Badboy (Exo Kai)

CHAPTER 22

You want to ask her what she means by that statement, but instead you turn around and head for class. You’re not going to give her the satisfaction of replying, and you’re not in the mood to tolerate her personality. There’s too much stuff going on in your head right now, and adding to the load will only weigh you down.

You try to focus on school. You try, you really do try. But it’s hard when you’re so used to letting all that mandatory information pass right over your head to be retrieved at a later, busier time. What else can you do? Think about Kai? You fear that if you don’t direct your mind to dwell on school subjects, Kai will invade your head, just as he’s done countless times before. You don’t want to think about him. You don’t want to think about how he can be irritating and annoying and so darn stupid, but then amazing and adorable and sweet all at the same time.

You ask yourself. When you see him … will he treat you the same as before? Will anything change from your pushing him away? This time, will it be his turn to come after you?

Crap. You did it again. Thinking about him. You need to stop.

The bell for the last class of the day sharply echoes through the intercom system. Students briskly get up, grab their things, and speed out of the classroom. You take your time inserting your books into your bag before slinging the strap over your shoulder and slowly strolling out of the room.

You feel your phone vibrate. You fumble to open the pockets of your purse and, after quite a struggle, pull out your phone. Your eyes glance the caller ID, and your breathing hitches in your throat.

It’s Kai.

Your fingers shake, your thumb hovering over the green button that will answer the call. Why is he calling you? He never calls you. It’s never been his way to initiate conversation. So why now? Is this because of yesterday? Does he think he can come back into your life like he hadn’t hurt you once, twice, a million times?

No. You’re not picking up his call. Determined, you smash the red button with your thumb and drop your phone into your purse. Let’s see if he calls again. Let’s see if his intentions are genuine.

You see Hyunsoo in the hallway, busily holding her phone and walking through the crowd. You jog up to her and tap her shoulder, and she allows a yelp to escape her mouth. “What the heck, don’t scare me like that,” she narrows her eyes at you. You give her a playful wave, and she walks beside you.

“I met Miyoung,” you inform her. Her fingers stop moving over the screen, but she keeps walking.

“Did you like her? She’s alright, isn’t she?”

You think back to the conversation you had held with her in the cafeteria. You’re not sure if all right is the correct choice of words, but you don’t feel like overthinking the subject. “Mm. Yeah.”

“Kai says her dad volunteered to financially back the company,” she informs you. “They turned them down, of course. But it’s been putting a stress on his dad that his company would ever need a finance backing.”

You want to ask her why she knows such important information, but you don’t want to show the slightest bit of interest in anything involving Kai. She notices this and cocks her head with a smile. “Kai told me this morning,” she confesses, saving you from having to ask the question and giving yourself away.

“So what are you going to do today? Any plans?”

For some reason your mind flashes to the pond, and a part of your heart wants to go there, just to see whether Kai will be waiting for you. That’s an absurd thought, really, it is. You don’t want to hope anymore. You don’t want to expect anymore. The more you do that - the more you let your dreams fly - the harder the fall will be.