Within These Shadows || Park Chanyeol/Do Kyungsoo || Book 1

23

January, 2019

With just five days left for the finals, the university campus felt more lifeless than ever. Not a single person could be seen spending their time doing anything else other than studying. And the library was packed; students of the same major or same courses were grouped together, studying and helping each other out with their problems. Even Mae and Chanyeol sat in one table with a couple of more students from the Economics course, going through their course materials and problems. And a rare sight, that had become common over the course of one month, could also be seen. Jay was sitting in a table with Kyungsoo, studying their Psychology course.

Since that day in the university backyard, Jay and Kyungsoo's friendship had progressed by a step. They no longer fought frequently, didn't get annoyed at each other's presence, or didn't mock each other. Although, their battle of sarcastic remarks had no end to it, and would never have an end either, they appreciated the other's presence a lot more than before.

Similarly, Mae and Chanyeol had also grown closer. They spent more and more time with each other: going out to eat, helping each other with studies, talking about any problem they faced, and the constant texting. Even after being so close to one another, neither had confessed their feelings for the other. Jay wondered what was the actual reason for it; either they were too scared to confess, or they simply wanted more time. Whatever it was, Jay hoped that they eventually ended up together. After almost six months of hanging out with the two boys, Jay knew that Chanyeol was a good guy, if not great. And his love and care for Mae could be seen by anyone and everyone.

~~~

"What about this one?" Mae asked, pushing her reading glasses over the bridge of her nose.

"Here, I have written down the explanation in details for that problem," Chanyeol pulled out his note book from underneath the pile of books and copies spread out on the table.

"How are you so organized?" Mae blinked at the notes written so perfectly by Chanyeol.

"It's a habit." Chanyeol chuckled.

"Habit that you need to lend me," Mae read through the explanation.

Chanyeol placed his right hand on Mae's head, closed his eyes, placed his other hand on his chest, and acted as though he was passing some sort of superpower onto Mae.

"Bi bibi bi bibibi! Haiya!"

Mae stared wide-eyed at Chanyeol; wondering how she ended up liking this goofball. The guy was a 6'1" tall giant, which huge hands, a perfect body, talents beyond imagination, and yet, he managed to be cute and soft. A sorcery Mae wanted to figure out.

"To Padawan Mae has my power been transferred." His impersonation of Yoda left Mae in fits of laughter.

"What even!" Mae's reaction made Chanyeol chuckle. "If this doesn't work, and I'm still not organized, I'll cut one of your ears off, Park Chanyeol." Mae pointed at his monkey like ears.

"Eomma! Have you been learning evil craft from Kyungsoo, Mae?" Chanyeol placed his hands over his ears, covering them. His face had an expression of fake fear, causing Mae to laugh, yet again.

"You're impossible," shaking her head, Mae went back to looking through Chanyeol's notes, followed by the boy himself.

Chanyeol had gone through his notes a lot of times before and was already fully prepared for his exams. But he still came to the library to have study sessions with Mae. This gave him more chances to meet her and be close to her. While Mae studied and went through his notes, he stole glances at her and smiled to himself. But he'd quickly pretend to be engrossed in reading his books when Mae looked at him. He'd wonder if Mae caught him looking; he hoped she didn't.