Unexpected Nerd

Page 19; Childhood.

"Your childhood friend?" I asked him in confused. He nodded, his eyes still stick on the picture on the table. "What's her name?" He looks at the picture longer before he look up at me. But instead of saying something, he says nothing. Nothing at all. "Baekhyun?"

"..She's dead." He replied, weak. As if his energy was absorbed by the heat of the weather. Drained completely. Dead? Is that girl in the picture is Kim Eunjung?

"Let's go back. I'll drop you home." He takes his denim jacket off the chair and stand up. Taking the picture off the table, he put it in his brown wallet again.

We walked by each other, but no one dare to break the silence. We keep on walking without saying anything. When we finally reached home, I bid him farewell and thanks as well. He put his hands in his jeans pocket, the denim jacket hanging at the curve of his lower arm. "See you tomorrow." He said, waving me a silent wave and walked off. I close the door behind and stand still. Did I just skipped school today? Or worst, Did I pulled Baekhyun into this mess too? Damn. I tied my messy hair into a messy bun.

---

I've been solving this crazy puzzle since days. But i'm still confused. Are Eunjung Baekhyun's childhood friend? Or Mark's?

"Someone has a stress face today. I could see roller coaster above of her head." Someone greeted me from behind with a smile. "Xiumin!" He sits next to me, resting his arms on his laps, looking at me smiling. "What's the matter?" I shook my head. "Nothing. These papers is hurting my head." I lied, showing him the papers on my table. "Well, that's understandable." He chuckled.

Seeing Xiumin chuckles like that? How can you not say him cute? He's like a living human version of a hamster. He proceed to the coffee machine and come back bringing two cups, handling me one of the cup. "Thanks."

He told me he need to do something and left the room. I wonder where the other boys are. I left the school without meeting one of them other than Xiumin.

I walked back home, thinking the same puzzle of days ago. I feel presence behind, following every steps that I took. I quickened my steps as the presence behind followed me as well. I almost curse in my mind. Don't follow me. The same words repeat in my head. The thoughts of kidnapper, murderer can't escape from my mind.

I keep on walking even when I'm almost out of breath. I decided to turn to a corner and wait there to see the person that followed me. I did. I quickly run to a corner and hide. That person quickened the steps, running towards the corner. I waited quietly. I grabbed a metal nearby and comes out when that person is nearby to knock him down.

"Stay away!" I almost swing the metal towards that person when it called my name. "What?" I take a properly look at the person and found Baekhyun standing in front of me. "What are you doing? Stalking? I don't know you likes to stalk people." I huffed, sigh in relief when I knew that was Baekhyun.

"Stalk you? No. I'm not stalking you."

"Then what?"

"I.. I just want to make sure you're going back straight home. Who know you would run off to somewhere again like that day. We don't know what might happen."

"I was not alone that day, Byun Baekhyun. Mark was with me." I rolled my eyes. "And why did you run?" I questioned him. "Because you were chasing me like a stalker! And why did you run when I ran to a corner?"

"Because that's not the way to your house!"

Why are we fighting over this? "Okay, fine. I'll go home. And you go home too. Okay?" I walked off but he followed me from behind. Again. He is a stalker then. "And why did you suddenly taking care of me? I'm not a baby."

"Because you're my girlfriend?" He said between a statement and question. "I am not. I was forced to be your girlfriend because I found your stupid necklace. Always blamed the moment we bumped to each other." I confessed. He remain silent.

"Now i've reached my home. You can go back now, Mr. Boyfriend." I opened the door with the key in my hand and entered the house. I feel like I am rude to him. Well, I am. I opened the door again and yelled a thank you. Before he managed to say anything, I close the door again. Now the curiosity kick in. Why did he suddenly changed?

I went to my room, leaving the door and windows open. I let the wind blows my curtains. I look over my table. Too empty and decided to decorate it a bit. I bend down to take the purple box that I remember filled full of decorations.

I crossed my legs, sits on the wooden floor as I open the purple box. I take out the cute decorations for my table. Colourful galaxy pictures, white paper and some bottle of glitters. A jar with colourful cotton inside the bottle, i put it on the table.

Then, I found a very pretty photoframe with the colours of blue of the sea, hiding beneath all the other decorations. My hand reached for it and pull it out. And there's a picture inside the photoframe. Old, like it was took long ago. The image is getting blurry. But I squinted my eyes and saw a face I never expected.

Byun baekhyun.

"What?" I murmured under my breath. There's someone next to him. The face is hard to be detect. But she's smiling. She's happy. Then I noticed.

I was happy.