Chapter Text
2009 ; Seoul Seoun Middle School, 8th grade
The sounded of the bell rang as a sign that the last period for today had already ended. Mrs.Kim quickly finishes her last lesson for today, and like usual, she never forgets to give her students homework. All students in that class groaned because they already had science and mathematics homework and now historical. Sicheng started packing up his things into his school bag, getting ready to go home. Before that, he wrote the new task in his notebook even though he didn't know if he would do it or not.
He already planned what he wanted to do after school, such as getting ice cream at the convenience store. He heard about the new ice cream flavor that his classmates talked about, so he decided to try it. He likes ice cream and sweet stuff.
Other students from other classes walked in front of their class while chatting. The lobby in front of the class was crowded with students who wanted to use the stairs. Students cannot use the other stairs at the right of the block because those stairs are only for teachers. Not only in this block but the other blocks also students cannot use the right stairs.
Sicheng stands up while carrying his bag but stops abruptly. "Jaehyun, let's go eat something after this." He heard the girl named Jang Yoonsun tried to pursue Jaehyun to come with her. Everyone in that class knows about her crushes on Jaehyun. Yoonsun never gives up when it comes to winning Jung Jaehyun's heart.
It is also the same with Sicheng himself. He's been having a crush on that boy for a long time since they were six years old when they both went to the same kindergarten. Jung Jaehyun has been a cold type of person since he was a kid. He never really smiled at people and rarely talked with others. His cold personality makes it hard for him to get friends, so he always seems lonely, even though so many people tried to befriend him. He is the teachers' favorite student because they find him adorable. He is a top student too, such a perfect human being.
Sicheng didn't have many friends at that time even though he was quite easygoing and always looked happy but because of his poor appearance, people didn't want to be close to him. Also, he couldn't talk in Korean fluently back then. It is actually sad for getting judged when he was just a little kid by the other kid was cruel, but Sicheng doesn't really mind it, but luckily he isn't as lonely as Jaehyun. He got one friend named Namji Yoon, but when they were in 1st grade, they parted away. After that, he never heard again about Namji Yoon.
Jaehyun always tries his best when he is doing something. That habit has been within him since he was a kid. Sicheng remembers when the first time they learned how to count was when they were four years old. He saw how Jaehyun struggled to subtract and add, but the boy did his best until he mastered it, and now his mathematics result always comes first in their school. Even sometimes, he can point out their mathematics teacher's mistake when he teaches them in the class.
Jaehyun was so cute at that time. He was smaller than Sicheng, and even now, Sicheng is 173 cm meanwhile, Jaehyun is 167 cm. Even though they're not that far, the height is still quite obvious when they were standing beside each other for their class group photos last year.
The only thing that changes is that Jaehyun becomes more friendly with other people. He made many friends because of his popularity. Girls and boys want to be his friend. He often gets confessions from girls. That means it leaves Sicheng alone without any friends. Their classmates didn't even bother with his existence in the class but what made Sicheng shocked was when Jaehyun called his name and asked for his mathematics homework for him to submit to their mathematics teacher because he is their mathematics representative.
He was taken aback when his name came out from Jaehyun's mouth. He never thought that Jaehyun remembered his name or even knew him because they never talked to each other even though they had already seen each other for about ten years.
He remembered when he started to have feelings for the boy. He was six years old. The event is still vivid in his memory the day when he accidentally reads Jaehyun's card for his mother. It was the cutest and the purest thing he even knew coming out from Jaehyun himself. That day, their teacher asked them to make a card for mother's day to give to their mothers, so all students make their cards with their creativity. All kids looked so happy to give the card to their mothers.
Before Sicheng went back, he saw a soft blue card on the classroom floor. He picked it up and was mesmerized by the pretty cover. He was curious to see whose card it was, flipped the card open, and saw neatly handwritten wishes. Jaehyun wrote it using his basic Korean that Sicheng could understand. Jaehyun wished for his mother's happiness and prayed that his mother would not be sad anymore. He promised to study diligently to help his mother so that his mother didn't need to worry and could live in comfort. He will buy a lot of food for his mother when he grows up. He apologized if he became a burden to his mother and said that it must be hard to raise him alone without his dad, he also promised to grow up to be an amazing man like his dad and protect his mother. The latter was too touching and made him teared up and that day, he knew that Jaehyun only had his mother in his life.
Sicheng put the card under Jaehyun's table before he walked out of the classroom. After that event, he found himself looking at Jaehyun more than he knew.
"Uhm, I'm sorry but I need to finish all the homework that teachers gave us today." Jaehyun refused politely like usual. It's been nine times Jang Yoonsun asked him to eat with her after school hours and it's been nine times Jaehyun rejected her invitation.
"Wah, Jang Yoonsun is so shameless. How can she keep asking Jaehyun to go out with her when Jaehyun shows zero interest in her?" Kim Haena whispered sarcastically to her friend. It's not whispered when Sicheng also could hear what she said.
Yoonsun breathes in and out trying to calm herself down not wanting to burst right there and then. She flashed a smile to Jaehyun and said, "It's okay, maybe next time. Take care Jaehyun-ah." She said before walking straight out of the class with her pink backpack. Sicheng sits back on his chair after that. He thought about whether he wanted to stay too or not. He wanted to buy the new ice cream but if he stays, he can be with Jaehyun alone. The thought about him and Jaehyun being alone makes him blush.
He stole a glance and saw Jaehyun focused on his exercise book. Nothing new just Jaehyun in his element. The right hand is writing something on the book while the other hand is counting something on the calculator. He sighed. I can get ice cream anytime but being alone with Jaehyun is a rare opportunity. He thought before he took out his homework from his bag.
The textbook for the historical class is so thick. He doesn't understand why there are some people that like history. He flipped open the textbook as his reference to write his answer. Luckily Mrs. Kim only gave them two questions to answer but it still takes him some time because he doesn't remember what chapter he learned from.
The classroom was so silent only the sounds of their pens and Jaehyun calculator were heard. Sicheng opened his other book to finish his homework. He left mathematics as the last subject that he wanted to touch. He hates mathematics more than he hates history. If historical is too many words, mathematics is too many numbers. He did his science homework in silence. He settled his science homework and now finally his 'favorite' subject. He sighed out loud.
He looked up to look Jaehyun at his place at the front but he saw the boy is looking straight at him. He startled and quickly avoided eye contact. Since when Jaehyun had been looking at him? He felt his heart beating faster and faster.
"Dong Sicheng since when you're here?" asked Jaehyun while smiling, his pretty dimples on display. Sicheng was too surprised to respond when he heard the boy say his full name. It's the second time Jaehyun called his name.
"Aa..aa.. aa I-I had been here since the last period end." He knew that he sounded stupid right now but he couldn't do anything. His face turned red and his palms were sweating. Why am I acting like a little girl right now? He scolded himself.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I don't realize that you're here too because I'm too focused on my work. Do you need any help? I heard you sighed before," Sicheng mentally scolded himself. Did I sigh that loud?
"Uhm, it j-just I want to do math but I think I cannot do it. My brain not working." He said. I'm not a genius like you Jung Jaehyun. Out of the blue Jaehyun stood up and walked to his place making Sicheng's adrenaline activated.
"Math? Let me see, I think I can help you." Jaehyun showed his normal emotionless face making Sicheng feels uneasy. He thought did he just becomes a nuisance to Jaehyun, it made him feel dumb. "No, no, no I'm okay. I don't want to bother you. I mean, you also have your work to do."
"I'm fine. I have already finished my homework." Jaehyun smiled and a pair of dimples appeared. He looked so soft that Sicheng could not contain himself. He wanted to squeeze his cheeks but stopped imagining it when he realized that Jaehyun was looking straight into his soul. Sicheng quickly avoided eye contact.
Jaehyun might look cold but he's too adorable in contrast to his personality, he is very cute. He has fair skin, fat cheeks that always blush when he is shy, his dimples that appear every time he smiles. He looked lovable and that's why people love him.
Sicheng and Jaehyun don't have similarities. Sicheng is not that good-looking, wears big and thick glasses, and wears braces.
That day Jaehyun taught him math and until Sicheng can understand what he had been clueless about all these times. They walked back home together and they also went to the nearest convenience store to buy the new ice cream and what make it more interesting is that Jaehyun was the one who suggested they go buy it. Jaehyun even walked him to his home making Sicheng's heart flutters all along the walk to his home.
Jaehyun home is 500 meters from his house so it's okay for them to walk home together because they use the same way.
Starting from that day, he and Jaehyun became closer with each other. The next day they even when to the cafeteria together, walked home together, and became friends. The next year both of them became table mates and best friends. People at school started to realize Sicheng existence.
2010 ; Seoul Seoun Middle School, 9th grade
Sicheng dropped his head slowly on the table and closed his eyes. He's too tired to do anything because he had been studying for the past 2 weeks every night. He felt like he couldn't function his brain anymore and he needed to take a rest.
"Jaehyun, please wake me up when the teacher comes in. I want to take a quick nap." Said Sicheng, he planted his face on the table.
"Alright. Don't worry, isn't that my job all this time?" Jaehyun teased him making the boy leave a soft groan trying to sound annoyed when he was not. How can he be mad with his Jaehyun?
"Jaehyun, which high school do you want to attend next year?" Asked Jang Yoonsun. How can they be classmates for three years straight that was insane? She's still trying to get Jaehyun attention even when Jaehyun clearly showed that he is not interested in her and never would.
"SOPA," Jaehyun replied after he thought for a long time. The answer makes Sicheng surprised. The other students that heard Jaehyun's reply were also surprised. Sicheng never thought that Jaehyun who showed no interest in acting, dancing, or becoming someone in that type of field, wanted to go to art school.
The boy always gets excellent results in Science, Mathematics, and all subjects so he thought that Jaehyun would want to be a Doctor. The typical dream job for every top student. Sicheng on the other hand, wanted to go to SOPA because he's too tired to study something like this. It's not that if he goes to SOPA he didn't need to study Science and Mathematics but it is better because the school main focus is arts. He has liked dancing since he was little.
"It's so unexpected," Yoonsun said. She felt sad because she wanted to go to regular school but Jaehyun sounded firm about his choice.
"You want to be an actor?" asked Hyeonguk the boy who is their class president.
"No," Jaehyun answered simply.
"You want to be a singer?" Yoonsun guesses but Jaehyun just shakes his head. If he doesn't want to be an actor and singer, that only means...wait.... what???
"Jung Jaehyun you want to be a dancer?" Sicheng sounded so surprised he looked at Jaehyun with big eyes. Jaehyun chuckled. "Why? Do you think you're the only one who can be a dancer in this class?" Jaehyun chuckled. Sicheng looked so innocent to be real when he still looked at Jaehyun with curiosity.
"Sicheng want to be a dancer?" said Yoonsun. She looked at Sicheng from head to toe judging him so hard, making Sicheng uncomfortable. Nice, someone just tried to say that he cannot be a dancer. Sicheng ignored Yoonsun like he always did and put his head back on the table.
Is this mean that I still will meet Jaehyun for the next three years? He tried to control the smile that appeared on his mouth with his arm. Sicheng stole a glance at Jaehyun, the boy looked calm like usual with a pair of dimples resting on his fluffy cheeks.
"You know, I guarantee that you will get a lot of love call from the big three company. With your visual, they surely with take you especially SM entertainment." Hyeonguk said. Jaehyun just smiled. He never thought about becoming an idol but for him, the idol life is not a human life, they're in public attention for 24 hours seven days a week.
"Sicheng, let's go grab ice cream before we go home today," Jaehyun smiled at him.
"You know, before we become close, I never know you like eating sweet stuff." Sicheng said.
Jaehyun grinned at him.
He hates it that after all those years, that smile still gives him some feel but not in a bad way, he is just nervous that he will overreact and make Jaehyun know his true feelings for him. He shut his eyes close before he hummed as a sign that he agreed with Jaehyun's idea.
How can he be in love with this boy for almost eight years and still counting? How long will he last until he finally wakes up from his long dream that he and Jaehyun can never be together? Maybe yes for just a friend but nothing more than that.
He knew that in the end, he would be the one who hurt but he could not do anything about his feelings for him. If Jaehyun knew about his true feelings, he must feel disgusted and left him alone. He is hopelessly in love with Jung Jaehyun.