Something’s Not Right

Jun's Pov

Jun wasn't prepared for this. He froze, watching in disbelief as Kind collapsed to the floor. It took a moment for Win's shout to snap him out of his shock. "Help!" he yelled, and within seconds, the staff was rushing in. The supervisor immediately turned to Win. "What happened?"

Win quickly explained, and the supervisor commanded, "Get him to the infirmary, now!" Without a second thought, Jun scooped Kind into his arms and started running. He moved so fast that Win had to hurry to keep up. Less than a minute later, they burst through the infirmary doors.

The doctor didn't hesitate. "What happened?" he asked, his voice urgent.

Jun carefully placed Kind on the bed, then turned to explain. As the doctor examined Kind, the room fell silent, the only sound the soft beeping of machines.

Jun glanced around, and something felt off. The sterile white walls, the stillness in the air—it made his skin crawl. He'd always felt uneasy at school, but now, with Kind unconscious, it felt worse than ever.

A thought hit him. Kind had asked for Pink Milk earlier. He didn't think, he just acted, and before he knew it, he was hurrying to the canteen to grab the drink.

When he returned, Kind was awake. Win was the only one still there, the room otherwise empty.

"Let's go to the canteen," Kind said, but to Jun, it sounded more like, Please don't leave.

Kind raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. He looked at Jun, his expression changing when he recognized him.

"Here's the Pink Milk you asked for," Jun said, holding out the drink with a nervous smile.

"Thanks for today," Kind said softly, taking the bottle. "And for that day too."

Jun blinked, surprised. He hadn't expected Kind to remember him. "It's nothing," he muttered, then quickly left the room, his face flushed. His heart raced, confused by the warmth Kind's simple "thank you" gave him. He shook his head, trying to shake off the feeling as he headed to the bathroom to cool off.

By the time Jun got back to class, the first two periods had already ended. Mean handed him his notebook.

"Here, copy the notes, then return it when you're done," Mean said, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Thanks."

"Oh, and guess what?" Mean's eyes lit up. "We're going on a school trip next Friday!"

Jun's face lit up at the thought. A trip! Away from school, away from everything. Could this be the break they needed? But something about it felt... off. He glanced over at Kind and felt that familiar unease rise in his chest.

Before he could say anything, the teacher entered the room. "Everyone, take your seats!" she called, and the room quickly quieted.

The bell rang at 4 p.m., signaling the end of the school day. Students rushed to leave. Jun hurriedly packed his things, eager to get out of there.

"Wait for me!" Mean called as he jogged to catch up.

"I thought I'd be waiting forever," Jun said, trying to mask his impatience.

"Aww, don't say that!" Mean laughed as they headed out together.

"So, what were you saying before?" Jun asked.

"Oh, I was just saying that our juniors are joining us for the trip. Did you know there's a new kid in Grade 10?"

"Who?"

"Kind. The one you took to the infirmary."

Jun stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Kind walking ahead of them. Without thinking, he gently nudged Mean aside.

"Mean, can you go home alone today?" Jun's voice was quieter than usual.

"Huh? Why?"

"I'll explain later, okay?"

"Cool. I'll see you later."

Jun waited until Mean was out of sight, then took a deep breath. He walked toward Kind, his heart pounding. Win had left Kind alone, and this was his chance.

"Need someone to walk with you?" Jun asked, his voice soft.

Kind turned around, surprised. "Umm…"

"Kind, right?" Jun asked, pointing at him.

"Umm…"

"And I'm—"

"Jun," Kind interrupted.

Jun blinked. "How do you know my name?"

"My friend told me," Kind said, then smiled. "Thanks for helping me this morning."

Jun felt his cheeks heat up. "Don't mention it," he said quickly, as they began walking together.

As they walked, Kind's eyes flicked to Jun's wristwatch. "Nice watch," he said.

"Oh, my mom gave it to me for my birthday," Jun said, smiling as he looked down at it.

Kind's gaze lingered on the watch for a moment before his expression shifted, a flicker of something in his eyes. He stopped walking, lost in thought.

Jun noticed and immediately turned back. "Kind, what's wrong?"

Kind snapped back to reality, blinking. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about my birthday."

"Really? When is it?" Jun asked, a big smile on his face.

"January 2nd."

"Wait, that's the day after New Year's! That's next week!"

Kind looked surprised, realizing they had already reached the school's main entrance. They stood there for a moment, the noise of the school day swirling around them.

Jun couldn't help but feel there was something more to Kind's hesitation. But as Kind turned to leave, Jun felt this strange pull to ask more, to stay close.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then," Jun said, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Bye," Kind said with a small smile.

Jun turned quickly, hoping Kind didn't notice the warmth spreading across his face, and started walking toward home.

Kind, unaware of Jun's inner turmoil, turned in the opposite direction, as their paths separated. Neither of them knew that the journey they were about to embark on was just beginning.

Jun walked briskly, his thoughts tangled, replaying every moment with Kind. The way his name had rolled off Kind's tongue, how he'd smiled, the warmth that spread through him when Kind remembered him. He tried to shake the feelings, but they clung to him, impossible to ignore.

By the time he reached his street, the sun was dipping lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the quiet neighborhood. He unlocked the door to his house, tossed his bag onto the couch, and sat down, his mind still buzzing with the strange, unspoken connection he felt.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a message from Mean.

"Hey, are you free later? I want to talk about the trip and also... some other stuff. Meet at the usual spot?"

Jun stared at the screen for a moment before typing back.

"Sure, see you there."

The usual spot was a small park a few blocks away—a place where they'd often hung out after school, away from the chaos of the school halls. Jun left the house, the cool air hitting his face as he made his way over. His thoughts wandered again, and for the first time in a long while, he found himself smiling to himself.

When he reached the park, Mean was already sitting on their usual bench, legs stretched out, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Finally," Mean said with a grin as Jun sat down beside him. "I was starting to think you weren't coming."

Jun chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry. I've just been thinking about... stuff."

"Stuff?" Mean raised an eyebrow. "What kind of stuff?"

Jun hesitated, unsure how to put his feelings into words. "Kind... he's... different."

Mean's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Oh? Different how?"

"I don't know," Jun muttered, staring at the ground. "There's just something about him. I can't stop thinking about him."

Mean grinned, his expression turning teasing. "Ahh, so it's a crush then?"

Jun flushed, his cheeks burning. "It's not like that!" he protested, though the heat in his face said otherwise. "I just... feel like there's more to him. Like... something's off, but I don't know what it is."

"Sounds like a mystery," Mean said, nodding. "You're getting that feeling too, huh?"

Jun looked at him, surprised. "What do you mean?"

Mean leaned in slightly, his voice dropping lower. "You didn't notice, did you? About the school. There's something weird going on here. It's... not just a regular school."

Jun's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean by 'weird'?"

Mean glanced around, as if checking to make sure no one was listening. "It's the way things are, the way people act. It's like everything is... controlled. Like it's all part of some plan. And I think Kind... he knows something."

Jun stared at him, his mind racing. "Are you saying he's involved in something? A secret?"

Mean didn't answer right away. Instead, he shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable. "I don't know. But there's something not right. I've been hearing things. From the teachers. From the staff. They're... too focused on him. I've seen it, Jun. I've heard them talking."

Jun's pulse quickened. "What have you heard?"

Mean leaned in closer, lowering his voice even more. "I don't know all the details, but it's about his family. And about why he's here."

Jun's mind was spinning. This isn't just a school trip. This is something bigger. Something we're missing.

He tried to steady his thoughts. "So, what do we do now?"

Mean grinned, his usual mischievous energy returning. "We keep an eye on him. We find out what he knows. And if we're lucky, maybe we'll figure out what's really going on here."

Jun nodded, feeling a sense of determination settle in his chest. "I'll keep watching him. I have to."

"Good," Mean said, a wink in his voice. "I'll back you up."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, the weight of their conversation hanging in the air. Jun couldn't stop thinking about Kind—about the strange pull he felt toward him. There was something about him, something hidden just beneath the surface, and Jun couldn't shake the feeling that everything was connected.

As the evening wore on, Jun's thoughts drifted back to that moment in the infirmary, when he'd placed his hand on Kind's shoulder. The way Kind had looked at him, the way his eyes had softened when they talked.

What is it about you, Kind? Jun thought to himself. Why do I feel like I'm supposed to know you?

With one final glance at Mean, Jun stood up, determination in his eyes. Tomorrow was a new day, and he was going to find out the truth—no matter what it took.