Hypnagogia

Reality//BLEACHERS

The afternoon breeze nipped at Donghyuck's cheeks and tousled his dark, honey toned hair. He stood just by the door to the school almost hesitantly, holding his phone close to his face as if he was watching something on the small device. However he was doing nothing of the such. Instead, he was watching the rest to the students who dared to come out play around just to warm up. Among these few he spotted Renjun and Jisung, sitting a few branches lower from there regular spot higher up. They appeared rather engrossed in their own conversation, clearly not taking any chance to wait for the other member of their trio. Another cold gust of wind coaxed Donghyuck to tug his sweater together even more than before and hoping it would help somehow.
It was plain to see that Renjun had already relayed some sort of message to Jisung. Likely to have used Donghyuck's past teasing as a reason to ignore him for the time being. And he had to admit, it hurt a bit to see the younger student be able to agree without a second thought. In fact, their conversation looked to be more cheerful than ones recent.
'But enough of that,' he huffed, shifting around. 'I rather be inside and warm than be out here in the cold looking ridiculous.' Opening the doors, he rapidly reentered the building, clenching his satchel with a tight grip.
Upon entering, he felt even more out of place than usual. There were some kids giving suspicious glances in his direction, whispering to each other about why the hell he was inside when he could be hanging with his friends. Inwardly he felt content that no one seemed to have taken the fight the day before any seriously since it was a normal occurrence. Maybe what they were saying about him skipping school again today was nudging him a bit to much. It shouldn't matter anyways. He kept his head up and continued to let his legs take him wherever.
With that note, he found the sounds of boys yelling and sneakers squeaking against the hard floor. Donghyuck had came to the gym. His old hangout when he was still fresh and new to the school.
He had to take a moment to just stand to the side and bask in the old appearance of volleyball practice in the gym. The large nets set up along the 'equator' of the giant room. The stands settling into the right place as painted lines crisscrossed to create a confusing pattern of combined game courts. The basketball hoops, being pulled in for extra room, hugged the walls which stretched upward at grandeur heights. They nearly fused into the ceiling, giving a dome like illusion to a whole crowd of students.
The group mentioned were spread out, doing drills that Donghyuck and no experience to recognize. There was a huge basket of volleyballs, the coaches taking some at random and throwing them up in the air in the direction of a player. One of them was Jeno, who had smoothly traveled to meet the ball with the lower part of his forearms. And just as smoothly it bounced up and over the net, probably a perfect hit.
Feeling rather happy with his choice, the brazen teen casually went up and took a seat on the highest bleacher. He set his lunch on the baby blue surface, creating a faux version of a fancy dinner and went on with watching over the gym. There were little hints of nostalgia with everything that went on, triggering little memories of his younger years when he just liked to watch a certain boy play the game. He suppressed a loud, obnoxious laugh thinking first year Donghyuck may have not liked Jaemin if he had dyed his hair pink than. No, he would have much rather had Jaemin stay with dark hair at that time. Before he completely fell head over heels. 'I don't even wear heels. What's the use of that saying if I don't wear heels.'
He kept his own little conversation going and spectated the activity of being healthy with near disgust. Not too much since he had a friend on the team now, but still. Donghyuck had gone through several topics of discussion before it eventually landed on the stalker issue once more. 'I can't just sit hear every lunch period and ignore how every day this person is getting more disturbing with their letters and finding out how to break into my house...'
But he also knew that going into the library was a not so bright idea concerning his not doing homework streak. Besides, the other times didn't really count if it appeared as if Renjun dragged him along.
Help wasn't really an option either taking into account of many friends he had. Renjun had Jisung near convinced not to talk much to Donghyuck, and Jeno was occupied with all of his own work. 'Plus we aren't really that close... maybe Mark can help me out.' The fleeting image of his childhood friend flashed in his brain, drifting down the imaginary map to that dreaded word. 'He's probably preoccupied with his studies...'
Of course the other college students he had started to get to know via Mark also could be of use. There was that Yoongi guy, who was studying criminology, but Donghyuck had heard through the grape vine that the guy was taking a break with his girlfriend. Plus he may not be fond of the mischievous kids ways around conversation. Maybe the two guys who were in the arts department, Taehyung and Jimin, maybe they could help. 'Than again..... it's near end of term for them they could be doing projects or something.' Or they could be out with their loved ones, but Donghyuck chose not to dwell on that option. He ended up opening the contact to another college student, staring at their bunny smile in the picture he assigned for them. This kid was training to become a police officer, which could also be of big help. Feeling a sliver of hope, the teen quickly went to DM to alert them of a possible meet up. When he opened up the app, however, he was met face to face with one of their recent pictures- kissing the cheek of their significant other, with the description that stated: On vacation after getting off on break early!'
    After about ten minutes of trying to find one of his older friends help Donghyuck groaned, nearly head-butting his knees while hunching over in defeat. They all were fairly busy with their own lives, from Jackson going overseas to visit family; to Seungkwan preparing for some sort of big project regarding his major; to Yeri having been fully committed to an internship. Everyone he knew was busy. He could see now that Renjun set this up to formidably prove how reliant he had to be on his friends. Something deep inside of Donghyuck refused to just call it quits and he silently prayed for an angel to come save him from this mess.
    "Stumped on some homework Donghyuck?"
    He didn't have to look up to understand that a miracle had just occurred. Of course that never gave him the idea of keeping his head down in the first place.
    Jaemin titled his head curiously, peering around to find any evidence of the work he had mentioned. Soft brown eyes searching along, making Donghyuck's pulse speed up. Straightening his previous posture, a nervous smile graced his face. "Uh kind of..."
    There was a kind of concern present on his crush's face that was similar to the concern of a close friend, who knew you for so long they could tell when there was even a tiny crack. The emotion so raw, it nearly forced the tease to just dump the letters on the bleachers right there. Sitting down beside Donghyuck, his well built classmate smiled patiently. A silent gesture to let out anything bothering him, if homework wasn't the case. He felt kind of ridiculous though, thinking of a way to word it so Jaemin wouldn't think he was a nutcase.
    In stuttering movements, he opened up his bag and handed the stack of envelopes, pulled together with a large, robust elastic band. He swore the whole gym was echoing with the sound of his heart pounding against his rib cage. The pink haired boy took no notice apparently, in fact he was already skimming through each of the letters- countenance becoming darker with discomfort the more he read. By the time he finished, Jaemin's face had grown pale.
    "Holy......." He cleared his throat. "A stalker, yeah?"
    Donghyuck nodded, starting to explain his problem. Keeping in the conflicts with Renjun, keeping in the fact he got distracted- leaving out the fact that it was Jaemin, definitely leaving out the fact that he made a VR version of Jaemin. Even if his somewhat quivering, nervous voice proved an entirely different point, his story sounded legit enough to be true, and sad enough to cause pity. Which may or may not have been exactly what he was going for. Because Jaemin was a man of charity. And if anyone could help Donghyuck right now, it may just be the person he always gets distracted by.
    "My schedules pretty cleared up these days, I can help you solve this.... disturbing event."
Despite expecting the kind response, he nearly screamed out a yes. He was prepared enough to compose himself, thank God. And he gave an award winning smile like he pulled off the greatest act of all time. "Thank you so much! That would be a huuuuuuge help!"
With that they decided to meet in the library after school to quote on quote, 'continue the research'. Donghyuck made sure to message Renjun about the extra help after lunch as the two parted ways to their own classes. Yet he still couldn't stop his quickening heartbeat, his flushed face or his cheerful grin.
I got some help for the incident! See you after school at the library!- Donghyuck