Our Heart (Rewritten)

The More You Love?

It's bad enough that Boss came through with his promise—or threat was more like it—and now came to class. Every. Fucking. Day—as promised.

It's bad enough that he made the hairs on Noeul's nape stand on end each time he felt Boss' intense gaze practically boring a hole on the back of his head.

And it's bad enough that wherever Noeul went, he felt self-conscious, knowing that Boss was watching him.

But it gets worse.

Today is Noeul's first ever gym day, a day he'd pictured many times in his head where he would put on a nice comfy pair of gym clothes and have fun-filled and friendly activities with peers. Although the first half came true as he's now decked in the school's PE uniform, a red and white raglan shirt with the school emblem on the left breast side and plain red joggers, Noeul isn't so optimistic about the second half.

As it turns out, both Boss and Stop are in his gym class because although Stop is a senior and Boss a sophomore, both have a backlog of PE units and are only taking them now; so much for fun-filled and friendly.

Noeul isn't sure which he dreads more, getting grouped with the prankster, Stop, or with the sadistic dictator, Boss. But who knows? If he's unlucky (not that he isn't already), the two boys would be grouped together and pinned against a much weaker group with Noeul in it. Then they'd be sitting ducks in a game of dodgeball.

But at the very least, the two don't end up on the same team. The downside is that Noeul gets grouped with Boss and, for obvious reasons, they won't exactly have the best teamwork.

"You're...not planning on hitting me with the ball, are you? Because that'd be really low; we're supposed to be teammates." Noeul tells Boss before the game starts.

"It's one thing for me to hit you on purpose, it's another if you're in my way." Boss doesn't even look at him as he says this under his breath as though the other is nothing but air to him.

Noeul frowns, dreading how this game would play out. And after stating the rules and a few reminders, their teacher blows the whistle and the game finally commences. Noeul's mind is pretty much all over the place, having to be cautious of both the opponent and his own teammate whilst dodging balls that are flying his way and regulating himself to make sure he isn't overexerting.

At one point, Boss roughly pushes him aside to catch a ball and ultimately eliminate the person who threw it. It wasn't as if Noeul was hurt physically but he sure feels like a rag-doll that Boss tosses around as he pleases.

During timeout, Noeul marches angrily towards the bench where Peat is watching the game after getting eliminated early. Peat hands him a flask filled with water and whispers, "Relax, Noeul. At least, he's not letting you get eliminated."

"He's doing that so he can toy with me some more. Grr!" Noeul grumbles, making eye-contact with Boss who's standing on the opposite side of the court, downing an energy drink. Neither break eye-contact for sometime as doing so would mean they're intimidated and Boss only turns to Fort when the latter pipes up.

"Seriously? You two are still at it?" He chuckles to which Boss simply shrugs. Fort shakes his head then tells the other, "You know what I heard? Hating someone takes just about as much effort and dedication as loving them."

At his food for thought, Boss quirks a brow at his friend as if asking what he's implying to which Fort easily responds with, "Why don't you two just make peace, not war?"

But the teacher calls the players back before Fort could fish out an answer and Boss walks off—saved by the bell.

As usual, the game starts with the balls placed down the middle of the two rows of opposing teams. But just as the teacher who is serving as the referee blows her whistle, someone points out that Boss' shoelace is untied and the male looks down to check. Seeing an opening, Stop grabs the ball and throws it while airborne. The referee whistles at the violation but not before Stop has already launched the ball that's heading full speed at Boss.

Seeing this, Noeul instinctively pushes Boss aside, causing him to slightly stagger sideways and the ball to graze the top of Noeul's head which hurt nonetheless, what with the force Stop has put into it.

"Noeul!" Yells Peat as he rushes to his best friend's side. Noeul is currently crouched down with both hands on his head, most of his teammates gathering around him worriedly.

Boss stands off to the side, briefly stunned but eventually, his blazing eyes land on Stop and he exclaims, "What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you trying to kill someone?"

"Why're you blaming me? If you kept your head in the game, this wouldn't have happened." Stop claps back. "And besides, what's new? Everyone who gets close to you gets hurt. Remember?" He smirks, knowing he hit him where it hurts.

Fort runs in, sensing the brewing fight which, as predicted, quickly escalates with Boss and Stop pushing each other before Boss tackles the latter and both come crashing to the wooden pavement.

Their teacher and other students work together to separate the two. The whistle echoes loudly in the gym after which the teacher exclaims, "You two, in my office! And Peat, take Noeul to the infirmary! NOW!!!"

~~~

"Did you have to do that?" Peat questions while holding an ice pack to Noeul's head. "You could've gotten seriously hurt."

"Well," Noeul muses, "If you think about it, at least, this way I get to avoid showering with the others."

Peat raises both brows and follows up, "Uh-huh, but how exactly do you plan on avoiding it for an entire semester? You'll purposely get yourself sent to the infirmary every time?"

"I-I'm not sure yet." Noeul poutingly replies. "But I will somehow. I must."

Unbeknownst to him, just behind the curtain in another one of the infirmary's beds is an underling of Stop's—eavesdropping on their conversation.

When Boss and Noeul see each other next, it's as Noeul is leaving the infirmary with Peat and Boss and Fort are walking down the hallway after leaving the teacher's office.

"It's good you were let off with a warning." Fort remarks, then adds, "Albeit a final warning."

Boss doesn't say anything to that and just stares straight ahead when the other duo turns the corner and the four of them meet. Noeul isn't sure how to act in front of Boss after what happened; part of him feels embarrassed but at the same time, he feels somewhat grateful since, it's safe to say, Boss got into a fight because of what happened to him.

"Hey, are you okay now, buddy?" Fort asks in a friendly manner and at this, Noeul flashes a reassuring smile. "I'm okay now, Phi. Thanks for asking."

"Tch! How respectful." Boss remarks. "Meanwhile, you always rudely call me Chaikamon."

"Then..." Noeul mumbles. "Should I call you Phi B-" But before he could even call him by his nickname, Boss raises a hand in Noeul's face, stopping him.

"Don't call me that. Better yet, just don't call my name at all." He states coldly.

Noeul frowns, inwardly kicking himself. What even possessed him to think that incident would change anything between them. "I should've just let you get hit with the ball and get brain damage. My head hurts so much!"

"No one asked you to do that!" Boss retorts. "Next time, don't get in my way and get hurt in the process. Tsk!"

Somehow, that didn't sound as offensive as Boss may have intended. In fact, he sounded rather...concerned. Noeul falls silent, his lips slightly parted, as Boss sidesteps him and continues down the hall. Did he...hear that correctly?

When he turns back to Fort, the latter awkwardly rubs the back of his neck and chuckles, "I apologize on his behalf. He's kind of emotionally closed off but I promise, he's not that heartless.

"In fact, if an emotionally available person were to reinterpret what he said just now, it would probably translate into...'thanks'."

Noeul isn't sure why he feels happy to hear that. That could be a misinterpretation for all he knows, yet it makes his chest bloom with joy somehow.