that boy | hwang hyunjin | ✔

Chapter 35

It's enough, too much.

I can't take it anymore.

It's torment for the brain. The human mind can only stay idle for so long and I'm afraid I'm reaching my limits.

There's only one thing I can do; listening to the everlasting silence. And the silence is deafening. There's not a sound to be heard, apart from the soft breaths from Felix and Hyunjin, the faint chirps coming from the few birds outside and the soft hum from the calefaction device inside the classroom.

But those sounds are by far not enough to fight the silence.

The urge to just start talking is strong, but that's out of the question. The teacher sitting behind his desk in front of the classroom is unknown to me, but his stern looks tell me he doesn't take any bullshit and that keeps me from trying anything stupid.

Even with my head resting on my arms and my eyes closed, I feel his burning eyes watching us intently, most likely ready to scold us as soon as we do anything he doesn't like.

That guy is scary, let me tell you.

The minutes pass by agonizingly slow, the clock on the wall pestering us with its inaudible ticking. The minutes that pass by feel like they're ten times longer than they actually are. Maybe time really is altered inside of the detention room, as many students claim.

I've only had detention once before, in my freshman year, because someone claimed I stole her homework. I remember how terrible it was, but at least I had some homework to do back then. This time, it's even worse.

Hyunjin, who is sitting a few tables next to me, lets out a huge yawn and I soon follow his example, not even bothering to cover my mouth.

The boy looks just as bored as I am. Wiggling his legs in a rhythm that is unknown to me, his eyes fluttering close every now and then as if he's dozing off. Sometimes he heaves out a heavy sigh, switching between arms he lets his head rest on.

Felix, on the other hand, is sleeping soundly and shamelessly, his head resting on his arms and probably snoring softly. Part of me fears that this will only get him another hour of detention, but the teacher doesn't seem to notice or he simply doesn't care.

At least he isn't yelling at him yet, something that really surprises me after judging him as a strict and scary teacher that would get mad over the smallest thing.

I heave out another sigh while slowly stretching my arms for the umpteenth time. But this time, Hyunjin looks up, breaking away from his staredown with the table. His dull eyes light up when they meet mine and his lips form a friendly smile. I find myself smiling back at him immediately before staring down at my desk again, weirded out by the embarrassment that came with that little eye contact.

I see Hyunjin shift in his chair from my peripheral vision, leaning back into his chair to sit more comfortable for as far that's possible. Usually, I would embrace every distraction that would occur in a dull situation as this. But that boy has always been a special case and now isn't any different. The distraction he causes feels weird and I'm not sure whether it's a good thing or not.

Instead, I glance over at the clock on the wall and relief washes over me as I realize that it's only five minutes before we can leave this place and finally head home. On the other hand, those last five minutes will feel like an eternity now, mark my words.

A low grunt from the other side of the classroom announces the awakening of Felix and I look up just in time to see him yawning shamelessly. He groggily looks around the classroom but freezes when he finds the teacher looking at him.

It's almost funny how scared my best friend looks, and how quickly his expression turns to relieved when the bell finally rings. I share his sense of relief as I shove my chair backward, creating a loud scraping sound that immediately turns the teacher's attention to me.

Before he can say anything, I rush outside the classroom, hastily greeting the man on my way out. I'm not even waiting for the others to pack their stuff. I've been inside that classroom for long enough and that teacher only is enough motivation to never get detention ever again.

I keep walking until I feel like I've distanced myself from that cursed classroom enough. Then I come to a halt and casually lean against a wall, waiting for the boys to leave the classroom. For a moment, I'm worried that they did something stupid after I left and they got another hour of detention. But then they appear in the hallway, all good and well.

"I'm so done," Felix complains as soon as they reach me. "That was terrible."

"You were sleeping the entire time, dimwit," Hyunjin scolds. "You have no right to complain."

Meanwhile, I'm just standing there until a loud guttural sound interrupts their bickering. My stomach had grumbled loudly and both the boys stop to look at me bewilderedly.

"Chaelin, did your stomach just make that dinosaur noise?" Felix asks, looking at me with concern written in his eyes.

"It did," I admit, trying my best to ignore the agonizing hollow feeling in my stomach. "I'm starving."

"We can go eat somewhere."

Hyunjin casually dropped the idea but it caused both me and Felix to look at him in shock, our mouths agape and eyes wide. In return, he looks at us with a questioning expression on his features, completely oblivious to why we react like this.

I mean, I don't know either. Going to eat somewhere with friends is rather normal, isn't it? Everyone does that at least once and most of the students here occupy the restaurants nearby at least once a week. Why am I so surprised?

Felix is the first one to recover from his amazement. He awkwardly scratches the back of his neck as he seems to overthink the suggestion. But his expression soon turns sullen.

"I have something else to do," he sighs. "But don't let that stop you two from going. I know by a chance that Chaelin is free so have fun together. Don't kill each other!"

Before we have time to process what's happening, Felix dashes off, leaving the two of us alone with our amazement for the second time this day. Really, what's it with that guy?

Hyunjin chuckles awkwardly, looking as if he thoroughly regrets his decision to even suggest this. Feeling bad for him, I just shrug as if it's nothing to me.

"Well, let's go and grab a bite then," I dryly remark, gaining a surprised look from the raven-haired boy next to me.

"You really want to?" he asks, doubt and uncertainty lacing his voice. Judging from our past, it's not strange.

"Yeah, sure." I try to sound as certain as possible, but I don't even know whether this is a good idea or not. I mean, me and Hyunjin together, just the two of us.

Well, we'll see, right?

--

I proudly present you; a chapter that's obviously a filler XD

Just curious, what do you imagine Chaelin to look like?