——-Next Day——-

You get up early once more (somehow, your body must have grown accustomed to waking up without the presence of an alarm clock) and proceed to get ready for school. After getting changed into your uniform, your grab your backpack and head out of the door. Just like yesterday, however, Daehyun exits his house at the exact same time as you do.

“Did you time this or something?” you tease as you fall into step beside him. Being with him still makes you uncomfortable, because you are still desperate in clinging to your reputation, but the realization you had of your feelings has helped downplay that thought. 

“No,” he scoffs. “I always go out at this time. So I think it’s your fault.”

“That’s funny,” you reply as soon as you pass the lady with her breakfast vendor. You hurriedly pull money out of your bag. If you keep going at this rate, you might actually have to get a job. 

“What are you doing?” Daehuyn asks you. You give him a look. “I’m paying,” he says, and takes out his wallet.

“No, you’re not,” you say, and give the money to the lady. “I owe you this much, you know? So don’t try to stop me.” Satisfied with the rejected sigh that Daehyun heaves, you pay for your and Daehyun’s breakfast before continuing your way toward the school.

“So I was thinking last night, about what you said,” Daehyun says, talking around a mouthful of food, “Do you think your dad will come back for you?”

This question surprises you so much that you almost choke on your food. You have to take deep breaths to calm your mind and give yourself time to process the question. Something in your heart moves painfully, and you wonder why you had ignored what Daehyun had just asked. Would your dad come back? You honestly don’t know. You had assumed that he would … but would he really? Or had that just been your naivety talking? “I … I don’t know,” you stutter, trying to focus on the ground beneath your feet. “I hope so. I mean. I - I don’t know. Never mind. I’m sorry, I just … ” you trail off and hope Daehyun doesn’t pursue the subject, and thankfully, he doesn’t.

“I shouldn’t have asked that,” he muses as he opens the entrance doors of the school for you. You enter, and he follows closely behind. “You’ll sit with me again at lunch, right?”

 As soon as he says this, you’re suddenly aware of the judging stares that lay their eyes on you when you enter the school. Daehyun’s words ring in your mind, and in your head you berate him for being too loud, too friendly, too nice … because now everybody knows that you, once the top girl of the school, has gone as low as this.

Not that there should be anything to be ashamed about, because Daehyun really is a sweet guy, and in no way is he a ‘gangster’ or whatever it is these imprudent students call him … but they don’t know that. 

“Er … yeah,” you hesitate, and glance at the sneers your classmates have given you. Noticing this, Daehyun clenches his jaw and turns away, and you realize, belatedly, that you had offended him. “Wait, Daehyun, I - “

“I’m going to class,” he says, his voice bland.

“The bell hasn’t even rung yet. Hold on, I only meant tha - “

Just then the bell does ring, dispersing the crowd that’s begun to form. Daehyun pointedly looks at you. “It just did.” With that, he walks away, leaving you to contemplate the rashness of your actions.

You hope to see Daehyun during lunch time, but he doesn’t show up. Is he avoiding you? No, that’s not possible; Daehyun isn’t childish. There must be some other reason, and you’ll just have to make sure to apologize to him later. If you see him, that is.

Lunch period passes by excruciatingly slow. Not having Daehyun there to distract you is difficult, and your senses are heightened to catch every conversation that is even slightly related to your situation. People are curious, but they’re afraid to ask. Maybe they think your bad luck is contagious. It hurts, but you endure as much as you can until the bell rings, signalling the end of this silent torture.

After throwing away your trash, you step into the hallways. It’s still empty, and you think that maybe you can retreat to your next class before more people come when a couple of jeering boys forcefully brush by you.

You stagger to the side as your heart catches. It’s the same boys from yesterday, the ones who had thrown that paper at your back. One of them - a guy with jet black hair, a complete contrast to Daehyun’s halo - steps forward with a menacing grin.

“Where’s your bodyguard today?” he mocks you.

“He’s not my bodyguard,” you mutter, blushing at the thought. He laughs cruelly.

“Really? What is he, then? Your knight in shining armor?” he asks in a whiny voice. You close your eyes briefly. Your fury is beginning to boil, as well as your shame, and the last thing you want to do is lash out. “What are you still doing here in this school?” he sneers, his demeanor changing. “You think you have the right to still be here? Huh?”

“You think you have the right to tell me that?” you retort back, surprised at yourself for having found the courage to retaliate.

“You’re the only one in here who isn’t as good as we are.” He looks at you condescendingly, carefully considering his words. “Wait, I’m wrong. There’s that piece of trash that hangs out with you.” 

“Hey, we should go,” his partner says as a stream of students begins to trickle into the hallway. The leader gives him a wary glance before turning away.

“You just keep hanging out with him,” he says over his shoulder. “Low class people like you are perfect together.” 

You watch him turn around a corner before seething in anger and stomping to your locker. You’re humiliated, and your pride is hurt. Not only that, you’re furious for the way they had described Daehyun. Daehyun is anything but trash. He may not be your knight in shining armor, but he sure is your friend, something those guys will never understand unless they experience misfortune themselves.

Flinging your locker door open, you grab your books in a huff. You’re about to slam the door closed when you see a piece of paper flutter to the ground. Bending down, you pick it up, and as you read the words, your rage begins to dissipate and turn into one of confusion.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

What? What’s this even doing in your locker? You look around you to see who could have accidentally left it there, but there are no obvious suspects. You read the passage again, interested against your better judgments.

You’ll gloss over this later. Right now, you have to get to class. Stuffing the mysterious note into one of your books, you step forward, the memory of the recent scenario fleeing your mind.