─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

❝ You have my focus I can't control it. I find your magic in every moment. No sleight of hand, 'cause you're my truth. And when I'm in love, the ordinary won't just do ❞ — Just to see you smile, Why Don't We

🎼

C H A P T E R  E I G H T

RUSHING FROM THE PERFORMING ARTS corridor, the hall extending from the other end of the building to the back where the tennis courts and dance class thrive, the Candian steps out. A faint cool droplet hits the boy's nose, traveling down his cheekbone.

He only realizes the silent truth, looking up. He takes in the dark clouds, muttering words of disappointment.

Sprinkles of gentle rain are warm, reminding him of summer, instead of spring, racing down, and he thinks maybe it's not all bad.

When it's May—it's gloomy, with thunder and shallow rain, bugs, flowers blossoming, and birds chirping season.

He should have known by now.

His two best friends like to tease him when in spring, love is in the air!

His mind rewinds to this morning and a smile appears on his face.

New York is incredibly hot, and as much as he loved the sun peeking out early in the mornings, creating a shadow in his bedroom, he found himself lingering in bed, head buried under the white pillow, wishing for the moon to come back.

He wanted to finish dreaming whatever love story he was imagining, or favorably the lyrics to a song he's been dreading to write.

The sunlight streaming through blinds and spreading over the vanilla pudding wall, he must admit, is so pretty.

He wants it to be forever, and evermore.

Kevin, himself was a bit reluctant about majoring in the performing arts department.

His core courses teachers told him it's a starter and he plays the piano with honesty, and genuine emotions. Lately, he hasn't been focused or felt serene sitting at the bench, fingers drifting across the keyboard.

His orchestra teacher recommended finding some sort of inspiration, (as if that's easy.)

Hell, inspiration now is a hundred feet away and out of his reach. He can't even begin to imagine what inspiration must mean to him.

Writing a song can wait.

Enjoy the little moments and push yourself forward, he tells himself.

And he does, khaki pants hugging his legs carrying him towards the locker room despite his thoughts halting when he catches familiar brown eyes.

He shifts his gaze quickly somewhere else, pausing in his tracks as if he did something wrong, or witnessed a horror scene.

He isn't embarrassed anymore but looking at the boy who stole his heart, sings like the certified angel he is, and his presence that radiates summertime hurts.

Maybe it was fear, done on impulse, or for the good, them leaving behind their friendship.

Letting go, though, served freedom for him in every chance possible.

He needs freedom to thrive, to splash his colors of creativity, and create artwork from the very hallow but imaginative head, to the tip of his fingertips.

Pretending he didn't see him, Kevin walks past Jacob. He flinches at his familiar touch, whirling around to meet the exact brown eyes he's always known as home.

His heartbeat is loud, drumming in his ears. He curses mentally because he still hasn't gotten over him even though they were never together.

"I thought you'd be in the theater, that's where you always are," Jacob says, throwing him a basketball. Kevin catches it, hands clutching around the smooth exterior surface.

"Younghoon told me to pick him up after my orchestra class. Our classes are in the same direction. I agreed," Kevin says nonchalantly, raising a brow, "Why?" His voice is light, dripping silver heartbreak.

Part of him hates how he's curious if ending up seeing each other on graduation means they have a chance to start over.

The moment Jacob says dishearteningly, "Pass the basketball to Hyunjae for me, yeah? He has something to tell you," Kevin knows he's wrong. "I guess I'll see you when I see you," Jacob offers a smile, then disappears out of his line of sight.

Kevin tries not to dwell on the purpose of returning the basketball to the co-captain too much.

He can't help but think Jacob must have wanted to return in, but something held him back.

. . .

Why am I returning the basketball to Hyunjae? Oh, heck, yeah for Jacob! You're a kind person, so just return the damn ball. It's not like you're finishing a difficult task, he thinks sarcastically, pulling the glass door wide open, entering the incandescent room, and finding his locker, unlocking it.

The graduation walk went like this: Running back to the white table covered by a large print paper lying across. Scribbles of gratitude messages and hopeful quotes were written over the space. Picking up his tassel, he hopped back in the train of line, receiving cheeky smiles from Chanhee, and Younghoon.

They jokingly teased that his one-sided love may remain if he doesn't attempt to move on. The brunette responded he'll get over it.

Not all love stories end happily he reminded himself. Here's the thing, it didn't end, it's continuing. He wasn't staring at Jacob, no. But at Changmin. He has no idea why.

Kevin finds himself curious and drawn to Changmin the more he appears in front of him and disappears. His blue eyes, are they even real? Why does he reject an innocent souls' endearing confessions, and he can dance?

He can play the piano, maybe not as well as him, but still, the day at the theater stunned him because he could see the passion light up in his eyes.

His touch was ever so fragile, yet heavy at the same time—Kevin's thoughts collide, crash, cease, hearing the noises coming down from the hall. He figures it's the dance team, his mind returning to the previous thoughts about the dancer.

No, stop it.

Stop, thinking about him.

The brief touch on his shoulder sends a panic attack down his spine like a lightning bolt after his brain receives a signal, and making a complete turn, face wide, his heartbeat quickens.

The basketball drops out of his hand, slamming against the crystal clear tiled floor.

Hyunjae bends down, grabs the ball, and is face to face with Kevin.

"So there was my basketball this entire time," Hyunjae laughs. It's refreshing, loud, warm, gingerbread eyes sparkling meeting Kevin's mocha ones.

"Uh, yeah. I mean, Jacob asked me to pass it to you," Kevin speaks honestly, "I'll get going then, Younghoon must be waiting," his job is done here, so why bother a conversation?

"Wait," Hyunjae reaches by Kevin's side, "You should know something," he says, and the younger feels like he's betraying Jacob even when he did nothing.

Kevin doesn't hang out with guys like Hyunjae, popular, handsome, and plays sports. 

Further away, Hyunjae seemed cute, basically the quiet type, until Jacob confirmed he wanted to make Hyunjae jealous.

Jacob also is sinking in a ship of one-sided. And now that he's looking at the golden-haired boy, furrowed brows, which he wants to poke away, it frustrates him. Hyunjae is handsome.

Kevin isn't complaining that Jacob fell in love with him.

"Know something. Like what?" Kevin says, his voice firm, eyes trained on the ground.

"Why didn't Jacob pass the ball to me himself?" Hyunjae asks.

Kevin's head snaps up and stills, brown eyes searching for Younghoon. "Waiting for someone?"

"Why do you ask?" Kevin tries not to sound rude. "It's Younghoon. Jacob didn't have time. He passed the favor onto me," and once he sees the tall male who looks like he could be a model or an actor, he walks away, adding, "Jacob likes you. Don't hurt him, please."

"Wait," Hyunjae breathes, gently grabbing Kevin's hand. "I never wanted to hurt him. I didn't know he felt this way for me. I thought he liked you because you guys are always together," he says, catching the younger off-guard.

Kevin slides his hand out of his grasp, raising a brow, "Jacob always liked you. The rumors are half-true. Yes, he kissed me, but it wasn't genuine," it surprises him how firm his voice is.

"He wanted to make me jealous?" The realization makes Hyunjae's face flush, and he swallows his words, retracing his train of thoughts.

He never intends to seem brash or a player. "What about me?" Hyunjae steps closer, and Kevin's back greets against the lockers. Kevin drops his gaze, feeling his cheeks tint the color of a tomato.

"What do you mean?"

"If I kissed you that night, would you still think about Jacob?"

Shit.

Kevin can't bring himself to answer.

He wants to say something, but not when Hyunjae leans toward him, patting his head softly, "It's okay if you can't tell me right now," his thumb brushing his heated cheek, it's soft, teasing, and slow.

Kevin would've concluded Hyunjae was not sincere, but then his dilated pupils take him by surprise.

Hyunjae's hands prop either side of him, "You're cute when you're embarrassed by the way," and Kevin nearly forgets the reason he's here.

He escapes from under the boy's arms, shooting him an irritated glare over his shoulders.

"Stop teasing me and whatever you were doing. I'm not embarrassed. I don't like you, that's all."

"You still would have preferred Jacob kissing you that night?" Hyunjae asks, ginger irises glinting a hopeful glimmer. Kevin hates the confidence the co-captain of the basketball team radiates.

Jacob liking him proves, that there must be a good quality about him. It's not only his good looks.

"He's not a stranger unlike you."

"I wouldn't have left you alone the next morning," he flashes a grin and holds his mocha eyes, "You're not getting it. I never liked Jacob. He's sweet, an angel, but you—you're a puzzle I can't solve, and every time you're the news of the campus, it only makes me want to know more about you."

Hyunjae never liked Jacob?  Kevin gulps, thoughts racing over the scenario Hyunjae described. Kevin still would have been the headline news, and the rumors would spread faster than right now.

"I'm nothing to solve," Kevin shrugs, glad that he's cool, calm, and collected like he used to be during freshmen year.

People called him a silent observer, having his peers back, always at service.

He didn't mind the nicknames either. The most that got him worried was everyone proudly mentioning him as an intelligent person, and asking him for help with homework when he wanted to be alone.

Chanhee and Younghoon offered him coffee and cookies, sliding a paper statement, offering a deal. Kevin's responsibility was to help Chanhee with his art homework and Younghoon's acting.

With their deal progressing smoothly, the brunette became friends with them, and they loved him too.

"I have important things to do than be the side character of a love story," Kevin says.

Younghoon swims his way out of the dance team, tenses, watching Kevin's gaze flicker to Hyunjae.

"You are the main character if you think about it. I'm not like who you think I am. I can do better, be better than Jacob. I wouldn't let what happen to you and him to us because I like you. I want to be your boyfriend."

"And I don't want to be yours."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A U T H O R 'S  N O T E

This is a long chapter, so it took me more time, considering how it's not fully edited either.

I enjoyed writing this chapter, and couldn't stop thinking No Kevin! Get away from Hyunjae and Younghoon what are you doing standing there??

Also, in the upcoming chapters, you'll get to see more Kevin and Changmin moments. I'm excited about your reactions as the story continues.

If you guys enjoyed reading, please comment, vote, and let me know what you think. Thank you for 1k reads, I'm surprised at this point how anyone is reading this haha 💖💖

College starts for me next week, so I'll try my best with updating according to the schedule I had planned. Another thing, as stated before, my characters are human.

They make mistakes. If you say anything bad about them or about anyone, think twice because you're hurting us.

The Boyz in this story is not like this in real life either.

AND GUYS WE DID IT. THE BOYZ FOURTH WIN 😆