‘Is she Hyung’s girlfriend?’ Zelo feels a pang of jealousy inside him, growing bigger and bigger as he stares at the girl, her name unknown to him, whose arm wraps around Yongguk’s casually, like it is a natural thing to do. Yongguk smiles at her as she chatters on, the glossy lips never stopping. The other boys in the group all have their eyes on her, engrossed and enchanted by her words, or her appearance, Zelo isn’t sure. She poses no attractiveness to Zelo at all. The short skirt that barely cover her long legs must have been tailored. Her rolled up sleeves make the uniform looks a lot cooler than it should be. The way she dresses, the way models in magazines dresses, is catching a lot of eyes as the group strides through the school, slowly and languidly as if they own the place. All the students passing by took a glance, if not a long admiring ogle or an envious stare, treating the group like stars as they hush soft words into their friend’s ears and keep their gaze upon their admired schoolmates until they are nearly out of sight.

Yongguk’s gang of popular celebrities has an aura Zelo can’t describe but if they were shining like stars that all the people looked up to, then Zelo would be a tiny rock hidden among grasses—nobody would notice him with their necks all craned up towards the dazzling brightness above them. Trailing behind the group of teenage celebrities through half of the school, Zelo has already learnt enough of their popularity and status and is overwhelmed by the attention they receive just by being themselves. They seem to be unaware of the gazes they receive, so full of adoration, as they immerse in their own conversations the others wish so much to join in. And Yongguk, walking in the front of the group, receives the most stares than the rest of his gang. Like a leader of the pack, he decides where they want to go and the rest just follow.

Zelo halts his steps as he realizes he is already in the central plaza, the human activities at its peak, buzzing with youthful fervor. Among the laughters and chatters of the other students, Zelo stands in the centre of the wide open space, ears closed to all other voices as he stares at Yongguk. He ignores the people, laughing, running, talking, gesturing—all he sees is Yongguk and the girl beside him, them laughing so happily among their friends and soon more people come to join them until Zelo can no longer catch sight of his secret infatuation.

Looks like Yongguk and him don’t belong in the same world. In fact, they live worlds apart. So the people Zelo is so unfamiliar of, the people at the top of the social ladder, the largest bite in the food chain, one of them is actually Yongguk. Zelo feels his heart sinks a little. These popular kids, they have no mercy on little figures like him. They hurl the most hurtful abuse, oblivious to the humiliation on the receiving end as they enjoy themselves, blinded by their own brightness.

Zelo turns to leave, away from the group of boisterous youngsters who are quickly gaining the attention in the central plaza. Yongguk, the Hyung he knows isn’t that kind of person, that kind of person who treats others like trash, he d