Fear

Chapter 9 - Trauma

SEOKMIN's P.O.V

'When will the bell ring?'

I can't believe I agreed with Soonyoung. Sitting here with Moon Hyebin and Chwe Hansol already made me feel awfully uncomfortable. How much more if I spend the rest of the school year eating with them every break? Does Soonyoung even know that these guys doesn't want to be disturbed? Why is it that I'm the only nervous one here while everyone is comfortably eating their meal in this ridiculous situation?! Even Jihoon is not bothered by it. Heck, I didn't even know he became friends with them recently.

I hurriedly ate my meal on purpose so that I could leave ahead of them. But doing so might make me look suspicious so I decided to wait for the bell to ring.

'What if they remember me?'

I kept on glancing my watch, waiting for lunch break to end.

"Seokmin are you okay?" Minghao asked me worriedly.

"Y-y-yeah, I-I'm f-f-fine."

I was nervously stuttering and trembling out of fear. Cold sweat trickled down my forehead as I shifted my head around, avoiding Minghao's gaze. Suspicious of my weird actions, he examined my face as I tried to hide my anxious look.

"You don't look fine."

He placed his hand on my forehead, checking whether I had a fever or not.

"Weird. Your temperature's fine."

He said as he pulled back his hand. Because of Minghao, Hansol was now looking at me...worriedly? I whipped my head the other way, avoiding him.

"Hansol-ah let's play basketball today."

Hansol's friend clinged onto him and I was surprised when Hansol wasn't bothered by it.

"I can't. I've got some business to attend to."

He kept on glancing towards my direction as he said that. Due to my anxious state, I felt myself getting numb. My heart rapidly palpitated and I had trouble breathing. I reminisced the traumatic experience in the past. Next thing I know I was starting to hyperventilate and I needed to get out of here before I faint, just like last time.

*RIIINGGGGGG*

Finally the bell rang. I abruptly stood up from my seat and took my tray with me.

"I need to go to the bathroom first."

I told Minghao and Soonyoung then excused myself. Hurriedly, I placed my empty tray on the counters before finally leaving the cafeteria.

As soon as I got out, I headed straight to the bathroom to calm myself down. I held onto the sink, clutched my chest and tried to breathe slowly. A while later, I finally calmed down. My mind then wandered to what Hansol said earlier.

'Did he remember me? What does he mean he has some business to attend to? Are they gonna beat me up again?'

Walking in the busy hallways, I stared at the ground deep in my thoughts. Not paying attention to where I was going, I accidentally bumped into someone.

"Oh? Seokmin-ah, sorry about that."

When I lift my head to face her, I froze in my spot. Did I just bump into her?

"I-I-I'm s-so s-sorry Moon Hyebin!" I stammered and did a 90 degree bow to apologize.

"Yah What are you doing? People are watching."