30. terms are approaching

Han Seojun was dribbling the basketball around, he was all by himself in the court and since terms were approaching, there weren't many kids to play around with. The basketball finale match was to be held this weekend, his coach was doting on him and Lee Suho to make it to one of the universities and while Suho didn't care about it, Seojun did. This was his only chance to do something for himself.

Ever since his father died, when he was just a kid, he watched his mother slave day in and out working odd jobs to make ends meet and Seojun did whatever he could to help her which meant working all the time since he was 14. He was gifted with a handsome face, something that helped him get a few modelling jobs and the café job helped too. The plan to become an idol was scrapped when Seyeon died and after that, life seemed too difficult for the boy.

He just wanted to be at peace and happy for once but he also knew that life wasn't easy. Of course, singing was and will always be his one true love but not everyone gets their love stories, clearly he wasn't fortunate in that genre. So he kept grinding, practising as much as he could to make some sense of his life and while he did that, Kim Chorong who sat across in the courtyard, kept calling the boy aloud.

"Ya, let's take a break. I'm tired."

Han Seojun raised his hands throwing the ball and it landed right in the basket net. Smiling, he rushed towards the dropping ball, and he looked at Chorong. "Tired of what? You've been sitting for the entire time."

"Still, sitting is a task."

"Go home and study." Han Seojun dribbled the basketball around, sweating profusely, "terms are approaching."

"But its pizza night, we always go out for pizza and karaoke on Thursdays."

Han Seojun frowned, "we can always have pizza later, exams are important." He scored the basket again, startling Kim Chorong.

"Ya Seojun-ah, why are you so studious all of a sudden?" Chorong walked towards the boy, who was busy dribbling the ball around. "They say that when you spend a lot of time with someone you become like them."

"Who is they?"

"I don't know. I just heard someone say this..."

"YA. What are you even trying to say?" Han Seojun threw the basketball at Chorong, who dodged it. "Wai-" Seojun tilted his head, thinking hard. "is this why you hang out with me? You want to be as drop down gorgeous like me?"

Chorong chuckled, "it's drop dead gorgeous..."

"Same thing."

"And no, I think you're spending too much time with Kang Soojin lately. You're even sounding like something she'd say..." Chorong watched Han Seojun gasp, "studying and exams and nerd things."

"Ani," Han Seojun shook his head, "that's stupid. You know that's not true."

"I don't know." Chorong shrugged, Seojun chugging water from the bottle the former gave him. "I don't know Han Seojun whether or not you're doing this for some revenge scheme or because you're actually liking Soojin-"

But Chorong could not complete it since he was drenched in the water which Seojun had sprayed on him, choking on it while Chorong let the water droplets run down. Seojun coughed, rubbing his chest and then apologised to Chorong who wiped his face with his hand. "Mian, but what... What are you... You're just being polaroid..."

Chorong frowned, this time even Han Seojun knew that wasn't the word. "Polaroid? Or is it being pandora?"

The boys were thinking for a while, both confused on what word it was and each trying to vouch for their incorrect word.

"Paranoid."

They turned towards the left, Soojin who was amused by the duo smiled at them. Chorong straightened up while Seojun took a step towards her.

It was deja vu for them.

"The word is paranoid." She shrugged, now standing across the duo, "also, who's paranoid?"

Chorong opened his mouth to explain when Seojun slid in front of him, hitting his stomach with his elbow and smiling at Soojin. "Ani, just something..." Chorong nodded even though he wanted to cry in pain. "What are you doing here?" He asked, as far as he knew, Soojin had tuitions after school and would often be seen rushing to attend them. "Did you need something? Are you feeling okay?" This he said stepping ahead, concern laced in his voice.

"I need you..."

Chorong gasped from behind Han Seojun, and earned another blow from Seojun. This time Soojin smiled at the duo, they were really a comedic pair.

"You to accompany me..." she completed the statement, much to Seojun's relief and Chorong stepped back because Seojun's blows were hurting him now. "We are supposed to study together right? We spoke about this..."

Seojun nodded, "Ye, ye, mian... Let me take a shower quickly and we can go." Soojin nodded, hands holding the strap of her bags. She wasn't in her school uniform rather wrapped in a black coat over her woolen clothes. "Don't follow me this time though..." He caught her off-guard and Soojin was the one to gasp, whilst Chorong's mouth remained ajar.

"Ya..."

Han Seojun chuckled, winking at her and he was off whilst Soojin shook the warm fuzzy feeling and glanced at Chorong who was eyeing her, a little confused a lot terrified. After a stunning silence of five minutes of ignoring him, Soojin couldn't hold it anymore.

"Kim Chorong, if you have something to say, you can tell me."

"Ani... Aniyo, there's nothing." Chorong hesitated, he walked past her, rather at an arms distance as he carefully circled around her. He was avoiding her like she was a plague. "Nothing..."

"Then why are you walking away like a thief?"

Chorong crossed his face with his hands, defending himself before Soojin could even take a step towards him. "Don't hurt me please..." He shut his eyes, when Soojin turned with him and she sighed, dramatic as his best friend.

What did she expect?

"Listen..."

"I'm not with Han Seojun, it was all him..." Was what Chorong squealed as he ran away from her, hands still protecting his face and Soojin frowned. "All him, all him..."

"Why is Chorong running like he saw a ghost?" Seojun said from behind her, "did you do something?"

"Ani-" Kang Soojin turned but words apparently vanished from her vocabulary when she came face to face with Han Seojun, his hair wet and falling over his face and although he did wear a full set of clothes this time, she couldn't help but freeze. Instant flashbacks of their very weird bathroom interaction played in her mind and she gulped.

Seojun snapped at her, "you okay?"

Kang Soojin was flustered.

What in the hell was happening?

She quickly got a hold of herself and stepped back, "ya, just dry your hair..." she yelled at him, avoiding eye contact. "You'll catch a cold and give me another." Han Seojun pouted, nevertheless he dried his hair from the towel laying on his shoulder. Soojin turned to escape this funny feeling while Seojun followed her.

"Who yells at people to dry their hair?" He called out from behind, carrying his bag and Soojin yelled back.

"I do! You should be careful, terms are approaching."

That was when Han Seojun realised what Chorong was pointing at earlier. It had to be true now that Chorong could see it too.

He was becoming Kang Soojin.

_

Study rooms for students were available in plenty around the neighborhood, since school was close by it was easier to freshen up in a study café and sit with the books immediately without having to go home. As tedious as that was, that was how students were atleast in Korea, studying as much as they could and Soojin was one of them, fitting or rather trying her best to fit in whilst Seojun was the piece of puzzle that did not match the maze at all. Seojun held the pencil and tried his best to understand the sum he was solving, yet each step was more tough than the other.

Maybe he should have just accompanied Suho and Jugyeong when they had asked him to.

"Seojun, you are stuck on that page since we arrived." Soojin had taken a break from her studying streak, she was done with the entirety of the chapter and Seojun was still stuck on one problem. She had always assumed that Seojun was a notorious mischievous boy who loved being a class clown, hated studying and never really cared for marks but it never occurred to her that maybe he needed help.

But then, she knew Seojun would never ask for help.

"You know, my math tutor taught me an easy technique for this." She got off from across him and sat besides him, shuffling through the series of books. "I was stunned when he solved it so easily, to which I almost had a breakdow-" Han Seojun glanced at Soojin who smiled, the fake smile which he caught easily. "I mean, here... let me show you." Seojun watched how Soojin solved the sum, step by step, each step clearly explained with layman terms that he knew. "See, easy peasy." She proudly sat up as Seojun admired the working, and gasped.

"Whoa, it is that simple?" He asked, he could not believe he was gonna give up for a menial sum as this. She nodded, whilst Seojun tried solving it on his own and it took him three tries but he got it at last. "Nice," Seojun nodded, gleaming like a little boy and his boyish grin was a bit too distracting for the studious nerd.

"In fact," Soojin then spread all of their books, her hours of notes which she took during the class, the tuition notes, the tests and the past papers she had, "let's make a formulae table for you. Like mine, but I'll make it simpler. The one I have makes me dizzy." She watched Seojun chuckle and she smiled at him, both of them studiously working problems side by side. Seojun was having fun while solving math, something he did not know could ever happen only because Soojin made it simpler for him. More than that, she placed bets for solving faster, had a treat timer where if they solved the desired portion they could eat something off the menu and till it was later in the evening, the two of them had made progress with their studying.

Seojun was recording Soojin's voice, which the latter had asked him to do so in case he missed out on things, he could always visit it. Regardless, Seojun did so and paid utmost attention to the girl, although he could not help but keep eyeing the faint bruise marks on her face which were evident now that he sat close to her. This mark was faint dark hidden with make-up, but visible on her cheek and he had the urge to caress her cheek.

No idea why though.

"Seojun?" She snapped her fingers to get him out of his trance, "are you paying attention or not?"

Han Seojun cleared his throat, "I am paying attention, but attention is costly." He groaned, masking his hesitation with frustration. "I cannot focus anymore, where is the cheesecake you promised I'd get if I sit still for an hour?"

Soojin narrowed her gaze, "it has been..." She checked her wrist watch, and was impressed that Seojun was actually quiet for half past an hour. "Arraseo, you deserve this." With that she got up, tied her hair with the scrunchie Seojun had given her back and walked towards the counter whilst Seojun sighed.

"What is the matter with me?" Seojun pressed his forehead, massaging his temples to avoid overthinking whatever he was feeling. "Why am I here?" He sat back, glancing at Soojin who had placed an order and was now waiting for the order. She had her long black hair tied, her hands folded across her chest and foot impatiently tapping on the floor. He rested his chin on the table, watching her as she scrolled through her mobile, then bowed at the man behind the counter when he gave her the cheesecake and instead of turning to return, they engaged in a conversation.

Han Seojun sat up, raising his head trying to get a hold of their conversation but they were beyond his earing range. The only thing he noticed was the man behind the counter smiling at her, he looked older, maybe two years and she nodded at something he said. Since when did Soojin engage in meaningless talks with random people? He frowned when their hands brushed while the man passed her the tissues she asked for and averted his gaze immediately when Soojin turned.

"Here you go," Soojin placed the tissues underneath the nice little plate on which the blueberry cheesecake looked extremely appetizing. "Gobble this up so we can start with the next..." She noticed how he was not looking at her, nor the cheesecake, instead to his left. She turned too, trying to locate who Seojun was looking at but there was no one they knew. "Seojun?"

"What?"

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing," Seojun folded his arms across his chest, cheeks puffed and a frown etched on his face. "How do you know that man?" He signaled by raising his chin in the direction of the man behind the counter.

"Man?" Soojin chuckled, shaking her head, "he is just two years older, how is he a man?" She uncapped her pen, readying her books. "And I know him from our school, you'd know if you would attend." Soojin could not comprehend the Seojun Q&A, mostly because it did not occur to her that Seojun was interested in what they were speaking about.

"Still," Seojun huffed, upset and Soojin looked up at the boy, "he is two years older and you are still a minor. You should not-" He stopped, locking eyes with the confused girl, "you should... TERMS ARE APPROACHING. YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON YOUR STUDIES." He said, rather banged his arms on the table and stood up. He walked towards the washroom leaving a very confused Soojin behind.

"What is up with him?" Soojin sighed, nevertheless she shrugged and let it go. "Maybe the math was too much for him."

"What is up with me!" Seojun eyed himself angrily in front of the mirror after splashing water on his face, he was getting close to insanity. "Maybe the math was too much for me.... I should have started with history!"

Who was to tell him that chemistry was the issue and not math.

_

chemistry, yes or no?

also enchanted hitting hard for some reason...