The whole class buzzed with endless chatter as the students were wrapped in their own little worlds. Laughter rose here, arguments there, and the screeching of chairs as people moved from desk to desk.
It was pure chaos.
"Mr. Jung is here!" a boy shouted breathlessly as he burst into the class through the doorway, nearly tripping over his own feet in a rush to find his seat. The whole class came to a halt. Students who were on their feet and those already seated were all in a hurry to get to their chairs, knowing the big trouble they would be in otherwise.
By the time the teacher reached the classroom door, the room had fallen into perfect silence. "So disciplined," he remarked with a smug face. His students were always more disciplined than those in other classes, and he enjoyed showing off.
He stepped inside as the students stood to greet him, but the words died in their throats when they noticed someone walking in behind him.
A boy. Someone they had never seen before.
"No need for greetings," Mr. Jung said, waving his hand dismissively as he walked towards the front of the class. "You may take your seats. We have a new student joining us today."
The whole class sat down, curiosity evident in their eyes, wondering who the new kid was.
The teacher could read their minds.
"Introduce yourself to the class," Mr. Jung said.
"Soo Jin." His voice echoed through the silent classroom. It wasn't warm or shy like most boys his age. It was cold.
"Is that all?" Mr. Jung asked, surprise evident on his face. He was expecting a lively introduction, not a dull one like this.
Soo Jin nodded, uninterested in Mr. Jung's question or his disappointment, as he surveyed the faces of the students with a straight expression. Until his gaze settled on a young boy with a gentle, handsome appearance and brown hair.
"Found him,"he muttered.
Mi Young.
The reason why he came to Haneul High School.
And as he stared back, his mind drifted to that day.
The day he found out that his mum didn't die because of giving birth to him, as he had always thought.
Her death was planned.
She was murdered.
"Soo Jin." The teacher's voice pulled him back to the present, cutting off his attempted flashback.
He turned slightly, only to meet the eyes of a boy seated a desk away from Mi Young. The boy sat casually in his chair, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lip.
Soo Jin glared back at the boy, expecting him to look away, but instead he chuckled softly, tilting his head slightly and winking back at Soo Jin.
Soo Jin was speechless. "The hell…?"
"You can take your seat," Mr. Jung said.
Soo Jin nodded, looking for an empty chair.
"You can sit here," the boy who had teased Soo Jin said, pointing to the chair in front of him.
Soo Jin planned on ignoring him, but there was no other empty chair. With reluctance, he walked towards the chair, adjusted it, and sat down.
"That's all for now," Mr. Jung said as he prepared to leave. "Soo Jin, if you need my help, my office is always open." He smiled and left.
The noise instantly resumed the moment the teacher left, and Soo Jin was the main topic of conversation.
The girls were giggling about how handsome Soo Jin was.
The noise irritated Soo Jin as he lay his head on the table, hoping to block them out. It wasn't even a minute before he felt a tap on his back. He lifted his head with an irritated look; without looking, he already guessed who it was.
That troublemaker boy. He turned back and was right. The troublemaker leaned forward, his head resting on his palm, a mischievous smile planted on his lips.
"Hey, why are you so stiff and cold?" the boy teased in a low voice.
Soo Jin's brows formed into a frown. "It's none of your business."
The boy chuckled at the savage reply. "I like you," he blurted care freely.
Soo Jin looked at the boy like he had grown two heads. He hadn't spent an hour in this school, and already this boy had managed to leave him speechless—twice.
"Ah, my bad," the boy said, waving his hand casually. "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Ji Woo."
Soo Jin's eyes narrowed as he studied Ji Woo. There was something about the boy's carefree character that confused him, maybe because he hadn't been brought up or trained by his grandparents like that.
Ji Woo discreetly shifted, uncomfortable under Soo Jin's gaze.
Where was the courage he usually had?
But he couldn't back down, especially in front of the person he was interested in. It would ruin his cool facade.
Soo Jin's lips curled, not in amusement, but in faint observation. "I'm not interested in your name," he said before turning to the front. He wasn't here to make friends. Even if he wanted to have a friend, a troublemaker could never be the one.
His eyes slid to the desk two rows away from him.
And there he was.
The reason he came to the school.
Mi Young.
Seeing him smiling and being carefree with his friends.
No emotion showed on Soo Jin's face as he remained still, studying Mi Young in silent calculation.
Ji Woo was a little sad at being ignored, until he noticed Soo Jin's gaze on his best friend.
Don't tell him it's what he was thinking.
He stood up, walked to Soo Jin's chair, and crouched to his ear level.
"Do you like my best friend?" he whispered.
Soo Jin froze at the sudden proximity. No one had ever been this close to him.à