyeol/Do Kyungsoo || Book 1

39

"So that's all for today's class. I hope you all understood the importance of this topic. I'm looking forward to your assignments. Best of luck." Lim Ju Hwan ended his class with a smile, as usual. With the amount of care and fun he taught, every student was bound to like him. He was a man in his mid twenties. Although he was a new professor, people were already talking about him around campus. Graduated at the age of 21 with the top score in his major, left to complete his PhD in England, and was now back after five years to teach in the very university he graduated from. Not only was he being admired for his intellect, but also as a man. He was handsome, dressed neatly all the time, had perfectly styled hair, and had a smile that almost every girl was becoming crazy for.

The class started dispersing while Jay still packed her bag slowly. Throughout the entire class, she hadn't said a single word to Kyungsoo and tried focusing on the class lecture. But no matter how much she tried, her mind kept going back to the thoughts of having a discussion with Ju Hwan about her thesis after class. Why had she agreed to it? Was it that hard to say no to him, even after so many years? What did that mean? Did she still...? No, it couldn't be. But then why couldn't she say no to him?

"Jay? Jay?" Kyungsoo kept calling the girl but she was too deep in thought to be able to hear him. "Maya?" He placed his hand on Jay's forearm, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" Jay turned her head towards Kyungsoo; being called by her other name broke her out of her thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh...yeah. Why won't I be?"

"You were zoned out."

"Oh," Jay blinked a couple of times, clearing her throat. "No, I'm okay; I was just thinking."

"About?"

"Uh...about that. Uhm, I don't think I can join you for today's volunteer work." Jay looked at Kyungsoo apologetically.

"What...? But why...?"

"I've got some work...with Professor Lim." Jay pursed her lips, turning back around to packing her bag.

"..."

Kyungsoo had no words to say; Jay was ditching him again, for Lim Ju Hwan. Although he understood that Ju Hwan was Jay's childhood friend, Kyungsoo was also her friend. But she always prioritized plans with Ju Hwan over his. And he accepted it the first time but the same thing happening again kind of hurt him.

"But Jay...I planned this first and I really wanted you to come with me..." Kyungsoo's voice had gone down.

Jay noticed the change in his voice, and turned to face him after zipping up her bag.

"I know, Soo. But...I can't avoid this. I wish I could, but I can't. I'm so sorry." Jay placed her hand over his. "Let's do it some other time?"

"Jay-" Kyungsoo was about to tell her how he wanted her to prioritize his plan this time but got cut off by Ju Hwan who called out to Jay.

"Maya? Are you ready?" Ju Hwan smiled.

Jay turned around to face Ju Hwan, quickly removing her hand from over Kyungsoo's. She nodded her head, gave Kyungsoo an apologetic look once again and got up from her seat, all the while hoping that he didn't mind her actions. She owed him explanations for her behavior, later.

Kyungsoo didn't know if Jay had thought about what she had just done, but he did notice her quickness to remove her hand from over his when she was called. He assumed that she did it because no matter how close she and Ju Hwan were, he was still their professor and they needed to behave around him. Even then, it still hurt. And he couldn't help but wonder; did she not see him the way he saw her? Was he still just a friend to her?