Memory

Emptier

"Is he really performing?" Anonymous whispers made their way down the hall, spreading from one person to another.

"I think I heard him practicing. It was a love song, do you think he's singing it for someone?"

"You think he's going to ask someone out?"

"Doubt it, he doesn't talk to anyone but that one blond kid and they still don't talk a lot. Plus the blond has a boyfriend."

"I see him talking to Jisoo sometimes."

"Yeah, like once every full moon."

"They still talk"

"Yeah but Jisoo has a boyfriend too."

"Well if he's not asking someone out then why a love song?"

-

"What? Seungcheol, we always go to Friday Frenzies." Jun was speaking but everyone in their group stopped to stare at him.

"Soonyoung and Seokmin are performing this week," Minghao brought up from his usual spot beside Jun. Seungcheol looked down at the table, he knew it wouldn't be easy.

"I forgot you guys were performing," he bit his lip and gave them the most apologetic look he could muster. In truth, he was sorry, but not because he forgot. "You all know how Doyoon doesn't like watching the shows," he looked down and tried to avoid Wonwoo's gaze as he dug deeper into the lie. "I was thinking it would be okay to miss one Frenzy."

"You must really like Doyoon if you're canceling on us like this," Jeonghan said around the grape in his mouth. "You've never canceled, even for that one clingy girl. She broke up with you because of that right?"

Even though Seungcheol rolled his eyes, he didn't correct Jeonghan. He'd been dumped several times because he wouldn't miss Friday Frenzies with his friends.

"Sorry," he apologized again. If he tried to stretch the lie even further one of them would find out the real reason he wanted to ditch.

"Can't you just cancel on Doyoon? I mean you can go on dates whenever but you know how hard it is to get a spot on the list." He couldn't blame the request but even if he saw it coming he felt a bit of irritation. Something in the back of his mind made it seem he wasn't mad that them, though.

Friday Frenzies were small concerts held by their student council every week. Yinnin High was one of the best fine art schools in the world, filled with prodigies and those gifted with talent. With the number of students attending and the chance to get noticed by musical companies, sign-up sheets were filled before Monday ended at the least.

Seungcheol could remember that one Monday the ambulance came.

As Freshman turn into Sophomores and Sophomores turn into Juniors, the competition dies down. People realize that they aren't perfect in their talents and work to better themselves, but there were still several people wanting to perform. Whether it be for their friends or to get noticed.

"They've waited a really long time, how long?" Even Jisoo wanted him to cancel on Doyoon. They all looked at the missing couple from the days before.

"A month, but it's okay!" Soonyoung held his hands out in front of him, shaking his head and dismissing the topic. "Really, we could just record it for him, no biggie. They just started dating I don't think it's right to cancel on a date during the start of the relationship."

Seungcheol still felt guilty, and even wanted to blurt out the real reason, but Soonyoung announced Doyoon was coming and he forbid anymore talk on the subject.

-

"Mom~ he doesn't like me!" six-year-old Seungcheol tried to bring himself in the opposite direction his mother was bringing him.