Episode 3

Minseok arrived early at school and was walking around the playground with a football at his feet when he saw a familiar silhouette walking towards the school building.

Isn't that the new student? Why does his posture look weird?

Minseok couldn't help the curiosity and so he walked up to Jaehyun with the football in his left arm.

Jaehyun saw him walk towards him but said nothing and continued walking. Minseok was enraged by this and stopped Jaehyun.

”You saw me and yet you didn't greet me?? Should I even teach you how to greet people when you see them?” Minseok asked, his eyes fixed on Jaehyun.

Did he fall down or something? Now that I saw him walk from close, it looks like he's trying hard to walk straight but he is still limping.

”Is there something on my face?” Jaehyun asked, bringing Minseok back from his thoughts.

Minseok was flustered, *Have I been staring at his face all this time?! ”*NO! NOTHING... Y-You didn't answer me!!”

”Sorry, I was in a hurry” Jaehyun nodded his head slightly, ”Good Morning Minseok”

”Hey who said you could address me by my name?? Anyways what's up with your leg?”

”I fell down from my bike”

”Oh” Minseok looked at him from head to toe, contemplating if he should believe him or not, and asked, ”And why are you wearing your jacket in this weather?? Take it off once you get to class if not Byunmoo whale will scold you”

”Whale... Byunmoo?”

”Our homeroom teacher... He's loud but he's not that bad”

Jaehyun didn't say anything else and waited for Minseok to speak.

”You can go now”

Why am I even speaking to that guy?? Looks like he's the first guy I've ever spoken to voluntarily and for so long. Minseok thought to himself as he looked at Jaehyun walk with difficulty.

Should I help him? WAIT WHAT?! What am I even thinking?! Why would I help that annoying guy?? Why would I help anyone?

_________

When Minseok went to class after strolling around the school, he saw Jaehyun sitting there without his jacket, he felt satisfied. Minseok didn't realise that his lips had curved into a smile, as he walked inside the class he heard a girl scream and when he turned around to see, he saw her pointing at him.

”HE SMILED!!” She shouted, ”I SAW MINSEOK SMILE!”

”THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE” another girl shouted from the other side of the classroom, ”Have you lost your mind??”

”I SWEAR I SAW HIM SMILE!!”

Minseok quickly put on his cold face and glared at the girl, she immediately shut up.

”I guess not,” she said with an embarrassed chuckle and sat down in her seat.

Minseok turned around and saw Jaehyun looking at him. He suddenly became conscious of himself and walked to his seat.

He looked at Jaehyun from the corner of his eyes and saw his arms.

What the f- this guy’s arms are bruised... And that bad!? Did he get into a fight with someone?? But he doesn't look the type... I wonder if the reason he's limping is the same? Minseok thought to himself and sighed. I shouldn't have asked him to take his jacket off... And he's so obedient. What if the rest of the classmates see him like this? Won't they spread baseless rumours??

”J-Jaehyun”

Jaehyun turned to look at Minseok who was looking nervous.

”What is it?”

”Put on your jacket”

”You told me to take it off”

”Yeah, I did! But now I'm asking you to put it back on”

”Alright”

Jaehyun pulled his jacket from his bag and put it on, he then looked at Minseok with a blank expression.

Minseok didn't know what to say, should I smile?? Why is he looking at me like that?!

Minseok had started to sweat under the heated gaze of Jaehyun, he didn't know how to react.

He pulled out his hand from his pocket and showed him a thumbs up. Jaehyun looked away and Minseok could finally breathe. This guy! So weird!

______

During the lunch break, Minseok went to the storeroom for a smoke. He unintentionally eavesdropped on two boys talking outside the storeroom.

”He hasn't spoken to anyone since yesterday... That new student, what was his name again?”

“Park Jaehyun?”

“Yeah. There are already so many rumours about him... I heard the teacher say that he was forced a transfer due to extreme violence!”

“What? He doesn’t seem the type...”

“And I saw Minseok speaking to him this morning... but looking at the two of them together Jaehyun is so good looking even in front of Minseok who is known for his looks!”

“Minseok spoke to him?? Damn, that’s shocking... he barely speaks to anyone without cursing!”

“Do you think Jaehyun is getting bullied by Minseok?! Poor guy.”

“Serves him right! In the morning he came to class and took off his jacket. When I looked over coincidentally his hands were bleeding!! He went to the washroom to wash off the blood... I was so scared! His face was expressionless as though he couldn't feel any pain...”

”That's scary! I'll keep my distance from that freak!”

Minseok flinched at the last sentence, he felt uncomfortable listening to the two of them gossiping. He wanted to smash their heads into the wall. They barely know anything about Jaehyun but they are assuming things about him!

Minseok put out the cigarette and walked out of the storeroom, the two boys immediately shut up when they saw him. He gave them a final look before leaving. This look meant a lot of things but the boys understood.

______

Minseok walked to his classroom wearily and saw that the teacher was already in class.

If I go in now she’ll make me stand out for sure, I'll just skip this class...

Minseok hopped through the hallway and went to his favourite place, the storeroom. This was the only place in the entire school where he could be himself and not worry about anything else. He was about to push open the door when he heard a strange voice coming from inside.

Is someone inside? But no one usually comes to this place.

He placed his ear close to the door and tried to listen attentively. He heard a nasty growl from the inside which made his hair stand up.

A WILD ANIMAL?? SINCE WHEN? HOW?? Should I call for help? Eh, it's impossible that a wild animal would be in our storeroom haha...im so silly! Let's just take a look inside.

The fearless Minseok was long gone, he mustered up all the courage he had left and pushed open the door.

JAEHYUN??!!

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