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He was quietly sitting at his desk as the teacher droned on and on about something. He couldn't really be bothered to tune in. The sky outside was gray and cloudy. It was currently early January. Dokja planned to skip his next class, it's not like they'd even notice he was gone.
After the bell rang, he made a beeline for the stairs. Once he realized the door was already unlocked, he pushed it open. Dokja looked around to see the roof completely empty. Except for the huge guy laying on the floor. The boy opened his eyes and glared at Dokja. He quickly left and decided to spend this period in an empty classroom.
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Once again, Dokja was skipping class to rest on the roof. And once again the huge guy from before was laying there. This was the 3rd time in a row! Today, he was so exhausted after being a punching bag he simply sat a few feet away from him with his back against the wall that connected to the door. His body was so numb, Dokja bet that even if he did beat his ass, he wouldn't feel it.
While Dokja read his web novel the other boy glared over at him. The first thing he noticed was the enormous amount of injuries he had. The boy looked dull to him. Just another coward who didn't know how to fight back. He simply shut his eyes and went back to "sleeping."
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This became a regular occurrence for Dokja over the last two weeks. Now that he knew that he wouldn't get pulverized, he could use the roof comfortably, again. Or as 'comfortable' as it could get when a scary guy is always laying next to you... Dokja didn't know when it started, but for a while now the other boy had started laying a tad bit closer to him whenever he got there after Dokja. He also liked to lay there with his eyes open now instead of pretending to sleep.
Apparently, his name was Yoo Joonghyuk. He was also the most popular guy in the school because Dokja always heard people talk about him in the halls. Not that it mattered to him. They didn't even know each other. Basically, they were complete strangers.
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It was one of those days, again. Where everything feels even shittier than usual and even though your whole being is numb mentally and physically, the wounds hurt worse. The boy paused at the door, scared of what would happen if he went through with his decision. It's not like this was the first time he came to the roof with these intentions. Cold air hit him as he pushed open the door. He arrived at the roof before Joonghyuk and assumed he wasn't skipping class.
Slowly, he trudged over to the fence lining the roof. He clasped onto it with one hand and looked down to the courtyard below. There wasn't that much snow today. He didn't even realize it, but his body started to move on its own. His body was tempted by the snow. Tempted to colour the blank canvas spread out just for him.
Kim Dokja was halfway up the fence. His dull eyes were focused on the ground below him and nothing else. Dokja wasn't even aware of the big hands that yanked him off the fence and into a warm embrace. While looking up at the face of the person who stopped him, a pair of dark eyes met his own.
"Don't be so stupidly reckless, fool," Joonghyuk grunted. He was breathing a bit hard. After that, the two boys got along a bit better. They talked together, and by together I mean it was mostly Dokja that did the talking about his webnovels. The two also ate lunch together and Joonghyuk usually ended up giving half his food to Dokja. Outside of their rooftop meetings, they didn't even interact with each other.
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Dokja walked down Valentine's themed halls. All around him were excited students and staff alike waiting to get and/or receive chocolates or go home to their beloved. He didn't really care for all that. The girls in his school would rather toss themselves off a cliff before giving him a pencil let alone a Valentine's gift.
He arrived in his class, sat down in the back, and gazed out of the window. The courtyard was coated in snow. Dokja reached into his desk for his pencil pouch only to grab a card he hadn't placed there. He looked around the classroom. The boy hid the card out of their sights and peeked at it.
It was a plain card really. The card was pink with a red heart drawn on the front with "Will you be my Valentine? Meet me on the roof after school." written inside the heart. It was short and straight to the point. The handwriting was neat and sharp, but not in a bad way. The smell of something nice wafted from the card.
'This has to be a prank...' Dokja thought to himself. As the bell rang he quickly shoved the card back into his desk and blushed slightly. Even though he knew it was most likely a prank, he couldn't help but hope that it wasn't. Dokja hardly focused during class. Neither did the person who sent the card in the classroom over.
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The final bell rang and students rushed out of their classes. Students walked around carrying cards and sweets. Dokja clenched the card in his hands but made sure he didn't damage it too badly. The boy sweated as he approached the stairwell. Earlier at lunch he could hardly eat out of nervousness. As Dokja walked through the crowded halls, he accidentally bumped into someone else.
The other boy, Yoo Joonghyuk, was definitely his complete opposite. He was very popular and handsome. And as of right now his hands were full of sweets and cards from a multitude of students! Dokja would bet you his entire life that some of those were given by male students, too.
"A-ah sorry," Dokja said nervously as he bowed slightly. He never talked to him outside their times on the roof, he didn't know how to act and his mind was jumbled enough already. Yoo Joonghyuk simply nodded as if nothing were wrong and walked off. Dokja turned back around and continued towards the stairwell. If it is a prank, he'll be sooo embarrassed! Imagine the taunting he'd get from the girls for the next few days!
If it's a prank from the boys... he won't be as embarrassed, but he'll be in more pain physically. He arrived at the stairwell and slowly ascended the steps. As he slowly walked up the stairs he saw a couple walk down the steps. They laughed and smiled at each other. Completely in their own world.
Dokja had to squeeze past them on the stairs as they passed. Finally, he had reached the top of the stairs. Suddenly, he felt the urge to turn around and run off. He started to worry about lots of things. Is the card even for him? Is it a prank? Did he imagine the whole thing?
The door looked a lot more menacing now. More than it ever had, even when he had considered suicide and walked up to this same door multiple times. As he trembled and sweated, Dokja slowly reached out his hand. Carefully, he pushed the door and walked out onto the roof. He still clung to that sliver of hope.
The cold February air hit his face and the sky was a bluish-gray. Today was still cloudy. He walked over to the edge of the roof and looked over the ledge. Teachers and students poured out of the building. All were blissfully unaware of the boy standing above them, watching them. He stood there watching them for a while.
"Haha..." Dokja chuckled bitterly to himself. He realized that no one was coming and it was indeed a sick joke. As he was about to turn around and leave, the door to the roof opened behind him. The boy was scared once again. Scared to turn around and face this problem.
It sounded as if they were out of breath, like they ran here out of worry. Slowly, they approached him. Their shoes clicked against the floor. A shadow loomed over Dokja. He slowly turned around only to see... Joonghyuk?
"Oh, are you also here because of a card?" Dokja asked, confused as to why Joonghyuk was so close to him. The taller boy looked him dead in the eyes. His glare sent a shiver down his spine! He grasped Dokja's hands causing him to let out a squeak of surprise.
"Kim Dokja... I love you, will you be my boyfriend?" Yoo Joonghyuk firmly asked him.
"Yes? Wait... Huh?!" Dokja yelped in bewilderment. It had taken him a second to process what he had asked. "W-why me?!" he sputtered.
"Because I'm in love with you?" Joonghyuk said, as if it were plainly obvious and the whole world knew.
"Well... why are you in love with me?..." he inquired hesitantly. The taller boy was so close to his face, so he turned his head to the side and scrunched his eyes shut. Joonghyuk spoke right into his ear, causing another shiver to go down his spine.
"I loved seeing your eyes sparkle when you read. They looked beautiful in comparison to your normal dull eyes. And when you almost jumped that first time, I felt my heart drop to the ground and that's when I knew I needed you to be mine," he whispered.
"So, will you?" Joonghyuk questioned. He looked calm, but underneath his facade he was worried he would be rejected. Dokja didn't know what to say. He never thought he would have someone love him so... deeply.
While blushing, he answered, "I-I guess I'll date you..." Joonghyuk hugged him so hard, he felt as if he heard his ribs snap. They exchanged numbers and went home. Both of them had a giddy feeling bubbling inside their heart.
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After that, they interacted outside of the rooftop and hung out after school a lot. Joonghyuk practically clung to him every second he could.