Veiled | JHS | ✓

Avoid

Sia stared up at the book up at the highest corner of the shelf with an annoyed frown. Real-life hit her like a truck as soon as she had stepped back in Fanaisse with all her professors piling her with assignments and research papers. Even Jinnie didn't have time to spare as he ran around the internet cafes and public libraries preparing for his exams and practicing his theories. Jin swore that it was karma. Maybe he had done something bad in his past life. Sia joked that he might have been a tyrannical professor in his past. Jinnie didn't like that. Now he wasn't talking with her as he considered that the greatest insult of history.

She sighed. Reaching up for the book, raising on her tip-toes but the book was just too far higher. Taking a determined breath, she jumped. The book, much to her annoyance, slid a few inches back into the shelf. The heck- 

She tried again, jumping up to snatch the book off the shelf but this time the book took flight and began floating up in the air. Sia narrowed her eyes.

"Seok." She turned around to find a grinning Hoseok standing right behind her. "Give me my book."

He shrugged, "Okay." And the book dropped to her head.

"Ow!" Sia cried, nursing her head, "Ah, it hurts! I think I got a concussion!"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't be so melodramatic."

"Hmph! Why are you here anyway?"

Wow. And here he thought she'd be ecstatic to see him. Truly welcoming. Note the sarcasm.

Well, actually he didn't know what prompted him to walk up to her when he spotted her in the library. It was an impulsive decision. Now as he stared down at her, wondering about his reason he couldn't think of anything.

He wanted to ask her if she was avoiding him straight up to her face and demand why she acted like total strangers. But it sounded too needy and pathetic to his ears. So he opted for the safer option.

"I was just checking on my friend."

Sia sighed out loud. "Look, Seok, I know you like to rub it in my face that you're friend-zoning me but I have feelings, you know? It hurts!" Sia exclaimed dramatically.

He raised an eyebrow skeptically. Was that so? Because it certainly didn't look like she cared much any more. Sia sent him a glare before she picked up her book from the ground, dusting its covers.

"And, oh? Did you see Joonie- I mean, NJ? It's been weeks since I met him. There's not a single piece of news!"

Hoseok narrowed his hands, giving her a long pinning stare. He ground his jaw watching her waiting anticipatingly for his answers and huffed.

"You know? Sometimes I wonder if you only care about NJ."

Sia watched perplexedly as Hoseok walked away, grumbling something under his breath. She blinked. "Is he jealous or something?"

She tsked in denial. "Eyy..."

_______________

Hoseok opened his locker and got pelted with a wave of red and pink papery mess that showered down to the floor before he could even make out what it was.

"What the—"

"Ah, the dreaded Valentine's day is finally here." Felix sang gleefully as Hoseok nudged the pink cards and confetti and all that mushy stuff on the ground with his foot. "Oh, god. I'm going to be sick." But for the sake of his perfect image, he gathered up the pink mess and shoved them inside his backpack.