~POV Minho~

It was 6 p.m.

I had been standing in front of apartment 0325 for some time.

My neighbour was at home, as the whole corridor was enjoying his Kpop playlist. BTS' Black Swan Orchestra was playing now. Music was perfect, but didn't make me feel better. I was nervous, anxious, uncertain, hesitant - a nerves ball, not knowing if I should stay, leave, or bang my head against the walls.

I felt like I didn't know anything about anything anymore. My head was empty. And it was worse when I finally knocked on the door. 

Immediately, I heard him turn the sound down before opening, unable to hide his astonishment by seeing me on the landing. As I crossed his disoriented gaze, I suddenly lost my means. His eyes were a little red and he had dark rings under his eyes. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept much but had cried a lot, as if he had spent the night and the whole day worrying himself sick... for real.

Seeing him like that made me feel even worse. Especially since he was... how can I put it... it was crazy, but he looked even more sweet than usual. A blue bandanna in his hair, he wore glasses like during classes, dungaree, turtle-neck sweater and rabbit-headed slippers.

It was... I didn't know. But I was quite... irritated.

My hand was itching. I wanted to take that bandanna out of his hair. Not that it didn't fit him, but... it bothered me. Seeing him like that bothered me. How would someone so naturally cute could be even more cute ? How that stupid squirrel, with a face like that, could be 23 and one of my teachers?! Really, I started to have an headache.

But once I was in his living room, I almost forgot everything.

As I looked around the room in disbelief, my neighbour scratched his head, slightly embarrassed.

"I... was cleaning."

Of course...

Everything was upside down, even more than last time. Much more than last time. His living room was in such a state I was in cold sweat when, catching me off guard, he approached by looking at my right hand.

"You didn't have that wound yesterday..." He whispered, his eyes fixed on my bandage. "How did it happen? Is it because of your uncle?"

The anxiety that was reading on his face made me feel like a cold shower. Once again, he looked so honest... probably because he really was. I didn't want to believe it, it terrified me, but I couldn't deny it anymore.

Han Jisung seemed... no, was... really worried about me.

What an idiot... 

"Not at all." I replied, with tightened throat. "It's nothing."

But without ceasing to look at my hand, he gave me a sad smile.

"You always say the same thing. It's nothing... everything's fine..." He said without raising his head, as if he was talking to himself. "You always say that, but can I believe you ?"

When he looked up at me, my heart missed a beat.

The squirrel was looking at me without blinking, and I couldn't turn my eyes away from his as I had done so often. I couldn't do it or rather, I didn't want it enough to do it. His sincerity seemed so unreal it took my breath away. Suddenly, without even realising it, I heard myself talking.

"I did this to myself." I confessed. "I couldn't bear to have acted that way yesterday." I bit my lips nervously. "I shouldn't have... spoken to you like that. You've had so many problems because of what you did for me... and I haven't been fair with you..."

Slowly, I lowered my head. My heart was beating so hard it hurt like hell. I felt stupid and guilty. I was ashamed. 

"I'm sorry. Excuse me..."

But instantly, I felt powerless, weak and vulnerable. I had the frightening sensation that something had just broken, this armour, this shell that protected me. It had just been dismantled like nothing, carried away by the wind and that terrified me. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have shown him that facet of mine.

In a second, a terrible fear swept over me and I felt I was running out of air. I couldn't trust him, not even a little bit. 

If I did, even for a tiny moment, it would be the worst mistake...

As often, there was nothing but silence between us. I could hear my confused breathing and his, seemingly calmer. Anxious and tense, I was staring at my shoes and his living room's tiles, when a slight sniff made me look up. Immediately, he took off his glasses and passed a hand over his eyes full of tears, embarrassed. 

Now I had seen him, he could no longer cry silently.

I couldn't believe my eyes...

"I'm so sorry..." He mumbled, lips trembling and cheeks wet. "You must think I'm the lamest teacher you've ever met..." He laughed nervously, blushing like a tomato. "I cry my eyes out even though I'm the oldest. B-but it wasn't up to you to apologise. I didn't manage to make you understand I was really worried about you. But please, don't hurt yourself like that again..." While sniffing, he hesitated, before delicately placing his hand on my cheek. That touch, so strange, covered me with shivers. "I don't want to hurt you... you can trust me..."

No, I couldn't...

But what I saw was so surprising, so overwhelming I couldn't think straight. The squirrel was crying like a little child, seized with sobs that didn't stop. I hadn't seen anyone cry like that since kindergarten...

"It's not pity..." He whispered, desperate. "I'm not lying to you... I can't tell you if it's because you're my neighbour, my student or both. I just want you to know you can really count on me..."

"A crybaby like you?"

Unfortunately, my voice was so broken my humour seemed miserable. Yet, he smiled, licking the tears that wet his lips, which made him even cuter. His hand, still on my cheek, warmed my whole body, which was usually so cold. I hated being touched, but for the first time for so long, I wanted to keep his warmth, not to lose it, because it reassured me, comforted me, gave me back colours, like a sun I hadn't seen in years.

"Don't make fun of me..." He muttered by pouting.

But I was smiling. How long has it been since I had smiled like that, so naturally? I didn't know. Yet, it had happened and my smile seemed to have a special power, because his eyes began to shine like a Christmas tree. Slowly, I felt his fingers caressing my cheek as I watched him without saying a word.

Cute...

The squirrel was small, cute, fragile, even if he could be stubborn and brave. He smelled like a peach and his body was warm. His hand was warm, soft and soothing.

I couldn't allow me to get too attached to him. But I could thank him and tell I trusted him. Even though I would never ask for his help... even though I would never do anything that would cause him any more trouble... I could smile and tell him everything was fine so he would stop crying and feel better.

Me who had accused him of being a liar, I could lie to him.

It was my only solution, again...

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🌘

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The next day, Wednesday, november 4.

I was looking out of my classroom window, as usual before classes started. The first class of the day. A literature class with that stupid squirrel the whole class was waiting for. That one... He had become the students' darling in one day. For my part, I didn't know what to think. Since yesterday, I was confuse.

I told him that now, I would talk to him if there was a problem.

I told him I trusted him.

But it wasn't possible. I couldn't do it. I couldn't get attached to him because even if he was honest, he would soon change his mind about me.

I closed my eyes for a moment and sighed.

That idiot...

Yesterday, before I go, he convinced me to call him hyung outside of highschool. Not Mr. Han or Teacher because it made him feel like he was 50. He asked that to me with such a dramatic pout I couldn't refuse. As if we were going to become friends... In highschool, I was going to behave normally or at least, pretend to. Outside, neighbour or not, I was going to avoid him and this, until everything fell apart. Anyway, I had no other choice.

At the same time, the door opened.

When I saw the squirrel come in, I squeezed my pen tighter. He smiled at the whole class as we stood up to greet him. He seemed to be getting better. He was glowing, as if all the tears he cried the day before in front of me had never existed. While I heard the girls giggling, the headmaster entered in turn.

Obviously, his arrival wasn't planned, because even my neighbor seemed surprised. As usual, Mr. Hyun looked at us sternly before speaking, announcing the arrival of a new student in our class. Immediately, a wave of curious and impatient whispers echoed through the classroom, a hubbub the headmaster quickly cut short.

"SILENCE!" He shouted. "You will have plenty of time to get to know him. Our new student has just changed high school. I hope you will give him a proper welcome." He looked in our teacher direction. "Mr. Han, I'm counting on you to help him fit into his class as well as possible."

Immediately, he nodded when there was a knock on the door. A few seconds later, the new student appeared, under the charmed gaze of the girls who seemed about to fall over backwards. The boy with half-long pink hair entered the classroom with a feline and confident step, like a big bad wolf putting his paw in a hen house full of innocent chicks.

With a huge smile, he greeted everyone when, seeing him waving to the squirrel, I frowned. The teacher, after a slight hesitation, opened his eyes wide as if he had just recognised him.

While this Hwang Hyunjin smiled at him, I almost choked.

No but... what the hell?!

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Hello everyone! I hope you are well! Hyunjin appears in this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! <3 Tell me what you think of the story, I would love to hear it! Thank you for your support! <3 Take care of yourself ! Kisses my beloved sweeties ! :D

SaaheVer.