✦ 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨 | 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘰

018 | saw

Winter approached quickly than expected. Along with the falling of the snow were the blowing of the unexpected winter breeze. It made the weather much colder than it is.

"Why is it so cold today?" Jeongwoo complained as he hugged himself tighter.

"And it sucks that we still have school," Haruto huffed, releasing the cold inside him.

Junghwan then pouted his lips. "We still have a week."

"Good thing that it is already our dismissal," Haruto spoke as the three of them exited by the school gate.

"I wanted to drink a cup of hot chocolate while eating some glazed donuts," said Junghwan, almost whining. "Can we stop by the nearby café?" he asks both Junghwan and Jeongwoo.

Jeongwoo could only shrug his shoulders. "As long as you pay for my hot chocolate, I'd go."

"Shut up and just come with us," Haruto said before dragging Jeongwoo by the wrist.

Junghwan cheered, hopping as he followed Haruto and Jeongwoo from behind. They went to the café that is a block away from their school.

"What would you get?" Jeongwoo asks Haruto as they stood outside the entrance of the café.

Shaking off the snow that fell on his coat, Haruto shrugged his shoulders. "I'm fine with a cup of hot chocolate," he responded, letting out a chuckle after seeing Junghwan who is already ordering by the counter.

"He's really fast when it comes to foods," Jeongwoo stated. "Well, especially on his precious donuts," he added as him and Haruto went inside the café.

Junghwan then looked back, motioning for the two elder boys to find a vacant table. Both Haruto and Jeongwoo found a vacant table near the glass wall, so they ran up there, occupying it immediately.

While waiting for Junghwan and what he ordered for them, Jeongwoo looked around the café. He saw many familiar faces inside the place, most of them having a cup of hot chocolate.

A pair of people sitting on one table caught Jeongwoo's attention despite the almost crowded place. He squinted his eyes, trying to recognize the familiar pair. The table was a little bit far from theirs, so it took a time for Jeongwoo to recognize them.

Jeongwoo let out a gasp after recognizing the pair. He then furiously tapped Haruto's arm beside him.

Haruto furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What?" he asked, following where Jeongwoo's gaze is at.

"Isn't that Yejin and Asahi over there?" Jeongwoo asked, making sure that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

Meanwhile, Haruto couldn't not utter a single word. He wasn't too surprised to see Yejin with Asahi, but he doesn't know why he could not speak either.

Junghwan then arrived on their table. The young boy's face showing confusion after seeing Haruto and Jeongwoo looking somewhere.

"What are you guys looking at?" he asked, following their gaze after. "Whoa, isn't that Yejin and Asahi?"

Jeongwoo quickly pulled Junghwan down, making him sit on the chair beside him. "Shush your mouth," he tells the youngest.

"Why?"

"Just shush, okay?"

"Y'all are bunch of weirdos," Haruto remarked as he avoided his gaze on Asahi and Yejin.

"We are not weirdos, alright?" Jeongwoo deadpanned. "I was just wondering on why they are together."

"Maybe they are dating," Junghwan shrugged.

Jeongwoo thought about what Junghwan said, realizing that the younger boy has a point.

"Maybe they really are dating," he agreed. "Their other friends aren't even with them."

Haruto could only shake his head, not knowing what to say.

"The besties for life are here."

The three boys looked back, surprised by the sudden voice that spoke behind them.

"Mashiho isn't with you guys?" Jiung asked as he rested his hands on the table of the three boys.

"Theo isn't with you either," Jeongwoo told Jiung.

"Right," Jiung chuckled. "I forgot that Theo and Mashiho were teammates on our school's basketball team."

Haruto, who is glancing at Intak who is standing behind Jiung, noticed that the latter has its eyes on Asahi and Yejin.

A little later, Intak whispered something on Jiung's ear, making the latter to also looks at the table where Yejin and Asahi were.

"Are they dating?" Jiung mumbled to Intak. "Isn't he over with her yet?"

Intak then pinched Jiung's side after noticing that they are still standing in front of the table of the three boys.

"Well, anyways," Jiung began, looking at the three boys once again. "Can we share a table with you guys? This place is kinda crowded already."

"We'd love to!" Junghwan beamed, making Jeongwoo to roll his eyes.

"I did not even agree," mumbled Jeongwoo.

"We'll be back after we order," Jiung smiled before dragging Intak with him by the counter.

Junghwan followed them with his gaze, making sure that they are far enough before turning his head to Haruto and Jeongwoo.

"Did you guys heard what Jiung said?" Junghwan whispered to the elders. "It seems like they know something about Asahi and Yejin."

"Of course, they do," Jeongwoo whispered back. "They all came from the same school, full of bad reputations."

"Even Yejin has a bad reputation?" Junghwan asked.

"No, she doesn't," Haruto immediately responded. "She is just like Chaemin. They study on that school without any bad records."

At that moment, order arrived. The once empty table is now occupied with cups of hot chocolate and glazed donuts.

"Thank you for these, Junghwan!" Jeongwoo grinned and was about to take one of the glazed donuts, but Junghwan slapped his hand away.

"All of these donuts are just for me," Junghwan told Jeongwoo with gritted teeth.

"What a bad luck," Haruto chuckled as he took a sip from his cup of hot chocolate. "You told Junghwan earlier that you only want a cup of this hot chocolate."

"I heard that with my two naked ears," Junghwan agrees.

The younger boys continued to bicker, while Haruto had his eyes back on Yejin and Asahi nearby.

In my nightmares, that would be me. But in reality, it was always him, Haruto thought.