Chapter 14 – Let's hope you didn't forget about me (Shane)

-

"I'm beat!"

Jin lightly kicked Ethan's crossed leg and glared at him before kneeling to collect the crumpled pieces of paper and plastic around Ethan, slumped on the floor with a continuous huff.

"Get up and help me clean so we can really mark this done."

As soon as Yuri announced today would be dedicated to completing the props and everyone who wasn't a part of that could leave early on to rest or practice their lines, most of them did go, with a few staying behind to help out or practice scenes with another.

"We are done. I wanna go home!"

Unfortunately for Ethan, my tutee wouldn't let him go until they finished all the props they had been assigned to do weeks ago. Now that they did, naturally, the aftermath was a messy pile.

"Not until we've cleaned up the mess; no, we are not." Jin stood and kicked again, and then Ethan pretended to be struck by a powerful force, completely lying on the floor. When Jin hovered his foot over Ethan's face, his eyes shot up as he scrambled to get up.

"I'm up, geez!" Ethan inched away from a glaring Jin. He rolled his eyes. "You weren't really going to step on my face, though."

"I would."

"You wouldn't."

I'm sure he would.

"Why don't you lie back on the floor, and we'll see about that?"

The two continued to poke around one another, accidentally shoving other people nearby with their little chase. Never would I have felt weirdly prouder that Jin could be so openly ruthless with more people other than me and his friends.

"Ack! You're right! That did come off too stiff!" Rein rejoiced after taking notes on some of the advice she asked for regarding her role. "Thank you so much!"

I smiled. "You're very much welcome!"

"They're at it again," she commented with a wheeze, glancing over Jin and Ethan, who seemed to be at a standstill, both holding different colored rulers and various trash in one hand. "I never would've thought either of them could be so fun and dorky."

"They're both some of the quieter ones in the class, after all," Joyce spoke from the side, carrying folded red curtains. She shrugged with a little smile. "It's nice to see them like this, actually."

"Oh, you have no idea," I mumbled carelessly.

Can you blame me? It had been, what, three months since I met Jin. On that first day, I could already feel so much suppression from him—his behavior, speech, and focus. So much anxiety.

It fills me with warmth to see his progress. Not just his progress with his studies but also socially. Over time, he'd finally let himself be more open to other people. It still hadn't reached far enough for him to be more friendly and approachable, but this was enough. I wouldn't want to force him of anything. Plus, if he became too open and social, that wouldn't be Jin anymore.

And I like him just the way he is.

"That smile," Joyce said, pulling me out of my trance.

"That look," Rein followed before they looked back and forth between me and where Jin and Ethan finally finished their little duel.

I blinked from where I stared for far too long, my gaze now jumping between Joyce and Rein. Both of them held curious eyes, raised brows, and suspecting hums. My face felt warm by the second, and then they seemed to have reached an understanding as their mouths twisted into deep smirks.

They moved close to my sides until only the three of us could hear what Joyce had said.

"Jin, huh?"

For a second, I thought my head exploded.

"I never would've thought!" Rein hissed.

Before I could try to explain—more like make an excuse—myself, my prince in the form of my bestest friend ever, came to rescue me.

"Shane!" Yuri called, standing up from his seat with his bag slung on his shoulders. "Let's go?"

"Coming!" I offered a nervous chuckle to my two amused classmates, doing my utmost to ignore the igniting heat on my face. "I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

Once outside the classroom, I gave Yuri a brief squeeze.

"You're a real lifesaver," I whispered, huffing as I pulled away.

"What's wrong?"

I put my hands on my hips and raised a brow. "Don't try to act innocent. You know what it is."

"It's not hard to figure out, given you stare so much, you know."

"Geez." I pouted and folded my arms to my chest. "Keep it down."

He shrugged, his innocent smile but teasing eyes retaining. "They've figured it out already, didn't they? Joyce and Rein."

"M-maybe, but still!" I looked over the side before squinting back at him. "You're the only one who really knows."

"Again, you're not very subtle about it, either." Yuri softly knocked on my forehead. When I puffed my cheeks, he responded with a light smile and stroked my head like he always did for comfort. "You ought to rest up today. So do that, alright?"

"We'll see."

He rolled his eyes. "Rest. And just spend some time with- oh hey, Jin."

I jumped and turned my head quickly to see Jin step out of the classroom with his hands in his pockets. His eyes met mine briefly before jumping to Yuri's upon the latter's greeting and nodded.

"I'll go on ahead, then. See you guys tomorrow." Yuri and Jin exchanged weird eye contact before he winked at me and waved. Why did he do that? Jin will know!

Or so I thought. When I glanced at him, he had this darkened face, eyes still on Yuri's figure fading away in the distance. Didn't he notice what Yuri had just done?

"Jin?"

His eyes stayed up front, but he wasn't squinting anymore. "Yeah, let's go."

The walk to the library didn't last long, nor did we stay quiet the entire time.

"He wanted to go home so bad," Jin continued with a playful expression, talking about what happened with Ethan before he went out. "But someone went and asked to practice a scene with his role included. That's what he gets for letting me do most of the cleaning."

"And you're not part of the scene?" I raised a brow.

"I was excused."

"How?"

"I said I have to study."

"They settled for that? Really? Kurt?" I asked in disbelief, chuckling along the energetic way he talked about it.

"Look." He snickered and shot me a confident look. "My role is so minor they can fill up for it with literally anyone."

"Mhmm." I shot him back that same look. "As if it wasn't your request to have such a role to begin with."

He shrugged, his smile not leaving as we reached the library and settled on our usual spot. This time, unlike the previous days and like the ones from before the holidays, there wasn't anyone but us two. Like how it's supposed to be.

While I didn't hate having many people around, something about this place felt unfamiliar. Only when I was alone with Jin did this spot feel just right.

So much that it scares me.

"Recap!" I opened up as soon as we'd put our notes on the table. I flashed a smile. Nothing about my feelings will affect anything between us. I won't let it. "Let's hope you didn't forget about me!"

Nothing will change between us.

"Of course, I didn't. I always remember y-" He rolled his eyes, shoving his bag to the side and opening a notebook. Then he cut himself and palmed his face. "Dear heavens, Shane."

I won't assume anything.

"Hehe! Alright, for real now!" I sat straight and pointed my pen toward him. "Let's hope you didn't forget anything!"

"Of course not."

"I'm just that good of a teacher, aren't I?"

"..Yes, you are." With an eye roll and a seemingly uncontrollable smile, he shook his head. "Zip it! Don't let your head go big now!"

I clasped my fingers together and imitated a dreamy gasp. "Jin thinks I'm a good tutor!"

"Ugh... this is why I never said anything before."

With a giggle and another batch of convincing myself to avoid making assumptions about him feeling the same way with his grown comfort with me, we reviewed all the topics we discussed in the class for the exam.

Lately, we would do study group sessions with more of the class, but when Yuri left Jin and me alone the other day, Jin confided about feeling uncomfortable studying with many people. I should've known that. No, I knew that. But it slipped my mind. For a moment, I wanted to bury myself in my sheets at home at how bad of a tutor I was to Jin.

Naturally, to make up for my shortcomings, Yuri and I made a plan to ensure I could still fulfill my duties as a tutor without seemingly trying to escape away from the others. And today, being a props day, was the result.

"I'll review the rest at home," Jin answered on the way to the gates when I asked if he'd yet studied for his other subjects. "How about you? You have way too much on your plate. Will you manage?"

I waved a hand and beamed. "Of course I will! Who do you think I am?"

"Right. Ms. All-rounder."

"Says Mr. Goody Two Shoes."

"I'm pretty sure you fit that description better than I do."

"Do I?"

"Yes, Ms. Goody Two Shoes."

I faked an offended gasp and placed a hand on my chest, and my pulse hastened when he laughed and flicked my forehead.

"Ow!"

He raised a brow at me, eyes teasing. "Now, what did you call me again earlier?"

"You-"

"Shane!" A different voice cut me off.

Jin and I turned to the side where my friend Julie was waving as he called. From behind his car popped George and Rona, who waved and called out as we met eyes.

"Oh, right!" I put my palms together as I face a confused Jin. "I promised to go out with them today after school."

"And you forgot."

"Shh! Don't tell them that."

He crossed his arms with a dubious expression. Then someone tapped my shoulder from behind, and there stood my three friends, who all gave me the why-don't-you-introduce-us look. Geez, the girls and gay.

"You've seen them before! These are my friends since high school," I started, then Rona nudged me lightly. "Ahem, well, Rosanna here begs to differ slightly, though."

"Hi there. Jin, was it?" George waved a little at Jin. "I remember you during our volleyball practice."

"Ah, yeah. I think I remember you a bit."

"Name's Georgette, but just George works."

"She's an irregular third-year student, which can explain why you might not see her often." With my explanation, Jin only nodded and turned to Julie as I stretched an arm toward him. "This is Julian-" he coughed, which made me smile and lower my voice. "Or as he prefers to be called: Julie."

Julie smiled with contentment at my introduction to him, while Jin only continued to nod when he met their gazes.

"And, of course, my and Yuri's childhood friend, Rosanna."

"Just Rona."

I rolled my eyes at her and scooted close to Jin to whisper. "She likes Yuri."

"Shane!" Rona hissed, blushing. "T-that last part was unnecessary!"

"As if the whole batch in senior high didn't already know about that," Julie commented.

"They do not!"

"Just because Papa Yuri is as dense as a pebble doesn't mean everyone else is."

They continued to bicker, and George and I couldn't help but laugh along, especially with Julie's nickname for Yuri. My smile widened at Jin's wheeze.

"Papa," he mumbled with an amused face. "What the hell."

I shrugged. "Pretend you don't know the next time you see Yuri."

"Sure, no problem," he responded with a brighter expression. Something about his eyes seemed less uneasy, unlike earlier. I don't know what he might've been worried about, but I'm glad he's lightening up. He blinked away and grabbed his phone right after. "My mom's calling. Excuse me a bit."

I gave him a smile as he walked a few meters away from us.

"This merch shop closes early on Wednesdays. You two better cut it off now so we can still make it." With what George informed us, the two finally made up—for now, in their words—and decided it was time to go.

"Um, guys." At my unsure call, they turned to me. "This might be a bit of an odd request."

"Shoot," Julie said.

"Since we're going to the shop near my barangay, I was hoping maybe we can take Jin with us?" I pursed my lips at their widened eyes. "J-just because his barangay is somewhere past mine and, well, um..."

George slapped me on the shoulder. "What're you so nervous about?"

"His place might be close to the new shop, too. So, sure! Why not?" Julie, the owner of the car, gave his approval.

Ignoring Rona's suspicious look, I grinned at them. "Thanks, guys! I'll go ask him if he- Jin?" As I turned to him, he had this unexplainable dread in his eyes.

"... I'm on my way." Jin's voice was low, slightly quivering, like his eyes on the ground.

"Jin, what's wrong?" I asked as soon as he ended the call.

"I-I..." Jin shook his head and met my gaze. Concern. Fear. Panic. "M-my..." He shook his head again as if trying to shake off his negative emotions, then swiveled to walk away.

He's spiraling. I can't let him be.

"Jin!" I held onto his arm to stop him. He let me. "Look at me." He did. "Take a deep breath, okay? Deep breaths. Yes, like that. It'll be fine. What happened?"

We stayed like that for a few seconds, him doing a breathing exercise while I held onto his arms. Finally, after a brief moment with his eyes closed, his eyes had more clarity when he opened them again.

"Sorry." He pursed his lips and whispered, "My uncle was rushed to the hospital. I... I gotta go there right now."

"Which hospital?" George popped the question right behind me.

"..Sacred Heart."

George nodded. "Then let's go."

I offered my friends a silent nod of thank you before glancing back at Jin's wide eyes with a reassuring smile.

"We'll take you there now. Come on."

"B-but-"

"No buts." I tugged on his arm and pulled him to Julie's car, now ready to go.

In no time, we were out the gates. George sat on the passenger's seat with Rona behind, me in the middle, and Jin to my left with his gaze stuck outside the window.

My hands balled on top of my bag on my lap as I looked away.

There was no way I could comfort Jin as he did for me on my birthday last month. But I wanted to try. Whatever my friends would try to poke at me later once this was over, I couldn't care less.

I let my hand hover over Jin's on the seat, gently squeezing it for comfort. His eyes didn't peel off the window, but I pursed my lips when he didn't pull his hand away.

And by the power that sent electricity from fingertips to fingertips, I had no other way to hide the tingling feeling but to pull my bag to my chest and bury my face when his hand flipped over and held mine. Then returned the squeeze.

With a low huff of heat against my equally warming cheeks, I closed my eyes and prayed.

Please let nothing bad happen to Jin's family.