beyOnd

Chapter Two

“Thank you, sir,” Wook-jin said with that bright smile of his. Optimistic steps had slowly approached me, one foot being laid out in front of the other as his feet whisper against the floor. His fingers, so strong with veins bulking out his pale, blemish-less skin, grasped the end of my neighboring chair, which seemed to have hesitated to come out from underneath the hard wooden table. He slid the chair out and rested himself into his seat, a deep breath exhaled deeply from his mouth.

Coal grey eyes seeming to have been lost in his own thought, having no absolute direction of an appropriate area to look at. They seemed glued to only one specific place, perhaps the black board that wasn’t actually black, but more rather olive.

He looked at me with that warm smile and gives me a tiny wave. “Hi!” a deep voice full of glee spoke. “You must be Yongsoo, right?”

“A-ah…yes, that’s me,” I muttered. It was unmistakable that he knew. Unmistakable that I was tense, nervous, unprepared. Body frozen and still in time, unable to twitch nor move a limb. Cheeks remained flushed, lips chapped yet dry.

“Well…as the teacher said,” he started. “I am Wook-jin!” Eyes stunned with this man’s beauty, and heart thumping against my ribs like never before. Feelings remained unknown, nonetheless still seeming familiar. My mind wandered off someplace else, not seeming to reach this reality I live in.

“Y-Yongsoo?” he asked, waving a hand in front if my eyes. s**t, I thought. My thoughts completely caught me off guard.

“Ah, yes?” I ask, suddenly getting back into my senses.

“Did you hear what I said?”

“Oh um…” I stuttered a bit. The words in my mind hadn’t seemed to reach my throat, like I’m speechless. All that’d seemed to speak was my heart that could barely even be heard within the noise of my homeroom class.

“Okay, so I asked if you could tour me around after school so that I could know where I was going…but you didn’t seem to be listening…” he explained.

“Ah, sorry about that…” I apologized. “I was just caught up with some…homework!”

“Oh, that’s completely alright! Anyway…can you tour me around after school?” he suggested.

“My pleasure,” I say, coyly smiles playing on my lips. God…I would be touring him around after school…Who would’ve ever thought I would? Me? Touring the hot new kid around the school? That would just seem impossible. This really might be a dream, I thought.

. . .

Minutes more than 20 had passed by since the end of school, with me sat on seats made of rock and stone (and additional cement, but that shall be forgotten for now.) Gazing up at a sun-setting sky, my eyes seemed to have been caught on the little birds who flew by so freely, so carelessly. Dazed hands reach for my bag, and I drew out a sketchbook and pencil. The beauty of it was so unmistakable, any one would distinguish it, indeed.

Every bit of the picture was already planned in my head; the way the trees were angled, how the buildings would be shaded, and how I would want to make the birds fly. While I’d been in the middle of drawing a tiny tree in my tiny little sketch, a touch so gentle had rested on my shoulder, fingertips whispering against my shoulder pad of my blazer.

I turned around and saw Wook-jin right behind me. Again, he was giving me that one bright smile that he always would do, and he waved at me like how he did when we first met in the classroom.

“Hello!” he exclaimed. Of course it would’ve gotten my heart racing. I didn’t even know what to say. It was like all the words were just taken out of my mouth. What is this feeling? I thought.

“Oh, hey,” I muttered, still managing to put up a smile on my face. As we stood close, he took a peek on to what I was drawing.

“What’s that?” he asked, his voice full of interest.

“It’s just a drawing…” I quietly said. I then turned the sketch book around so it could face him. He laid those strong hands against the edges of my book, closely observing the lines of graphite I’d been drawing. With a finger, he meticulously traced over those very lines of graphite, those coal grey eyes completely glued to my picture.

“Wow…” I hear him mutter to himself. “You’re really good at drawing! Can you teach me sometime?”

“Yeah, sure,” I timidly spoke. Again, he looks back at the drawing and holds it up to the view in front of him, comparing each detail to the real world.

“It looks exactly the same!” he exclaimed the more he looked at it. He then turns back to me and hands my book back. “Here,” he said as he offered my book back. “Shall we go back inside now?”

“Yeah, sure,” I said as I took my drawing back.

. . .

With every step we both took through the deep, sunlit halls of our school, my heart seemed to have been full of gratitude and glee. My breaths felt light and airy, not a single worry seeming to run through my mind. I couldn’t see any problem that faced me, like I was blind, like my brain hadn’t been working.

I genuinely felt protected; happy, almost.

His smile every time we’d stride into a hall we’d already went into, how he would be so absolutely clueless of my directions, how those beautiful coal grey eyes would rest on mine with an inquisitive gaze, seeming as though he just wanted to know more and more, unable to ever be halted.

This feeling was still irresolute, however an idea still managed to pop up in my mind. I believe I might have grown feelings for him. I know it must seem so absolutely wrong to love somebody you had meet no less than a day ago, but could it possibly be helped?

With such beauty and personality like his, it would be undoubtedly thought that one would fall for him. It might just be me who thinks this, obviously. Not everyone in this world is bi like me.

“Then finally,” I said. “we have the art hall, my personal favorite.” Slowly, I push the handle down and open the door to the art hall, where heaps of canvases filled the room, all held up with easels. Sketches and paintings lined the walls behind the teacher’s desk, and there were spray bottles filled with water next to the windows.

“I always came here when I was feeling down,” I spoke. “This was basically my safe spot in the entire school. Some of my drawings are even up on the wall.” I then point to a sketch which was on a frame right next to the teacher’s desk. It was a sketch of the school…at least the front grounds of it.

Wook-jin gazed at the wall with awe, looking through drawings that he didn’t even know was mine. “Man…” he uttered to himself. “You’re really good at drawing! Now I’m even more eager to join art sessions.”

“We do have art club on Thursdays if you’re interested,” I suggested.

“Oh, I would love to!” he exclaimed. “Where can I get the entries?”

“A member just left, so now there’s an extra space for you to join. I’ll print out a form for you when I get home.”

“Thank you so much!! You really don’t have to though…” I then lay a hand on his shoulder.

“If it’s what you want to do,” I start. “then I’ll help you do it. You’re still new, and I want you to experience these things on your first weeks here. So don’t feel sorry for me, since I insist on helping you with this.” A small smile then plays on his lips, and his pitiful expression immediately changes.

“Thank you,” he said warmly.

“My pleasure,” I smile back. And we just stood there, not even uttering a word. Our eyes rested upon one another’s for the whole time, not ever able to let go of that gaze. Coal grey eyes looking right into mine with such unforgettable intent that once again, I stand there, limbs frozen and completely unable to move. I wish I’d never have to leave that gaze.

Is it just so possible I could stare at him for ever?