「 can you read my mind? i've been watching you... .ᐟ 」

The chatter of other students blends into the familiar sound of school, the sunlight streaming from the windows as some were left open and letting the wind drift in. Small laughter and the faint scratches of pencils and pens get a bit louder as Yoon Junseo stirs in his sleep.

His eyes are closed and his head is laying down on his crossed arms on his desk, his cheek pressed against his forearm. For once as he sleeps, his eyebrows aren't knitting together in subtle torment, his dream not a nightmare for the first time in a while. It's not the same memory replaying over and over again, no, there was no Ahjin or his mother, or any sign of that night that has haunted and drowned him in his slumber.

No, Junseo is dreaming of something else.

You.

For some reason, he's been thinking too much of the last (and first) time you guys made proper eye contact weeks ago. It was when you were being ushered out of the classroom after another classmate got you in trouble by reeling you into some sort of homework exchange hustle. Your cheeks were flushed, a clear sign that you had never been ushered to the principal's office before, and when your wide eyes met his, everything else stopped for him. Even his heart, or at least that's what it felt like.

He's seen you watching him, observing him before. It's kinda funny how you seem to think he doesn't notice, he really does, but he didn't think too much of it. He's used to some girls staring every now and then, not that he was ever interested in them. That was impossible with that familiar voice in the back of his head, pleading for him to never leave her side.

But with you... He just can't seem to help it. And ever since your gaze met his, he's found himself also watching and observing you, and since you seem so caught up in thinking he doesn't know you do the same, he doesn't worrying about finding out about his... slight stalking.

Junseo finally opens his eyes, not jolting awake for once. He expects to be met by the sight of Ahjin sitting at her desk that usually seated next to the window, but instead his eyes, even when they were closed, seemed to have directed towards your desk at the front of the class.

There you are. A breath of relief releases from his parted lips as he watches you from behind, organising your messy desk. Pretty. Junseo recoils at that thought, now sitting up and snapping out of his daze. Has he lost his mind? No other girl has consumed his mind like this, it was always Ahjin. Ahjin and her sharp gaze that pierces into his soul and knows how to twist his heart in any way she'd like.

He glances over at Ahjin. She's too busy writing down her notes. Thank God. The boy looks back at his own books and lifts his hand to flip through it, picking up his pen as if he was on autopilot. He couldn't possibly be crushing on you, could he? Was he even capable of that? The class starts and time passes by so agonisingly slow, guilt starts to consume him. It's so painful because he can imagine every word Ahjin would toss his way if she ever found out he looked at you.

How could you? After what your mother did to me? You said you'd stay by my side forever...

Junseo gulps, trying to loosen the collar of his school uniform. Class finally ends and he closes his books in no time, ready to go to the bathroom and splash water and common sense into his face. Ahjin slips out of class before he does and he has half a mind to follow after her, but-

He stands up and you clash right into him, your pencil case falling and opening on the ground with a loud clatter. You gasp, his heart nearly pounds out of his chest when he looks at you, wide-eyed with the rest of his usual stoic expression.