𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘, 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔

second memory.

- ͙۪۪̥˚┊❛ [SECOND MEMORY] ❜┊˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
  ﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉

THE STORY OF HOW
CHOI BEOMGYU CAME
TO LOVE KANG JIEUN.

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EVERYDAY seems to be a little suffocating to him.

everyday, beomgyu feels like he's on the verge of falling asleep while he sits at his desk in school. everyday, beomgyu feels like the words of his parents go through one ear and out the other - he really doesn't want to pay attention to their nagging about him getting good grades at all. everyday, beomgyu feels like he just wants to slip into oblivion—kind of. he's just so tired... so, so tired.

why won't they give him a break? surely, everyone around him isn't cruel enough to keep demanding the impossible from him, right...? surely, they'll see how their nagging is taking a toll on him and finally let go of their high expectations of him, right...?

surely, his parents, friends, and teachers will stop, right...?

beomgyu heaves a sigh, sluggishly leaving the school grounds and heading towards cram school after finishing his newspaper club activities. his school bag seems to feel heavier this evening as he slowly continues walking through the crowds of people on the streets. he sucks in a breath, exhaling slowly, enjoying the fresh and crisp evening air today.

in no time, beomgyu makes it to his cram school. he pushes the doors open and walks inside, immediately heading towards his desk. he slumps down into his seat, slowly opening his school bag and taking out his books and pencils. beomgyu starts working, copying down notes onto the paper of his notebook, not fully comprehending what he's doing. he's just... writing down everything mindlessly.

"hey."

beomgyu flinches and hits his head, letting out a small groan of pain as he glances to see that the person who greeted him, kang jieun, rubs her chin with a frown on her lips.

"oh my go—i am so sorry," says beomgyu, his brown eyes wide with surprise.

jiuen softly laughs, waving her hand in the air. "it's no biggie," she says, "it was an accident after all, no need to apologize." the girl then sits in her desk next to his, taking out her books and begins to study.

beomgyu stares at her for a couple seconds longer before he turns his attention back to his books and notebooks. he feels like he's a robot right then and there as he starts scribbling words into his notebook again, reading everything in his book as it all disappears in an instant.

i can't do this anymore, he thinks. it's tiring.

when will this end?

he closes his eyes to think some more, his body moving forwards so that his chest lays on top of the desk, his arms dangling outwards. beomgyu stays like that for a few moments; he breathes and continues to think about seriously dropping out of high school... he hates studying, after all.

something warm lands on top of him, and beomgyu unconsciously nuzzles his nose into the material, a little smile tugging his lips upwards at the pleasant smell from whatever it is that's on him.

"sh."

he hears someone shush another person. beomgyu opens his eyes, blinking at the blurry sight of a girl standing over him, a finger pressed against her lips.

"let him sleep a little more," the girl says. "i'll wake him up before you close."

beomgyu hums in content, closing his eyes once.

"mr beomgyu, it's time to get up."

the boy frowns, his eyes fluttering open. "miss... jieun?" he says, rubbing his eyes. "what are you doing here? where's... everyone else?"

jieun softly laughs, her eyes making the cute crescent moons that he adores.

crescent moons that he adores...

"gyu, you fell asleep two hours ago. the old man is going to close up here in fifteen."

beomgyu starts to shove everything into his backpack, not caring if pages were to get folded. "thank you for waking me up, jieun." he says, standing up and zipping his backpack up. "i really appreciate it."

"it's no biggie," she replies, smiling as they both walk out of the cram school.

they walk down the street, jieun's humming filling the air around them. they make it to the end of the street where they both go their own ways, but before that happens, beomgyu realizes that he has jieun's coat with him.

"oh!" he says, rapidly taking it off from his shoulders and handing it to the older girl. "this is yours, isn't it? you... put it on me back at cram school, didn't you...?"

jieun giggles, grabbing her coat from him. "why thank you mr beomgyu," she says, "i didn't think you'd ever give it back to me."

beomgyu's cheeks flush, and he looks away. "i—! well, i... really—!"

jieun laughs this time, shutting beomgyu up. he feels his heart beat loudly in his chest and hears it in his ears as jieun ruffles his hair. "chin up, choi beomgyu!" she says. "everything's going to get better soon, trust me. just hang in there a little longer, okay?"

he nods mindlessly to the girl's words. he looks behind her to see the silhouette of her best friend... something yeonjun. jieun hums. "well, this is where we part ways," she says as yeonjun shouts out her name.

she grins, and beomgyu swears the light of the street lamp makes her look like a fairy of sorts as she waves at him goodbye before running up to yeonjun, both of them starting to walk away.

beomgyu lets out a weak sigh as he squats down, his hands on his face. "oh," he says, "this is definitely not good... why did i just have to like you now of all times when you're close to graduating, kang jieun..."

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happy (late) one year since i published uily <3