The school canteen was filled with students. Everybody was busy with their own group of friends, busy with their books, busy with their new devices on hand. Woohyun sighed as he failed to spot her. She must be hiding on the rooftop again, Woohyun thought.

“Hey Woohyun, wanna go club tonight?”

“Sure.” He replied with a smirk.

His face returned to being expressionless once he turned away. Fishing out his mobile, he texted her.

To: Miyoung

Yah. Are you eating?

To: Woohyun

I am at a place, away from people, enjoying my delicious sushi~

To: Miyoung

Rooftop, right?

To: Woohyun

Don’t you dare come. I am enjoying my peaceful time without you blabbering non-stop.  

To: Miyoung

Fine! By the way, I am going out today. You can go home first.

To: Woohyun

Roger.

He kept his phone and caught up with the conversation his other friends were on.

Miyoung inhaled the fresh air at the rooftop. The world seems to be a different place when one is at a higher spot. It was a fresh perspective. Maybe that’s why many people aspire to challenge the tallest mountain in the world. Maybe that’s why people send astronauts to the outer space. Maybe that’s why people keep finding new ways to go higher and higher. She wondered if they don’t realize that when one is a higher spot, many things are gone. Maybe, they were just too blinded then. Or maybe humans are never satisfied with what they have when they are on the ground. They always wanted more.

From her spot, Miyoung saw Woohyun walk out of the canteen to his lessons. He was surrounded by a group of friends. Woohyun has always been the centre of attention since elementary school, she recalled. Unlike her, he was always the hottest topic in the school, the teacher’s favourite boy, every girl’s wannabe. Woohyun was everything a boy can be and secretly, Miyoung envied him.

She wanted to be everything a girl could be, too.

“Alone but not lonely.” She mumbled to herself as she dug into her lunchbox filled with white rice.

 Miyoung heard the door creak open and when she looked over, she saw a tall figure exiting hastily.

She shrugged and continued eating.

-

The students were listening to the subject teacher’s words that sounded like broken recorder. Miyoung wondered whether the teachers themselves would be bored for teaching the same thing over and over again, year on year. She doodled on her textbook, thinking it would be amusing to review her classroom doodles upon graduation.Miyoung stopped drawing when she heard the classroom stir and a commotion arose.

She looked up to find herself staring at a guy in spectacles and backpack standing by the classroom door. Cautiously, he walked into the class. Stopping at the front, he bowed consciously to the rest of the class but he didn’t smile. With his hands before his stomach, he self-introduced.

“I am Lee Sungyeol. Nice to meet you.”

“Lee Sungyeol.” she repeated in her mind.

“Hmm… Is he staring at me or is it just me?” she thought to herself.

“So Sungyeol, just pick an empty seat and sit down.” The teacher instructed.

Sungyeol bowed in understanding and walked down the aisle of the classroom. The girls in the class didn’t scream in excitement unlike when Woobin, another new comer, came 2 weeks ago. Miyoung heard how the girls remarked “Geek” as Sungyeol walked by. She thought it was mean but she didn’t speak up against them.

Then, something broke her train of thoughts.

Sungyeol stopped behind her seat and asked, “May I sit here?”

“Here?” she looked over at the empty chair beside her.  

He nodded.

“Eh, ssuureee.” She stammered a little in shock.

The rest of the class casted looks of disgust at the happening of the school’s outcast and school’s new geek sitting together. Miyoung held her breath for a moment before turning to Sungyeol.

“Nice to meet you, I am Park Miyoung.” She waved slightly.

“Lee Sungyeol.” He returned, a little too coldly she thought.

She turned back in awkwardness and took her phone out.

To: Woohyun

I have a new desk mate.

To: Miyoung

What? Really?

To: Woohyun

Newcomer, his name is Lee Sungyeol.

To: Miyoung

He’s a guy?

She stopped replying when she subconsciously felt Sungyeol’s gaze on her.

She looked up and he looked away.

He drew something on his textbook, she noticed.

-

Woohyun felt his phone vibrate while he was the rim of his glass. Taking it out, he stared at the screen. He looked around the club and decided to pick the call outside. Standing up, a girl from the dance floor stumbled upon him. The drink in her glass spilled onto his black shirt. Woohyun stared at her but the unknown girl simply smiled. Her lips were stained with a deep, red lipstick. Her eyes were defined with thick eyeliners and mascara. She is beautiful, he admitted.  

“I am sorry, handsome.”

“Want to clean up in the toilet?” she asked, his button suggestively.

Woohyun smirked.

“Sorry but I have a phone call to pick up. So if you would excuse me…”

He walked off and could clearly hear the vulgarities hurled at him from behind.

He called back. The phone call rang for sixth times and as expected, on the seventh ring, she picked up.

“You called?” Woohyun asked, slightly concerned.

“It’s okay now. I will be sleeping. Goodnights, Woohyun! Don't be home too late eh~”

"Ok." He replied. 

The phone call ended.