Seungcheol just blinked unbelieving. The cheerful expression he had before disappeared completely and made place for a confused emotion. Far away it made Jeonghan feel a little guilty. But then he remembered he would get kicked out of school in no-time, so why should he care about a stranger that just so happened got teamed up with him.
"Uh, you're not being serious right now huh? I actually want to get a good grade on this since i haven't been longer in this school than two weeks." Seungcheol said, laughing it off a little as he thought the boy next to him was joking.
"Listen, it's nothing personal. But just proceed doing this project on your own. I'm being this close to getting kicked off this school" Jeonghan put his index finger and thumb so close to each other they almost touched "and you're still new here. Go have fun or something and find happiness but just let me be, it's hopeless anyways."
With that, Jeonghan stood up and picked up his backpack. He hiked it casually on his back and walked to the exit of the classroom. But what he didn't noticed, was that Seungcheol actually followed him in the now empty hallways. He didn't care about the project and especially not about the stranger he had to cooperate with. It was better he told him right away than to actually involve him in it and leave him working alone in the end.
"Jeonghan, wait." Seungcheol sternly said, making Jeonghan turn around in surprise. He didn't expect him to follow him. Let alone to talk to him again. "Can't you just at least try to put a little effort in it? We're in Junior year, you only have to finish one year after this one. It's not that hard."
"It's not that hard huh?" Jeonghan's expression suddenly changed and he didn't feel like being nice anymore at all. So he just went out at Seungcheol, not caring about anything anymore. "For you it might not be that hard no. But you know, when your complete life gets turned upside down it gets hard. And i'm not in the mood for this stupid project anymore. They told me i'm hopeless. Only a miracle can get help me stay at this school."
"So how about you stop telling me around what i can and what i can't do when you don't even fucking know me. Huh? We done now?"
A silence fell between the two and Jeonghan saw how Seungcheol's gaze at him softened after he was done. Jeonghan just rolled his eyes in annoyance and turned around to his locker, angrily throwing it open and smacking the little door with a loud thud against the locker next to it. The sound echoed trough the empty hallway and in the corner of his eyes he saw seungcheol flinching. But he didn't care and proceed to pack his belongings back in his bag so he could leave the place behind.
"Then why do you give up so easily?" Seungcheol suddenly spoke, making Jeonghan turn around on a speed faster than light. His eyes shooting fire at the guy who dared to speak to him again.
"Excuse me?"
"I said, why do you give up so easily? You're not there yet. They didn't kick you off school did they?" Seungcheol stepped forwards to him, coming dangerously close. "Why don't you just get yourself out there and show them they can't mess with you? What they did was give you a challenge to stay and you just give up and throw it away. Did you ever think about your future? What will happen with you when you don't finish high school huh? Just accept the challenge they gave you and do the project with me."
Jeonghan was totally taken aback from what Seungcheol just said to him. how dare he speak to me like that? the bitch doesn't even know me. His blood was boiling inside his veins and he knew he couldn't keep himself in. Who was he to make fun of him after they knew each other for less than twenty minutes? In what position did he even thought he was in?
"You don't know what it's like Seungcheol. Now leave me the fuck alone, I'm going home." Jeonghan said while slamming his locker closed again. He never expected to say something like that, pointing out his problems. Let alone to someone he didn't know. But Seungcheol made him for some reason. Angrily he walked to the exit, hearing seungcheol's footsteps right behind him.
"I don't know?" Seungcheol's voice suddenly sounded way too calm. A shiver went down Jeonghan's spine and he knew he messed up. Instant regret shot trough his body but he tried to ignore it as he, again, turned around to face Seungcheol. "Don't you think a student, joining a school near the end of the year, who moved in with a host family is weird? Huh?"
More regret filled Jeonghan's body as he saw the serious expression dripping from seungcheol's eyes. For a moment they just stared blankly at each other. Jeonghan knew he hit a sensitive spot in the other and it might've not been his smartest move. He forgot about the anger he was feeling and wanted to apologize, but before he actually had the chance to speak up Seungcheol had spoken again.
"But sure. Just live with it then. I don't care about it." He said, all the happy energy that radiated from him in the classroom was gone. "Bye Jeonghan."
Seungcheol pushed himself away from Jeonghan and was the first one to walk out of the school building. He didn't even spare another glance at him and walked straight forward to the parking lot until he was out of eye sight.
But Jeonghan knew one thing for sure.
He would accept the challenge.
He was determined to do the project with Seungcheol. Because something about him got his attention. Maybe it was because Seungcheol also had his own problems. Or because of everything he said to him in the past 5 minutes.
Or maybe it was because Seungcheol gave him the feeling he understood him.
