1.1 | Desiderium ✓

44|forty four

In the four days of Shin's absence, a lot had happened in the school. It looked like he had returned after the turn of a century. The school grounds were decorated, and the classrooms all polished squeaky clean. There was an excited buzz going on among the students, and there were even online bets going on on the RBH-social, especially on the basketball and football teams.

Shin was back just a day before the annual Royal Boys Sports Fest.

"It's a freaking big event," YooChan yelled, an annoying habit he had picked up to keep Shin close by and tell him every little detail.

"I don't like big events," Shin murmured and scooped an enormous amount of glass noodles on his plate. Despite everything, Shin had genuinely missed the food of his school canteen.

"I am participating in the 100 metre sprint and the relay. You're fast, but you weren't there, so you didn't get selected. You idiot mouse!" YooChan yelled the last part in Shin's ear, making him jump and almost spill the glass noodles. Shin just sniffled and went back to overloading his plate with egg rolls.

"How much will you eat, stop it already." ShiAhn pulled Shin's hand away from the serving counters and snatched his plate away. "This is enough for two."

Shin whimpered sadly and followed his two friends to one of the table, when he curled up by the window. ShiAhn sat beside him, because Shin's plate had more food than they could digest. Shin picked up the noodles with his sad chopsticks and stuffed them in his mouth like a hamster, before he started chewing sadly.

There was no JaeHwan Hyung who would stand by his class everyday and call him an idiot when Shin did something weird. There was no JaeHwan Hyung who sat by his side in the canteen and kept on feeding him tiny side dishes which Shin loved.

The absence of it all came crashing down like a mountain on Shin's head.

"So," ShiAhn began, "you're coming to school tomorrow, right?"

"Of course he has to. He used up all his leaves of absence, now he has to come to school even when it pours dogs and dogs," Chan said.

"You mean cats and dogs?"

"Whatever. When it rains dogs and dogs."

"Chan, monsoon ended months ago. It's almost winter now." ShiAhn gave YooChan a dirty glare.

"If I want it to rain dogs, it will rain dogs, got that? Don't argue with your Hyung." Chan raised his fork in a threat, to which ShiAhn only scoffed.

"Hyung my foot. Sure, you made it rain cats and cats on Satan Lee. Hey Shin Hyung," ShiAhn turned to the sad boy, "did you see? Professor Choi has an SNS account now. And it has so many cat pictures, she is almost a celebrity."

Shin nodded his sad little head.

"Do you want to see?"

Shin nodded again, absentmindedly chewing his glass noodles. They seemed undercooked.

"I am done. We should get up, and Shin you need to go down to the staff room and get your backlog status and extra classes. But you will again be way back because of sports fest and all."

"Chan," ShiAhn hissed, "you're making him feel bad."

"And yes," Chan continued, looking Shin. "News update, Kim JaeHwan doesn't care for you."