Newcomer
Faint Love
thirty-seven
—
soo ah.
The train made a stop. The breaks rolled suddenly; it was so rash that everyone boarding the vehicle nearly knocked over each other. "Wah!" I gasped as I lost my footing, but I still managed to reach out for the handle, gripping it tightly so that I wouldn't fall over. It could've been really embarrassing if that did happen. When the train was stable enough, I took out my phone and quickly opened it. Should I reply? And if I do, what would I say...? I sighed to myself and looked up at my hand which was grasping the handle of the train, making sure that I won't have to get off-balance if ever the train would stop again. I bit my bottom lip, exhaling heavily, causing my shoulders to droop more than they should.
Why does every small, simple, and insignificant thing bother me so much?
Why do I have to make situations such as this one a big deal?
Especially when it's affiliated with Taek Woon?
The mere thought of Taek Woon made me flinch as an image of him suddenly flashed by my mind. My ears turned red for a while that I had to cover them with my hands so that it won't be too obvious that I was being giddy. I looked down at the ground and pouted. "What should I do..." I whispered inaudibly. For a while, I heard my name.
"Isn't that Soo Ah?"
"I think so. She's cute..."
I took a peek after I heard my name. I saw some students with the same uniforms as mine. My eyes sunk. I haven't freed my ears from my hands yet, rather, I kept them there. Somehow, my chest felt burdened. Whenever people would recognize me, people whom I weren't acquainted with, I would always have this weird feeling in my gut - Like I was being watched, or observed in a room filled with surveillance cameras. I was afraid that every single action of mine, whether big or small, would always get judged, or criticized, or evaluated. I was always like this around people. I closed my eyes for a short while and took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves down, disconcerting myself from all the distractions around me and reality and tried to get engaged into my own world, which was inside my head.
I wonder what Taek Woon would do at times like these...
—
I entered the school grounds being greeted by the crowd full of new students and first years. It was the same a year ago. The nostalgia made me smile a little - Time flew by fast, and now, here I am, a second year student!
I firmly held my cellphone from my blazer's pocket and considered about it again. "Maybe I should've sent a reply..." I spoke to myself. "But wouldn't it be better to actually talk to him in person?" Then again, it would seem very rude if I won't send a respond. Right. I felt the determination rise up inside me. I should talk to him! I breath in some air and stared at the crowd, strong-willed to get through it. I considered it as one of the most difficult obstacles I would always come across with that I must conquer, next to communicating with others. Example of others? Taek Woon.
I walked steadfast in between the cluster. There was no other way around it, or a shortcut, even if I would try to find a route for that. This is the only way to do it. I looked down the ground, glancing at the people's faces from time to time. I wonder where Ji Eun is... Or Hak Yeon. Or Taek Woon.
Without warning, someone grabbed my wrist. That person grabbed it with great force that I automatically turned around. "Wha - " I exclaimed. The person in front of me looked very confused. He had puppy-like eyes, with a large, but cute nose and thick lips. His ears were perked up and plumb, like an elf's. His chestnut-colored hair covered his forehead. I've never seen him before, so I examined him from head-to-toe. I stopped midway and saw the "New Student" ribbon. So I was right! He was someone new... No wonder why I didn't recognize him.
"I was right!" He bellowed in joy, "You're a second year, aren't you?" In a dumbfounded state, I blinked at him. "There's no ribbon!" He pointed at my left chest pocket. His grip got tighter, the excitement in his eyes were very visible. "I-I have to go now..." I stuttered and tried to break free from his constraint. "Oh come on!" He stuck his lower lip out and pleaded. "I'm lost! Help me find the way in." He tilted his head, the corners of his lips curving slightly. He was b in ravishment. I could see it in his eyes for they were in rapture.
I think he was trying to act cute to convince me to guide him.
...Aegyo?
Just then, I saw some familiar faces with my peripheral vision. They entered the scene and called the lost boy's attention.
"Lee Jae Hwan, just what do you think you're doing?" Hak Yeon crossed his arms. Taek Woon leered. He was clearly smirking, and for a while, my heart went out of rhythm. I shook those thoughts off for it seemed out of place. Ji Eun neared me and whispered, "What's going on?" I stared at the three and questioned myself.
Do they know each other?
—
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