Wildfire And Rain

Chapter Thirteen

Kai comes down with coughs. He thinks it's the sudden switch in the weather, the air turning crisp and cold. He checks his temperature and deems it not high enough to miss his classes.

He gets up, coughing a few times before dragging his body for an early morning shower, with the water cold enough to hopefully lower his growing fever.

Kai dressed warmly before he left the house for his morning lecture, Beomgyu wrapped his brother with a scarf as soon as he saw the heat flaring from Kai's rosy cheeks, he reminded him that there were pills in the medicine cabinet if he needed them and he too leaves for his music theory class.

Kai has a little more time, so he sits down and gulps hot jasmine tea down his scratchy throat. He gathers his things soon after finishing the last drop and washing the mug in the kitchen sink.

Beomgyu opted for walking so that Kai would have the car if he was too tired to walk to college, but Kai thought he might fall asleep at the wheel, so he chose walking as well, hoping that by forcing the moving of his achy body will wake him up before his lecture starts.

After about 15 minutes, the usual arrival time, he shows his student ID to the guard standing in front of the gate and proceeds towards the psychology building where his class takes place on the second floor, 8 th room to the left.

He finds that his steps are sluggish and heavy, sweat gathers under the scarf around his neck and he itches at his wet, irritated skin. He sucks in a breath and focuses on walking, the ground feels weird under his feet, as if it's swaying his body left and right.

His fever can't possibly be that high. But the thermometer might have been broken.

"Hey."

He keeps walking.

"Hey!" Someone pulls his back with the collar of his black coat. "I'm talking to you." But Kai hasn't heard anything. He turns around, not at all curious about who is bothering him. He raises his eyebrow. "Yes?" he says sharply to the group of guys standing behind him, well, not in front of him.

"I asked you something, freak." one of them spits, maybe it is the one who was pulling him back. "Don't you think your presence makes everyone a little too uncomfortable?"

The heat spreads to Kai's neck and it itches, it itches so much. He clears his throat and winces while doing it. "Is that a serious question?" he asks.

The guy appears to be offended. Kai has half a mind to just turn around and presume his walking, his class will start in no less than 5 minutes, and he has zero intentions of spending that precious time talking to illiterate people. But as he turns around, he realizes he's surrounded, by the most hectic, trafficked area on campus, just between the psychology buildings and the sports field. It's also right near the library entrance where students from all departments go to study and/or hang out, or both.

"Do I seem like I'm joking? None of us are, this is supposed to be a safe campus." his friends nod. "With you here, not so safe." his eyebrow lay sharp over his eyes, and he stepped closer to Kai. "Just stay at home if you're going to cause trouble for others."

"What kind of trouble have I created?"

"Listen, Huening." he rolls the word as if it's dirty. As if. "I can be a lot less nice about this, but I'm giving you a chance to silently leave. We don't have to make a scene; tell the dean you will drop out."

So itchy. His brain feels like It's beating along with his heart, pumping against his skull, pressure sucks his ears in, and it feels like someone shoved Q-Tips deep down his earholes.