𝓈𝒾𝓃𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 ─── ˢˡᵒʷ ᵘᵖᵈᵃᵗᵉˢ

⁰². 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

''  ᵃˡᵒⁿᵉ ᵗᵒᵍᵉᵗʰᵉʳ ''

✧─✧──✧─────────────────────────────✧──✧─✧

On Tuesday, Sunoh chose to sit closer to the middle of the step. He was tensed as he waited for his classmate to come and join him, wondering what she would think and whether it was best for him to move back.

He felt like they had bonded yesterday after they took a moment to properly look at one another, but since they still hadn't exchanged a single word between them he began to wonder whether it was just his wishful thinking. He liked to think that they were closer now because they knew that both of them were in a similar emotional state to the other, but the more that he repeated this in his mind the less believable the idea became. 

Was he overthinking? Was it all in his head? Was he really the only one that felt this way?

The truth was, as much as Sunoh wanted to be alone, he didn't want to be lonely. When they had made eye contact yesterday, Sunoh had felt that his classmate wanted the same thing as him, and in that moment he had thought that maybe they could be alone together. That way neither of them would be lonely anymore.

What seemed like a perfectly good idea before slowly began to make less sense over time. The longer that Sunoh sat by himself, the more he overthought. Inevitably, his mind wandered to his ex-girlfriend.

This is probably why Jojo broke up with me, he thought miserably. She probably got tired of me doing everything on my own without asking her first.

Before the Hwang boy could move back to his original spot at his end of the step, his classmate appeared in his field of vision. He froze, tensing up as she paused her ascension of the concrete staircase when she was only a couple of steps away.

Sunoh held his breath.

She knows—she's noticed—oh god, she's noticed—can the ground swallow me up now?

But he was panicking for nothing, as it turned out. The girl made no comments as she climbed up the last few stairs before perching down on the top-most step of the outdoor staircase. 

Sunoh sat stiffly for a moment before risking a glance over at her. He noticed that she had mirrored him, still sitting at a distance away from him but now having moved closer to the middle of the step just as he had done.

The tension in his body melted away instantly.

It's okay, he thought as relief rushed through him, Everything's okay. She's fine with it—she doesn't mind. It's all okay.

The girl snuck a glance over at him while he was distracted by his thoughts, noticing the tension leaving his body as his posture relaxed. She relaxed, too.

Quickly looking away before he caught her staring at him, she decided to watch a group of friends skipping through the courtyard. As her attention left the boy sitting near her to focus on the girls of the group who were dancing for the boys, she found herself frowning. She envied their smiles. What she wouldn't give to be able to smile like that again ...

Sunoh glanced over at her again, then followed her line of sight to the group of friends laughing loudly about something in the courtyard. His lips curled into a scowl as he focused on the boys of the group who were watching the girls dance. He envied their laughter. What he wouldn't give to be able to laugh like that just one more time ...