smile for me || scb.

5.

the next day, felix has a dentist appointment, and he doesn't come to school.

so that leaves me sitting alone in math, and i dread the moment that the bell rings to signal the start of class.

i rest my head on my desk, but that only lasts a few moments.

feeling a sudden warmth beside me, i look up to see who had taken felix's seat, intending to tell the stranger to scram.

but no.

the not-so-strange stranger just so happened to be none other than seo changbin.

"oh. hi." i greet him shortly, irritated by his arrival denying me the simple action of resting my head.

"hello. how are you doing today?" he asks with a bright smile, an extreme contrast with his dark outfit and standoffish persona.

"uh... i'm good, i guess. just really tired." i answer, slightly confused by his interest in my wellbeing.

"from practicing? for your new video, i mean."

so changbin watches our channel too? hmm.

"yeah, felix came over and we practiced together for a good while, until-" i stopped for a moment, choking on my words. "until he had to go." i finish, avoiding changbin's eyes.

the truth was that my mother had exploded at me.

and i'd made felix leave the moment i saw the angry fire that blazed in her eyes.

she'd thrown things, and screamed, even came close to hitting me. but she knew she couldn't risk leaving any more marks on me, so she stopped.

"you're a disgrace!"

"you're useless!"

"you'll never amount to anything!"

"you're an abomination to the family!"

she was relentless with her insults and judgemental comments.

and of course, they hurt. but i wouldn't let her know that.

changbin turned my head so that our eyes met. his index finger lingered on my jaw for a few seconds longer, until he dropped his hand.

"there's something more to the story. but i won't make you tell me if you aren't comfortable with me knowing. just know that i'm here if you ever want to talk."

and just like that, changbin was gone, back in his usual seat.

jisung and chan stared at me from their seats near changbin, their watchful eyes giving me chills along my spine.

i ignore the trio, and focus on the math problems the teacher had started putting on the whiteboard up front.

as i scribble down the equations, my mind begins to drift elsewhere - somewhere i'd rather not drift.

suddenly, i'm feeling changbin's finger on my jaw again, the ghost of his touch making me shiver in the warm classroom.

i can't help but peek at him, though i try to resist. his dark head is bowed over a paper as he too writes down the work.

quickly, before he looks up, i jerk my gaze away, and force myself to focus on the equations on my paper.

you've got to get your head out of the clouds and quit thinking about seo changbin. you have to please your mother somehow. so let it be with perfect grades.