NIGHTMARE

02 | a second time thing

one week later and school was starting for lim changkyun.

it was the final year of highschool for the seventeen year old, and to say that he was looking forward to it would be a lie. everyone kept telling him to choose a path for his future, but the truth was he had no clue what he wanted to do.

which is why even though changkyun slept through his alarm, and the shower was still cold despite the numerous times his mom had called the plumber, he still didn't rush to get to school.

with a sigh, he finally tugged on his sneakers - not weather appropriate but they would have to do - and left the apartment.

"you're late, changkyun," the school receptionist informed him on his way in.

"the bell hasn't gone yet," changkyun shrugged at her with a lobsided grin.

whilst not looking where he was going, changkyun managed to walk straight into a short, suit-clad teacher, almost making him drop his papers.

"sorry," changkyun mumbled, squeezing past him in order to get to class in time.

"late," his seatmate jinwoo snickered as he got into class.

"yeah, yeah," changkyun, rolling his eyes.

the day passed slowly. the school heating was broken, leaving the students to freeze in their seats.

"hey, changkyun."

changkyun turned his head, pausing in the middle of the corridor on his way to his next lesson. "oh, hey, sewoon," he said.

the other senior, younger by one year, smiled at him as he caught up. "we've got literature, right?" he confirmed.

changkyun nodded. "miss park is dull, but i guess we'll live," he sighed with a shrug.

"i heard we don't have miss park this year," sewoon argued. "someone told me we've got a new teacher."

"we do?" changkyun asked, faintly surprised.

"mm," said sewoon enthusiastically. "come on!"

they took their seats in the literature class, and changkyun slumped forwards on the desk. it was the last lesson of the day and his eyes were slipping shut.

literature was going to be a bore.

_________

kihyun was more than just nervous; he was terrified.

the closer he got to the classroom, the greater the anxiety that coursed through his veins. would the students like him? would they listen to him? could he even handle this?

he took a breath as his fingers closed around the door handle, and entered the room.

"hello, class," he said, but his voice came out as a tiny noise. he put his satchel down next to the desk and cleared his throat. "good morning, class!" he said again, mustering every ounce of confidence in his body.

the students began to pay attention as their new teacher wrote his name on the board behind him.

"i will be your new literature teacher this year," kihyun announced. "my name is mr. yoo."

he was greeted with a few murmurs and yawns, but pushed on with the lesson.

"i have new texts for each of you," kihyun continued. his hands shook as he reached for the box of books, and began to hand them out. "this term we will be studying a midsummer night's dream by william shakespeare."

things seemed to be going okay for kihyun as he handed out the copies of the play to each student. then he reached the student at the back of the class who had his head on the desk, snoozing.

"there is some sleeping in a midsummer night's dream," kihyun said, loudly enough for the boy at the back to hear, "but i'd rather it wasn't done in class, please."

the boy didn't respond until kihyun tapped him with his copy of the play. the boy looked up with sleepy eyes, and kihyun was suddenly panicked.

"changkyun...?" he murmured in surprise.

their eyes met and changkyun smirked a little. "how did you know my name... sir?" he questioned.

kihyun's breath caught in his throat. then he calmed himself and pointed at changkyun's exercise book that was out on the desk. "it says right here, changkyun," he said.

"oh, so it does!" said changkyun in mock surprise, finding the whole situation hilarious.

"thank you," said kihyun, rather put out and very embarrased. he returned to the front of the class and seized his own copy of the play. "anyway, let's start reading. can you all turn to page two..."

kihyun struggled that lesson. trying to read with changkyun gazing at him mockingly from the back of the class was a hard feat. why couldn't he just treat him like a teacher and leave him alone?

the bell rang to signal the end of the lesson, and the students began to disperse. kihyun tidied up his desk as the room slowly emptied.

"nice lesson, sir," said a voice as an ass perched itself on the edge of kihyun's desk.

kihyun looked up with a stifled sigh. "thank you," he said stiffly, trying not to hold any eye contact.

"i didn't realise you were a teacher, kihyun," changkyun added.

"it's mr. yoo to you," kihyun corrected. his cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment.

"mhm," changkyun shrugged. "so, kihyun, did you find your cat?"

kihyun fixed his tie as he looked at him. "did you have any questions about the work, changkyun?"

"depends what kind of work we're talking about here," changkyun answered with a lazy grin.

kihyun inhaled sharply and started packing up his bag. "in that case, you'd best be going then?" he suggested.

changkyun just laughed. "okay," he said. "your place or mine?"

kihyun fixed him with a firm look. "i need to go, i'm sorry," he said, making for the door, but changkyun followed him.

"oh, do you still have my hoodie, by the way?" changkyun asked, easily keeping pace with kihyun's quick steps.

"i'm sorry, i have no idea what you're talking about," said kihyun, hurrying towards his torn-down automobile.

"see you tomorrow, sir!" changkyun yelled after him, stopping several paces behind.

kihyun wanted someone to murder him right then.

_____________________