[ This Hien... does not like attention from others. Gloomy ass senior. Solitary delinquent of the violence variety. Lone wolf. Whatever else. His reputation definitely does not exceed Elysium's, but that's what Hien is known for in the senior year. The other years don't really seem to care. These cases are a dime a dozen and has nothing to do with them. Not their problem. We don't need to talk about Rion yet. ]
I don't bruise easily.
[ The forehead poking does earn a bit of a squint though. ]
Thanks for carrying me here, but you can go. The nurse will take a look at me just in case if you're too worried.
[ He isn't Elysium's problem, is what Hien seems to be saying. ]
elysium has the gall to look vaguely annoyed before deciding to just go with it, fingers curling before he stuffs the hand into a pocket. someone doesn't get told 'no' often, it seems…… ]
Why wouldn't I know you? You're Hien Callias. I remember one of the presentations you had to give a while back to our incoming cohort because I thought you were nice to listen to.
[ the implication that he's known about him since freshman year… but he stands, stretches. there's a pop in his joints that causes him to echo a laugh. ]
If that's what you want, sure. I'll check up on you tomorrow.
[ Oh. Right. The thing he was dragged into by Rion. "It'll help your reputation," they said. "Maybe you can make more friends," they claimed. Nothing has changed since then except Rion is now the student council treasurer.
Hien stares at Elysium for a while, sighs and holds out his phone after unlocking it and going to the call screen. Here you go. The phone's home screen is a picture of a roosting parrot if Elysium catches a glimpse of it. ]
That was so long ago... you remember things like that?
hien can keep his phone, elysium's gaze just flicking to it briefly before he smiles politely. elysium had said he'd see him tomorrow, so hien will just have to deal. ]
Why wouldn't I? I remember everything. That includes all the promises I make.
But yeah, I'll catch you tomorrow. If you aren't where you say you are, I have my ways of being resourceful.
[ There's a long, slow blink as Elysium leaves and Hien looks down at his phone, still stuck on the call screen. Did he just wink at him? There's no way he could have mistaken that for a long blink, right? He frowns.
The head nurse comes back ten minutes and boots Hien out, because he's not in the infirmary for the usual reasons and therefore, he can go to class. He's perfectly healthy though, but sometimes you need to get treated for things after a fistfight and can't go anywhere else. Meanwhile, the student body and general acquaintances of Elysium try to badger him with questions. Who is that? Is that who you're dating for the week? You really could have chosen someone better. Did you want a challenge?
It's the next day during lunch. This time, Rion isn't with him, saying that they suddenly have tons of paperwork to do so their lunch time is being eaten up by that. Woe. Hien still owes them five croquettes. Anyway, it's not tuna sandwiches this time, but simply two bread with mocha cream filling inside. He's enjoying his peaceful silence... ]
he does end up in another relationship by the end of the day, with the caveat that there's one thing he needs to do during lunch the next day. when he mentions this, the person he's telling looks at him like he's lost his mind and asks if he's planning to cheat on her in that span of time.
he laughs, shakes his head. no, nothing like that. he just needs to pay back a quick favour, five minutes, at most, but he understands if it's a big ask.
she looks at him like he's even crazier and asks if he thinks she's crazy. he shakes his head again, this time with a trace of something else she can't quite place. either way, he brings up a hand to her cheek, tucks her hair behind her ear, and apologises, muttering that's just how seriously he takes this.
so when lunch of the next day rolls around, he shows up with her in tow, their hands laced together as they step into the quiet corner of the courtyard. as they draw closer, he leans in to whisper something in her ear. she nods, grinning from ear to ear. together, they approach hien, a plastic bag that's filled to its brim suspended by his wrist. ]
This is for the other day. [ … ] Your friend isn't around, but there's stuff in there for them, too. You're looking fine, so that should be everything. See you around.
[ —a marked difference in his demeanour from the other day. she murmurs something about that being more attention than strictly necessary, and he only smiles, answering back with an 'i know. sorry.'
with one last glance of acknowledgement at hien, he nods, turns to place an apologetic kiss on her cheek before stepping away.
they both seem happy, at any rate. the bag contains several of croquette and tuna sandwiches as well as one of basically every other thing in whatever bakery elysium had picked these things up at. extra, just like him. ]
[ Hien looks at them, not saying a single word from the moment they come and leave. He was about to ask about the shift in demeanor until he realizes what his current relationship looks to be like. It's only after they leave that there's a small tinge of concern on his otherwise expressionless face.
Honestly, Hien hopes that it doesn't work out with that girl, thinking to himself that it must be because he doesn't want to see someone in an abusive relationship. Sure, Hien. Whatever you think with that single brain cell of yours. He finally looks down at the bag, pulls out a tuna sandwich, but... ]
This is a lot...
[ He mumbles to himself. Wasn't he an exchange student? Is he rich? It's not like he believed Rion's terrible lie, right? Bakery bread is so expensive... Hien sits there to enjoy his lunch. However, something catches his eye towards the end and he walks on over.
...
Rumors are often conversation starters, and this school is full of them. There are larger ones that circulate throughout the entire student body and some are only exchanged between two people. This one is only exchanged in the senior year and then some, because it's not very interesting. Something about a group of three friends, two get beaten up and the last one doesn't come to school the next day. Hien arrives to class with a square bandaid on his cheek. It's nothing new, but why them? The three seemed to be good friends... perhaps the last one escaped and Hien couldn't get them in time. ]
[ whereas hien hopes it doesn't work out, elysium does—each and every time, this current iteration no different. even for someone like him, there has to be love somewhere.
it's both easier and not when the other person already knows what they want. when all he has to do is fit the shape they've decided on and go through the motions. what would 'he' do? he doesn't know. at the very least, his life is capable of making others happy.
the girl he's dating is a senior, a year above him. even beyond years, his reputation precedes him. he's on his way to her classroom when she brushes past him and tells him to stay put; she needs to run a quick errand for her teacher. he nods, compliant, and claims a stretch of wall to lean against. people look—they always do, but they don't approach him here the way they do if he were in his own hallway, and that's fine. he gives them nothing unless they address him directly, and if they do, he offers a polite nod, a version of himself they can't fault or argue with. some of them are exes, most aren't. they just want to see if they can earn a smile, something he's supposedly known for.
it's while he's waiting that he notices hien filter out of his classroom. elysium catches his eye, tilts his head, taps where the bandaid would be on his own cheek and mouths, 'what happened?' ]
[ Hien has no idea that the girl Elysium is dating is in his year. He doesn't pay much attention to people who don't interest him, much less know their name.
But Hien is starting to take interest in the guy, watching him tap his own face and it takes a moment for Hien to connect the dots. Is it too much to initiate a conversation? From what he saw yesterday, he thinks it's because of the girlfriend. How restricting, he thinks.
"Bully," he mouths back and continues his way. It's lunch time, and he has three breads that Elysium bought in his hands. Hien is always at the same place, whether he's alone or with Rion. It doesn't matter. It's his little quiet place where most people don't bother to come, and that's fine with him. ]
[ sometimes, being tied down is one of the few ways you have any control of your life whatsoever. a life spent moving between countries, between schools, learning to speak in multiple languages.
at least, being in love—however briefly it lasts—is something he can call his own, an anchor from week to week.
but he reads his lips and furrows his brow. his girlfriend is as much of a socialite, so he asks her about it when she returns. she's far less invested in anyone outside her circle, and what she gives him is an objective rundown, delivered with mild annoyance and a scoff. they're people not worth bothering with, she says, which makes the whole thing rather uninteresting.
hmm. he thanks her anyway, explaining it easily as something he'd overheard while waiting for her. one gentle tug of her hand later, it's as if the topic is already in the past, leading her toward the cafeteria without fuss or further mention of it.
it'll be another few days before they cross paths again. in that time, hien receives a mysterious apology from the very person who gave him his wound. then, during an assembly, elysium catches his eye once more and——smiles, a little livelier than when they'd passed each other in the halls. weird. ]
[ The apology surprised him. It was out of nowhere, he thought. The three friends were just that at first, but the two had gotten really tired of the third one lately and started bullying him in a more hidden part of the campus. Hien, having caught them in action, beat up the two. The third guy transferred schools eventually. It sounded pretty bad, though Hien knows no other detail about them.
Which is why the apology was amusing to receive. Hien went and beat up two guys because he thought they were bullying someone and one of them came to apologize to him about it. Wild.
After a few days, the bandaid on his cheek is gone. It looks like he healed up fine. During the assembly, he finds that Elysium is actually really easy to spot with his tricolored hair. He vaguely wonders which color of the three are natural, or maybe it's none at all. He notes the smile on his face, seemingly better than before. Huh. Hien just thinks that Elysium is having a good day.
...
Now that he thinks about it, does he even know the guy's name? He's heard "Elysium" before, but that sounds incredibly fake. He can't deny the possibility of that being his real name though, since he knows that some parents are just eccentric enough to give out names that are totally out there. Whatever the case, he ends up thinking about it so much that he tunes out everything that was said in the assembly. ]
[ hien might note that the guy who apologises looks fearful, even. there's no one behind him when he looks over his shoulder after saying it, but surely that's just him being strange.
at any rate—
the assembly finishes. as rows and rows of students take their leave, hien will feel a knock against his head. ]
Wake up, senior— [ he isn't asleep, but he sure looks it. has he mastered the art of falling asleep with his eyes open? that'd be funny. he leans forward, whispering conspiratorially. ] Before you get in trouble with the teachers. You're lucky they're so distracted right now.
[ following the trajectory of his gaze reveals a student who'd gotten in trouble for dozing. and by the time he looks back, elysium might literally be gone. blink and you'll miss him. ]
Hien would think it's weird, but didn't pay any more attention to the guy's behavior more than he had to. All sorts of things happen all the time. It might not make sense in general, but they still happen. He's too open-minded about this.
He feels the knock on the head and turns around to see Elysium there. Huh. It's him. He blankly looks over to the direction of the gaze, watching the student get scolded. When Hien turns back to speak to him, he's gone. He's not there. Huh. No matter which direction he looks, he can't find him in the sea of students despite how his hair really stands out.
...
He feels like he just hallucinated an angel on his shoulder, but no matter. Hien exits like everyone else. If that Elysium was real, he's just looking out for him, yeah. He's friendly to everyone. Sure. Hien has never thought to be special for anyone in his life--not his parents, not to his siblings, not to the single friend that he has--no one. And he's fine with that.
And what was that again... he liked the sound of his voice? His flat and deadpan voice that most people found to be disrespectful? It's hard to believe.
...
Hien sighs and goes to the bathroom. He needs to snap out of it, so washing his face might do him some good. ]
[ it's not good to bully others or get into fights? he's just a guy? aha?
he doesn't think it's strange to admire the way other people live. he knows better than to say it out loud, but he likes people who can be honest with themselves—people who aren't chameleons in the way he's learned to be. no matter how chagrined his teachers or his group members were during his presentation, hien really did whatever he wanted, and that alone was enough to be amusing and memorable in its own way.
unlike him and his need to conform, how else are you supposed to adjust to whatever place you're dropped into each time you move, if you aren't able to mould yourself to others' expectations? it becomes a lonely existence otherwise.
anyhow. he keeps dating the same girl throughout the week. She has no complaints about his conduct, and neither does he about hers, even if what she prefers is for him to dote on her quietly while showing him off to her friends.
'you're actually pretty mature, aren't you? i kept telling my friends you were more than just a troublemaker with a nice face and they didn't believe me.'
she puffs up with pride, like the discovery is hers. others comment that they hadn't been interested in dating him after hearing how immature he was, but that week-long fairytale rumour had merit, didn't it? were his classmates sabotaging his reputation on purpose?
outwardly, he just laughs again and says it's only natural for a one-of-a-kind guy to be multifaceted. internally, he thinks: what else is a week-long boyfriend good for, if not to provide a fantasy, in return for the fantasy they're giving him? ]
[ Hien doesn't think very often, which is why he gets teased from Rion often about being "no thoughts, head empty" and the only thing that could possibly appease Hien is food. Hien always lives in the now, because if he lived in the past, he wouldn't be able to survive. He can't imagine himself in any future whether it's with other people or by himself. It's bleak, but sometimes you're alone by choice and lonely due to circumstances that are set apart from his own actions. But truly, he does what he wants. He's aware of social cues, but ignores them most of the time. This is why he's not in great standing regarding anything, but it's one way to get through living this empty life despite everything else that seems to be against him.
At least, not until he occasionally looks for the small red streak every now and then. He finds his eyes wandering when people leave their classrooms or during lunchtime, passively searching. Sometimes their eyes meet and Elysium greets him with a smile and a wave. Hien doesn't wave back--he's never did for the first few times, but as time passes, he finds himself eventually raising his hand to wave back. The first time he tried was an utter disaster in which he raised his arm too slow so he thought Elysium already moved on and he was embarrassed for the rest of the day while keeping a straight face. Even on one of those days where they had eye contact, Elysium made a nomming motion and gave a thumbs up with a head tilt--probably to ask how the bread was. Hien only nodded in return and looked away. He could not get over how cute those motions were even after hours later.
... Wait.
Huh?
In the following days, Rion's continuous attempts at getting Hien to make more friends have landed Hien in the gaming after school club. Good timing too, because they needed a last minute slot-in for a tournament because one of their entries got sick. Or at least... those were the hopeful prospects. It didn't take long for Hien to get kicked out for "antisocial behavior, inability to cooperate, tanking morale, and being rude". Hien smacks Rion's shoulder on campus, saying that was absolutely unnecessary and to stop trying.
"You don't even go home after school, so you might as well."
It gets Hien to pause, then he leaves without another word.
hien is amusing in the way that many people aren't, wearing his heart on his sleeve despite that gloomy demeanor of his, not smiling unless there's an explicit reason to, he imagines. every emotion feels genuine, even when it's only a subtle shift in expression. it isn't a knock against those who contort themselves to conform—school is about one of the cruelest places full of others' expectations and the need to conform.
it's refreshing to see nonetheless. so even when he's playing the part of the perfect boyfriend and his attention is fixated on giving someone the world, when he's on his own, he finds himself looking for that familiar mop of black hair, wondering what reaction he might coax out next. they're real—unlike so very many things in his life.
friday afterschool arrives and elysium's dropping his girlfriend off at her home. she's a little upset about wasting an entire day, but he promises her as much of the weekend as she wants. does she want to see him at dawn? for him to throw rocks at her window at midnight? she giggles, brightening at that, and kisses him on the mouth and says it's a promise. he returns it before she waves over her shoulder and departs.
this leaves him with a rare friday to wander around town… wherever he is, i guess elysium's finding him now and potentially peering over his shoulder and being otherwise obtrusive. ]
[ Unlike most students, Hien doesn't go home after school. He sometimes loiters in the usual place in the courtyard for a few hours before heading off to town.
Elysium can find him in front of a Sanrio store. The location has been good—it's near the school and the mascot plushes are so cute that most girls want one. They even have cute stationary and everything. Hien has been looking at a particular seal doll before be startles upon hearing Elysium's voice. He can't mistake that for anyone else's now. ]
... Mm. It's me.
[ He can't help the way he feels a little happier in seeing Elysium and the tail wagging vibes are definitely there. His expression doesn't change, but the emotions conveyed through his deep black eyes might have an imaginary twinkle in it. ]
[ well, that's convenient. he picks up one of the dolls and turns it over in his hands, head tilting. it's a little small, so he drifts deeper into the store and toward the back if hien's willing to follow ]
She's busy today, so I thought I'd pick something up for her… to show I'm thinking about her, you know? [ beyond when they're just together, is what his demeanour seems to suggest. ] She already has a lot of My Melody, though, so I'm torn on whether another one be thoughtful or if she'd prefer the surprise of something different altogether. I overheard her telling her friends she really wanted to try out that new trend—angel hair chocolate, I think?
[ he looks genuinely contemplative. maybe he should just get both. that would be easiest… sorry to hien who has to listen to him think aloud. ]
Buuut enough about me. What are you doing here? Shopping for someone else, or yourself?
Hot cocoa bombs too, usually paired with shortbread cookies.
[ Or something. Hien isn't usually the kind of person who keeps up with whatever is trending in any category, but he's seen it in the passing bakery enough that even he can tell what's currently in the vogue right now. Sweets aren't his thing though.
But that's okay, since he can listen to Elysium talk, and he finds that he likes hearing the sound of his voice. ]
I'm just looking around.
[ He thinks about Elysium's current girlfriend and falls into silence again. He eventually speaks up. ]
... Do you think you can fall in love with her this time?
Do you keep up with trends? If you don't have any plans today, help me with a second opinion. I'll make sure it's worth your time.
[ but before that, he's just going to hug different sizes plushes, trying to determine what might be best. eventually, he settles with one that's about fifty centimetres tall. a nice height, not too excessive. if she wants to throw it out, it won't give her much trouble. ]
But it's possible! We still have four days. [ he'd say this about everyone, to be fair, tucking the plush under his arm as he moves over to the register. ] She knows what she wants which is pretty admirable.
[ he thinks, if anyone's going to be the problem, it's him. ]
[ He's about to say that he doesn't keep up with the trends, but then he watches Elysium hug different plushes. That's... He's really cute.
But. Huh. ]
How come it's always a week? I thought it was coincidence...
[ He can't escape rumors no matter how hard he tries. They love talking about Elysium and the other popular kids. When he's asked the question, it doesn't take much hesitation to say: ]
I've never been in love, much less know how any sort of love feels like.
I don't want to waste anyone's time. [ he says it simply. their time, not his. ] And any longer than that, the other person usually starts getting bored.
[ the illusion starts slipping: he's not at all there. he's empty. he can't provide what they really want from him—love. he hopes that he can—and he's not about to think that it won't happen, but that is the objective reason hien had asked for behind why everything else has ended in the past.
it's always better to end things amicably. ]
You too, huh. [ he faces the cashier and asks for it to be wrapped, paying for everything by card. they ask him to wait for a few minutes, and so he nods and stands to the side. ] I wonder what it's like to have it all figured out.
[ He says quietly as he looks off to the side. The other person getting bored? Is that what amounts to relationships nowadays? He thought it was just Elysium trying to see if he could find someone that he could love, but it sounds tough for him too. Hien wants to know more out of curiosity of wanting to get to know Elysium better, but it's none of his business. ]
To have everything figured out with the guidance of someone else... must be nice.
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no subject
I don't bruise easily.
[ The forehead poking does earn a bit of a squint though. ]
Thanks for carrying me here, but you can go. The nurse will take a look at me just in case if you're too worried.
[ He isn't Elysium's problem, is what Hien seems to be saying. ]
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…
elysium looks conflicted for several seconds before he just sighs and holds out his hand. ]
Can I borrow your phone?
[ demands shit in both threads. sorry. ]
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Why? You don't even know my name. If you need to see me another time, just go to that same place during lunch.
[ Hien is just making this difficult now... ]
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elysium has the gall to look vaguely annoyed before deciding to just go with it, fingers curling before he stuffs the hand into a pocket. someone doesn't get told 'no' often, it seems…… ]
Why wouldn't I know you? You're Hien Callias. I remember one of the presentations you had to give a while back to our incoming cohort because I thought you were nice to listen to.
[ the implication that he's known about him since freshman year… but he stands, stretches. there's a pop in his joints that causes him to echo a laugh. ]
If that's what you want, sure. I'll check up on you tomorrow.
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Hien stares at Elysium for a while, sighs and holds out his phone after unlocking it and going to the call screen. Here you go. The phone's home screen is a picture of a roosting parrot if Elysium catches a glimpse of it. ]
That was so long ago... you remember things like that?
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hien can keep his phone, elysium's gaze just flicking to it briefly before he smiles politely. elysium had said he'd see him tomorrow, so hien will just have to deal. ]
Why wouldn't I? I remember everything. That includes all the promises I make.
But yeah, I'll catch you tomorrow. If you aren't where you say you are, I have my ways of being resourceful.
[ winks and
leaves. gooby. ]
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The head nurse comes back ten minutes and boots Hien out, because he's not in the infirmary for the usual reasons and therefore, he can go to class. He's perfectly healthy though, but sometimes you need to get treated for things after a fistfight and can't go anywhere else. Meanwhile, the student body and general acquaintances of Elysium try to badger him with questions. Who is that? Is that who you're dating for the week? You really could have chosen someone better. Did you want a challenge?
It's the next day during lunch. This time, Rion isn't with him, saying that they suddenly have tons of paperwork to do so their lunch time is being eaten up by that. Woe. Hien still owes them five croquettes. Anyway, it's not tuna sandwiches this time, but simply two bread with mocha cream filling inside. He's enjoying his peaceful silence... ]
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he does end up in another relationship by the end of the day, with the caveat that there's one thing he needs to do during lunch the next day. when he mentions this, the person he's telling looks at him like he's lost his mind and asks if he's planning to cheat on her in that span of time.
he laughs, shakes his head. no, nothing like that. he just needs to pay back a quick favour, five minutes, at most, but he understands if it's a big ask.
she looks at him like he's even crazier and asks if he thinks she's crazy. he shakes his head again, this time with a trace of something else she can't quite place. either way, he brings up a hand to her cheek, tucks her hair behind her ear, and apologises, muttering that's just how seriously he takes this.
so when lunch of the next day rolls around, he shows up with her in tow, their hands laced together as they step into the quiet corner of the courtyard. as they draw closer, he leans in to whisper something in her ear. she nods, grinning from ear to ear. together, they approach hien, a plastic bag that's filled to its brim suspended by his wrist. ]
This is for the other day. [ … ] Your friend isn't around, but there's stuff in there for them, too. You're looking fine, so that should be everything. See you around.
[ —a marked difference in his demeanour from the other day. she murmurs something about that being more attention than strictly necessary, and he only smiles, answering back with an 'i know. sorry.'
with one last glance of acknowledgement at hien, he nods, turns to place an apologetic kiss on her cheek before stepping away.
they both seem happy, at any rate. the bag contains several of croquette and tuna sandwiches as well as one of basically every other thing in whatever bakery elysium had picked these things up at. extra, just like him. ]
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Honestly, Hien hopes that it doesn't work out with that girl, thinking to himself that it must be because he doesn't want to see someone in an abusive relationship. Sure, Hien. Whatever you think with that single brain cell of yours. He finally looks down at the bag, pulls out a tuna sandwich, but... ]
This is a lot...
[ He mumbles to himself. Wasn't he an exchange student? Is he rich? It's not like he believed Rion's terrible lie, right? Bakery bread is so expensive... Hien sits there to enjoy his lunch. However, something catches his eye towards the end and he walks on over.
...
Rumors are often conversation starters, and this school is full of them. There are larger ones that circulate throughout the entire student body and some are only exchanged between two people. This one is only exchanged in the senior year and then some, because it's not very interesting. Something about a group of three friends, two get beaten up and the last one doesn't come to school the next day. Hien arrives to class with a square bandaid on his cheek. It's nothing new, but why them? The three seemed to be good friends... perhaps the last one escaped and Hien couldn't get them in time. ]
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it's both easier and not when the other person already knows what they want. when all he has to do is fit the shape they've decided on and go through the motions. what would 'he' do? he doesn't know. at the very least, his life is capable of making others happy.
the girl he's dating is a senior, a year above him. even beyond years, his reputation precedes him. he's on his way to her classroom when she brushes past him and tells him to stay put; she needs to run a quick errand for her teacher. he nods, compliant, and claims a stretch of wall to lean against. people look—they always do, but they don't approach him here the way they do if he were in his own hallway, and that's fine. he gives them nothing unless they address him directly, and if they do, he offers a polite nod, a version of himself they can't fault or argue with. some of them are exes, most aren't. they just want to see if they can earn a smile, something he's supposedly known for.
it's while he's waiting that he notices hien filter out of his classroom. elysium catches his eye, tilts his head, taps where the bandaid would be on his own cheek and mouths, 'what happened?' ]
no subject
But Hien is starting to take interest in the guy, watching him tap his own face and it takes a moment for Hien to connect the dots. Is it too much to initiate a conversation? From what he saw yesterday, he thinks it's because of the girlfriend. How restricting, he thinks.
"Bully," he mouths back and continues his way. It's lunch time, and he has three breads that Elysium bought in his hands. Hien is always at the same place, whether he's alone or with Rion. It doesn't matter. It's his little quiet place where most people don't bother to come, and that's fine with him. ]
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at least, being in love—however briefly it lasts—is something he can call his own, an anchor from week to week.
but he reads his lips and furrows his brow. his girlfriend is as much of a socialite, so he asks her about it when she returns. she's far less invested in anyone outside her circle, and what she gives him is an objective rundown, delivered with mild annoyance and a scoff. they're people not worth bothering with, she says, which makes the whole thing rather uninteresting.
hmm. he thanks her anyway, explaining it easily as something he'd overheard while waiting for her. one gentle tug of her hand later, it's as if the topic is already in the past, leading her toward the cafeteria without fuss or further mention of it.
it'll be another few days before they cross paths again. in that time, hien receives a mysterious apology from the very person who gave him his wound. then, during an assembly, elysium catches his eye once more and——smiles, a little livelier than when they'd passed each other in the halls. weird. ]
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Which is why the apology was amusing to receive. Hien went and beat up two guys because he thought they were bullying someone and one of them came to apologize to him about it. Wild.
After a few days, the bandaid on his cheek is gone. It looks like he healed up fine. During the assembly, he finds that Elysium is actually really easy to spot with his tricolored hair. He vaguely wonders which color of the three are natural, or maybe it's none at all. He notes the smile on his face, seemingly better than before. Huh. Hien just thinks that Elysium is having a good day.
...
Now that he thinks about it, does he even know the guy's name? He's heard "Elysium" before, but that sounds incredibly fake. He can't deny the possibility of that being his real name though, since he knows that some parents are just eccentric enough to give out names that are totally out there. Whatever the case, he ends up thinking about it so much that he tunes out everything that was said in the assembly. ]
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at any rate—
the assembly finishes. as rows and rows of students take their leave, hien will feel a knock against his head. ]
Wake up, senior— [ he isn't asleep, but he sure looks it. has he mastered the art of falling asleep with his eyes open? that'd be funny. he leans forward, whispering conspiratorially. ] Before you get in trouble with the teachers. You're lucky they're so distracted right now.
[ following the trajectory of his gaze reveals a student who'd gotten in trouble for dozing. and by the time he looks back, elysium might literally be gone. blink and you'll miss him. ]
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Hien would think it's weird, but didn't pay any more attention to the guy's behavior more than he had to. All sorts of things happen all the time. It might not make sense in general, but they still happen. He's too open-minded about this.
He feels the knock on the head and turns around to see Elysium there. Huh. It's him. He blankly looks over to the direction of the gaze, watching the student get scolded. When Hien turns back to speak to him, he's gone. He's not there. Huh. No matter which direction he looks, he can't find him in the sea of students despite how his hair really stands out.
...
He feels like he just hallucinated an angel on his shoulder, but no matter. Hien exits like everyone else. If that Elysium was real, he's just looking out for him, yeah. He's friendly to everyone. Sure. Hien has never thought to be special for anyone in his life--not his parents, not to his siblings, not to the single friend that he has--no one. And he's fine with that.
And what was that again... he liked the sound of his voice? His flat and deadpan voice that most people found to be disrespectful? It's hard to believe.
...
Hien sighs and goes to the bathroom. He needs to snap out of it, so washing his face might do him some good. ]
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he doesn't think it's strange to admire the way other people live. he knows better than to say it out loud, but he likes people who can be honest with themselves—people who aren't chameleons in the way he's learned to be. no matter how chagrined his teachers or his group members were during his presentation, hien really did whatever he wanted, and that alone was enough to be amusing and memorable in its own way.
unlike him and his need to conform, how else are you supposed to adjust to whatever place you're dropped into each time you move, if you aren't able to mould yourself to others' expectations? it becomes a lonely existence otherwise.
anyhow. he keeps dating the same girl throughout the week. She has no complaints about his conduct, and neither does he about hers, even if what she prefers is for him to dote on her quietly while showing him off to her friends.
'you're actually pretty mature, aren't you? i kept telling my friends you were more than just a troublemaker with a nice face and they didn't believe me.'
she puffs up with pride, like the discovery is hers. others comment that they hadn't been interested in dating him after hearing how immature he was, but that week-long fairytale rumour had merit, didn't it? were his classmates sabotaging his reputation on purpose?
outwardly, he just laughs again and says it's only natural for a one-of-a-kind guy to be multifaceted. internally, he thinks: what else is a week-long boyfriend good for, if not to provide a fantasy, in return for the fantasy they're giving him? ]
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At least, not until he occasionally looks for the small red streak every now and then. He finds his eyes wandering when people leave their classrooms or during lunchtime, passively searching. Sometimes their eyes meet and Elysium greets him with a smile and a wave. Hien doesn't wave back--he's never did for the first few times, but as time passes, he finds himself eventually raising his hand to wave back. The first time he tried was an utter disaster in which he raised his arm too slow so he thought Elysium already moved on and he was embarrassed for the rest of the day while keeping a straight face. Even on one of those days where they had eye contact, Elysium made a nomming motion and gave a thumbs up with a head tilt--probably to ask how the bread was. Hien only nodded in return and looked away. He could not get over how cute those motions were even after hours later.
... Wait.
Huh?
In the following days, Rion's continuous attempts at getting Hien to make more friends have landed Hien in the gaming after school club. Good timing too, because they needed a last minute slot-in for a tournament because one of their entries got sick. Or at least... those were the hopeful prospects. It didn't take long for Hien to get kicked out for "antisocial behavior, inability to cooperate, tanking morale, and being rude". Hien smacks Rion's shoulder on campus, saying that was absolutely unnecessary and to stop trying.
"You don't even go home after school, so you might as well."
It gets Hien to pause, then he leaves without another word.
Time waits for no one. ]
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hien is amusing in the way that many people aren't, wearing his heart on his sleeve despite that gloomy demeanor of his, not smiling unless there's an explicit reason to, he imagines. every emotion feels genuine, even when it's only a subtle shift in expression. it isn't a knock against those who contort themselves to conform—school is about one of the cruelest places full of others' expectations and the need to conform.
it's refreshing to see nonetheless. so even when he's playing the part of the perfect boyfriend and his attention is fixated on giving someone the world, when he's on his own, he finds himself looking for that familiar mop of black hair, wondering what reaction he might coax out next. they're real—unlike so very many things in his life.
friday afterschool arrives and elysium's dropping his girlfriend off at her home. she's a little upset about wasting an entire day, but he promises her as much of the weekend as she wants. does she want to see him at dawn? for him to throw rocks at her window at midnight? she giggles, brightening at that, and kisses him on the mouth and says it's a promise. he returns it before she waves over her shoulder and departs.
this leaves him with a rare friday to wander around town… wherever he is, i guess elysium's finding him now and potentially peering over his shoulder and being otherwise obtrusive. ]
Senior? Is that you?
[ what are you doing out here… it's friday… ]
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Elysium can find him in front of a Sanrio store. The location has been good—it's near the school and the mascot plushes are so cute that most girls want one. They even have cute stationary and everything. Hien has been looking at a particular seal doll before be startles upon hearing Elysium's voice. He can't mistake that for anyone else's now. ]
... Mm. It's me.
[ He can't help the way he feels a little happier in seeing Elysium and the tail wagging vibes are definitely there. His expression doesn't change, but the emotions conveyed through his deep black eyes might have an imaginary twinkle in it. ]
Not on a date today?
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She's busy today, so I thought I'd pick something up for her… to show I'm thinking about her, you know? [ beyond when they're just together, is what his demeanour seems to suggest. ] She already has a lot of My Melody, though, so I'm torn on whether another one be thoughtful or if she'd prefer the surprise of something different altogether. I overheard her telling her friends she really wanted to try out that new trend—angel hair chocolate, I think?
[ he looks genuinely contemplative. maybe he should just get both. that would be easiest… sorry to hien who has to listen to him think aloud. ]
Buuut enough about me. What are you doing here? Shopping for someone else, or yourself?
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[ Or something. Hien isn't usually the kind of person who keeps up with whatever is trending in any category, but he's seen it in the passing bakery enough that even he can tell what's currently in the vogue right now. Sweets aren't his thing though.
But that's okay, since he can listen to Elysium talk, and he finds that he likes hearing the sound of his voice. ]
I'm just looking around.
[ He thinks about Elysium's current girlfriend and falls into silence again. He eventually speaks up. ]
... Do you think you can fall in love with her this time?
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[ but before that, he's just going to hug different sizes plushes, trying to determine what might be best. eventually, he settles with one that's about fifty centimetres tall. a nice height, not too excessive. if she wants to throw it out, it won't give her much trouble. ]
But it's possible! We still have four days. [ he'd say this about everyone, to be fair, tucking the plush under his arm as he moves over to the register. ] She knows what she wants which is pretty admirable.
[ he thinks, if anyone's going to be the problem, it's him. ]
Have you ever been in love?
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But. Huh. ]
How come it's always a week? I thought it was coincidence...
[ He can't escape rumors no matter how hard he tries. They love talking about Elysium and the other popular kids. When he's asked the question, it doesn't take much hesitation to say: ]
I've never been in love, much less know how any sort of love feels like.
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[ the illusion starts slipping: he's not at all there. he's empty. he can't provide what they really want from him—love. he hopes that he can—and he's not about to think that it won't happen, but that is the objective reason hien had asked for behind why everything else has ended in the past.
it's always better to end things amicably. ]
You too, huh. [ he faces the cashier and asks for it to be wrapped, paying for everything by card. they ask him to wait for a few minutes, and so he nods and stands to the side. ] I wonder what it's like to have it all figured out.
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[ He says quietly as he looks off to the side. The other person getting bored? Is that what amounts to relationships nowadays? He thought it was just Elysium trying to see if he could find someone that he could love, but it sounds tough for him too. Hien wants to know more out of curiosity of wanting to get to know Elysium better, but it's none of his business. ]
To have everything figured out with the guidance of someone else... must be nice.
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