A World Without You || Saeyoung Choi x Reader

Chapter V

     Right in front of your eyes, you are seeing a smiling Saeyoung Choi and a girl. The girl turned around and it revealed the face of your best friend, Nam Arah. Both of them were laughing, enjoying each other as they start to walk towards the school gate. You stopped on your tracks, dumbfounded and unmoving.

     Eh? What's happening? I thought I'm MC, as in the Main Character of his life? You looked down, saddened by the thought. Well maybe you aren't the main character anymore. Arah's the new MC, your inner self answered. You felt the realization hit you, Ah, I guess I'm not his MC in real life anymore.

     The debate in your mind made you frozen on the spot. You looked up and didn't find them, maybe they walked home together or even stopped by a café to talk some more. Many scenarios are filling your head but you shook your head and tried to regain your composure. You started to walk and commute your way back home.

***

     The next morning you woke up lazily well you do this every day but you didn't want to get up and see the face of Saeyoung, well he doesn't want to see you too though. But you had no choice, you didn't want to miss any subject because it's too much of a hassle to catch up. Arriving in your class, you get ready for the first subject, damn Mathematics. As cliché as it may be but you suck at Math. You barely get a passing grade on it, you make it up by listening to the teacher and diligently copying the notes but it just doesn't work.

     "Okay class, today we will discuss..."

     And the rest was a blur. The topic was so hard you internally had a nosebleed in your mind, you barely understood anything! The teacher also looked like he was planning on something and boy you weren't wrong.

     "Now we're going to have a paired seatwork. Let's see if you were listening to my discussion at all."

      Hey! I was listening all the time but I didn't understand a thing! You felt offended and mad about what your teacher said.

     "I'm going to pair you myself based on your grades. So that those of you who did not understand will have a chance."

     With that shit happened, you are obviously paired with the smartest person in the room, Saeyoung Choi. What a perfect timing just as you were trying to move on from this "fictional-character-brought-to-life". The red-haired boy had an unamused look in his face, he went to your desk and brought his chair with him. The teacher distributed the printed seatwork to be answered.

     "Let me get this straight, I can answer this all by myself so you can just stay put and not say anything." How dare he! Hmph. This scene almost seemed familiar to you, it reminded you in the game when he was so cold towards you. But of course, you being you, you also tried to solve some of the problems on another sheet of paper. Even though you're quite thankful that he's doing all the work, you also need to learn and understand the lesson.

     After a few minutes of struggling on problem number one, you let out an exasperated sigh which earned the attention of your partner. Not knowing, you continued to try solving the problem with your eyebrows knitted, your face obviously showing that you don't know shit and his eyes were still glued on you. Unbeknownst to him, his eyes softened while looking at you, almost amused by your struggle in solving the problem. He kind of wanted to help you...

     "You're doing it wrong right from the start." Without realizing, these words came out of his mouth, startling you.

     "Eh? Really? Show me then!" You answered, fire burning inside you. Matters aside, you are determined to learn and understand the lesson. You shove the paper to him, bringing your face closer to his. He looked at you with his cold look returned, moving away slightly.

     The rest of the time was spent with Saeyoung teaching you all the problems given and surprisingly, he didn't mind but more surprisingly is you quite understand now the lesson. You took down some notes while he was teaching you and it helped. When the bell rang, he stood up and passed the paper to your teacher. You walked to him and said, "Thanks by the way, for doing the seatwork and teaching me!" You smiled brightly at him taking him by surprise with your cheerful remark.

     "Whatever." He looked away and went to his seat. He's such a tsundere, just like when we were in the game and he was avoiding me, you thought. Even though he was avoiding you, you feel happy with what happened. Miracles do happen in Math class!

     "Oh before I dismiss you, this is a permanent pairing in all subject activities by the way. Good bye and see you tomorrow." Your teacher added.

     Hey! Hey! Hey! Banzai! You are celebrating in your mind. Maybe I shouldn't give up after all, let's just test the waters for now, you thought.

***

     Lunch break came, a very nervous Saeyoung was making his way to the same place where a girl handed him a confession letter. It was the first confession he received in the real world. He felt bad, it was the first he received but he had no choice but to politely reject the girl's confession. He is just not ready, he's still adjusting to his new life and the fact that he also encountered MC was too much for him.

     When he arrived at the place, the girl was already there. Her hands were shaking, obviously, she's also nervous on Saeyoung's reply. But as Saeyoung neared the girl, his reply was already clear. The spectacled boy had an apologetic look in his face as he spoke. "Thank you for the letter but I'm sorry."

     The girl looked down and nodded, it's not like she expected anything, well that's a lie. She ran away shouting an "I'm sorry" leaving behind a guilty Saeyoung. The boy sighed and started to make his way back to the classroom.

     As he approached the room, it was quite silent. Maybe all of my classmates went to the canteen, he thought opening the sliding door. And there he found a sleeping form, soft snores were coming out of her mouth, she was sprawled out in her desk. She was holding her phone and a background music was playing from it, it was a jazzy music.

     Saeyoung quickly looked away and sat down when he heard noises approaching the room. The school bell rang signaling the end of lunch break and two people didn't have the chance to eat their lunch.

***

     Classes finally ended and it is time for club activities. Students got up and left one by one. A determined Y/N stood up and did stretches, she's positive that she will join the Innovation Technology Club.

     "Hey F/N, you seem to be getting ready but you don't have any clubs right?" Shion asked.

     "I didn't have one but I have to try!" You fist pumped in the air, energetically skipping out of the classroom. Yes, you have to try, the Innovation Technology Club has a sort of exam before you can join but you have no idea what it is. Good luck to me, you thought. Today is the start of club recruitment and you bet a lot of people would like to join.

     "Hey Arah, do you know what she's up to?" Shion said, curious of her friend's sudden motivation.

     "Huh? I don't." Arah replied, looking down.

     "Are you okay? You look like something's bothering you since the 2nd subject."

     "Eh? No way! I'm fine Shion!" Arah replied returning back to her cheery self.