"You came home quite late" Mr Lee says, finally bringing conversation to the cumbersome dinner table. "Anything I should be worried about?"
"Dad, stop treating me like a delinquent" Taeyong protests. "I was just hanging out with some kids from school. "
"I am just saying. You don't want to get a poor reputation now that you need to start preparing for your future" he says sternly. Taeyong is used to the endless criticism from his father so he doesn't complain further.
"What do you want for lunch tomorrow?" Mrs Lee asks in a feeble attempt to lift the mood.
"I'm fine with anything. Can you just put some extra kimchi in my lunch box?" Taeyong requests. He never seems to get enough of kimchi even though he has practically eaten it his whole life.
"Sure thing!" she says.
Taeyong’s mother is a microbiologist and occasionally writes articles for Biology magazines. Ever since her university faced a reduction in research funding last year, she has got more time on her hands. He frequently hears his parents argue about her not finding a full-time job. Even though it's not his place to assume such things, he beleives that their -life is probably non-existent. He thinks his father doesn't love her anymore. They just merely put up with each other because they cannot be bothered to go through the hassles of getting a divorce.
When he finishes his dinner, he takes leave from the dinning room and goes to his bedroom. The teachers did not assign any assignments today so he just dives onto his bed without worrying about homework and lies on his back, looking at the ceiling.
He has noticed earlier that Jaehyun's place was a studio flat and did not show sign of anyone else living there. He assumes that Jaehyun lives alone. He also thinks that most of Jaehyun's friends are quite touchy, especially Doyoung. Is it normal to be that touchy among friends? Are they a club of gay guys or something? It seemed a bit too excessive. He has so many questions but they all seem to inappropriate to be asked. He decides that he will introduce Ten to the rest of them the next day,although Ten has already heard of them.
Ding! His phone chimes for a notification.
He checks his phone.
Jaehyun: Hi, It's me! I saved my number in your phone earlier when you were around.
Huh? Isn't that an invasion of privacy? How did he even get his hands on my phone?
Hi, he types and sends.
Jaehyun: Only Hi? Don't be too uptight. You can chat freely with me, you know.
Taeyong: Oh ok.
Jaehyun: I guess you can't send replies longer than 2 words. Anyways, you have my number now. Good night.
Taeyong: Good Night
What kind of person would go on the phone of a stranger he has just met? Jaehyun has an uncanny personality, he thinks. He goes on his phone for a bit longer, checks all his social media and then turns it off and goes to sleep.
His first lesson is Physics the next morning. Jaehyun is already in the classrom when he gets in. He raises his eyebrows at him as a greeting. Taeyong nods back at him and sits beside him. Jaehyun leans against the desk and rests his head on it, staring in Taeyong's direction. After a minute, it was getting a bit too much for Taeyong. He stares right back at him. He expected him to look away but to his surprise, Jaehyun's gaze doesn't even waver. Heat creeps up his neck, on to his ears and then his cheeks. I am not blushing. It's just that I don't like attention, he tells hismelf.
"Can you stop looking in my direction?" Taeyong finally says after debating whether to confront him or not for five minutes.
"Why? I'm just appreciating the beauty of the nature outside the window" Jaehyun blatantly lies. "Did you think I was looking at you?"
At this point, Taeyong doesn't know if he was just teasing him or trying to anger him. He rolls his eyes and decides to ignore Jaehyun but somehow, he keeps feeling conscious and watched.
When the lesson ends, Jaehyun storms out of the classroom just like the day before without paying any attention to Taeyong. Is he bipolar? Taeyong wonders. One second he is intensely gazing at him, and the next he just straightout ignores him.
