I stepped outside from the tent once Yeji was done with her transformation. At once I could feel the piercing stares on me. I couldn't even look at them… I dared not.
I felt like finding a spot to bury myself, the worst part was I couldn't even wash if off as I had no idea what sort of trauma I'd have to go through in Yeji's hands.
It was bad as it was already, covered in shinny glitter that seemed to blind anyone if they came close. Anyone aside this annoying captain of course.
He seemed to be relishing every bit of this moment. Even now he walked towards me with a cup of bubble tea, he still had this smug grin on his face.
"Here," he placed the cup directly in my hand once I didn't make an attempt to accept it. "The tug of war starts by 10AM, we have just twenty minutes left." He said taking a sip from his drink.
It was more like an annoyingly loud slurp.
"Shouldn't you be preparing for your other activity?" I question irritatedly. Because of him, I have been unable to find Sensei.
He shrugs, "i have confidence in my skills, after all I've been preparing for this moment."
What a cocky, inconsiderate person.
He tuts passing his cup to a random student. "Help me dipose it."
He turns to me, "Come," he gestured with his hand. I stare blankly at him unmoving….no, I refused.
This person, even without giving them an inch, they'd take a yard. It was best to bluntly turn them down by being as uncooperative as possible.
He sighs and grab my hand pulling me with him. An alarmed yelp escape my lips as the cup drops from my hand it's content spilling on the floor, I tried fruitlessly to release myself from his surprisingly firm grip. "Don't be stubborn, it's just a picture. Don't make it look as if I'm harassing you or something."
That's exactly what you're doing! HARASSING ME!
He manoeuvered through the massive crowd that had begun marking their spot by the benches that surrounded the field that had been decorated with powdered chalk.
We arrived at the photo booth and without sparing me a moment to catch my breath, he pulls me in the cramped up space his hand finding it's way around my shoulder to keep me in a firm position. He positions the camera and grins foolishly at the camera.
Me? I tugged and pulled relentlessly from his hold but the more I pulled, the closer and firmer he held me.
What in the world was wrong with this guy?
"Smile….. there's no much time left."
The camera flashed at us taking a picture that turned out to be a very awkward one. He smiling like he'd won a one million lottery whereas I, a pissed look on my shinny face like I'd been violated in the worst way possible.
That was very true. "You've had your fill right? Let go of me."
He did, moving to reposition the camera, "just one more, Sehyun wasn't smiling in this one."
Like I'd agree, grabbing the opportunity, I took to my heels. If I stayed with him any longer I was going to lose it.
It was certain.
"Sehyun~ssi…. Wait up!"
I ran faster suddenly feeling grateful for all the relentless training. Maybe I was over hyped, maybe I was exhausted from how loud my day had been, I tripped over my step falling directly into the arms of the teacher infront of me.
Huh?
This scent and feel of this body was beyond familiar. "Sensei?"
His hands tightened slightly around me as he helped me regain balance. "Where did you run off to? I've looked all over for you." He sounded a bit angry.
I hesitated torn between relief and excitement. "Well I," I faltered, my cheeks burning as Sensei traced a thumb across my cheek. "How did you end up bathed in glitter?" he questioned the anger in his voice moments earlier replaced with amusement.
"It wasn't my idea…. I had no—"
"It was a ritual Sehyun had to pass through."
My heart thundered in my chest once Jaewook's crisp voice cut through my sentence. Why was he so relentless?
I half turned to look at him.
Sensei felt the sudden shift of atmosphere, his brows knotted together as he casted Jaewook a glare I could vaguely interpret as 'who the hell are you? When did you become so close to Sehyun?'
I didn't seem to be the only one who read his look.
"I'm the captain of the yellow team, Shim Jaewook, I and Sehyun just met a few hours ago. He's a very sweet kid. I was even surprised to find we were in the same year…." He gave Sensei a small nod out of courtesy.
"Sweet?" Sensei huffed lowly under his breath a dangerous edge to his word. Jaewook didn't seem have heard him as he continued giving me that usual goofy grin.
"It's rare for Sehyun to have friends," Sensei began in a more teacher like tone. "Really? I must be special then…. We even took a picture together." He waved the picture from earlier before Sensei.
"Special? Picture?" I could feel Sensei's burning gaze on me and I couldn't help but tense up.
The picture was taken without my consent, I didn't agree to it…
Then as if to further worsen matters, Jaewook grabbed my hand swiftly and seamlessly pulling me to his side. His hand dropping over my shoulder. I tensed up. My eyes darting towards Sensei.
He stared at Jaewook's hand on my shoulder as if wanting to chop it off from it's owner.
"We have to prepare for a tug of war, Teacher has to excuse us. Sehyun let's go." He gave one last nod to Sensei and pulled me away for the Nth time that day.
"Mr. Yoon doesn't keep cose relationships with students, how did you both become that close?" He asked casually as we walked back to the rest of the team.
I was becoming both fed up and exhausted to bother arguing with him. I was more bothered about how to clear up the obvious misunderstanding with Sensei.
"It just happened…"
Jaewook lets out a low hum. "I see, it's a bit upsetting though. I wish Sehyun was that close with me. It'd be nice."
"Right." I reply flatly my thoughts drifting with the wind.
"With both of you that close, aren't you afraid people might get a wrong idea?" He asked once more.
"Afraid? I'm past that stage…"
My step halts, I turn to look at him. "They are free to think whatever. What matters to me is how Sensei sees me."
I caught the surprise in his eyes. It was brief, I almost thought I had imagined it but it was there. I turned walking back to the rest of the team.
Like I said, I was to exhausted to bother with him.
**
"Let the war begin!" Our P.E teacher, yelled his voice cracking through the screeching megaphone he held to his mouth.
The match was between our team and red. They pulled relentlessly at the rope grunting loudly. I could hear cheer squad from both our teams chanting loudly. Each trying to out sing the other.
It was stuffy, our bodies pressed together, breath caught up somewhere between our ribs as we pulled back with matching vigor.
"Pull! We can't let them trample over us!" Jaewook shouted through gritted teeth. Despite his nonchalance earlier, he was pretty serious about this war… it was almost as if he were trying to prove something to someone.
I shouldn't be bothered about this right now…
My palm scrapped against the rope, my feet digging deeper into the sand, joints straining as I leaned my entire weight backwards. I might be injured but right now, winning mattered more.
It was really a war…. It was different from watching from the sidelines, I could feel the adrenaline pulsing through every vein in me as I pulled back as though my life depended on it.
The other team were holding up pretty well, they seemed to be made up of more bulkly teammates than we….
Wasn't this an improper combination?
Our side was being pulled forward towards border line between us, Jaewook let out another yell, "Shit! Pull back!"
I was sure he was trying everything to get his legs far from the line was he was I'm the first on the line.
We pulled again. Harder.
Perhaps the heavens seemed to take pity on me already frying in the scorching sun, perhaps Jaewook's fustrated screams of pull finally got the other team to let their guard down a little bit, the rope suddenly lurched our way.
We fell back on the sand our chest heaving with both relief and exhaustion. Yellow mini flags flew in the air triumphantly followed by the screams of our teammates.
We had won.
The realization placed a smile on my face before I even noticed it. Just as I managed to pull myself into a sitting position, a figure pushed forward throwing themselves into my arms.
"We won! Despite being smaller compared to those giants, we actually won!" Jaewook squealed excitedly holding me tighter.
This big baby!
A soft chuckle escaped my lips. "Mn, it was all thanks to your yells."