that boy | hwang hyunjin | ✔

Chapter 10

The temperature only decided to bother me even more the next morning. The chilly wind was still present, tugging on the scarf that I decided to wear to block out the icy air. But it still stings on my bare and unprotected cheeks. The sky is grey and packed with clouds and the almost bare trees let go of their last leafs, letting them flutter through the sky before they are let to rot on the ground.

The sun is long gone, but there's one ray of sunshine that never seems to disappear.

"Hey, look," the sunshine chuckles as he catches a bright orange leaf between his thumb and index finger, one that matches his hair perfectly.

Lee Felix, with his small bubble of happiness that doesn't seem to be affected by the gloomy weather and saddening absence of colors at all.

I quickly snatch the leaf from his hand and before he can respond, I place it straight up into his bright orange hair. "I dare you to let it there until we reach the school's entrance."

He flashes me a doubtful look, obviously slightly weirded out by my embarrassing bet. Walking around with a leaf in the middle of your haircut seems like something that would catch the attention of other students.

"C'mon," I encourage him. "It's not even visible, it's perfectly camouflaged in your hair."

Felix still doesn't look too convinced as he reluctantly reaches up, lightly poking the orange leaf and causing it to slack to the side a bit.

"I'm not doing that, Chae," he sighs, faking an serious expression. "I have to hold up my image a tiny little bit and a leaf in my hair doesn't fit the vision I have."

And with that, the orange leaf falls to the ground, joining the others and waiting to be crunched under the students their feet.

Just as we're about to enter the school's entrance gate, running footsteps approach us from behind. Felix and I turn around in sync, only to notice Hyunjin running up behind us. Felix' face immediately brightens, contradicting me as my smile falters. Heat rushes to my cheeks as I remember what happened yesterday.

"Good morning," Hyunjin greets us with a quick bow. A colorful scarf is tightly wrapped around his neck, covering almost half of his face.

Instead of greeting the boy back, Felix just laughs. "Hyung," he starts. "I don't think friends greet each other that formal."

Alarmed by his words, I just blink a couple of times. Friends? Did I miss something? When did this happen? They only met yesterday, there's no way a friendship can develop that fast.

Well, that's Felix for you.

Hyunjin himself looks slightly taken aback himself. His brows are knitted together in a small frown as he's trying to process his words and probably contemplating whether Felix is joking or not. But he recovers soon, smiling brightly with his eyes turning into little crescents.

This entire situation worries me a bit, to say the least. I'm not worried about Felix leaving me for another friend, he would never do that. What worries me is that it will be hard, or even impossible, to avoid Hyunjin when they're becoming friends.

It's not jealousy that I'm feeling right now. It's not like I don't want Felix to make any other friends besides me. Just the fact that it's a boy bothers me. Why does it have to be a boy? I mean, it makes sense and it's only natural but it's pretty inconvenient. If this friendship continues it's gonna be hard to avoid Hyunjin. 

I steal a glance at Felix, who is enthusiastically talking to Hyunjin as if the boy is an old friend of him. That evil genius is most likely plotting something. And if he isn't already, he will be soon.

Letting out a small sigh that comes out as a small cloud that dissipates into the air, I follow the boys as they finally enter the warm school building.

Maybe it won't be that bad. Maybe Hyunjin will be occupied by the girls as soon as they find him. Maybe I don't have to deal with him and I'm stressing out over nothing.

Maybe I can hand him over to the girls by myself? Hopefully they would cease fire if I do so, and stop giving me those ugly snarls and death glares. I mean, it's not like Hyunjin is walking next to me because I want him to, right? I wouldn't mind if he didn't.

I quickly push my way through the student mass to reach my locker, Felix and Hyunjin both on my tail. It's busy in the locker hall and reaching my locker is a hassle. Nobody cares about opening a path to the lockers and nobody cares about pushing or being pushed either.

As soon as we reach a more quiet part and our lockers finally come in sight, Hyunjin walks off to his own locker and Felix opens his locker close to mine. Some juniors are blocking the yellow door and I have to carefully shove them aside before I can open it to push my coat and unneeded books inside.

The locker hall is noisy, filled to the brim with talking and laughing students that are discussing their precious day or making plans for today. But there is one noise that outvotes them all.

Squealing girls.

A loud shriek echoes through the hall, something that distantly sounds as Hyunjin oppa. More squeals follow and soon everyone is silent, except for those rabid fans that are reunited with their prey.

I slam my locker shut and mentally roll my eyes before I meet with Felix, who is looking slightly worried.

"I think we have to save him again," he states as we approach the female crowd that formed around Hyunjin. The girls are firing questions at high speed, barely giving the boy a change to breathe.

How was your day, Hyunjin oppa?

Did you sleep well, oppa?

What are your plans for today?

"How the hell did he get a fanclub like this within a day?" I mutter, watching the commotion with a frown.

Again, it's not like I care. Those girls can occupy him for as long as they wish. That way, I don't have to worry about anything and I can continue my school life in peace, just lik I'm doing now.

"We must save him," Felix repeats, probably determined to keep his new friend out of the misery those girls are putting him through.

"You mean you must save him," I reply. "I don't want to be hated by all those rabid females, Felix. It's better if I stay as far away as possible."

My friend gives me a troubled look before he shakes his head and marches towards the crowd. I can barely hear his deep voice over the giggles and squeaking voices before I take my leave as well.

Looks like Hyunjin will stick around for a little longer.