⛓️

Once Seonghwa opened his eyes, he immediately felt like throwing up even though he'd barely ate anything today.

There was a lady at her desk several feet to his right. He didn't know her name since he'd never been to the sick room before.

The nurse grinned, all dimples and comforting crinkled eyes. She stood up and walked towards him, a clipboard in hand.

"You hit your head pretty bad back there, Park Seonghwa," she began, making Seonghwa peer up at her again. Her nameplate read Nurse Min.

Seonghwa shut his eyes again, hating how drowsy he felt. It was similar to last night in the sense that his body felt all heavy like he was losing control of everything.

"Good thing your classmate Hongjoong stepped in on time to break your fall."

Seonghwa's eyes snapped open. Similar to finally pushing through the surface of the violent seas and taking a huge gulp of the freezing air after a long while, clarity crystallized the fogginess of his mind. "Hongjoong didn't save me."

"He did," Nurse Min countered, that soft smile never leaving her face. "He stopped you from having a serious concussion."

He pushed me, Seonghwa wanted to argue. He pushed me for whatever reason and injured me. But instead of speaking up, he forced himself to his feet with a groan.

"I tried calling your dad so he could pick you up an hour ago. I should try again -- "

"It's fine, miss," Seonghwa gruffly replied. He hoped he didn't sound rude, but then again, he didn't really care. "I'll walk."

"But it's highly advised in case something goes wrong -- "

Seonghwa shook his head, gritting his teeth when felt that familiar stitch of pain behind his head. "I'm fine."

He opened the door and stepped out, not paying much mind to the stares he received from the other students as he marched down the hallway. His school bag was inside his locker, and as soon as he got it he'd finally be able to leave this hell-hole.

Looking around, he could see that the classrooms were empty for the most part, which meant that school was probably finished. Seonghwa wouldn't know. The bipolar weather kept screwing his timeframe up. Nevertheless, he'd rather walk home under this condition than have his daft father somehow drive to his school without knocking anything over to pick him up.

Opening his locker, Seonghwa came to a standstill. Rested on his strategically placed books was that same brand of red lollipops that Hongjoong had gifted to him earlier. His blood boiled.

He grabbed the lollipop as well as his bag, shutting his locker tight with restrained rage. He didn't even know why he was mad, but the pain he felt was making everything worse.

As if everything had been planned, a boy with a mullet left the school gates right then.

Almost immediately, Seonghwa followed after him. Sparks of pain shot up his feet with every limp step he took, his grip tight around the lollipop. Realizing just how quick Hongjoong was moving, Seonghwa increased his speed, almost bumping into a couple parked cars in his haste.

"Hongjoong," Seonghwa called out, not making his voice so loud. He didn't wanna draw attention to the both of them, but the shorter was making it hard not to scream.

"Wait up," Seonghwa tried again. His jaw clenched firmly when Hongjoong only walked faster.

"Kim Hongjoong!" The shorter's name left his lips in a desperate manner. Luckily, next to no one was around then.

Hongjoong stopped, but not before Seonghwa hobbled right into him like a dumbass. And of course, Hongjoong barely moved while Seonghwa nearly fell on his ass again. But he didn't though, all because the shorter had been quick enough to steady him with his small yet strong hands.

It seemed as if all the frustration Seonghwa felt died down with his voice as soon as Hongjoong's eyes met his. They were their usual unusual shade of yellow, but the colour seemed a bit softer somehow.

Seonghwa shouldn't have cared though. He was supposed to be mad.

One of Hongjoong's perfectly arched brows rose in questioning, and Seonghwa bit his lip, trying to think.

"Are you gonna say anything?" Hongjoong asked. "Or are you gonna keep staring at me like you're into me?"

"I'm not -- " But the shorter wasn't paying attention. "I don't like you."

Hongjoong sighed, his glossy lips reminding Seonghwa of peaches, for some reason. "Whatever. If it's not that, then what is it?"

"At p.e," Seonghwa explained, exposing the lollipop in his hand. Despite all the manhandling, it still appeared to be in pristine shape. "You tripped me."

"I didn't -- "

"You made me fall and almost gave me a fucking concussion," Seonghwa pressed. "And now, now you somehow know my locker passcode and put in this stupid lollipop in order to taunt me. I know you hate me, and to be honest I'm not a huge fan of you either -- "

"I don't hate you."

Seonghwa's jaw snapped shut. Hongjoong's words were the calm to the storm of the taller's thoughts, leaving him a speechless mess. "What?"

"I've got no reason to hate you. Sure, you're stubborn and you can be annoying as shit, but you've done nothing to warrant my hatred."

Seonghwa scoffed. Annoying? "I'm annoying? You're the one that's been stalking me and putting me in these weird situations. You're the one that keeps confusing me!"

All through this, Hongjoong was still as cool as a cucumber. If they were both in a cartoon, Seonghwa was sure he'd have steam shooting out of his ears by now.

He stood there, his chest rising and falling and his loud heartbeat ricocheting through his body, but Hongjoong only smirked.

"You want answers, right? Take your lollipop first, Seonggie."

"Seonggie?" Seonghwa spat as if he was repulsed. His stupid heartbeat had gotten even louder, an uncomfortable warmth rising in the depths of his chest under Hongjoong's sparkling eyes.

"Neat, right?" Hongjoong's grin had a mocking undertone. "Suck on the lolly to get answers."

"W-What?" Seonghwa sputtered, but Hongjoong stayed nonchalant.

"Take the lollipop..." Hongjoong said, "...and I'll reveal everything..."

Seonghwa stared at the lollipop in his hand, the bright red wrapper reminding him of the shorter's shockingly red lips last night.

"Don't wanna do it? Well, good day then."

Seonghwa unwrapped the candy and unceremoniously shoved it into his mouth, the strawberry taste too sickly sweet for his liking. Like some kind of healing balm, his knots in his joints loosened and his headache dispersed. It was weird.

"See? All better now, right?" Hongjoong's wide smile still freaked him out, but it wasn't bad-looking, now that Seonghwa mulled over it. Just strange.

Seonghwa didn't bother answering him though. "Tell me everything."

Hongjoong pulled out a childish looking pouch with glittery stickers and everything. Ignoring the taller's heavy, inquisitive stare, he pulled a small pink bandaid with tiny drawn clouds on it.

"Give me your hand."

Seonghwa didn't listen, so Hongjoong had to grab his left hand and open it himself. The shorter's hands were as cold as the rain on a storming night, but that didn't stop this incessant heat from surrounding Seonghwa's neck in a chokehold.

Seonghwa swallowed. "What's this for?"

"Your right cheekbone's kinda bleeding."

Seonghwa had no reason to feel embarrassed. But he was. He quickly wiped off the blood with his knuckles and tore open the bandaid, covering up the wound with it.

Hongjoong chuckled. "You look cute."

"Stop hitting on me."

The shorter male squinted his eyes. "Can't a guy compliment another guy without having some sort of hidden agenda?"

Seonghwa fiddled with his lollipop to hide the subtle lift of his lips. "No, but I'm not gay."

"And I don't give a fuck," Hongjoong sighed. "I'm leaving."

Seonghwa's barely-there smile disappeared. "Uh? You said you'd tell me what went on back there."

Hongjoong was walking away. "Sorry, changed my mind."

Seonghwa raced after him, only for Hongjoong to pick up his pace. And now they were both running, engaging in this impromptu marathon with only one person out of the two enjoying it at all.

And it wasn't Seonghwa.

"Hongjoong." He grabbed the shorter's arm, noticing that he wasn't out of breath in the slightest. But then again, Seonghwa wasn't as well.

People walked past them, steps dictated by their growing dread at the sight of the grey skies, so Seonghwa pulled Hongjoong beside a sandwich shop, the shorter staring at him like he just knew what he was going to say next. Seonghwa didn't like that.

"Go home," Hongjoong said, slapping the taller's hand off.

Seonghwa shook his head. "Keep your promise. Tell me what's happening."

"Go. Home."

"I'll do anything. Whatever you want."

When Hongjoong's lemony eyes enlightened with intrigue, Seonghwa knew he'd probably made the wrong choice.

"Anything?"

Seonghwa just nodded.

⛓️

a/n: thoughts?