Light on Me

Chapter 4

Third Person's Point Of View

Taekyung finally stood up after Shinwoo shook him, worried.

Taekyung pretended to pass out to scare the group. When Shinwoo saw Taekyung stand up as if nothing had happened, he felt anger rise in him at first for worrying about nothing and then he felt relief that Taekyung is nothing but a small scratch on his cheek.

The policeman came back to them a few minutes later and asked them questions before leaving, leaving them both.

"Ah, that hurts."

Taekyung touches his cheek, making a face.

Shinwoo looks at him, silently, slightly worried.

Taekyung ends up watching Shinwoo.

"Hey, don't you have anything to tell me ?"

Shinwoo knows what Taekyung wanted to hear but right then he is worried and pissed off at Taekyung.

"You are a good actor."

"You have to pretend to pass out to scare them."

Taekyung realizes Shinwoo is trying to change the conversation.

"No that's not it. There is definitely something else you should tell me now."

"Don't do anything unnecessary from now on."

Shinwoo can't help but lecture him on morality. He should never have come close. What if it was dangerous and he was seriously injured? How would he have done? He blames himself already so if Taekyung would have been hurt more, he would never have forgiven himself ...

Taekyung sighs, he can't help but blame him for helping him. Why does he expect him to thank him?

"I'm not the type to expect a lot from people, but you are really something."

Shinwoo doesn't answer and looks down. Taekyung wonders if he should ask the question or not.

"Who were these guys? They were talking about a secret."

"We were friends in middle school."

"Ah."

Taekyung looks at Shinwoo and sees that he doesn't want to say more so he doesn't insist.

Shinwoo doesn't feel ready to talk about his "secret". It's not something he's ashamed of, but he doesn't know what Taekyung thinks about it and he doesn't want to risk being rejected by him.

They both began to walk in the park in silence.

Taekyung is thinking about what just happened. He wonders if that's why he's so distant and cold with people ? Maybe that's why he behaved like this with him ... Taekyung is not stupid, he understood that these old friends had betrayed him and was blackmailing him.

"But isn't it exhausting to always put a barrier between you and people ? It was for me."

They stop walking.

"A barrier?"

"I was the same as you before. No, I was worse."

Shinwoo lowers his head. He already knew ...

"I said I didn't need friends, I put up barriers, and I didn't let people talk to me. But one day I thought it would be nice to have some friends. That's why I joined the student council."

Taekyung gives him a small smile.

"I really wish you didn't hate me."

Shinwoo looks at Taekyung and looks down. He doesn't hate him at all... On the contrary...