Chapter 9: A Confused Heart

*Purpura*

"Sou!" I yelled as I looked down at the backyard.

Sou looked up and grinned, it seemed as if he was enjoying the look on my face. He had landed on the ground perfectly as if he had done it a lot.

I shook my head and jumped after the idiot. "Where in the world are you running off to?" I asked, giving him a cold look.

"Don't follow me, stalker!" he said as his smile vanished. He made his way into the bushes that we had used earlier.

I followed him anyways. Like a dumb insult like 'stalker' would keep me away. While he might've been smiling now, it could've been fake or ethereal. It wasn't that I cared for him personally or anything like that. It was simply that I had use for him. The guy treated my wounds and gave me food.

"Calm down you idiot. What in the world is wrong with you?" I said as I got my clean clothes all muddy.

He stopped once he was on the other side of the bushes. "Do you really want to know? If you do then let's go to the cherry blossom tree, there I'll explain everything to ya."

I tilted my head at him. 'Is he really going to share what's going on with him? This kid is weird. One moment he acts one way and the other moment he's surprisingly calm.'

I followed Sou back to the hill at the center of town.

"Now will you tell me?" I asked. My eyes darted to the town below. "Also, why here?"

Sou sat down and looked down at his small farm community. "It has a nice view which helps relax my nerves." He glanced up at the cloudy sky. "Sit, it's going to be a rather long story..."

Well, it wasn't like I had anything better to do with my time.

*Sou*

Purpura sat down next to me. "Well then, begin telling or we'll be here for some time," he said, leaning his back against the trunk of the cherry blossom tree.

I nodded. "It happened four years ago..."

[Four Years Ago]

"We got a new student!" Sayuri yelled as Ava, her, and I walked to school.

"Really? That's a first," Ava said, crossing her arms.

Sayuri nodded. "At least since we've been going to school. Rumor has it that it's a prince!"

"A prince?" I said. I closed my eyes and imagined someone dressed in fancy clothing that used more fabric than necessary.

"Do you know his name?" Ava asked, tilting her head.

Sayuri shook her head. "No. Sadly, I don't. But I'll find out as soon as I can and tell ya!"

I snickered. "You sure love gossip, huh?"

Sayuri's face reddened. "Well, so do you."

That, I couldn't exactly deny.

I looked down. P.E., that class...why did I have to go to it? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed being able to run, jump, etc., especially since most of the day we spent seated listening to boring lectures, but...

I sighed and went on my way.

I came to a halt in front of the blue steel doors and gulped. Even from here I could smell the scent of sweat and cheep spray.

I entered the boy's locker room and lowered my head to avoid looking at the guys who were changing. Several of them were rather good looking.

"Sou!" one of the guys yelled as soon as I entered.

"Hello," I said, keeping my eyes on the floor. My face felt warm for some reason. Redder than around any of the others.

"You alright?" asked the boy who had called me out.

"Sek," I said, looking up. My face felt like it was on fire as soon as I saw that he was still shirtless.

He smiled as he punched me in the shoulder. "Checking me out, aren't ya?" he asked as my face continued to heat up. He curled his slightly toned arms around me. "I don't mind. It makes me feel self-assured of my figure." He leaned in closely. "However, be careful around the others." He glanced over at the other boys. "They might think that you have a thing for guys."

I gulped mentally and nodded.

He chuckled as he let go of me. "Oh yeah, I got someone I want you to meet," he said as he put on his white jersey. Without another word, he ran off to another corner of the locker room.

Using the opportunity, I changed as fast as I could into my gym clothes.

"Sou!" Sek yelled. He hadn't taken too long, I had barely put on my shorts. I rapidly put on my shirt. 

Once it was on, I turned and stared at the black haired 'flower-boy' he had brought back with him. "Who is this?"

"Nice to meet you," the boy said. He was as handsome as his cousin...but there was something else about him that was even more attractive...

I shook my head. 'What's wrong with me? He's a guy!'

"Something the matter?" the boy asked, touching my shoulder lightly.

'What's with these cousins? They truly are princes... Wait, so this guy must be the new kid that Sayuri was talking about.'

"I'm fine," I lied. I grabbed my bag and pushed it into my locker before shutting it. "I'm Souta, but everyone calls me 'Sou'."

Sehun smiled. "Nice to meet you Sou. I'm Sehun, Sekin's cousin."

"Everyone here calls me 'Sek'," Sek said, crossing his muscular arms. "Sou here is my best friend."

"Ah, the one you said has a cute face?" Sehun chuckled. He looked me over. "Well, he is rather cute."

My face flushed. 'Sekin said I had a cute face?'

Sek blushed and turned to look at me. "For a guy that is..." He nodded as if confirming himself of something.

***

"Sounds like this Sek guy might like you," Purpura said, leaning his head back against the cherry blossom tree. "Are you a guy magnet?"

I blushed. "I-I don't think that Sek goes that way. Also, only got Sehun, though I think Sehun might like girls too. I'm not so sure."

A smile spread across his face. "I think this 'Sek' likes both too. Anyways, please continue."

I grumbled. "This time please don't interrupted."

He smirked. "I'll try not to."

***

"Is that the new guy?" Sayuri said as soon as we boys met up with the girls.

"He's pretty cute, I expected him to be more on the hunky side like his cousin," Ava whispered.

"He is cute...uh for a guy." 'Oh gods, did that sound homo or what?'

"Sou, Ava, Sehun, Sayuri, Sek. You five are to be a team," our teacher said.

Sek chuckled and ran over to us. He wrapped his arm around my neck. "Yes, we're a team!" he yelled.

I grinned. "Y-yeah."

"You two are very close," Sehun said, grinning.

Sek quickly let go of me and glared at his cousin. "I'm not liking that tone you're using. Don't tell that little Shika's thoughts are starting to rub off on you."

Sehun crossed his arms and scoffed. "Why do you say that so defensively?" he asked as he continued to smile.

Sek glared at him. "I am not gay if that's what you're thinking. Need I remind you that I got a girlfriend?"

***

"See!" Purpura interrupted once again. "Even his cousin thinks he's gay! If he's not then he has to be bi-sexual."

I tensed up. "P-please don't repeat those words around me."

"Why not? I thought that you were open about your own sexuality, why avoid the terms? Are you one of those who hates labels or something?" he asked, tilting his head at me.

"I'm not... but I don't like those words!" My hands curled up into fists.

Purpura sighed. "Tell me more because you aren't making much sense. What does this have to do with why you're angry?"

I sighed back. "Please let me finish. I guess I'll save us some time and skip forward a couple days to after school on the Friday of that week..."

***

"Sou!" Sekin said, ruffling my hair. "Want to go to the market?"

I grinned. "Yeah!" I blinked. "Wait. I thought that you had something to do with your girlfriend."

He tapped his forehead. "Do I? I don't recall." He chuckled. "Whatever, I'm sure she wouldn't mind me being a little late!"

"Who wouldn't mind?" called out a girl. Sweat covered the girl's face. "I...I made it in time."

Sek let go of me. "Rena..." He ran over to her and lightly hit her on the head. "You fool, you shouldn't be running in your condition." He sighed. "You barely got out of the hospital." His long fingers curled around her hand. "We can't go on our date like this."

She put her head against his chest. "You were going to be late like usual. Sometimes I think that Shika is right..."

Sek's eyes narrowed and leaned in closely. His lips pressed against hers.

I turned around, feeling a pain in my chest... 'What's wrong with me? Is this a heart attack? No... It doesn't seem like one. More like emptiness.'

"Sou," Sek called out. "I'm going to take Rena to her house."

"That's fine," I said, still looking away. Feeling his hand on my shoulder made the pain increase. 'Gods...what is this feeling?'

Rena grabbed her boyfriend's arm. "Let's go..." She coughed.

"Go, she'll get worse if you don't." I ran off, kicking up dust behind me.

Tears ran down my eyes.

"Hey look, if it isn't the homo," a kid barked. "He must've broken up with his boyfriend."

I glared at the red-haired boy who was accompanied by several others.

My hands curled into fists as I turned around, running right toward them. "You three shall do fine. I got to let off some steam!"

The boys chuckled and spread out in multiple directs.

I choose to chase the leader of the guys.

"Help me, I'm being chased by a homo!" the boy taunted as he ran down to the riverbed.

"Take that back or I'll punch ya teeth in!" I yelled. The boy ducked my punch and chuckled as he ran downhill to the river.

"You almost got me there. Try some more, homo!"

The ground directly under my feet disintegrated into nothing. "You're dead!" I screamed.

The boy stopped talking and ran back up. He turned toward the direction of the hill overlooking the town.

"You're dead!"

I chased the boy up to the hill but his two friends were waiting there, holding mud in their hands. Before I knew it, mud hit my eyes and the guys punched me in the ribs and face.

"This is what you deserve for trying to turn Sekin into someone like you!" one of the boys shouted.

'This is about Sek?'

I yelped as I felt the punches land on my stomach.

"Hold him down!" the leader yelled. The two grunts pinned me to the ground by the feet and arms. Before I knew it, my head was being kicked as if it were a soccer-ball. I almost blanked out completely from the first hit.

"Let go of him now!" someone yelled.

"Ava?" I whispered as I felt a bit of energy course back to my arms. Pushed one of the guys off of me and tried to stand up, but I didn't have enough strength left in me.

"Sou," Sehun called out. A hand wiped the mud away from my eyes. "It's fine now. Try to open your eyes. Tell me if you can see."

My eyes remained closed. I pressed my head against his chest. "Thanks for saving me."

Sehun wiped away a tear with his soft hands. "You should thank Ava, not me."

"Ava, she was really here? Is she fine by herself?" I said, opening my eyes. Sehun was carrying me away.

"Sayuri went to back her up." He gave me a toothy grin. "Those two girls are rather scary. You should've seen those guys run off like a bunch of chickens being hunted by two wolves."

I laughed. "That sounds like them. My face flushed as I stared as his half open shirt, revealing some 'cleavage'.

"What's wrong?"

I pushed him away. "Nothing is... I'm fine." I dusted my clothes off. "I can walk on my own."

My vision blurred and my side ached like as if I were still being punched. I collapsed to my knees.

"This is nothing?" Sehun asked, grabbing me by the shoulder. "If only you could look at yourself. You look like you're a zombie. Come, we're going to call a doctor to check up on you."

I smiled and pressed my head against his shoulders. He smelled so nice, like roses...

"Sou!" he yelled as I closed my eyes again. "Hey, stay awake. Sou!"