Fifth story

Characters: Himchan (only)

Genre: fun, school

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Himchan is your everyday average guy with average school days. He is an honest guy, no girlfriend, no bff, no social life, just day in day out all he did was study and read books in his free time. He’d wish to have a friend whom he could lean his back on, but being a social shy guy he is brought him nowhere. He wasn’t really determinate to get one, he felt like these things are supposed to happen naturally. Hence, nature was not on his side.

Today is the first day of his school outing, it will be a four nights three-day trip for the students so they can meet and greet with each other, to have a strong bond for the following years. Everyone is with either a small valise or a bag pack. The girls gathered at the first bus while the boys are standing next to the second bus. One by one the teachers called their homeroom students and made sure everyone on the list in their hands hopped on the bus.

Himchan was the third one to enter the bus and kept on walking to the back, he picked a seat and shoved his handbag underneath it, took his book out the handbag and flipped to the latest page he left off. The teachers pushed the final student in the bus, who kept talking and flipping out as to why he is the last one and that he is sitting in front. And soon the bus left, with the boy still trying to talk his teacher out of it.

A boy bigger than Himchan is seated next to him. He was having a conversation with his classmates behind him so he had his back turned. They talked about cars, hobbies, girls, etc. Just the usual talk when meeting someone. The one seated straight behind Himchan kicked his seat after letting out a robotic laughter. He got up and hovered his head over Himchan and his book.

‘Sorry for kicking your seat. It’s too narrow in here.’ What he looked at is the book Himchan is holding. ‘What are you reading? Is it anything good?’

The boy dropped all kinds of questions related to the book, but Himchan remained in his position and replied him softly.

‘It’s a thriller genre.’ He said flipping the book over so the back cover became visible. The boy asked him if he could take a look and read the resume. Himchan passed him the book and the boy scanned the covers and handed the book back. ‘It looks interesting. I’ll have to read that one for sure.’ He smiled and fist bumped the boy next him on his right shoulder. He let out a small cry and fought back.

The boy next Himchan turned and began to talk. ‘Don’t mind those two, they are like this since day one. By the way. My name is Jaesae, like the rapper. But Jay is fine too.’ He smiled and waited for Himchan to say something back.

Just answer him back like you did to the one sitting behind 2 minutes ago. The words are bouncing inside the head of Himchan. ‘Himchan.’ He could manage to bring out. His mechanic voice made Jay crack up as he hit his thigh and stamps his foot on the floor.

            ‘You seriously sound like a robot and the dude behind us laughs like one too. This must be the future.’ He looked at Himchan and Himchan looked back at him and at the same time Jay brought his hand up into a fist, waiting for the boy behind him to fist bump him back. Not something he was expecting did happen.

        ‘You think you can get away with that, Jay. Think twice. And Nae if you had reached back, I’d definitely killed you and dumped you somewhere. See it as having a one-way trip to hell.’ He grabbed Jay’s fist and twisted it till it touched the back of the seat.

            ‘What the h. Batman. Why you trying to hurt an innocent citizen.’ Jay tried to find Kyung his hand and tap on it for him to stop.

            ‘Oh, you animal. Stop that before Himchan thinks we belong in the hospital in white clothes, with arms strapped. Kyung, stop it right now, or I will not give you my ity.’ All eyes turned towards the four boys. It was drop dead silence in the bus. Kyung let go of Jay his hand and turned to Nae with eyes about to pop out, open mouth and dropped back on his seat. Dumfounded, Kyung dropped his head in his hands.

            ‘Why are you bringing that up. You stupid . Treat me with everything but only that. I despise you.’ Kyung made a dramatically turned to his right and made fake mechanical crying noises. Everyone turned back and began to whisper, and eventually talking loud. Screaming all over the place.

Short after the lousy bus trip, they arrived at their destination. Every one of the students crashed out of the bus. Dropped their bags onto the ground and began to stretch out feeling every muscle screaming, for more moving around and more stretching.

Himchan was standing next to Jay, Nae, and Kyung like a circle. The teacher explained their schedule and announced that each room has four beds, that they could choose to form a group. So the four boys dragged their luggage into their room and send the bags flying on the bed. Kyung and Nae conquered the beds up while Himchan and Jay took their place underneath them. Kyung popped his head out looking down. Himchan was picking out the things he finds necessary.

            ‘Should we go to the teacher’s room or the girl's room. We will have to observe them first and see where everyone is located. Make a map and hunt them down between midnight and dawn. Which one, huh.’ Kyung grinds looking excited. But the others are thinking different.

            ‘We should have fun with other things first, dear.’ Nae pulled out the schedule out of his pocket and laid it on the bed. ‘We’ll do what you said tomorrow. Let’s explore the surrounding, just to have an idea of what we have.’ Nae was rocking from left to right on the bed.

Jay shoot out of the bed and started to curse.

            ‘Well look at this.’ He said while looking down at his phone. He got both Kyung and Nae their attention. ‘Hear this.’ He cleared his throat. “Hi, my name is Lim. I asked for your number from one of your classmates. I actually couldn’t bring up my courage to ask it directly. Will you meet me at the parking lot at 3 pm? Thank you.” Jay burst into tears and fell back on the bed, he was rolling around. He just couldn’t stop laughing, that it made him choke. ‘You believe this woman!’

            ‘Dude, that’s way too obvious. It’s definitely a guy who send that to you. But that what happened in the bus early made us all look homo. And besides, a guy is an asker and a girl is a commander.’ Kyung jumped down and laid next to Jay and went for the phone.

            ‘Kyung is right I guess. If it was a girl, she’d be like.’ Nae put on a high pitched girly voice. “Hi, my name is Lim. I TOOK your number from one of your classmates. I actually couldn’t bring up my courage to ask it directly. I WILL be waiting at the parking lot at 3 pm for YOU to COME. Bye.” About something like that.’

Himchan looked at Nae, his eyes jumped from him to Kyung and halted at Jay. He was confused and couldn’t really follow the story, and didn’t dare to ask a question. Kyung saw the look on Himchan his face and got up, making his way over to Himchan his bed. He plopped down next to Himchan and threw his arm over his shoulder.

            ‘How about we send Himchan down on him/her. I bet he or she will get more frustrated than he or she is right now. Getting the wrong product delivered.’ Kyung squeezed Himchan his shoulder and pressed on his clavicle while looking him in the eyes waiting for a head shake and approval.

Nae sends his pillow flying at Kyung as it bumped on his face making him lose his balance. Both Kyung an Himchan fell back making a booming sound.

            ‘You cracked their heads like an egg, man.’ Jay looked up but he only saw Nae’s foot.

Nae got up and climbed down the ladder. He let out a sign. ‘Kyung, I’m breaking up with you. You made me lose control and hurt Himchan.’ Both are in agonizing pain and sync rubbing the pain away. Nae held out his hand to Himchan, but he was too busy dealing with his cracked head.

            ‘Well, it’s almost food time. Let’s go.’ Jay pushed his body forward and jumped out of bed, and posed like an acrobat. Nae pulled Himchan out of the bed and dragged him to the door while Kyung tiptoed behind the three.

Everyone was waiting for the food to be prepared. Himchan noticed three girls and a guy looking at them, talking and giggling. One of the girls smiled and waved at him and the other girl pulled her by the arm, looking irritated. She told her off. Himchan looked back to the table. After everyone had finished eating the food, they got up to their feet and brought back the empty ashtrays and handed them over to the cantina ladies. 

Jay, Nae, Kyung, and Himchan were standing outside next to a river. Kyung throwing rocks in the water while Nae was trying to have a conversation with Himchan and Jay playing with his phone.

            ‘So you saw something suspicious going on in the cantina?’

            ‘I was the only one facing them. One of them was happily waving at me while the another one was trying to stop her.

Nae thought for a moment and made a fist with his right hand and plant it on the palm of his left hand as if he got an idea. ‘Jay, I think we got them. High chance it’s them.’ Jay tugged his phone in his pocket. He leaned in with his upper body to Himchan.

            ‘So you got waved at by a random girl and Nae thinks that they are suspicious, the ones who send me the message. How did they look like?

            ‘The one who waved at me had a red jacket and blue jeans. The second one was wearing a white scarf, white sweater, and blue jeans. The third girl a light blue t-shirt and a pink cardigan with white pants. I couldn’t see the face of the boy, but he had a green-blue squared shirt.’

Jay looked at Himchan as if he had found a long lost toy. ‘Wow, that’s a lot of information.’ The four gathered and left the river side. Once back in the bedroom, Jay laid down and Kyung disappeared. Nae was also looking at Himchan.

            ‘So this is what we are going to do. You.’ He pointed at Himchan. ‘Will be Jay’s girlfriend. The one who would follow her boyfriend everywhere. And Kyung’s sister. Robot siblings.’

Himchan quickly got into defense and held his hands up. ‘I can’t do that. And besides, they waved at me so they’ll notice that it's me. It’s going to be awkward.’

            ‘No, they won’t. Kyung is going to fix that issue. For now, we have to prepare a script and think of possibilities of how this conversation is going to proceed.’

Nae typed some simple sentence in his tablet as if starting a conversation. Kyung stormed in with a gray bag under his arm. ‘I brought the clothes and makeup.’ He was gasping for breath. And jumped next to Jay on the bed after handing the bag to Nae. Nae took out the clothes. ‘Are these big enough to fit Himchan?’

            ‘They have to.’

            ‘I really don’t want to do this.’ Himchan looked at the clothes with disgust. To wear a girls’ clothes, he would have never thought about it, not even dreamed of it. He let out a weary sigh. ‘Do I have to shave?’

            ‘That won’t be necessary. You see this?’ Nae held up a thick black stocking. ‘You are going to wear a skirt. No jeans, man. Too risky if you get too excited. You know what I’m saying.’ He wiggled with his eyebrows. ‘So get up and put them on.’

Himchan felt as if he was knocked out by Nae. He took the clothes and got up like a sloth. ‘Don’t look, okay.’ He chooses an empty spot behind the bed and closed it off with the bed sheets. It took Himchan a lot of energy to fit in the stockings. Why do girls wear something so torturing?

            ‘You hanging in there? Kyung walked and sat on the bed, next to were Himchan is trying to fit in the girl clothes. ‘It’s pretty silence in there.’

            ‘It won’t fit me. The stockings.’

            ‘Yeah I know, dude. I once saw my mom trying to put them on. She was wrestling with those things. She’d say that women must never be easy going. But if we get them. Hey, I’ll get you something nice, I swear. Because you are my little sister.’

            ‘I’ll have your words, brother.’

A little over 20 minutes the bed sheets dropped to the floor. Himchan was as red as a tomato. Nae opened the window so Himchan could get some fresh air in his lungs. ‘You’ll never get bored what you can stumble upon the handbags of a single girl.’ Kyung brought a wig that was already braided. 

Himchan had a bra filled with toilet paper covered with a red t-shirt and a light brown cardigan. Next was the short skirt painted with dark-blue and a thick black stocking underneath it. A colorful view.

Letting Himchan rest for a moment, Nea prepared the makeup. He looked at some YouTube videos for simple makeup. Kyung fixed the wig and a beanie over his head to cover the wig. Nae digs in and starts to cover Himchan’s face as he gave him a light makeover. ‘Done’

Jay turned and gave Himchan an approval smile putting his thumb up.

03:04

It’s time for Jay to head out to the parking lot. And indeed, as Kyung said. The sender of the message is a guy and he is standing with his back to Jay. No green-blue squares. He had a plain white t-shirt with black jeans on. The guy bobbed his head upon hearing the footsteps of Jay approaching him. ‘You the one sending me the love message earlier? You know, I don’t swing that way, man. I have a gi…’

            ‘I did send you the damn message because you don’t swing that way.’ The guy is slightly bigger than Jay and older. ‘Came here to finish an unfinished business.’

            ‘So you were following me? I should probably call the police tell them that someone is stalking me and treating me.’

            ‘Oh, I’m so scared now.’ Sarcasm in his voice. ‘I saw you by chance by being here today. Letting my little sister getting hurt by a little boy is making me want to annihilate you. You see.’ The guy shortens the distance between him and Jay. But Jay didn’t waiver, he didn’t show him that he got scared of the big guy. ‘You have a lot to explain. So I’m giving you a limited time to do it.’

Kyung and Nae signed to Himchan to get ready because it didn’t really look like it’ll go according to their plan. Himchan walked in a straight line going towards Jay. He didn’t dare to look up what was in front of him.

            ‘Jay?’

            ‘Him… Himdae, what are you doing here, didn’t I tell you to stay inside and wait therefor me.’

            ‘What are you doing here.’ Himchan is now standing next Jay, still looking at his feet.

The big guy is only looking at Jay. ‘The name Lim was not enough for you to be a hint I guess.’ He raised his voice at Jay and took another step forward.

Himchan flinched and grabbed Jay’s arm. He took a step back and hide behind Jay and looked up at the face of the guy standing in front of them. The guy’s gaze fell on Himchan’s eyes and made direct contact. Himchan felt like a mice trapped in a cage. The guy cleared his throat. ‘Tell your girlfriend to get lost.’

            ‘Hey, stop talking like a macho and let us get it over and done with it. Dare to lay a hand on my girlfriend and I’ll bury you right here right now, big balloon.’ Jay also raised his voice.

            ‘Tsh, the kid got balls I see. Listen, missy, get out of here before you get blood smeared on your pretty clothes.’

Himchan dared to walk around and stand in front of Jay. ‘Himdae, what are you trying to do, just stop it. I mean it.’

The big guy took the last step and grabbed Himchan by his arm. ‘Missy, you won’t just listen, do you.’ He pulled him closer until Himchan touched his chest. He is in the arms of the big guy now.

            ‘Man, what the hell.. take your hands off of her. Immediately.’ Jay tried to intimidate him but no use. He wasn’t even looking at Jay. The guy was too focused on Himchan.

Up in de distance where two boys laughing and hitting the concrete wall, holding their stomach. The situation is turning upside-down. ‘Should we jump in before that dude plants Himchan a kiss. He’ll kill us first for dressing him as a girl and a second time for the upcoming kiss. I can feel it.’ Nae tried to get Kyung’s attention. ‘I think this is enough. It’s like we are getting pranked at instead of that guy.’

Himchan froze on the spot, because of the unexpected position he is in A GUY’S EMBRACE.

            ‘Missy, you’ll be my girlfriend from now on. Hitting the crap out of this guy is a waste of my time and energy, so I’m taking you from him. Beauty.’

WHAT THE FFUU. Himchan dropped his guard and loosen his grip of holding the guy back. He was lost for words, unbelievable. ‘Hold on a minute. You can’t just go around and occupy the first person you see. I’m not what you think I am.’

            ‘I do as I please, why not. He did the same.’

Himchan now lost it definitely as he dropped his beanie and the wig on the ground. To his surprise, the boy reached not as Himchan wanted to.

            ‘Oh damn. You a man!’ The guy loosens his arms around Himchan and brought his left arm around his neck and started to scratch. ‘Dude, you said you didn’t swing that way, you like guys dressed in girl’s clothes. That’s some crazy , fantasy or whatever you'd like to call. Well, it doesn’t matter, this guy got balls to have dressed up as a girl, means that he is something precious to you and visa verse.’ The guy scooped Himchan and tilt him up.

Nae and Kyung came running to Jay, who was standing like a statue and totally devastated. ‘What the fudge, man. He is abducting Himchan in front of our eyes.’ Nae slapped Jay’s back.

            ‘Yo, go get your girl.. Himchan back.’

They could see Himchan having a hard time trying to break free out of his embrace, but it was no use. ‘Stop moving around, you’ll fall off.’ But Himchan didn’t listen and again something made his stomach turn over. The three guys watching the scenario with Himchan and the big guy as the main characters like a director directing a movie. Ready to yell "CUT" or just keep on filming. ‘We are so dead by the hands of Himchan, we deserve it, tho.’ Nae face palmed and hit Kyung’s left arm. ‘What are we going to do now? Dig a hole and sit in it?' The guy brought his lips so close to Himchan and without a delay, he touched them. Himchan’s first kiss like that, gone. Like a photographer falling off a cliff while trying to shoot his first photo. Falling into the dark abyss. Himchan’s mind went all black. 

            ‘Let’s just go and get the teacher.’ Jay turned around and run into the building with high speed. Nae and Kyung followed the guy and Himchan hoping to talk it out.

This is just the beginning, and Himchan already had his first time dressed as a girl and his first kiss. He has a whole year ahead of him. What’ll happen in the future? Himchan was worried a lot.