ATEEZ l The story of a friendship #1

-12-

20:32 pm

It was a smooth way back to the classroom, the boys were talking, shoving each other and laughing together. The doors opened, Yunho flopped on his chair completely filled from their dinner, Jongho sat down on the floor for the first time tonight and laid his back on the wall. 

As usual, a head immediately came to rest on his thighs. Hongjoong, laid down on top of the younger's legs and closed his eyes, Seonghwa sat down next to Mingi on the floor as well, Yeosang went to sit next to Woosan at his desk. 

A few minutes after the boys had settled back, the lights flickered and the dark room lit up once again. All the boys got up and cheered, bouncing around and hugging each other.

 Once the hype dissipated, reality hit them as they all calmed down looking at each other with sad eyes. The return of the power in the building meant their time together was ending and that they would soon be returning to their homes and their normal lives.

Wooyoung went to hug San, who held him tight in his arms. Yunho and Mingi looked at each other with grim faces, Jongho held Yeosang's hand, the latter offering him a sweet smile and squeezing his hand in comfort. 

Even though they were strangers at the beginning of the day, they now considered each other friends and were afraid of what would happen tomorrow once today was over. It wasn't long for their cellphones to ring and buzz like crazy, each teenager took care of reassuring their parent and explaining they were alright.

"So, we're all going home..." Seonghwa spoke once everyone was done and silence had came back in the room.

"I guess" The grim tension was hard to ignore.

"Guys, I meant what I said when I told Jongho that he would always have a place with me and I mean this for all of you. I'm not a popular kid, I don't have amazing looks or a fun personality but I can be a good friend, if you allow me" The seven boys were touched and all went to sit next to Mingi on the floor.

"Same goes for me, I know I didn't open up to all of you as quickly as I should have but I'm very grateful to have met you. I finally know what it's like to have friends and I can't think of better persons with who I'd want to spend my time here with" Yeosang said as he looked at everyone.

"I agree, we all fit well together, I'm thankful to have met you" Hongjoong added.

Each boy spoke, it was an emotional time for all of them, a time they treasured and took seriously. They knew that what had happened to them didn't happen every day and shouldn't be taken for granted, you didn't find people like that every day and you surely didn't get to keep them without efforts and sacrifices. During this day they had all learned to act differently in order to get along as well as behave without having to pretend, and they had found each other.

 It was destiny.

The professor burst into the classroom, his hair was messy and he had swapped his suit for a more comfortable sweatshirt. He explained to the students that he had been locked outside the institution and ended up walking to a friend's house who lived nearby while waiting for the power to come back. 

He asked his students if they were okay and couldn't hide his smile seeing them all safe and sound. He reprimanded them anyway for Yeosang's injuries for form but nothing more. Shortly after, Yunho's mom arrived, tears in her eyes at the same time as Wooyoung's parents. 

The reunion was touching, although nothing serious had happened, the parents were concerned and worried for their children. San stayed away from Wooyoung's parents until his own got there as well. 

He hugged his mother tightly and greeted his father, later it was Hongjoong's father who arrived followed by Jongho's parents. Finally, Yeosang's mother entered the room. She went straight to her son, her eyes wet at the sight of his pale skin and the bandage around his hand. The brunette kept telling her that he was fine and that San had taken good care of him, so his mother went to thank a rather nervous and embarrassed San.

21:02 pm

Mingi looked around, no one had come for him yet, his friends were all busy with their parents, or already gone, he picked up his backpack and left the building. He opened the door and breathed in the fresh air, what a day. He smiled and walked out but the sound of footsteps echoing behind him made him stop and turn back to face Hongjoong.

"You're leaving? Where are your parents?" Hongjoong asked out of breath.

"I don't know, I guess they're at home"

"How are you going to get there?"

"I'll take the bus, don't worry about it"

"But I am worried" Hongjoong said as he stepped down the stairs to where Mingi was standing. The brunette smiled and ruffled the elder's hair.

"Thank you, Hongjoong. See you on Monday" Mingi waved and walked away leaving Hongjoong stunned. He smiled but his heart ached at the sight of the tall boy walking away by himself.

Little by little the class emptied; the parents returned home with their children. The school once again apologized for not being able to get them out while the boys apologized for the mess. 

An hour later, the building was again plunged into darkness, each class was empty, the corridors calm as if nothing had happened and on Monday everything would return to normal and all traces of this strange adventure will have been erased except for the friendship that was born there and which will never be erased.