~POV Jisung~

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When I opened my eyes, I was in the infirmary. I could hear the water fountain soothing sound as I tried to remember what had happened to me. Fluttering my eyelids, I met Yang Seugmin's warm eyes, as he was busy filing files on a shelf next to the bed.

"Jisung! How do you feel?" He asked as I tried to straighten up.

However, barely seated, I felt dizzy. At once, with a compassionate smile, the handsome male nurse helped me to lie down.

"Stay calm... You were hit in the head by a basket ball... You fainted and some students carried you here." He explained as I was remembering the pain I felt earlier. "You should get some sleep... You haven't sleep or eat for a while, no? And you've been under a lot of stress this morning... I've heard about it."

Seugmin was lovely. He was worried about me and had guessed my condition just by looking at me. Well, I guessed it wasn't very difficult, considering how pale I was, with those huge dark circles under my eyes. He then told me my afternoon classes had been cancelled, which relieved me, even if I was quite ashamed to draw attention of myself again, mostly after this morning's disaster...

"Just rest, okay? I'll get you something to eat." He took a break, before gently ruffling my hair. "You're very loved by the students, you know. Lee Felix from 3A-3 stayed a long time to make sure you were all right."

Him...

Thinking back to what he had said to me before I lost consciousness, I nervously shook my head. But immediately, everything turned around me again. Sighing, Seugmin gave me a sweet smile, advising me not to move so much. Exhausted, lulled by the water sound, I closed my eyes and fell asleep, until I wake up and see my neighbor.

Minho...

He was above me, looking at me with such confusion in his beautiful cat eyes that it had completely turned me upside down. I didn't know if he was real or an illusion... I may have been delirious because of that blow on my head but suddenly, I started crying like a child waking up from a terrible nightmare.

Then, realizing he was about to leave, I hugged him. Even though I was shaking and I looked pitiful like that... I couldn't let him go. It had been an unstoppable impulse but I wanted to free me from that weight making me sick since yesterday. I wanted to apologize, to fix things. But Seugmin had arrived before I could say anything.

Then, someone else had entered the infirmary...

I was sitting on the bed, not daring to look at my student after hugging him like that when my eyes met those of Seo Changbin, the only colleague I still hadn't met...

Instantly, I almost stopped breathing.

Him?

It was really him?!

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Hey, Jisung... That's a joke, right? Tell me that's a joke... 😨😨😨

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Damn it...

How was that possible?! Him?! Here? Was the world that small?!

Second after second, I stood motionless, eyes anchored in those of the sports teacher who, like me, seemed totally lost. None of us dared to speak, which made the situation even heavier, but also more suspicious...

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"Hmmm... What's wrong?" Seugmin asked, whose gaze went from him to me with perplexity. "Hey! Can you both hear me?"

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"Say something! You look like two former lovers who've just found each other!"

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Suddenly, as if he had just been slapped, Changbin turned towards him, blushing up to ears. At once, cold sweats running down my spine, I was praying for him to keep quiet, but it was too late... With panicked gestures, Changbin mixed up everything miserably. The more he spoke, the more I felt sucked into a black hole of shame and despair...

"No... No! Seugmie, I mean... it was a long time ago and..."

Oh god...

"Okayyyyyyy..." The male nurse said with a sudden animosity. "I remind you there's a student here!"

At the same time, as Changbin became red with shame, my whole body froze hearing Minho's voice, so harsh and indifferent it was almost cruel.

"Don't worry. I'm leaving." He said without looking at us. "I don't need more details."

The second he left the infirmary, Seugmin glanced at the sports teacher while I suddenly felt empty, as if I had been drained of all my strength.

"Well done Mr. Seo!" The male nurse applauded. "You'd better go talk to Minho before the whole highschool finds out about your love story!"

"It wasn't a love story!" My colleague gave me a contrite and desperate look. "I mean..."

"Get out!"

"Seugmie..."

"You know what, me neither I don't want more details! Then, go back to your class! And stop calling me that!"

Saying that, Seugmin had closed the door to a livid and distraught Changbin.

He had about the same expression as that morning in Malaysia, when we separated after that night which I couldn't remember, but during which I had slept with someone for the first time... with him... and now...

Now, Minho knew it...

Now, I had no hope of fixing things with him, or even that he would look at me as before. So, I tried not to cry, keeping silence while Seugmin, for an unknown reason, seemed as mad at Changbin as I was at myself...

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Several hours later...

At 7.30 pm, when I arrived at the small restaurant indicated in his message, I took a deep breath.

I was in a disastrous state. I didn't want anything except drinking to forget. That's why I had accepted his invitation. Moreover, we were colleagues now... It was better we talk, especially after what happened earlier.

Entering, I looked around before spotting Changbin sitting at the room back. Immediately, he waved his hand at me. I could read all the world desolation on his face.

"Hello..."

With a slight smile, I greeted him, sitting down in front of him. The place's atmosphere was warm, colorful, ideal for pouring out our joys or sorrows drinking like holes. When the waitress brought our beers, Changbin decided to break the awkward silence between us.

"Sorry..." He stammered, gaze lost in his glass. "I didn't want to expose our... well, what had happened between us that way but... I was so surprised..." He looked at me, deeply sorry. "I'm not good with words, especially when I'm anxious... And I expected everything, except to find you in my workplace... In fact, I didn't expect to see you again... I'm not even sure we said our names to each other that night..."

"We didn't..."

Slipping a nervous hand through his hair, he sighed as I took big sips. Soon enough, we found ourselves, as we had done two years ago, drinking like old time friends and telling our setbacks to each other. While we were nibbling and the alcohol was starting to make me feel hot, Changbin mumbled by chewing his words.

"You know, since... that night with you... I had a few affairs but then, I... I fell in love... I mean, really... I try to get closer to him, but I'm so unlucky..." He moved his glass with a sad gesture. "And you?"

Destabilized by his question, I hesitated before confessing.

"Nothing... since you..."

Instantly, he almost choked on his drink.

"What?! But... well... you're super cute... how it's possible?"

"I... I didn't want any more one-night stands..."

"I disgusted you?"

I had a slight laugh before shaking my head.

"Not at all... I just thought about what I really wanted..."

"Um... And you really don't have a crush for anyone?"

With a heavy heart, I smiled.

I couldn't help but think of that day I had followed him... the moment he had helped me in that alley... the moment spent with him and the little cat on the playground... how I had felt when he had rescued me in the storage room... then when I had hugged him a few hours earlier...

While all these memories were telescoping into my head, I poured myself another drink by biting my lips.

"No one." I replied, toasting again.

No one except Minho...

Hearing Changbin had spoken to him and he had promised to keep our secret, I wanted to cry but instead, I drank more. After a few more drinks, Changbin revealed to me he loved Seugmin and I instantly understood why he'd panicked so much in the infirmary.

"We fight all the time..." He complained, eyes almost closed, waving his glass slowly. "He says I'm an idiot but he's the one who makes me stupid... I'm clumsy... But I'm damn crazy about him..." He rubbed his eyelids. "You know, I shouldn't love him so much, but..."

"...but you can't help it." I completed, understanding perfectly how he felt because me too, whatever I did, I was constantly thinking of my neighbor...

My student...

My forbidden fruit...

While Changbin was calling the waitress again, I decided to drown my despair in another drink, preferring to smile stupidly instead of crying.

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It was almost 11:30 p.m. when I got out of the taxi that had taken me home. I was hot. So, the night cold air did me good. Leaving the restaurant, I had promised Changbin to talk to Seugmin to help him a little. Indeed, I really hoped his love affair would come true.

Changbin was a nice guy and I felt we could become good friends. Before I left, I had even almost told him about my situation, but I had retracted. I refused to put a name to what I felt about my student. I didn't want it to become something even more real. I was still hoping that was a temporary feeling and nothing more.

So, I hit my cheeks hard to stop thinking about that. They were burning and I was wobbling a little, but I wasn't totally drunk. I had sobered up a bit on the way home. Consequently, I immediately understood something had happened in my building seeing the ambulance and police car leaving.

Minho...

It wasn't rational, but seized by an insurmountable fear, I entered the building, running up the stairs like a madman, stumbling on my shoelaces twice, my heart beating like crazy, unable to wait for the elevator.

I was so worried I was banging on his door without worrying about the noise. I wanted to see him and the alcohol flowing through my veins amplified my urgency. I wanted to make sure he was okay. I was so afraid something bad had happened between him and his uncle it was driving me mad.

When the door opened and I saw him, his face and hair soaked as if he had just come out of shower, I was so relieved and bewitched I jumped into his arms.

"Minho..." I murmured smelling his perfume, sliding my nose into his wet neck's hollow. "Tell me you're all right..." Sniffling like a kid, I talked fast without stopping. "Forgive me, please... I never wanted to reject you... I never thought you could assault me..."

I didn't know if I would have another opportunity to be so close to him, so I said over and over again what was on my mind. Now, more than alcohol, it was the contact with his perfect body that made me feel hot.

"I didn't mean what I said..." I mumbled, so confused and uninhibited by drunkenness I spoke uncontrollably, eyes closed, imploring him like a baby. "I'm an idiot... I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry... Please tell me you forgive me... you don't hate me... that I'm your favorite..."

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"My what?"

The second he asked that, my heart almost stopped...

What the hell did I just say...?!

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Hello sweeties ! I hope you're well and this surprise publication makes you happy <3 I also hope you'll like this chapter ! Tell me what you think about it ! It makes me so happy to know your opinions ! Take care of yourself! :D Thank you !!! <3