C-41
I get off the bus stop and walk to our house absentmindedly. I don't know what to feel after finally watching the project that my groupmates were very secretive of.
Should I be sad or should I be happy? Does he really think of me that way? What if he just ran out of footage to put in?
"Ow!"
I rub my nose when I bump into someone.
"Why are you walking around with that sulky face?"
"Why do you always appear out of nowhere?"
"Your cousin invited us over. Stop that suspicious look." Jungwoo chuckles.
"He's already home?"
"He just told me and the guys to come." He stares at my hair. "Your fringe is back, huh?"
"I don't know what I was thinking. Do I look different now?"
"You're still the same..." He smiles. "You suit any haircut."
"Oh... Thanks." I continue walking when I feel my cheeks warming up.
Jungwoo and I walk side by side to the house. He opens the door and heads to another hallway to put his shoes away. I enter first only to find Kun facepalming as Ten meditates to a pop song.
"Come on, Kun!" Ten urges him, but a throw pillow smacks his face that causes him to stop.
"Can you all act normal for once?" My cousin sighs whilst placing the snacks on the table.
"We're just excited. It's been so long since you last invited us over," Kun says.
Yuta's face softens as he flops on the sofa.
"Well, the parents aren't home so I took the opportunity," he starts. "I realised that I'm being too doubtful about all of you. I know everyone makes mistakes, even me, so it's not right to stop you all from being friends."
"We obeyed you for almost four years. That's an awfully long time!" Ten whines. "Do you know how hard it is knowing that the person you really want to talk to is right there but we can't just cross that invisible line and do it? It's so sad seeing our friend be friendless."
"I know... Everything seems fine now and Jungwoo is less childish than before so I'm trusting you guys again. Just don't let history repeat itself." My cousin glares at Ten before continuing. "Friendless, you say? Only if you didn't scare all of the potential friends away!"
"It was Jungwoo's idea! We just don't want those bad kids hanging around!" Ten defends himself.
"Those 'bad kids' ditched when they were supposed to do a group reporting because you threatened them not to be freeloaders." He sighs. "Now tell me, what good did that do? They did the exact opposite, so a group project turned into a one-student effort who stayed up all night to finish everything."
They all exchange sheepish smiles and it gets silent before Jungwoo breaks it, coming back and already wearing an inside slipper.
"You all really talk too much."
My cousin's eyes widen when he sees us at the doorway.
"When did you get here? How long were you standing there?"
"Not that long," I say as I finally finish arranging my stuff, now able to hear them properly. "Who were you talking about?"
"N-Nothing!" Ten laughs and waves his hand back and forth. "Can we eat now? I'm kinda starving after our long practice."
"Ok--"
Before I could reply, everyone already reached out for the snacks. Kun shakes his head at the mess that the guys created but eventually joins in.
"Try this." Kun hands me a fruit bowl. I mutter a small thanks as I accept it.
"This one's better." Ten takes the fruit bowl from me and hands me a cookie.
"Hey, don't take her food away." Kun swats Ten's hand but he fights back.
It doesn't take long before their petty fight ends in a brawling mess on the floor. I can't help but laugh because they look funny pinning each other down.
I get up from the sofa to get some water in the kitchen when I accidentally trip over their tangled feet.
"Ow!"
I cringe when my head bumps on the floor. Jungwoo immediately helps me up and steadies me as I stagger. It's a good thing it's carpeted!
"Are you alright, Y/n?" he asks with concern. "Did you hit your head?"
"I'm just a little dizzy." I shut my eyes hard before opening it, my vision blurring.
"Where's your glasses?"
My eyebrows furrow at his question.
"Are you alright?!" His eyes were wide with concern. "Did you hit your head? Where's your glasses?"
"I'm fine, just a little blind."
He helped me up from the ground and wiped my bleeding knee with his hand. He crouched down in front of me and I immediately hopped on.
"Y/n?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I don't wear glasses anymore." I feel my cheeks heat up and I frown at Yuta. "You shouldn't have shown them those childhood photos."
"Of course..." Jungwoo looks away.
My cousin makes me sit down and gets the water himself. I gulp down the entire glass.
"Stop it, you menaces. Look at what you did to Y/n." Yuta sighs. "Weren't you just trying to be zen earlier?"
"We're sorry, S--"
Yuta squints his eyes at Ten.
"--So sorry."
"It was just an accident and it's pretty funny. You two went so fast from being zen to wrestling." I giggle, and then gasp. "Wait, that even sounds like your name! Zen-Ten."
I try to joke to lift their moods but they all turn silent instead. For some reason, Ten looks really sad.
"I'm sorry for the bad joke..." I puff my cheeks in embarrassment.
"No, it's not that. We just all agree that nothing is zen about Ten." Kun chuckles and raises his hand to ruffle my hair. His eyes widen and immediately retreats. "I didn't mean..."
"It's okay. You're my cousin's friends so we're all friends now too. Right?" I look at Yuta and he nods with a soft smile.
With that, the atmosphere lightens and everyone goes back to their playful selves. I don't know why they all look so happy about it. It's just me.
"Here you go." Jungwoo sits beside me and offers me ice cream. "So we're friends now?"
"Friends." I hold up my cone and lightly tap it to his. "Thanks for this."
He looks surprised for a moment, blinking at me with his cheeks turning red, then he smiles from ear to ear.
"Welcome, Y/n."
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"After a concussion, the intoxicated neurons in your brain are really fragile which could lead to a post-traumatic amnesia. Dissociative amnesias are caused by psychological trauma as a defence to detach from distressing events from the past..."
Today's Science lesson is about the brain, which is ironic because mine isn't processing whatever the teacher is saying. My brain always fails me whenever I need it to function so it's nothing new.
"Diaschisis has been linked to an imbalance in brain chemistry, specifically in the acetylcholine which helps regulate signalling in the brain..."
I try my best to scribble the details on my notebook as the teacher speaks so fast without a stop.
"As the brain tissue heals, some of those moments can start to come back, but they might never remember the moments just before their injury. Individuals might create false memories called confabulations..."
Why are we even learning this? There are so many technical terms!
I massage my hand for a moment because it's starting to hurt from writing too much. I've been studying for the past week, like real studying, that's why my mind and hand are all sore. I try to keep myself busy as much as possible.
"Moon Y/n!"
I almost fall from my seat when she calls my name out loud.
"Care to share with us what you're thinking about that you're not paying attention?" She raises her eyebrow at me.
"Eh? I was writing--"
"What did I just discuss? Answer me, now!" She points her stick to me with her death glare. "You don't know, huh? Which amnesia do you have, retrograde or anterograde?"
My knees slightly wobble as I stand up. I feel my face burning when my classmates look at me with pity. I get it, I'm the victim for today.
Aside from Mr. Ho, we also dislike Ms. Bi because she picks on students when they're just minding their business. She thinks that all the attention should be on her every lecture. That means all eyes in front. How can I pass when I don't have notes to review? She doesn't even give soft copies. She gives us unreasonably high deductions even when we pass our assignments and projects on time and even when we perfect a quiz or exam just because the paper got slightly crumpled at the edge. Mr. Ho is better than her if I think about it.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Bi."
"What will your sorry do? You interrupted my class! Stand up until the end of my subject."
I look at her dumbfounded. I didn't even do anything!
Just then, my seatmate stands up as well.
"What is it, Lee? Do you know the answer?"
"No."
"Then why did you stand up?"
He yawns and stretches his arms. "Because I don't know the answer."
I look at Minho confusedly. What is he doing?
"I don't have time for your nonsense, sit down!" She looks pissed with gritted teeth.
Minho smirks. "That's so ironic."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You tell me. Weren't you being the all-knowing teacher just earlier?"
I cover my mouth at what he said. My other classmates also look at him with shock and anticipation.
"W-What?"
"W-W-What?" Minho scoffs. "Now you don't know? Go ask Seungmin right there. Maybe he'd tell you the answer."
The class all gasps in amazement with Felix being the loudest.
"Oi, Seungmin. Minho-hyung thinks Ms. Bi needs your help." Felix snickers.
Seungmin sighs and raises his hand. "Retrograde amnesia is--"
"That's not what I meant!" Ms. Bi's face is now red.
"Pardon." Seungmin clears his throat. "Anterograde amnesia--"
"Stop!"
"Now you don't want the answer?" Minho shakes his head. "What kind of teacher are you? I might have to inform Mr. Seo to check on his staff. Thanks for giving me a topic for the family dinner with the Seos later."
Ms. Bi's red face is now completely white. Her mouth opens and closes like a fish as she looks between me and my seatmate.
"Anything to say?" Minho tilts his head, his playful smile now gone.
"M-Moon, you may now sit..." She gulps as she gathers her things. "Don't worry about the final exam. E-Everyone seems to not need it so you all passed. C-C-Class is over for today." And then Ms. Bi hurriedly exits the room.
The whole class is left stunned for a few seconds, until Felix claps and everyone follows. "Everyone, say thanks to Y/n!"
"Wait, what?"
"Thank you, Y/n!"
My classmates are all cheering and jumping around because there's no more finals for Science. I turn to the source of all this celebration only to see Minho walking away. I don't know whether to laugh or be concerned because some of our classmates are bowing to him like he's a god as he walks past.
The room is so loud, but my fast heartbeat is all I can hear as I watch Minho disappear down the hallway.
Why would he do that? I don't like to assume things, but I can't help expecting more at the end.
Minho, please stop making me feel like you care because my heart is too frail.
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I cover my face when I spot Chan and Changbin descending from the rooftop.
"Not so fast, Y/n."
I sigh when they are suddenly in front of me. "What are you doing here?"
They look at me intently as if trying to read what's on my mind. To be honest, I don't know either. It's so messy there.
"We visited Minho who just ignored us and slept."
"Just let me go, please?"
"Not until you tell us what's wrong," Chan says as he opens his arms wide to stop me from passing. "Did you two fight?"
"You're so nosy." Changbin sighs. "Are you okay, Y/n?"
I nod but he just scoffs and points to my face.
"You're a bad liar."
"Fine..." I look away. "We fought, but I don't want to talk about it because it'll only make me sadder. Just let me go, okay? It was nice meeting you all. I hope I didn't annoy you too much."
They look at each other with wide eyes.
"You don't think we're gonna side with him on this, right? He probably did something that made you upset. That guy, really. You're like our baby sister! And what?! He called you annoying?!"
Changbin just shakes his head at Chan who looks livid. "Don't add up to their problem."
Chan scratches his nape with a sheepish grin. "Y/n, can't you just forgive him? It's his first time being in a relationship so he doesn't really know how to act properly."
"He's the one who doesn't want me and I can't do anything. I'll just end up hurting more if I keep on pushing myself to him."
"That dude is unbelievable." Changbin groans. "He keeps on saying the opposite stuff, and the worst part is he's back to his old self again."
"Don't worry, I think I know what to do with his tsundere ass." The oldest pats my shoulder reassuringly.
Changbin raises his eyebrow. "And what brilliant plan is this?"
Chan smirks. "Let's provoke him a little."
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Stay~
Remember that talking back to elders is not cool in real life. Always be respectful unless they absolutely do not deserve it, then you can unleash your inner Minho.