priorities | go eunhyeok

[ 23 ]

At school, our seating arrangements changed on Monday, so I'm no longer sitting next to Eunhyeok. That hasn't done anything but put more distance between us. We barely talk anymore and it annoyed me.

I got moved towards the front of the class, sitting at one of the desks on the side next to a window. Now I'm sitting next to Yeseo, so at least something good came out of this new seating plan.

Every day of this week at school has been bland. Ironically the sun stopped shining and the weather has been cloudy and rainy all week.

When I woke up for school this morning and the realization hit me that it's finally Friday now, I was so happy I could cry. Everyone in the house commented on my sudden contrast of behavior to how I've been acting during all of the days this week leading up to today.

I don't know why I was particularly happy, it's not like anything has changed. I still have to go to cram school today too, but at least I'll have Dohwa to walk there with and talk to in class.

I heave my school bag up the stairsteps to my classroom. Su-ae walks in front of me, the reason being because her bag is way lighter than mine. I guess that's the perks of being an art student, you don't really feel the need to bring home or carry around the textbooks from all of your classes.

She holds the door open for me and I drop my bag on the floor in front of my locker. I unpack all of the books that I won't need this morning and stack them into my locker, then shutting it and turning the lock.

I don't know what the purpose of my lock is because it's not like anybody wants to steal a heavy stack of textbooks anyways. But I'd rather have one for no reason than not have one and suddenly need one someday.

I walk past the aisles and rows of desks, one of my classmates blocking the path down the row I need to get down to reach my desk. He's bent over searching for something, so I just stand there and wait for him to get up.

I feel something lightly tapping my wrist next to me. I look down and see Eunhyeok, sitting at his desk, staring up at me. I didn't even notice that I stopped by him.

My heart beats faster for a few seconds as he stares at me but he pulls me out of my trance with a question.

"Can we talk sometime? I'm-" Eunhyeok is cut off by our classmates pushing me to the side. I fall onto the desk behind me as another runs past me and I try not to yell at them.

"Sorry Y/N! They took my stuff! I'll find you at lunch and get you a drink," my classmate shouted at me and I replied saying it was fine.

Moments later the teacher walked in and told everyone to sit down. I quickly look back at Eunhyeok and nod awkwardly before quickly walking to my chair. Yeseo moves her textbooks out of the way so that I have more room on my desk. I mutter a thank you to her and the teacher focuses back on teaching the lesson.

-: ✧ :-

"So, has anything new happened?" Dohwa asks as we slowly make our way to cram school.

"Uh, kind of," I say, sighing and kicking a rock.

"Is it about Eunhyeok?" He asks, knowingly.

"How do you know? I barely talk about him around you," I ask him accusingly.

He shrugs. "Just a feeling, I guess," and then he smirks. I look at him annoyedly and then lightly nudge him in the side, making him laugh lightly. "Anyway, are you going to tell me or what," Dohwa asks, finishing off his drink and walking over to a trash can, tossing it away before walking back over to my side.

"I haven't talked to Eunhyeok at all this week and it feels like there's a huge gap of distance between us now- actually never mind, I don't even know myself why we're so distant now. Well I do but- nevermind," I groan at my stutter and he laughs as we near the entrance door.

"Moving on, have you been hanging out with my sister?" I wiggle my eyebrows at him, jokingly. He blushes immediately and turns to look away from me.

"No, I don't know what you're talking about. You have two sisters," he denies.

"Okay then," I look at him suspiciously. We stop in front of the door for a moment and look at each other.

"Well, I guess I'll talk to you after class," Dohwa sighs heavily and I nod, following him inside.

-: ✧ :-

I woke up early the next morning. I wake up happily at the fact that it's finally Saturday. I pick up my phone from my nightstand and scroll through the notifications that I got before I woke up.

____________________

[ Calendar: Celebrate Eunhyeok :)'s birthday tomorrow! ]

____________________

It's his birthday tomorrow? Since when did I have that saved in my phone? I probably added it to his contact after he told me about it or something.

Even though I haven't been talking to Eunhyeok recently, I still want to go out quickly and get him a gift. It's not like we stopped being friends anyway-- or at least I think.

I look up the opening time for the mall on my phone and see that it opens in twenty minutes. I don't have to be there right away, so I take a little extra time getting ready.

When I'm finished I lightly jog to the subway station to catch a train there. The ride doesn't take long.

I walk through the mall's entrance, browsing through different shops contemplating what I should buy for him. Should I get him a cake, too? Maybe that's too much. I'm sure he'll be doing something at home with his family. Will I even see him tomorrow?

I come across a men's clothing store and stroll in, scanning the racks and shelves for something that I think would suit him. My eyes lock on a really nice sweater that I think he would actually wear. It's basic but the design is something he'd like.

I don't want to credit myself too much, but I think that I know his fashion taste well enough to buy him clothes.

I find a size that I think would fit him because I don't know his actual size, and bring it up to the register. The cashier rings up the total and I pay.

I walk out of the store with a shopping bag that contains the sweater. Just to be safe, I decided on buying him a little cupcake to give to him at school or something.

After I've secured his birthday gifts, I take the train back home and hide the cupcake in the fridge so that no one will eat it and slide the bag containing the sweater under my bed.

I feel content at last. With all of my free time I decided to sit at my desk to catch up on homework from last week.

After an hour or so, Ajin calls me and asks me if I want to go to the movies with her and Minji in a few hours. I agree and continue doing my homework to kill time.