Teachers gossiped just as much as teenage girls did and by the time lunch rolled around, all of his teachers had a wary eye on him because of that morning.

Taekwoon was usually a diligent student, but he took longer that morning because there was no point in rushing on his first day. He showed up in the school's office around the middle of second period and proceeded to make himself look like a haughty brat, but he still didn't care.

❝Your parents . . . aren't here?❞

He shook his head.

❝. . . Is there any way to get in contact with them?❞

It was a stupid question, the school's database should have already had all that information. Abandoning or not, his parents were nothing if not thorough in his transfers—they basically had it down to a science at this point.

His eyes danced to the computer screen and the woman looked at it, apparently not understanding what he was referring to.

Inaudibly sighing, he brought his backpack around. It wouldn't be so bad if every secretary in the room wasn't looking at him like he was the devil's child or some heathen (well this heathen didn't have time for crap). Still, if he cared later, he'd have to call his mom and ask her about this whole thing so he wouldn't have to deal with it next time.

He fished a few papers from his backpack and handed them to the woman. She looked at both him and the documents with a critical eye, but he kept hanging his head down, too lazy to look up.

After hassling through the settlement, Taekwoon only ducked his head at the woman and left the main office for classes. They were already talking about him before the door closed.

❝You sure know how to make an impression.❞ someone said. Taekwoon didn't move from eating his lunch. ❝Hellooo, is anyone there?❞ the person singsonged, but Taekwoon still didn't look up.

❝Hmm. No wonder no one wants to approach you—what a scary air you give off!❞ Scary? Taekwoon settled his chopsticks together. He wasn't scary.

He finally looked up to see who wouldn't stop bothering him. It was a boy with a sharp jawline and smooth skin, his eyes crinkled because of a straight-white-toothed smile and thick-rimmed black glasses that matched his short, styled-up hair.

❝Oh, so you can hear me.❞ the boy chuckled, his smile growing. Taekwoon didn't reply and the boy continued. ❝How come you're sitting by yourself? There are a lot of people who seem interested in talking to you.❞

Interested was more like a nicer word for nosy. If they really wanted to talk to him, they would come themselves instead of making assumptions from a distance. He probably wasn't helping his own case, but there was no point in trying to talk to them.

❝Really not the talking type, are you?❞ the boy grinned, making himself comfortable in the chair across from Taekwoon. ❝Oh well. I'm Kim Jongdae, but some of my friends call me Chen. You can too, if you want, but I have a feeling you won't be calling me much of anything. Maybe you're scared?❞

Taekwoon's dark eyes snapped to look at the mischievous face of Kim Jongdae, who still grinned. ❝You're a lot more nosy than the other ones.❞ he retorted quietly, and Jongdae laughed.

❝Maybe, but I've also got more balls than them too. Don't you know?❞ he asked, ❝It's like you have a scary black cloud around you. Are you going to strike me with lightning?❞

Something was both effortlessly annoying and somewhat charming about Kim Jongdae. People normally tiptoed around Taekwoon because of his ❝black cloud❞, but Jongdae clearly didn't care.

❝Hey, what are you doing after school?❞ Jongdae asked.

❝Aren't you trying a little too hard?❞

Jongdae laughed. ❝I'm curious about the new student! Plus I know things that you might be interested in about some of the kids that go here.❞ he explained, looking around the room. ❝Besides, what kinda new kid doesn't want a friend on their first day at a new school?❞

Taekwoon didn't reply.

He wondered if Jongdae had a point.

Monosyllabic replies were all that Jongdae was getting, but he was stubborn. Just because the kid didn't tell him his name yet didn't mean he was going to give up. Besides, one-word replies and stares that bordered on if-looks-could-kill were better than nothing.

The kid wasn't going to talk about himself without some scalpel prodding, so Jongdae followed to see what class he was and before the day was out, he faked sick in his own and rushed through a series of hallways to get back to there. He hung outside the door and then when the teachers dismissed, he watched the students trickle out until he saw the familiar black hair and rounded cheeks.

❝Surprise!❞ he sang out and the kid looked at him. Jongdae couldn't tell if it was annoyance, confusion, relief, or all three. ❝It's Chen, from lunch?❞

Taekwoon remembered ❝Chen, from lunch❞, he just wasn't sure how he found his classroom and was right there when the teachers released. It wasn't too surprising, but he wondered just how far Jongdae was willing to go to talk to him. A part of him minded and another didn't, but what was he supposed to do if he wanted to go to his house?

❝You don't mind if I tag along, do you?❞ Jongdae asked him, answering his worries. ❝I don't even know your name yet, so I wanna know before the day's over.❞ He laughed, and Taekwoon wondered what was funny about it.

The kid didn't make any signs okaying Jongdae following him, but it wasn't like he did anything against it either. Jongdae decided to do what he wanted—which definitely meant following.

Jongdae talked about the school, the teachers he liked and didn't, about his friends and what he liked doing in his free time. Taekwoon listened to him complain about grades and reading books and how this one time, he and his pyromaniac friend nearly set a whole park on fire.

The more he talked, the more Taekwoon found himself (unwillingly) interested. What kind of person was he? But by the time he cared about asking questions, they were already at his apartment complex, nearing his building.

Jongdae whistled, impressed. He didn't know what kind background the kid had, but these were nice apartments—even nicer than some of the houses in the area. The kid's parents must have been pretty well-off for these, and he got a little nervous at the thought of meeting them.

They'd probably be happy about their (obviously anti-social) son making a friend on his first day.

Taekwoon lead Jongdae up the stairs, wondering what he was expecting.

Instead of his apartment door, Taekwoon was knocking at Seungho's. Would he be happy since he had a ❝friend❞ with him?

❝Inhye didn't tell me if you could cook or not, so I thought—❞

Seungho spotted the boy with Taekwoon, lopsidedly smiling with crinkled eyes behind thick-rimmed glasses. Surprised wasn't quite the word for it—there was someone actually with Taekwoon, who didn't seem like the type to make friends easily if at all.

❝Oh, hello.❞ he smiled with an outstretched hand, ❝I'm Yang Seungho, Taekwoon's neighbor.❞

The student looked at Taekwoon who frowned back at Seungho.

❝So, Taekwoon's your name?❞

Taekwoon shook his head, sighed, looked at grinning Jongdae, sighed again, and then spoke. ❝He won't leave me alone. He's staying over for a little while.❞ he explained quietly. ❝And yes, I can cook.❞

He ducked his head and then left with a waving Jongdae behind him.

Seungho sighed, wondering how he was going to deal with that kid.

❝So . . . Taekwoon, huh?❞ Jongdae sounded triumphant.

Taekwoon didn't humor him and took off his shoes, setting his backpack on a dining table chair and heading to the kitchen for a snack. He looked over the counter. ❝Snack?❞ he asked, and Jongdae grinned.

❝Got any Matdongsan¹?❞

If Jongdae had a sweet tooth, they were really going to have a problem.

He rummaged through his pantry and cabinets anyway until he pulled out both a small bag of Matdongsan and small wax-paper bag of granola bites for himself. He handed the bag to Jongdae. ❝Don't eat them all.❞ he warned, but it was probably useless.

❝So what about your parents?❞ Jongdae asked as soon as he sat down.

❝You really have no reservations, do you?❞ Taekwoon retorted. Jongdae only grinned and shrugged.

❝They work late. My neighbor checks in with me at least once every day.❞ he replied. Telling the truth was pointless, he doubted anyone would get it, or they'd feel sorry for him.

They talked (more like Jongdae talked and Taekwoon didn't listen) for a while before Jongdae was announcing he had to get home and avoid homework.

❝Oh, before I forget,❞ he started distractedly as he put on his shoes, ❝those guys I mentioned earlier? They're bad news, so just avoid them okay?❞

The light in his eyes was different when he looked up, and Taekwoon wondered what kind of people they were. Jongdae called them outsiders but admitted even he didn't know much about them, just that it was probably better for Taekwoon to stay away. He already had one unwanted person hanging around him, why would he want five more?

To: Zhang Yixing [ [email protected] ]
From: Jung Taekwoon [ [email protected] ]
Subject: Re:Settled in?