The dilation of Sihyun's eyes coincided with the sudden appearance of a black figure blocking his path.
The swiftly moving knife brushed past Haru's eyes and darted away. Even though it was near him, Sihyun was surprised that the knife could reach so close in that brief moment. A beep emitted from the pairing device on his finger, warning him. It signaled the use of abilities, something prohibited within the school premises. He had heard that when abilities were used outside evaluations, an alert would be sent to the faculty through the pairing device. However, he didn't expect to witness it happening so quickly, as he gazed at the fallen knife on the ground.
The tip of the blade glistened red. Sihyun's blue eyes flickered.
"Haru!"
Rushing forward, he grabbed Haru's shoulder, revealing Haru holding one hand over his eyes. His large hand obscured the injury, making it hard to gauge its severity.
"Are you okay?"
"...Ah."
As he leaned in closer, a flash of red could be seen between Sihyun's strands of hair. Wondering if the place Haru was covering with his hand was stained with the same liquid as Sihyun's eye color, Sihyun reached his hand out over Haru's to check the wound.
Thunk!
Haru's hand swatted Sihyun's away swiftly, almost reflexively. Sihyun's hand, now lost without a target, hesitated in the empty space.
Only belatedly did I realize what I had done. Haru's widened pupils lowered as he bowed his head. Although he usually seemed somewhat reserved, this time it was particularly more noticeable.
"I'm... sorry."
"No, it's okay—"
"I... I'll go first."
With those words, Haru swiftly left his spot. Someone who hadn't interrupted a conversation or spoken a single proper word was now abruptly cutting off my words and turning away.
The increasingly hurried steps turned into a hasty trot. Watching Haru exit the cafeteria as if being chased, Sihyun, with his dropped hand, turned his gaze.
It felt like being parents facing their son's first stumble, even though only one person was hurt.
"Caught a breeze there."
Despite the obvious situation of someone being injured, Seowoo's casual comment made Sihyun, with a strained expression, brush his hair back. As Sihyun faced him, his eyes rolled towards the knife. Through the silver blade, the recent incident replayed vividly in his mind.
Someone clearly aiming at me with a flying knife, and Haru blocking it, the red blood staining the fallen knife.
"Ha."
A clear scoff escaped his lips. It was a mockery of his past self, thinking Donghyuk was somewhat thoughtful.
What thoughtfulness? He couldn't control himself or even manage his emotions.
He even ranked within the top 10, having achieved decent grades in the placement exams.
It was a moment where Mirgun's future seemed bleak.
"If you're going to throw it, at least throw it properly. Hitting someone and not even apologizing... "
Sihyun's slow-paced voice filled the cafeteria swiftly. As he picked up the fallen knife with his shaking hand, he glanced at Donghyuk. Though his expression remained crumpled, his complexion paled as if surprised by the knife he had thrown.
"Donghyuk."
"..."
"Can you take responsibility if Haru got hurt because of the knife you threw?"
There was no response to the chilly tone. A moment ago, he was hurling curses, but now, faced with the situation, he seemed entirely lost for words.
He seemed fine if it was me who got hurt, but Haru got hurt while trying to protect me. In annoyance, Sihyun, holding the knife, scratched his neck with his free hand. Unpleasant feelings surged, enveloping him.
Disgusting.
"It seems like you might understand only if I throw this at you."
As his mood sank, so did his voice. Donghyuk's eyebrows twitched. As Sihyun approached him with deliberate steps, looking down at Donghyuk holding the desk, his hand had been the one that had knocked the desk earlier.
Staring at his rough and indifferent hand, Sihyun, almost absent-mindedly, grabbed Donghyuk's hand. Just as Donghyuk tried to withdraw his hand when faced with Sihyun's cold stare, Sihyun moved.
Thud!
"Ah!"
One of the students observing yelled in alarm. The sharp scream heightened the tension in the atmosphere. Donghyuk, frozen stiff, slowly looked at his hand. The sight of the silver knife embedded between his fingers was enough to make his bones feel icy.
With the force to insert the knife into the desk, Sihyun, contrary to his actions, gazed at Donghyuk with an unexpectedly calm expression. His contracted pupils, consumed by fear, were noticeable.
"Rein it in a bit."
You shouldn't be the only one capable of wielding a knife in a frenzy.
Disliked annoyances and detested fights. So, he tended to resign and endure when possible. But types like Donghyuk, when left alone, became uncontrollable, requiring sorting out. After issuing a warning, Sihyun released the knife he held.
Thunk! The knife fell sideways, tapping Donghyuk's hand. His shoulders twitched, and a sound akin to swallowing a breath could be heard.
"...Feels like a crush."
A voice mismatched with the atmosphere broke the silence. Unmoved, Sihyun turned away from Donghyuk, who was speechless. It didn't fit the rhythm of the moment.
"We're going to eat dinner, so you guys join in later. Might as well be late."
"In our pajamas?"
"Why, do you need a knife too?"
"I'll enjoy my meal~"
Despite already being in a sensitive state, Haewoon, with a charming smile, waved at me as I mentioned something that inadvertently pricked his nerves. Sihyun swiftly changed his stance and left the cafeteria. It was evident where Haru, who preferred deserted places, would have disappeared to.
"Haru, wait."
As soon as we returned to the dormitory, Sihyun called out to Haru, visible from the entrance with his shoes on. He was confident in his approach, yet he didn't expect Haru to actually be in their room. It felt almost predictable that this secluded place would be his choice, akin to a squirrel seeking refuge—uncomfortable, yet relatable.
"I know you're here. Can we talk?"
With no response from Haru, Sihyun took off his shoes and headed towards their room. Glancing briefly at his own bed, he noticed Haru huddled under the flipped blanket. It resembled the cautious demeanor of a wary cat.
"...I'll come up."
Even without permission, Sihyun didn't hesitate. Waiting for Haru's approval seemed like it would take at least a week.
As he climbed the ladder and knelt on the bed, it creaked under the weight of two people despite being a good one for a double-decker ascent.
Shifting towards Haru, nestled in the corner, Sihyun found no space to retreat, yet Haru kept inching away. With the blanket and hair serving as shields, Sihyun grasped the blanket Haru clung onto.
Tug. Despite several attempts to pull the blanket, a stronger force prevented it from being released. It felt like a game of tug-of-war.
Frustrated by the unyielding standoff, Sihyun chose words to pacify the situation. "You're hurt."
"...I'm fine."
"If I'm not okay, can you at least let go?"
Why is he taking it out on me?
Challenging Haru, Sihyun's persistence lessened the tension ever so slightly.
Seeing Haru sigh and bow his head in silence, Sihyun finally grabbed the blanket that Haru was gripping tightly, surprising Haru. It was finally a face-to-face encounter. Was this petty squabble really necessary over a blanket?
"Hello, Haru."
At the mere greeting, Haru struggled to reclaim the blanket. Boldly tossing it away, Sihyun leaned towards Haru, who hesitantly retreated to the corner.
"I-I'm fine!"
"What's fine? I'll treat it, so come here. There's nowhere else to go anyway."
"..."
"Haru."
Sihyun's narrowed gaze reflected his stubbornness. He couldn't fathom why Haru was so insistent. Perhaps there was a burn mark, a fear of monsters in his eyes, or maybe something as trivial as having three eyes.
Regardless, he was prepared not to be surprised or concerned.
The crucial point was that Haru had a wound on his face that needed treatment, not his appearance or whatever he was trying to conceal.
"I won't comment on how it looks. Just lift your head."
"...!"
"Just look."
Not even a five-year-old behaves like this. Sighing at the refusal, Sihyun, after a brief ceasefire, opened his mouth. Persuasion and coaxing hadn't worked, so the only options left were coercion and threat.
"If you won't lift your head, don't expect me to look after you in the future."
"...!"
Haru's shoulders twitched. Finally, a reaction.
"I'm not lying."
"...!"
"Three."
Precisely at that moment, as Haru grew more anxious, he lifted his head. Seizing the opportunity, Sihyun swiftly reached out and brushed away Haru's bangs.
Snap. The distance between Haru and him lessened, and the previously frustrating locks of hair were refreshingly cleared. Looking at Haru's revealed features, Sihyun momentarily froze, not expecting what he saw.
"Ah..."
A sigh-like voice tinged with mild surprise. On Haru's forehead, a vivid blue mark was etched.
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