Chapter Text
"Come on class, let's get started.", everyone settled down and went to their desks.
Tired students pulled out their text books as the teacher's explanation filled the room's space. The sun sprinkled its rays through the window all across the classroom. A rather peaceful environment...
*I hope this ends soon*
*What should I eat for lunch?*
*I forgot to bring my P.E. kit!*
*Let's lock in*
Maybe not that peaceful. The student muffled thoughts crowded the room and made it hard to hear what the teacher was reciting.
Taesan's eyes twitched. He sat at the back of the classroom next to the window. And so, between the distance and the noise he was completely deaf to the lesson.
*Why are y'all even thinking so much. Just listen and take notes.*, he furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to concentrate.
This was a daily occurrence for Taesan, he had the ability to hear other people’s thoughts. Not being able to hear what was being explained in class was nothing new. Nevertheless, due to his wits and his studying diligence he still managed to be top of the class. He rested his head on his hand defeated and just mindlessly looked at the board to try and make some sense of what the teacher was jotting down.
Once he gave up on trying to understand he looked aimlessly around the room. Two rows ahead was Woonhak. He was trying his best and looked really focused until, he got distracted by some guys playing football outside.
*Well at least he tried* Taesan thought to himself.
Then his eyes shifted to the other side of the room where the older trio sat closely together just attending the lesson properly taking notes.
Lastly his eyes wondered to the front of the classroom. A curly blonde head stood out from the others on the first row. There he was, his best friend, looking like he was diligently taking notes but was probably 30% lost in his own thoughts.
"Leehan, please tell me, what technique is the author using in this line", suddenly the teacher asked.
This had seemed to bring Leehan back from wherever he was at. His eyes wondered back to the board and, without much hesitation he answered correctly.
*Nice save*, Taesan proudlky thought and laughed quietly.
The bell rang and it was finally break-time. Taesan hadn't been able to take notes at all, but he would figure it out later.
*Luckily I'm pretty smart*, he thought.
The six boys got up from their seats and automatically moved together outside. Woonhak immediately joined the guys that he had spotted playing earlier. The rest of the team sat down on the stands next to them.
It was quieter here. Not many people were around so their was no muffled cloud of thoughts. Taesan finally sat in peace.
The older ones sat close together and continued their conversations cheerfully. Taesan listened to them but couldn’t be bothered to participate. After all, he had spent all of the lesson listening to too many people so he closed his eyes and tried to zone out.
*There he is*, a low voice interrupted his peace.
Taesan couldn’t help but be curious and so he slowly opened one of his eyes and scanned the playground to find the person this voice belonged to.
THUMP
Taesan got startled and looked beside him. This curly-haired boy had dropped and sat next to him from out of nowhere with his hands full of snacks.
*I swear to god, this guy-*
Taesan was about to get mad when Jaehyun greeted the newcomer, “Oh, Leehan! You bought some snacks!”. He got up and with pleading hands he asked the boy to share his snacks with him.
“Mmmh, why should I do that”, Leehan played. He quickly looked at Taesan who still hadn’t corrected his slightly angered expression.
“Taesan you want some?”, he offered the other.
Taesan took one of the snacks quickly and scoffed, “I’m guessing you are sharing today, huh” he grew a smirk and said. “Thank you”.
Leehan slightly offended opened his eyes wide, “ You know I always share with you, that was one time I was really hungry”. It was defensive but his words carried some sort of honesty.
The older ones stepped in to calm the situation.
“Ay ay, come on guys”, Riwoo started.
“Yeah come on it’s all in the past”, Jaehyun concluded.
Taesan continued to smirk as he succeeded to tease Leehan. Taesan was a bit of a remorseful person… However he would just get revenge by harmlessly teasing his friends back.
“Anyway... What about us?!”, Sungho jumped from where he was sitting and stood next to Jaehyun. “We want some too”
“Mmmmh…”, Leehan cheekily thought. In the end he laughed it off and shared the snacks just like he originally planned.
They ate while mindlessly chatting away until Taesan heard someone else’s voice.
*mmm ok let’s go*
Taesan looked towards the direction this new thought had comes from. It was Jaehyun’s. He looked towards the guys playing football as he smirked. He had definitely planned some other way to play with Woonhak. Taesan wasn’t against this idea so his lips unconsciously copied Jaehyun’s expression.
"WOONHAK!" Jaehyun shouted. Woonhak was currently in control of the ball almost about to shoot.
"If you don’t take your chance now they’ll be no snacks left later!”
*Snacks?*, Taesan heard Woonhak repeat.
Jaehyun's scream caused him to lose focus making him completely miss the goal.
"AAAA WAAAHHH COME ON BRO I WAS LITERALLY SO CLOSE!"
"FINE THEN WE WON’T SHARE ANY WITH YOU" Jaehyun mimicked his tone back
“No!”, Woonhak speeded up the stands and went straight in to grab a handful of chips from the bag Jaehyun was holding. He stuffed them all in his mouth.
Jaehyun laughed as Woonhak continued to whine about his failed goal as he ate.
They all ended up laughing.
And so the bell rang to signal the end of break.
They had to tidy up and throw away the snack wrappers, so they decided to play rock-paper-scissors to decide who would do it.
Taesan loved this game. Of course he did. He could literally hear what everyone would play. You could tell he was confident as he stood tall and straight. He could literally hear what everyone would throw.
They all chanted together, “Rock, paper, scissors, SHOOT!”
*scissors*
*scissors*
*scissors*
*Scissors*
*Rock*
Naturally, Taesan threw rock too.
Riwoo, Jaehyun, Sungho and Woonhak groaned in unison.
Suddenly an arm wrapped over Taesan’s shoulders. *Perfect*
Taesan looked at the owner of the arm.
Leehan wore his typical happy grin that made his eyes be shaped like crescent moons. “Ok then, Taesan and I will start to head back up”.
And so they left together, leaving the other’s to dispute who would throw away the garbage.
“You were lucky, huh?”, Taesan playfully asked Leehan.
“… “, he pondered but continued “Yes. We could say that…” Leehan chuckled to himself, as he unwrapped his arm from Taesan’s shoulders, leaving it a bit too warm for Taesan’s taste.
⌂ ⌂ ⌂
Once everyone had headed to their lessons.
The teacher still hadn’t arrived so the students were just chatting. Meanwhile, Taesan laid his head on his arms and shut his eyes. He furrowed his brows. The loud buzzing was back.
*Ah. I don't have my textbook*, a deep voice stood out of the rest.
This made Taesan flinch and slowly sit straight. He saw Leehan coming up to his desk.
"Yo! Could you lend me your textbook". He asked as he looked at him.
*I knew it. This guy and his fish memory* Taesan huffed.
“Bro this is the third time this week”.
The other just smiled dumbly at him.
Taesan rolled his eyes, "We have the same lesson now. If I give you my textbook I'll be left with none”.
"Yeah... well…”, Leehan started, “I thought that since you sit at the back the teacher wouldn't notice. In my case, I sit at the front where he would definitely notice", Leehan shrugged.
Taesan squinted his eyes at him.
*his logic adds up...*
Leehan’s smile grew wider. Taesan closed his eyes and sighed "Okay here you have. You owe me some snack".
The other boy took the textbook, "thanks", and left with a smile.
*Aah Taesan really is a good friend. What would I do without him?*
A sudden rush of heat goes up to Taesan’s ears as he hears his friend’s honest thoughts. But he brushes it off and buries his head back on his arms.
Just as the warmth around Taesan’s ears faded, the teacher entered the classroom.
⌂ ⌂ ⌂
The school day came to an end, Sungho and Riwoo left together to basketball training. Jaehyun and Woonhak went to play video games in an internet cafe. Taesan & Leehan stayed back for cleaning duty.
“Lets get this done and go play with Jaehyun and Woonhak”, Taesan rolled his sleeves up.
“Yeah! Lets do it quickly”, Leehan mimicked his actions.
Taesan got a broom and started swiping the floor at the end of the classroom, while Leehan wiped the board and dusted the chalk rubbers. Taesan kept checking on Leehan to make sure he stayed on task. That guy could easily get distracted with something else.
The evening sun entered through the windows leaving a warm orange-ish colour in the classroom scenery.
*I’m so lucky to have cleaning duty with him, I like spending time with him*, Leehan sighed.
Taesan looked up at Leehan’s back facing him and froze.
*The fuck-*
At that moment Leehan turned to look back at him and asked, “All good?”.
“Yeah…”, he faltered.
They both went back to their tasks. Taesan slowly swept closer towards the front of the classroom where Leehan was.
*The fuck was that about*, he kept replaying Leehan’s thoughts.
*Why would he like to spend time with me?*. Leehan flinched and quickly turned around and locked eyes with Taesan.
“What-”, the blonde baffled.
“What?”, Taesan returned slightly anxious. It felt like Leehan had just caught him saying something he shouldn’t be saying.
Nobody dropped the other’s gaze. The atmosphere became tight, colouring Taesan’s ears and Leehan’s handsome face pinkish.
They both looked away at the same time.
The silence had become horribly awkward so Taesan hurried Leehan, “Quick are you done with your part?”
Leehan hesitated but finally answered, *Yes*.
Taesan turned to leave, “Perfect then let’s go-”
He stopped. Turned around. And locked eyes with Leehan once more. The classroom became cramped again, but this time warmer, a sense of understanding sliding between the two boys. They did not move.
*What the heck* Taesan rose an eyebrow.
*What the heck indeed* Leehan rose both eyebrows.
Taesan couldn’t believe it. This just felt so new and exciting but also a bit uncomfortable. He really didn’t know how to react.
“Bro what- you heard that?”, Taesan tried to confirm.
*I sure did*
“Wha- Bro stop answering in your thoughts, speak up!”
“Yeah yeah, sorry”
Silence again.
Taesan rounded his houlders in, tilting his chin down. He swalled his saliva and in a small voice repeated, *But can you hear this?*.
He held his breath waiting for the same answer to hit him again.
“Yeah…”, Leehan returned softly.
“Wow” Taesan straightened up and looked down, murmuring to himself. “Ok... Ok um, damn, that’s a lot to process... You’ve been able to hear my thoughts too all this time?!”, Taesan exclaimed feeling exposed.
“For as long as I can remember yeah, b- but that same question goes to you!” Leehan shot back worried, crossing his arms in front of his chest as if trying to cover up.
“Hey don’t act like I’m the only one” He pointed accusingly at Leehan. “You must know how it’s not up to me, thoughts are just so loud, it’s impossible to not hear them!”
Quickly Leehan’s expression changed and laughed loudly at Taesan’s desperation.
“True”, he agreed smiling.
*He’s so worried jajaja*.
“Stop. I can clearly hear YOU!”, Taesan reminded him.
Leehan kept laughing while Taesan stressed out.
*This is going to be fun*, Leehan wore a mischievous smile.
“Hey what are you even thinking about?!”, Taesan stomped.
“It’s nothing”, Leehan smiled gently.
He walked towards Taesan, “Let’s just get going. Woonhak and Jaehyun might’ve left the internet cafe already”.
Their shoulders brushed against each other as he went out the door. Taesan was struck by a fresh, fragrant scent and his shoulders stiffened.
*Get yourself together*, he shook his head while scolding himself.
Leehan was already walking away down the corridor as he shouted, “Heard that too!”.
“Shut up! I know!” Taesan answered as he quickly caught up to him