Dark Charm Chapter 4
Okay. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'm terribly busy with projects. I can't think well or wittingly under stress. I'm sorry if this chapter was a little boring because I had to introduce someone else. I did have to continue with that guy though since I already brought him in. Plus I really like him. Sorry if there is a little less of Kyuwook in this but just wait for the next chapter. Kyuhyun's becoming stronger! I needed to show another side to Kyuhyun. I didn't edit this so excuse any errors. I hope you enjoy. Please remember this is fictional so the facts about them aren't necssarily true. Enjoy I hope.
Title: Dark Charm
Chapter: 4
Pairings: Kyuwook, others (now)
He was going to trust him even if it took some time; he was going to trust him because he had worked hard for this.
Four
First period was always a pain to Ryeowook. He let himself endure, without sleeping, through that boring History class every morning. History had always been a bore to Ryeowook because he couldn’t really find the meaning behind it. It didn’t evoke any kind of emotion, other than boredom, out of him like Music did. It was unfortuanate but the boy knew if he fell asleep now, he wouldn’t be able to doze off in the even duller Economics class. However today, he remained quite awake and very stiff in his seat because of the new arrival.
It was that guy. Ryeowook began to reflect the two coincidences of when they had unluckily met. He was the one in the alley. The one who had shoved that stupid lighter in his face. Yet the most memorable one was being jabbed by him when Ryeowook took his little toy earlier. He rubbed the sore spot in his ribs when pondering of it. It still hurt a bit. His wound felt soft and raw but at least it would look all nice and purple.
When the first bell had rang, Ryeowook had been very happy and chirpy after his little chat with Kyuhyun. The leaves were pretty. The analogy was pretty. Kyuhyun is pretty. Of course, in a handsome way. With all of those factors, Ryeowook had left to his homeroom class in a delightful mood. However, the minute he stepped through the doorway and looked over at his seat. He froze at the enormous blob of dark energy being emitted next to his desk. Ryeowook couldn’t help but stare at the guy who had annoyed him this morning and wonder why must this guy always appear again to him.
A few of his classmates pushed him out of the way to get to their seats and this brought the stunned boy to reluctantly slip into his. Their desks were right next to each other. The classroom had been designed so that the desks were formed in pairs of two with fat aisles in between. Ryeowook felt uncomfortable sitting so close to the guy who had offended him in their second meeting.
Their teacher, Ms. Lim, had walked in with an unusually bright smile on her face. Ryeowook heard some sort of unnecessary femiminity drip from her voice. “Hello class. Today, we have a new student who just transferred here from Canada.”
The class was filled with whispers as they peered over at his desk partner. Ryeowook could hear them gossip about how cool it is to have a foreigner in the class. Some girls were giggling at how cute the boy appeared to be with his white complexion and beady eyes. Ryeowook had to admit that those dumpling or, better yet, mochi cheeks were quite appealing.
“Okay. Everyone, let’s hear him introduce himself.” Ms. Lim smiled warmly at the dark boy beside him.
“Hello. My name is Henry Lau. I came from Toronto. This is my first time being in Korea. This isn’t my first language so please understand if I have some difficulty. Thank you.”
The words came out rapidly from his mouth and he was sitting before people could blink. His voice was still low but not as gruff as it had been earlier. No, it was rather gentle and soft. Ryeowook actually liked his voice. He was kind of waiting for him to continue or say something else when whispers started travelling around the room again. It was something unappreciative about how short and, consequently, unfriendly his speech had sounded. Ryeowook’s eyes followed back to Henry who seemed undisturbed by the little commotions. He just stared down at the lighter on his desk.
“Oh! You’re done, dear? Everyone, be quiet please!” Henry gave a little nod at the disappointed woman. “If that’s the case, everyone please take out textbooks. We’ll be reading today.”
Ryeowook took his out from his backpack and flipped to the second chapter. He looked over at Henry’s desk and found it empty except for that lighter and a schedule. Ryeowook watched to see if Henry was going to retrieve his but realized that he didn’t even have a backpack or anything on him. There was a pencil sticking out from his uniform pocket but that was it.
“What are you looking at?”
“Hmmm…nothing.” Ryeowook squeaked and quickly brought his view back to Henry’s face. One annoyed eye was poking out from underneath his long black hair. Ryeowook made a mental note to stop looking at Henry.
“Can I share that with you?”
Ryeowook’s head had spun around to Henry had leaned forward looking over his shoulder at the History text in front of him. That soft looking cheek nearly brushed his shoulder. Ryeowook was slightly startled by this closeness and leaned to the side, wiggling a bit in the air when he nearly fell off his seat. He was lucky that he sat at the back so not many people would have seen that.
“So can I?” Henry’s voice was nice and low.
“Uhh… sure.”
So for the rest of the period, they shared textbooks and listened as the teacher read to them. However, Ryeowook couldn’t focus on anything related to the course. He was too conscious of Henry and their closeness. Henry’s cheek was just lingering beside the other’s shoulder. Ryeowook could feel himself tighten up every so often because Henry had a very adorable habit. He would puff his cheeks out from time to time. This caused a slight graze felt on Ryeowook’s shoulder. He could also hear Henry’s light breathing and he was concentrating on it too. The nervous boy was becoming more uncomfortable by the moment by the dangerous proximity of this boy.
The bell rang and Ryeowook nearly jumped from his seat. He quickly closed the textbook, nodded to Henry and walked out of class. His heart was exploding in his chest. Ryeowook concluded it was from his sudden outburst from the class. It didn’t help his heart when he saw Kyuhyun leaning so casually in front of his locker with a lazy kind of charm exuding from him. It didn’t help anymore when the handsome boy turned and gave him that smile of his.
“Hey.” Ryeowook said, still feeling a little breathless.
“Hey. I see that you’ve managed to stay very alert today. Normally, you’re yawning and crying your eyes out because of that.” Kyuhyun noticed the little distance Ryeowook kept between them. It was more than usual. There were a full four and a half lockers in between them. Normally it was only two and if Kyuhyun got lucky, it was one or less. He tried not to invade on Ryeowook’s personal space too much. His best friend had already lost part of his privacy because of the hole Kyuhyun had made.
“Yeah well, I guess I was able to focus today.” Ryeowook didn’t dare specify what or who he had been focusing on because that would not have led to a pretty conversation. Instead, he just played with a smile on his face to distract his best friend. It was a little awkward between them or at least to Ryeowook because of the elevator incident and the puffy cheeks. Ryeowook just felt like he had been touched awkwardly too many times today.
“You…” Kyuhyun kept his eyes on Ryeowook’s shy face. He noticed the slight discomfort Ryeowook was feeling. It was some kind of agitation but from who, he didn’t know. “…okay?”
“Yeah.”
He didn’t like it when Kyuhyun’s was worried about him. His best friend was better off grinning wickedly. So to prove his statement to Kyuhyun and himself, Ryeowook stepped to him with that shy smile on his face. And with each step, Kyuhyun grinned a litte more of Ryeowook’s favourite grin, the crooked one. Ryeowook took a step for every time Kyuhyun’s grin grew. Kyuhyun grinned a little more for every time Ryeowook stepped forward. They were always connected by little things like that. After three small steps, he had reached Kyuhyun and had to look up at him. He lifted up a thin finger and pointed it at Kyuhyun. And as he prodded his best friend’s chest, his voice had overlapped another’s producing a pleasant sound in Ryeowook’s opinion.
“Excuse me.” They had both said.
Ryeowook had spun around to find a puffy cheeked Henry standing dangerously close to him. It had been mostly his own fault because he had turned towards him but that face was adorable. They were around the same height which didn’t help because Ryeowook could see his face very clearly and it filled his view fully. He felt the desire to reach over with a hand pull on those bloated white cheeks.
“Excuse me.” He said again. Ryeowook was always making him repeat things.
“Ah! Sorry.”
And Ryeowook stepped backwards too quickly and forcefully, knocking both Kyuhyun and himself backwards. Ryeowook has a terrible sense of balance and this time because he pushed back on his heel too much. He was on his heels with his legs sliding forward as he was panicking like crazy. Fortunately, Ryeowook had forgotten that he a good friend who was reliable on most days and would protect him from a fall. Ryeowook felt two strong hands hold him behind his elbow and rest his head on his supporter’s strong body. He stared up and forward at an observing Henry with a slight hint of surprise in an eyebrow. He was screaming inside his head again, not knowing how to get out of this mess.
If he moved, he was surely to fall to the ground because he’d lose all the support that barely kept him still lingering in the air. If he didn’t move, he would look really stupid. Either way he would look like an idiot. However if Ryeowook chose the latter, he wouldn’t be hurt and looking stupid. He would just be stupid. So Ryeowook stayed in that position looking up at Henry, thoroughly embarrassed at the sight he presented. He waited for Kyuhyun to set him straight. Ryeowook thought unwillingly that his body were very comfortable though.
“You’re still in the way.” The nice, soft voice whispered to him. Henry’s eyes fell down to Ryeowook’s stupid feet that were still resting in front of the stupid locker.
He looked up at Kyuhyun with a pleading look, finding amusement burning in those playfully dark eyes. It took a second of intense pleading as Kyuhyun stared down, his soft looking hair falling down inches towards Ryeowook’s face. He really wanted to get out of this awkward position. So Kyuhyun surrendered with a sigh and pushed him forward back to his original position or a little further from the orginal position. Ryeowook stared wide eyed, mere inches from Henry’s similarly big ones. Yet, neither could really move away from that position. A push would have been devastating.
Fortuanately, Kyuhyun grew uncomfortable at their closeness and pulled on the back of Ryeowook’s uniform. Ryeowook imagined him glaring down at Henry as he felt cool hands touch his from behind, laying against his palms. He was chuckling at Kyuhyun’s sulkiness. It was cute.
“Thank you.” Henry breathed out before turning to open his locker. Ryeowook didn’t know what he was referring to but he didn’t wonder for long. The door swung open and frightened Ryeowook when it stopped a couple inches in front of his face. The boy who almost had heart failure many times cursed at the other inside his head.
“Who is this kid?” Kyuhyun whispered gruffly into Ryeowook’s ear. The back of his hands finding a closer fit to Ryeowook’s palms.
“Kyuhyun, the name guy and my classmate, Henli.” Ryeowook smiled warmly at the boy who had nearly kissed.
“It’s Henry.” He didn’t look up from his locker.
“Henli.”
“Henry.” Now he looked over at Ryeowook who had a big smile. It almost looked triumphant of something Kyuhyun didn’t yet understand or he hoped he didn't.
“Henli?” He looked a little confused now. One small hand slightly scratching his head.
“Hen…RY!”
“Henli?”
“No! It’s not “li”! It’s “RY”! Henry! Got that” Henry closed his locker and placed a fist roughly in front of locker. Ryeowook wasn’t frightened by his anger. It was a cute kind of childish anger.
“Hen…” Ryeowook noticed Henry intently waiting upon the next syllable. He gave a big smile before blurting it out. “…RY! Henli!”
“Henry! Henry! Henry!”
“Henli. Henli? Hen…li?” Ryeowook’s head tilted and eyes squeezed together at the last try.
“Oh my god.”
This went for a minute while Kyuhyun stood behind Ryeowook watching down at the two bicker about something as silly as this. He felt like he was watching two preschoolers argue. Ryeowook kept looking all excited and cute as he said the other’s name incorrectly. Henry was the stubborn angry kid yelling because of his pride over something so small. Kyuhyun looked down at the two of them watching Ryeowook happily chirp “Henli!” and Henry angrily correct him. For that while, Kyuhyun felt something he hadn’t really felt before. He felt disconnected from Ryeowook and had never seen his best talking so animatedly someone else. Ryeowook didn’t like talking to others. Ryeowook didn’t like anyone else. However, this sight in front of him made Kyuhyun feel insecure as he watched a genuinely smiling Ryeowook make his cute mistakes. That cuteness should only be reserved for him. It used to be all his.
Kyuhyun broke the conversation by pulling lightly on Ryeowook’s fingers. Perhaps it was out of desperation but it worked. His friend stopped mid sentence and silently looked down at the pressure put on his little fingers. Ryeowook wasn’t sure about what that had meant and looked over his shoulder. Ryeowook was surprised at the look on Kyuhyun’s face. He looked sad and uncomfortable. Ryeowook turned back to see Henry who was also feeling awkward because he had noticed these little gestures too.
“Ugh. I can’t deal with you right now?” Henry shook his head then creating an escape opportunity.” I’ve got to go to class. It’s HenRY! Okay, now go practice.”
The flustered boy walked in annoyance down the hall. Henry didn’t understand why this boy made him upset. Normally, mispronunciations of his names didn’t bother him but boy, that guy Ryeowook was so stupid. Henry couldn’t understand how he wasn’t to say “HenRY”. And the way Ryeowook had said his name was as if Henry was a little kid. Ryeowook had used a cute voice and a tilt his head when replying, looking confused and excited and just adorable. It wasn’t right. Ryeowook had to be toying with him. Henry kept thinking about this until he was forced to introduce himself again.
Ryeowook watched the figure disappear around the first corner. He didn’t know how he should respond to Kyuhyun. He was hoping that Kyuhyun would break the silence as he usually did with a joke or a smile but it went on. He slipped his fingers out of Kyuhyun’s hold and turned to open his locker. Kyuhyun placed a hand in front of the door before Ryeowook could open it, forcing him to look up and meet those eyes again.
“What was that?” Kyuhyun’s voice was low and husky and attractively angry. Ryeowook didn’t know what to say so he just continued staring in surprise.
“What was what?”
Kyuhyun fidgeted slightly. He had unconsciously let himself become angry over something he wasn’t sure about but he wanted so badly to be honest for once. He didn't feel happy about it. If only his fear didn't make him say instead, “I mean… you don’t normally talk to others...and like that especially.”
“Oh that kid. He annoys the heck out of me.” Ryeowook thought of the violence and the cuteness that he had experienced.
“Really? He annoys you?”
“Like you wouldn’t know.” Ryeowook gave him a wonderful smile. Kyuhyun gave in and let Ryeowook take his stuff. He was easily influenced by Ryeowook's smiles.
“Does he annoy you more than me?” A little playfulness began dripping in his voice again. Ryeowook was relieved to hear it.
“Possibly. You’ve got some fair competition.”
“Wow. That guy must be good.” Kyuhyun looked at the smaller boy, dark eyebrows slightly raised. “It’s your first meeting with him.”
Ryeowook didn’t correct him about the first time but he did replay to him, “You were really annoying when we first met.”
“Yeah but I’m one of a kind. No one can outdo me.”
“We’ll see about that. He’s pretty good.” Ryeowook teased Kyuhyun.
“You won’t be able to talk to him.”
“He sits next to me plus I saw his schedule. I’ve got five classes with him.” Ryeowook kept the tease. It was a rare opportunity. Usually it was the other way around.
“Five?” Kyuhyun was so jealous right now. They only had two together.
“Yeah. Five.” Ryeowook confirmed with a somewhat victorious smile on his face.
“That lucky jerk.”
“Unlucky me.” Ryeowook sighed as he leaned against his locker, hugging his textbook to his chest. He looked up at a sullenly cute Kyuhyun. “I have five classes with that jerk and two classes with you. Yet in one of them, all three of us are together. Boy, my life is tough. I’m always meeting the jerks.”
“Yeah. Well you don’t need to worry about that. You won’t be talking to him.”
“Why?” It wasn’t the best response to give Kyuhyun. Ryeowook should’ve asked how.
“Because I won’t let you.” Kyuhyun purposely paused before mischeviously adding, “ I can’t have any competition.”
“That’s a good answer or you could just be less annoying.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“Yeah. Unlucky me.” Ryeowook bloated his cheeks the way he had seen Henry do it. Kyuhyun noticed where Ryeowook had picked that up from.
Kyuhyun, upon seeing the absolutely adorable Ryeowook, lifted his hand towards the puffed out cheeks. Ryewook didn't move but just watched that hand come towards him. Kyuhyun brought it up to caress the soft cheek. And Ryeowook let him. He didn't mind the touch. Then started leaning forward with a serious face. Ryeowook's eyes suddenly wided as it slowly advanced on him. He couldn't think. He couldn't move and he didn't know if he wanted to but those darks eyes were intent on keeping his. He couldn't move away from those eyes It would only be a matter of miliseconds before...Kyuhyun poked the air out of his cheeks and smiled mischeviously before Ryeowook's stunned face. One of these days, he was going to have a heart attack.
The bell rang and Ryeowook cursed in his mind as he dashed down the hall. Kyuhyun trailed behind with little dark laughter travelling down the hall.
“See how annoying the both of you are! I’m late!” Kyuhyun didn't like being clumped together with Henry.
"Who's more annoying?" He flasha smile, thinking it was his victory.
"You guys are pretty much the same. You're both traumatizing."
Ryeowook had been abused by the two of them too much today. First, he had been hurt his head in the elevator. Second, Henry had hurt him for taking the lighter. Third, he almost had a heart attack when falling backward and then almost kissing Henry. Then just now, Kyuhyun had almost kissed him. Lastly, he was not late to class and he was never late. This was a first.
“I see I’ve got some mighty competition now, don’t I?” Dark humour dripped from the beautiful voice.
“You bet.”
They paced down another corridor before having to split. Ryeowook would finally and hopefully have some peace in this class.
“Yah! Kyuhyun!” Ryeowook had spun around quickly to shout at his friend.
“Yes?”
“If you see Henry, can you sock him for me?”
“What did you say?” Kyuhyun wasn’t sure if he had heard correctly. He didn’t want to find it possible for Ryeowook to have said it properly.
“I said sock Henry for me. I can’t do it on my own but I know you can and you probably want to anyways. I can always hit you whenever want to anyways.” Then Ryeowook hurried around another corner.
Kyuhyun stood there, not caring about his class anymore. He had heard it but yet, he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to so he wouldn’t think about that possibility, the possibility of why Ryeowook had had that argument with Henry. No, Ryeowook couldn’t have said that but Kyuhyun had heard it and this nearly destroyed him inside. Ryeowook had said that to purposely spite Henry. His best friend was interacting with someone else playfully. He didn’t like the thought of it.
Kyuhyun made a decision. He was going to fight now. He was going to be more honest. It had taken him so long to establish this relationship with Ryeowook and he wasn’t going to let it slip away so easily. It had taken him three years to love a person and three years for him to truly understand that. He was going to get his love. So Kyuhyun told himself that indeed he did hear it but it didn’t have to mean anything. He was going to trust him even if it took some time; he was going to trust him because he had worked hard for it. So Kyuhyun openly admitted it. He had heard it.
Ryeowook had said Henry.