_Kissbuddies_

>> 38 <<

Everything is never as it seems

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Matthew knew he wouldn't be able to keep Taerae's request- of not showing his face, yes, but he didn't think he'd try once again just the day after, when he saw his 'ex' lover at the uni again. In fact, that day, Matthew only attended his classes just so he could talk to Taerae. Of course, he couldn't during or even before the class hours, because Taerae was there with his friends and honestly, classroom is not a place to talk about something like that. So he waited. Waiting didn't mean he didn't glance at the beautiful human being. Taerae didn't look like his usual self. His face was pale and drained and he struggled to pay attention. It's no wonder that he cried a lot, and his friends were trying to cheer him up, but Matthew knew what a raging storm was happening inside that composed looking man. And he couldn't wait to make it all better.

So when the last class before lunch time ended, he immediately walked to the bunch of people surrounding Kim Taerae. Maybe they didn't notice him, maybe they just chose to disregard his existence, they walked away, Hanbin was the closest one walking next to Taerae, so Matthew followed him out of the classroom door, and then, once in the open, he called, "Taerae?"

A few people turned their heads, and then got back to whatever they were doing. Only two people's face stayed that way, Park Hanbin and Taerae's.

A frown formed on the latter's face.

"What do you want?" Hanbin asked Matthew, he didn't look happy at all. Instinctively, his hand grabbed his friend's one. Matthew saw that, and only gripped his jaw tigher.

"May I take him for a few minutes? To talk?" He asked politely.

"What more do you have to say?" Hanbin spoke with spice, "Ain't hurting him once enough for you?"

"Hanbin, please." Matthew said, "Let us solve this."

"Solve what?" The other laughed, "You cheated on him, he hates cheaters. There's nothing more to solve."

"There's more to that, I-I know it." Insisted the Canadian male, and then turned to Taerae, "Rae, you gotta hear me out-"

"Why are you wasting our time here?" Taerae spoke, without looking at Matthew's direction. The words were meant for his friend, "Let's go. I'm hungry."

Hanbin took two seconds to read both Taerae and Matthew's face. He went with his friend's proposal, "Alright."

"No wait-" Matthew grabbed Taerae's hand only to get it yanked away by Hanbin, "Didn't you get it? He doesn't want to talk!"

"But-"

"If I see you trying to talk to him again, the consequence won't be pleasant." Threatened Park Hanbin on his friend's behalf. Matthew stared at his face, then looked at Taerae's for some sort of protest, even a little bit, maybe just a 'Fine, let's talk', but nothing came out of him. He stayed silent, then simply followed his friend to walk away. Matthew was left behind, with a well of regrets and guilty feelings. He didn't know why everything had to turn that way. Why couldn't he get a fucking grip on himself and his stupid feelings for Jiwoong. Why didn't he think about Taerae before doing anything?

Matthew found himself wandering on the campus road without any purpose. He was hungry, but he didn't have the appetite. He thought he wasn't going anywhere, but his feet took him to a certain direction. In front of the department of medicine where students were walking in and out. His eyes looked for a certain someone.