CHAPTER ONE | 장

❝I KNOW I'VE BEEN ON
YOUR MIND LATELY.❞

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Today, Goo had some business to attend to and was busy for the whole day. He himself said that he wasn't sure when his free time would be again.

So, M/n spent his time getting more and more invested in his studies.

And on his way to the school cafeteria, he heard something that piqued his interest.

"I think I'm in love."

It's about love again. And this time, he can finally hear it from other people. Although it was wrong of him to eavesdrop, he was getting desperate to know what it was like.

"What?" The other friend replied.

"I feel my heart race whenever we make contact! It beats so loud that it goes like this." The girl motioned to her chest as it went up and down, gesturing her heart.

"So, when you love someone— your heart thumps uncontrollably?" M/n suddenly spoke up, making the two realize that he was listening in to their conversation.

"Huh? M/n L/n from the Computer department?"

The said male recognized her as Zoe from the fashion department, she was considerably popular for her looks— though, M/n didn't know her personally. And the friend she was talking to must be Mira.

"I apologize for listening in to your conversation." M/n bowed his head slightly before continuing, "I just can't help but listen to your idea of being in love."

Zoe was surprisingly calm by the situation. She had figured that M/n harmless and was simply curious— for some reason.

"Why is that?" Zoe soon connected the pieces together and looked with a teasing look on her face. "Are you perhaps confused with your feelings for someone?"

She had known M/n for quite some time now, having attended the same classes once. So far, she had known him for a year already, although they weren't close.

"It's not that." The male bluntly denied.

It was just that it never crossed his mind until he had met Goo. And now, he was just confused and rather curious. What if he has felt it before but was never able to identify it?

"Then, what are you curious about?" Mira helped Zoe, genuinely interested in what M/n had to say. The boy was known for only being interested in his studies, and hearing that he wanted to know what being in love is was something new.

"Well, you said your heart thumps uncontrollably around him, how does that work?"

Zoe had to stifle a laugh.

"Well," She eventually settled down. "For starters, when he holds my hand— my heart starts to warm and my face begins to heat up. There is this warm feeling in his touch and his hand feels nice against my own."

M/n listened intently.

"How about you, M/n? Have you held someone's hand before?" Zoe suddenly asked, making the male think back to the shameless thing he did a few days ago.

How can he forget that? He held someone's hand on that day and he came home 2 hours late, fortunately, his parents weren't home at that time. He knows how strict they can be, they don't want him to be distracted.

"I have." M/n admitted. "I think most of us have. That's an odd question, Zoe." He shrugged off, hiding the truth.

"I mean with a person who isn't just a friend and any relative."

M/n cleared his throat and stood up, bringing his tray with him. "Well, would you look at the time—" as he looked at his watch, expecting to see a clock that tells him the time, he saw Goo's face instead. The print was still there.

He had forgotten to switch his watch.

Cursing Goo under his breath, M/n turned away, attracting the two girls' curiosity.

"Huh? What's wrong? What time is it?" Zoe pried to see as M/n quickly retracted his arm behind his back.

"It's nothing."

"It sure isn't nothing if you look like you forgot something!"

"Why are you so interested anyway?" M/n hid his hand in his pockets, effectively hiding the watch as well.

"I just want to see the time!" Zoe argued, trying to get M/n to show what's wrong with his watch. With the way that he was acting, it was only natural of her to be curious. "Why are you even hiding it?"

"It's my clock. It's only for my eyes to see." M/n spoke defensively.

Zoe was dumbfounded.

"I have to finish my lunch before the bell rings. I'll see you later." M/n told before giving a nod to Mira who returned it politely.

Mira then turned to Zoe as M/n walked away. She was confused to see Zoe in a state of shock. Honestly worried, the female approached her friend and tapped her shoulder.

"Is there something wrong?"

Zoe shook her head as she picked her own tray as well. "It's nothing."

She didn't know if her eyes were playing tricks on her but she totally saw a picture of a blonde on M/n's watch. Though she didn't get to see the whole picture by how momentary it was.

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It was not long after dinner time had quickly approached.

Seeing as it was Friday and M/n didn't have any extra classes after school finished, he went straight home.

Seated on the dining table was the small family of three. M/n's parents didn't have a high-classed job, which is why they wanted their son to be successful on their stead. However, it occurred to them with how he was getting increasingly busier by each passing day.

Though they weren't there to witness it firsthand due to how their works were keeping them from going home early, it was still on their knowledge that he has been staying out even after curfew.

"How's your school, M/n?"

"It's fine. Still taking extra schoolwork for credit." He replied curtly, keeping his tone in the most polite way possible.

"Are you taking extra time at your cram school as well? I've noticed you're staying out late lately."

"Unfortunately, yes." M/n lied, casually taking a spoon off his food as he didn't dare to look back as his parents' suspicious stares went straight through his head.

"Is that so. . ." They dropped it like that. M/n has never lied to them. Never.

"Second semester exams are approaching, I expect you to do well?" His father arched a brow.

"Yes." M/n replied firmly.

"Good. Failure is never an option."

"Now, M/n dear, what do you plan to do after you graduate?" His mother brought up, reaching for a napkin to wipe the corner of her mouth. It was a long tiring day.

M/n thought about it. Although he has dreamed of traveling the world when he was younger, it all quickly changed as he was given a responsibility. Now, he wasn't even sure what he wanted for himself.

"Get into a prestigious University, first of all." M/n said what they wanted to hear.

"You'll be a doctor, won't you?"

"A lawyer sounds nice too. I can finally brag to my work-mate who has a son that is studying to be a Teacher."

"Well, I'll see what having taken Computer as a Department would bring me." M/n cleared his throat, keeping on his best behavior.

"Whatever Department you've taken doesn't matter as long as you take a degree relevant to your job." His mother informed, waving her hand dismissively as they went on about what he should be when he was older.

It was normal in this household to have your life controlled. Although they weren't as overbearing as today, his parents still went into an argument— a screaming match on the table, even when he was eating in front of them.

It was in times like this did he wish that he could escape into Goo's presence where he feels most at ease.