CHAPTER 7: Episode 2 - Reciprocation of Emotions, II

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The pair of black-haired, and equally tired-looking teenagers are currently playing a round of poker in the gym storage room. They are cutting classes at Daehyun's suggestion and Dokja, like always, just went along with it.

Dokja won another round, much to Daehyun's dismay.

"Why are you so good at this?!" Daehyun groaned as he watched Dokja eat another rice cake. They were betting on tteokbokki and Dokja has almost eaten it all with his consecutive wins. Dokja took another one and pointed it at Daehyun's direction.

"Here, take it." He urges, and Daehyun reluctantly eats the tteokbokki. "Hmph! Don't think you're forgiven just yet." Daehyun looked upset and Dokja pushed the rest of the tteokbokki to him.

"Just take the rest." He offers. Daehyun pouted and despite his protests, the remaining tteokbokki were gone in a flash.

They spent the next few hours playing games and Daehyun getting Dokja to pose in ridiculous manners.

It wasn't long until dismissal, and they managed to sneak out of the gym without getting noticed. Dokja's phone rang as they bought tickets for the train.

"Wait Daehyun-ah, I have to take this call. It's...well—" Dokja excused himself and went into the bathroom to answer it.

"Brat! Finally, you answered. You come back home right this instant—" His aunt's shrill voice bellowed out of his phone as she berated Dokja. Dokja held the phone at a distance from his ear.

Dokja hated interacting with his relatives. They were absolutely horrid, and they were nothing better than his father. His aunt and uncle smoked like his father, his cousin is an ugly and egotistical bully, and their house is worse than where Dokja used to live.

"Yes, I will. I will." Dokja sighed as he fiddled with his sleeves. Under them are bruises and cuts that were finally healing. He hanged up after his aunt was finally done insulting him and his mother.

Dokja felt like a bucket of ice-cold water was dumped on him, waking him up from a honey-sweet dream.

'What if I come out of here and it was all a dream?' Dokja froze as he moved to exit the stall. 'What if he was only just a hallucination?'

Dokja couldn't bring himself to think of that person. That kind smile with his golden eyes. A person that carried the energy and virtue of his name.

That person is now outside the stall he's in.

"Dokja-ya, you're taking too long in there. Are you okay?" He asked Dokja, knocking gently on the stall door.

"Ah Daehyun, sorry." Dokja answered after a couple moments. "Did they say anything bad?" Daehyun asked with a worried tone. Dokja came out of the stall shaking his head.

"No, no. Don't worry. I can't sleep over tonight though..." Dokja laughed and Daehyun seemed a bit worried.

"Ah, well—" He seemed like he wanted to say something. "...Nevermind. Have a safe trip home." Daehyun turned to leave first. Dokja didn't stop him, and left a few minutes later.

The next day, Daehyun is absent.

"Uhm, sir, did Daehyun call in about his absence today?" Dokja tried asking his homeroom teacher. The teacher nodded.

"He said he wasn't feeling great today and he had to prepare for the art contest. Honestly, that's a bit overkill even for him..." The teacher sighed before muttering something about 'young kids today, really...' and Dokja decided to leave him alone. He supposes the teacher thought Daehyun is just skipping school.

After classes, he decided to immediately head to Daehyun's apartment. It was located in a rather decent building with rather nice facilities.

"Daehyun?" Dokja knocked on the door. A scruffy Daehyun opened it, still clad in his sleepwear. It was a rather sharp contrast to the more modest outfits he always wore. A baggy t-shirt that had a loose neckline, revealing Daehyun's collar, and a pair of shorts that was shorter than average.

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