We rushed into the class to see the teacher had not arrived yet.

“Oooo Chan and Heejin!” classmates hollered.

“Daebak,” a group of girls turned back to each other and started gossiping.

I made it to my seat and took my books out. A tap on my side made me turn, “Is something wrong Class President?”

He put his arm down, “You took a long time to clean the gym if you want I can request for another student to help you,” he suggested.

“A-ani it’s fine, Coach Ahn made me not clean the gym today and had me do something else,” I tried laughing a bit to enlighten the mood.

“Ah I see if there’s anything you need you can ask me about it,” he smiled.

“Thank you.”

He turned and went to his desk.

I turned back around in my seat just as I got Chan looking my way. He mouthed something I didn't understand.

"What?" I mouthed back.

He mouthed back but I still didn't get it.

I tilted my head and waited for him to mouth it clearer.

Just as he was about to say something Mr. Bak walked in, “Listen!” he shouted.

Everyone turned to him pretending to listen.

“Next week is the start of basketball tryouts,” Mr. Bak announced.

“Whoop!” the boys hollered while banging their hands on the desks.

“Quiet!” Mr. Bak shouted.

The boys stopped hollering and continued to bang on the desks but quieter.

Mr. Bak shook his head, “Girl tryouts in the morning, boys after school. Now stop that racket! Everyone pull out your books! It's self-studying today!" He shouted.

Everyone groaned and pulled out their books.

The classroom soon fell to silence and Mr. Bak left. Students looked up at one another and got out of their seats. I stayed rooted in my seat as others moved desks around. A group of males sat on top of their desks and started tossing paper balls at each other. A pair of shoes squeaked over to my desk before the left corner of my desk was taken.

“What Chan?” I looked up to him.

He grinned, “Throw some with me,” a paper ball was shoved in front of my face.

I pushed the paper ball away from my face, “Did you forget about the test we have next week? I have to study for it,” I looked back down to my workbooks.

“But tryouts are also next week,” he whined.

“It’s self study time,” I whined back and planted my chin on my palm as I rested my elbow on my desk.

He shook my shoulder with a hand and complained, “Jin~” he constantly shook my shoulder as he whined.

“Just play with him,” one of the quiet students in the back huffed.

Chan grinned, “You heard them,” he held out the paper ball to my face again.

I exhaled before taking the paper ball from him and shoved my books back into my desk. I stood from my chair and used it as a step to sit on the right corner of my desk. My legs swung off the edge of the desk.

“Happy?” I turned to Chan who was now sitting on my left.

He slid closer to me and put an arm around my shoulder, “Very,” he smugly smiled and tossed a paper ball to the trash can in the corner near the door.

“Show off,” I mumbled.

“What’d you say? I didn’t hear,” Chan leaned his ear closer to me.

“Nothing,” I shoved his face away and straightened my back. I aimed my paper ball and tossed it without hesitation. It hit the inside of the trash can and settled in.

“That’s how you do it,” I turned to Chan. He was looking over his shoulder his eyes intense, “Chan,” I elbowed him.

“Yea,” he turned back to me and pulled me closer to him, his arm still around my shoulder.

“Nevermind,” I shook my head.

“Yo Chan,” a paper ball came towards our direction and I ducked. Chan used both hands and caught it before it hit the floor.

“Game? Like always,” Taewoo who was also sitting on top of his desk smirked.

“Winner has the loser buy them any food the winner wants?” Chan challenged.

I sat up and looked around at the others only counting three other students who had paper balls in their hands and were sitting on their desk, “Yah,” I elbowed Chan again, “Look it’s not even,” I nodded my head towards the other students, “It won’t be fair.”

Chan slung his arm around me again and put me in a headlock, “Aw look at you being worried about the others,” he ruffled my hair.

“Yah,” I whined trying to push his hand away.

A chair screeched against the floors before there was a thud. Chan let go of me and we both looked up to the source of the sound.

“I’ll play,” Karry smiled from his desk.

“Perfect! It’ll be even now,” Taewoo threw a paper ball to Karry and he swiftly caught it in the air.

“Does he even know how to play?” Chan asked.

“No but I can learn,” Karry tossed the paper ball in the air and caught it.

“Game’s simple there’s two people who will shoot the paper balls from where they’re sitting into the trashcan, the rest of us throw the paper balls at them at the same time. How ever many make it into the trash can will be their points one paper ball is one point. If they drop a paper ball or it doesn’t go in they can’t pick it up nor will it count as any points. Get it?” Taewoo explained. Karry nodded.

“Can’t we throw it into the recycling bin this time?” I asked looking at the others who were sitting on their desk, all were males, “Everytime we play it’s a waste of paper,” I tried proving my point.

“Fine, we’ll use the recycling bin, the paper will be put back where we got them from,” Taewoo dismissed the subject with his hand, “Get ready we’re starting.”

The other students who were playing all had their desk in front of mine, Taewoo being on the farthest right, Karry in the middle, and two other students on the far left. Each student was crumpling sheets of paper and placing it next to them.

Chan shifted in his spot. Our shoulders touched and stayed that way, “Ready?” he turned back to look at me.

I crossed my legs and straightened my back, “Ready,” I smiled.

“Timer set?” Taewoo asked.

“Set,” one of the other boys looked down at his watch, “Ready! Set! Go!” he pressed down on his watch as paper balls were launched at me and Chan from different directions.

With quick reflexes the both of us caught and aimed each paper ball to the recycling bin.

Beep. Beep. Beep. The watch went off, “Time!” the boy who had the watch pressed down on it and it silenced at once.

We all turned to Taewoo as he hopped off his desk and started pulling the paper balls out of the recycling bin. “36!” he announced.

My shoulders deflated.

“Hey, we did good,” Chan smiled.

I gave a small smile back, “I guess.”

“Next?” Taewoo asked.

Karry raised his hand, “I’ll go.”

“Since it’s your first time I’ll be your partner,” Taewoo nodded to Karry.

The paper balls were passed back out evenly.

“Ready?” the boy with the watch asked, “Set! Go!” he pressed down on his watch.

Chan and I worked at throwing the paper balls at Karry and Taewoo.

Beep. Beep. Beep. “Time!” the watch had gone off. The same boy with the watch went to the recycling bin and started counting. “35!” he stood back up.

“Wah,” some students started to murmur.

I looked over at Chan. His eyes were narrowed.

“Next?” Taewoo asked.

The other two boys left shook their heads.

“Guess it’s settled you two win again, what do you want?” Taewoo calmly asked.

I nudged Chan who was silent, he snapped out of his daze and turned to me.

“The usual?” I asked.

“Uhm,” he nodded.

“Two regular Milkis, two chocolate milk, a bag of Tako chips, a box of Kancho choco biscuits, and two boxes of cookies and creme Pepero,” I listed out.

Taewoo sighed, “Who’s going?” he looked at the others who lost that only kept silent and sighed, “Fine, we’ll go,” he turned to Karry stay quiet so we won’t get caught. The other boys handed Taewoo crumpled bills on his way out.

Desks were then moved back to place and I jumped off my own. Pulling out my books I started studying again.

Light tugging on my hair causing me to look back up. Chan kept his place on my desk and worked his hands through my hair as I continued working.

Not long after the door slid open, “We’re back,” Taewoo and Karry placed the items on my desk.

“Thanks,” Chan said combing his fingers through my hair.