too scared to be afraid

chapter thirty-five: spring day

"Is it you who changed? Or is it me?" -Spring Day, bts

035: spring day

xxxx

"You haven't been in class for a month," his soft voice said, disrupting the peaceful silence. The breeze brushed against the two gently, just slightly ruffling their hair. Leaves rustling in the trees, the two felt miles away from any other people. It was as if it were just them in the world at the moment, an invisible barrier keeping them separated from all else.

Hoseok's head turned to the voice, features relaxing when he saw his classmate standing there. No one had noticed his absence. Was it wrong for Hoseok to feel his heart speed up at just one simple sentence? This boy had noticed.. He felt warm at the thought, heart bubbling with a spark of joy that he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Yeah, a lots been going on," Hoseok replied, a smile playing on his lips. "Did I miss much, Eunwoo-ssi?"

Eunwoo smiled at Hoseok, that same smile he always did with his kind eyes that disappeared and his nose crinkling only a little bit. He walked forward, past Hoseok, straight to an empty bench that sat just under one of the largest, prettiest trees Hoseok had ever seen. He didn't wave him over though, just rested his palm on the seat next to him and patted it a bit, signaling for him to come over and take a seat. Hoseok took his time walking over to the seat, contemplating why this was happening.

He was friendly with most people in many of his classes but no one had ever put any effort or showed any signs of wanting to be friends with him until now, in March. Maybe it was spring that had brought this on, or maybe it was just luck. Eunwoo might've just noticed his disappearance though, only now deciding to speak to him out of curiosity or pity.

His first day back in classes, all five of their first day back, Seokjin was the one who dropped them all off on campus. Namjoon had walked him from class to class, and he felt the remembrance of the previous normality that they had back before so many changes occurred. It was crazy how much could change in a month. But everything can change in just a single second, that was what made time so valuable.

But not everything seemed normal, just as he hadn't left. While his psychology professor didn't acknowledge his return, acting as if he had been attending classes this whole while, there was something off. It was obvious in the way he walked through the halls, and people turned to stare and whisper. Namjoon saw it as well, always trying to turn his attention away from the whispers that weren't so quiet or glares that weren't too subtle. Hoseok had decided he had enough of it, excusing himself from his table with his friends at lunch to get some fresh air.

"It's been a bit lonely with you gone," Eunwoo said, the gentleness he carried throughout his day showing even in the delicate way he spoke. Hoseok knew the boy had a large friend group and was very popular with both girls and boys alike. It was a bit strange for someone so popular to be saying that his presence had made even the smallest of differences.

"Oh," Hoseok said, brain too occupied to figure out how to reply. Eunwoo had a similar personality that clicked with his own. Both of them were seen as bubbly and kind souls who were always able to crack a joke no matter the place or time. So seeing the two of them here, like this, could be considered a strange sight for many of the students on campus.

It could be because of the serene setting, the beauty of the field on campus where flowers were blossoming just in time for spring, or it could be because of the topic of discussion. But either way, both boys seemed calm, and to some unlike their usual selves.