that boy | hwang hyunjin | ✔

Chapter 32

"Felix, what kind of pill did they give her?" I hear Hyunjin ask from behind, his tone laced with a slight concern. "Are you sure it was just a regular painkiller? I mean-"

The first period is over, lunch break has arrived. I'm practically skipping ahead of the boys, fighting the urge to hum a happy melody as we head towards the cafeteria.

Ever since I had that talk with Felix in the girls' restroom, I feel relieved and happy. It's like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders; a heavy weight that kept me down for some time.

And when that weight is gone, either partly or completely, there's nothing to hold me down so I go up instead. The real Chaelin wakes up from her slumber, sending the other side of me to sleep again.

I'm not really a mean person, it's what I become under pressure. And Hyunjin was a lot of pressure. The real me is cheerful, the one cracking weird and often ridiculous jokes, always in for a good laugh.

But the real me is also really vulnerable, tending to hide away as soon things become difficult.

But that's in the past.

"I don't know, hyung," Felix replies. Even though I can't see him, it's obvious that he's smiling. "I think it was just a painkiller but I'm starting to doubt as well."

His tone is playful and relaxed, a solid deep sound that is soothing to listen to. I can tell that he's relieved as well, maybe even more as I am.

"Chaelin-ah," my best friend calls out from behind. "What kind of pill did you take?"

"It was pink," I enthusiastically reply, even though I didn't take any pill this morning.

"I've heard that strange behavior is a common side-effect of pink pills," Hyunjin states, letting out a soft giggle.

Our usual table in the cafeteria is empty. It looks like Hyunjin's harsh words spread through his fan club quite fast and scared them away, or at least make them think twice before bothering him again.

But if you look closely, you can see them not too far away. Lurking in the shadows inside the cafeteria, like predators with bright pink acrylic nails.

I drag my usual chair at our usual table backward, the scraping sound adding up to the already noisy cafeteria.

"If that's so, I can recall a lot of situations where you definitely took a pink pill then," I smirk, letting myself fall down in my chair.

"Oh?" Hyunjin reacts, his tone challenging. "Tell me at least one."

"Chaelin and Hyunjin," I slowly say, lowering my voice. "Our names sound perfect together. Almost as if we're made for each other."

A bright pink dusts Hyunjin's cheeks and he refuses to look at me any longer, intensely staring down at is lunchbox instead.

Felix' eyes widen with disbelief as he looks between me and Hyunjin and back. Then his eyes stay trained on the embarrassed boy opposite of us.

"Hyung, you really said that?"

The raven-haired boy groans, tangling his fingers in his hair as his ears grow bright red as well. He is embarrassed to the bone, Felix is shocked and I can't help but let out a soft chuckle.

"I don't know what was wrong with me," Hyunjin defends. "It was probably the stress of my first day here."

"He definitely took a pink pill," I state, nodding earnestly.

"Gosh, what has changed?" Hyunjin sighs, his lips forming a pout. "You're still embarrassing me."

I let out a reluctant chuckle at that.

Felix slams his hands down on the table with a loud bang, causing me and Hyunjin to jolt up. A lot of heads turn their heads to check the source of the sudden noise but they look away as soon as they realize it's just the orange-haired Australian boy. They're used to him creating noise; he's so extra.

"What was that good for?" I chide, my heart rate ten times faster because the sudden noise startled me.

"This is legendary," Felix gushes, eyeing the both of us with sparkling eyes. "Look at you, talking and getting along."

"She's only bullying me," Hyunjin mutters in protest and I snort in laughter.

"Payback, my friend," I snicker. "For when you scared me at the lockers that day."

Felix heaves out a heavy sigh, his smile replaced by a small pout and a reproachful look in his eyes as he watches us.

"Guys," he whines. "I feel like I'm becoming a third wheel already."

"Aww Yongbokkie," I coo, ruffling the boy's bright orange hair. "A tricycle doesn't work without three wheels, don't worry."

"Yah!" Felix ducks away, frantically trying to fix his now messy hair. "That was not necessary!"

It's hard for the boy to keep pretending he's hurt when both his friends are laughing out loud and soon, he's laughing along with us. He temporarily gives up on fixing his hear, that is now a mess. Strands of bright orange hair are poking in every direction, causing the boy to look like a more handsome version of an old scarecrow.

It's impossible not to laugh at.

And that's basically how we spend what is left of our lunch break. Coming to that point where we almost forget about our food because we're goofing around too much. Our laughter harmonizes with the laughter from other students that fills the cafeteria, creating a warm and welcoming sound that I can finally enjoy again.

I can laugh with my friends, all two of them. There's nothing that stops me now, nothing that holds me back. I'm not afraid of Hyunjin anymore, the urge to keep him away from me is gone. I have no idea where it went, I had no idea it would be possible to accept him and here we are now. I call him my friend and that's something I never expected myself to do.

It's not like I'm proud of myself, but it definitely feels like some kind of victory. And seeing Felix happy is the best prize I could wish for. It's what he deserves, after everything he has done for me.

And then the bell rings, signaling the end of the lunch break and announcing that the next class will start soon. Instantly, the cafeteria fills with the scraping of chairs over the linoleum floor as they're being shoved backward and students rise to their feet everywhere. I quickly stuff my lunch box back into my bag before I follow their example and slowly get to my feet, waiting for Felix and Hyunjin to finish.

Then we join the mass, and we make our way towards the science building, where the Biology lab is located. I feel confident about this day, and all the days to come. The three of us walking together, it finally feels right.

It feels as if this is how it should be.