SeorJun High was in complete contrast of the felicitous, external look. Most of the students in my class were selves-reserved, talking only when it was necessary. Soon, I noticed that it wasn't just my class that was awfully noiseless, but also the whole SeorJun students.

Entering the cafeteria, I feel uneasy hearing the thudding rain against the roof, aside from that, it was the indescribably aura that was fairly ignored by everyone. They were either susurrousing to their comrade, or simply eat their lunch. The school was definitely the oddest I've ever went to.

In the middle of the queuing line, there was a girl grabbing onto a grumpy boy that was by her side. "Quit running your mouth like that, Jen." The male scowled, jerking his arm off her, "Or you should just go back to Germany." The other frowned, offended by his words. "I'm still your cousin, Kai! Don't be rude!"

If my memory served me right, those two were the ones I met that day on the convenience store. The boy -Kai- painted a fuming expression and stormed passed me, out of the place, followed by the girl called Jen. She bumped onto my shoulder and apologized before scurrying off.

Jen, that girl, I need to get close to her. She was the only one that looked approachable and was new here too.

As I was about to meekly withdraw myself from the cafeteria, a 'hey!' froze me from moving. I spun around, greeted by a chatoyant eyes boy. He was smiling ear to ear as he waved me over to his table.

Not to embarrass myself, I looked around from the corner of my eyes to ensure he was indeed calling me. I took reluctant steps towards the table and offered a smile.

"Hi, newbie! Take a seat." The cat eyed boy nodded at the seat beside him since the one across him was taken. "My name's Minseok, pleasure to meet you."

I slightly bowed, "Hi, I'm Lee Eunyi." I focused my eyes at the boy across Minseok, he had his nose buried in a thick book.

"Oh, that's Kyungsoo," Minseok pointed with disinterest, earning a cold 'I don't need your introductory' glare from the latter. Minseok shrugged then divert his attention on me. "So! Have you made any friend?"

I dismissed his question with a polite no. He then grinned wider with ebullience, telling me that he would love to be my first friend. As he was talking animatedly, I contemplated if I should ask about Lu Han, but Kyungsoo presence wasn't making the mood any less tensed, so I'd need to keep it for later.

"Class B-4? I had three of my close friends there, but they might not be so friendly like me, so I reckon you not to approach them." Minseok said thoughtfully, the smile disappeared. "Anyway, hope you enjoy studying here. Gotta go! Kyungie, coming?"

They both stood up and left me alone. How could I enjoy when everyone here was practically living like robots?

By the end of the day, everyone was summoned to the monthly assemblage at the gymnasium. While we're standing in line assorted by classes, I stood the last of the line - blocked by three tall boys in front of me. The tallest noticed me and kindly offered to stand behind me. While the head master was giving an announcement, the boy introduced himself as Chanyeol. I couldn't help but feel familiarity with the boy before me, his broad shoulders, jet black hair. It reminded me of the grumpy boy from the cafeteria. But I couldn't confirm he was the one with the back view.

I couldn't refrain a smile when Chanyeol kept complaining about how the head master was wasting the too much precious time of his life. His words was far smoother and he analysed the situation better than Minseok. Not meaning to judge, but if I were to compare them both, Minseok would look like he was faking to be nice and all; of course, in reality I wouldn't know what he actually is made of, what his intention is. Maybe he was be genuinely kind to me, just that I was too blinded by the awkwardness. Any way, being prejudice of the way he behaves or comparing him to others was definitely an indecent insult to him. I should learn to understand him more, afterall.

The boy standing next to me gave me an amused grin when I snickered at Chanyeol's joke. "Keep it down," He made a face jokingly. "Jongdae here." I guess, I gained myself an acquaintance.

When we're dismissed, Chanyeol invited me to a movie together with Jongdae which I declined. I gave an excuse that I have to catch up on my studies using the 'enrollment on midterm' card.

Thankfully, he didn't press on or reassure me to go. As I was walking back to my class with the others, my phone vibrated.

Rooftop, it was a text sent by Yixing. What did he mean? I knew I haven't tell him about my sudden departure, but the teachers would at least inform him and the class. Even if he knew I transferred, he wouldn't ask me to meet in his school since he would know that SeorJun was two hours away. Then, was he saying he's here, at the roof top, but how?

When the hallway cleared up, I went out of my classroom and climbed up the staircases for emergency use only, assuming it was the only passage to the rooftop. When reached the top floor, I felt defeated staring at the stone-made door, it was so heavy that I need to push with all my might to my way in.

"Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?" A girl sung, her melodious voice firm and strong even if she was over the railing, facing the ground three floors away. From anyone's perspective, she would looked like she was attempting a suicide.

Her long hair flew upwards when the strong wind blew. She continued singing without any crack of her voice, as if she was yearning for a freedom like this. The girl lifted her foot over the edge, preparing to dive into the empty air. She was ready when she let the gravity do its magic.

Through the bars, I shot out a hand and grabbed onto her forearm on time. She made it down, so down that I needed to kneel to reach her. I tried supporting our weights by pushing my hand against the railing to prevent my arm from getting drag down.

She gasped and looked up at me, from her features, I recognised her as Jen. She was still in perplexity, until the screeching of the railings snapped her. The metals weren't strong enough to handle our weights. One by one, the screws on the hinges wrenched out. "Let me go, we can't make it out together!" She shouted, trying to struggle her arm off my hold.

I chose to help her on my own will. If I let her go now, I would be the one killing her. "It doesn't matter if you're the one who want to end your life, but now that I've hold onto you, if I let go, I'm no different from a murderer." So please, live again. Not for me, who was at brink of demise and kill. "Give yourself a chance."

I jerked forward when the railings got more loose. If this break down, it's all over. I won't be able to live my normal life with Yixing and others, I won't be able to help Yixing and Luhan. This girl wouldn't have the chance to see the brighter side of life. I heard a loud thump and my head immediately snapped back at the door behind me.

Someone must be here - it was almost impossible for any pressure to shut the stone, heavy door with the exceptional of human. "Somebody, please help!" I shouted. "I beg you, anyone, please!!" Hearing no answer, I frantically looked around for tools that could help. There was nothing except for old boxes, that was too far to reach, and a helpless candy wrapper nearby. "It's useless, he left me here to die, he won't come back to save me!" I was confused, but I keep them away. The priority now was to survive.

I pushed myself backward, hoping to raise Jen up a little. With my weight, I pushed until I could view her wrist in my hold. "Hold onto the edge!" She did as told with both hand. Please don't fail me, I hoped while undoing the jacket around my waist. With a hand still grabbing Jen, I stretched my body towards the other set of railings beside. "Jen, I'll let go for a second, hold on alright?" With a shout of yes, I crawled to the next railing and hooked my jacket over on of the bars and hurriedly gripped on her wrist with another.

"Jen, now listen carefully." I took a deep breath to calm down. "Face and duck down a little." She was uncertain when she looked up at me. "I know you're tired, but can you hold on yourself, now?"

"I'll try."

"Right," I unwrapped my fingers from her wrist and shouted. After she looked down, I rapidly kicked the railings. Please, please, please, please. The railing shook violently with every kick, the screws coming off. "I can't anymore!" Jen wheeze out.

"Don't give up!" I told her.

Just one more, one more and it's over! The last screw fell down to earth and the railing got down, hanging onto the other hinge. Just on time, I quickly held her and pulled her up with the help of my jacket. She was resting on her torso when she got up. Before I got to speak, she scrambled up to her feet. "You should leave, he will be after you if he found out you helped me." Jen flashed a grateful smile, "Wish you the best luck," and she dashed out from the door.

Catching my breath, I slowly stood up and retrieved my jacket. Every word she said, it was harder to comprehend what she was trying to say. It's not a suicide No matter how complicated things were, it was inevitable to ignore the fact that someone was hunting Jen down. Worse, that 'he' was in the school building.

Feeling my safety was at risk, I decided to leave. I poked my head out of the emergency doors, checking if anyone sees me. How far had Jen went? The hallways were already cleared out with deafening silence, raxiera [1] drawn out by the setting sun - assisting to light up the place since the lights were off somehow giving an eerie glow. While walking passed the dark corridor, I heard shuffles and I froze, mortified. I didn't dare to look, instead, I recollected my frightened state of mind and picked up my pace. There was a sudden 'bang' from where I came from, causing goosebumps to crawl under my skin.

I saw a storage room and decided to hid myself in there. It was filled with cleaning equipments and I had to put a hand over my nose and mouth to prevent inhaling the dust. The door knob jiggled and it creaked opened, all of sudden, there was a bloodcurdling scream. "Oh my holy gracious!" Yelled the woman in janitorial uniform when she saw me. "You, young lady, what do you think you are doing?" She frowned, clicking her tongue.

"I am sorry, ma'am! I was.. I was.." I looked around, trying to find a reason. She shook her head as dismissal, "Where's the guy?" My eyes rounded at her words. "What do you mean, ma'am." I stumbled on my words. "Well, you are perspiring terribly, clothes were disorientated, and you looked like you've done something sinfully wrong in this store room. Well.. Just go already, we're closing up." As I was leaving, I heard her mumbling something about how kids nowadays not having respect to janitors and does stuff in the workers' room.

I placed a hand over to my chest, feeling the erratic heartbeat. I was somehow thankful it was the janitor that appears. I wonder what I would have been if it wasn't her.

 

 

|My Note|

[1] Raxiera - (German) n. Line drawn by the sunlight on the floor as it filterd through the window.

Right, so thank you all for reading The Wanderer! It was a real surprise when I woke up at one October morning and received notifications about few subscribers, but do believe me when I say that this is much.

If you would like to know more about me, please keep reading :

I would like to explain to all that suicide scene was my first written action-like scene. To be honest with all, action genre weren't my interest when it comes to reading - (somersault, then a turn and a punch hiaaa). It's either I was too dumb to imagine the movements, or I simply wasn't in love.

I'll be blunt, I know that scene . I mean, seriously, how can a freaky jacket saves two lives? I hate this chapter very MUCH. And what? Railings breaking at one of the most prestigious school. What, everything just simply doesn't make sense. And I think I am going crazy because I keep repeating used words, I know, I'm boring. *hides in the dark*

But I do love you all. Thanks for reading my rants. Kisseu kisseu.