Ghosting // Sookai

And I've heard of a love that comes once in a lifetime

„Students! I'm asking for your attention." The teacher spoke, glancing around the classroom to make sure everyone was looking at him. „We will have a new student starting tomorrow, his name is Huening Kai."

Soobin nibbled on his pencil, gaze lingering outside the classroom window where some kids were playing football on the forecourt in the summer sun. „Huening Kai..." He mumbled to himself as he exhaled some air. He stretched his neck a few times from left to right before he tried to focus on the teacher again. The chalkboard was already littered with thousands of formulas, which he didn't even realize how they appeared there. A further bored sigh left his mouth, as his gaze dropped to his notebook. Trying to catch up with everything as it seems like time passed by way too fast. And that's when the school bell suddenly rang. Class is over and he has absolutely no clue what the teacher was talking about all the time, the only thing he remembers is the name of the new student, Huening Kai.

Another boring school day started as he made his way through the hallway, on the way to his classroom. He was early, earlier than anyone in his class, it's always been like that, since being at home was even worse than killing the boredom at school. He was living with his mother and older brother, and unfortunately, he was the black sheep in the family. His mother praised his brother all the time, while he was the dumb little kid in her eyes. Soobin got used to getting yelled at, got used to that literally everything was his fault, when his brother did something wrong, and got used to the fact that he clearly was an unwanted child. He was living an unhappy life, and didn't really know where to go, what to do. He just tried to get through all of this, trying to stay alive for his future self.

Soobin's gaze fixed on his steps, not looking up once as he didn't expect anyone to be this early at school anyway. And that's when he suddenly bumped into someone, causing him to drop his school books he carried in his hands. Soobin kneeled down in the next second, reaching out for his books even though he was still slightly shocked, as he didn't expect anyone to be here at this hour.

„I'm sorry." Someone stuttered, voice quite nervous but calm at the same time.

Soobin still didn't really look up, not checking who it was until he saw how the other one handed him over the remaining books he couldn't reach. „It was my fault-" was all Soobin could get out of his throat as he was flabbergasted as soon as he raised his gaze, making eye contact with the stranger.

Soobin hesitated before he got back up, still quite shocked. A new student? I have never seen him before... he thought.

Soobin couldn't say more, so he just bowed politely and continued his pace, passing the stranger who was almost the same height as he was, although Soobin was already taller than average.

„Hey! Wait!" The stranger called out hesitantly.

Soobin stopped, turned around and their eyes met again. All he was able to do was give him a questioning look, feeling like he lost his voice.

„I-I'm new here.. and today is my first day at school.. Could you help me find my classroom?" The student stuttered his words with a soft voice, and his deer-like eyes looking at Soobin's.

Soobin just nodded, gulped, and exhaled some air. „Sure... uhm.." He muttered, gulping again. „What's your grade?"

„12th grade." The stranger stated, with a relieving tone in his voice.

Soobin's eyes widened at this, suddenly thinking of what his teacher said yesterday, and that's when his eyes snapped down the stranger's chest, reading the name tag on his school uniform. Huening Kai.

Soobin felt his heart dropping at this realization, suddenly felt his cheeks heating up and blushing. He snapped back facing the corridor, trying to hide his face with this action. „J-Just follow me." Soobin stuttered his words as he continued his pace in the same second.