Honk! Honk!

“Sorry, sorry! I’m in a rush.”  A high school student stuck out her tongue apologetically as she dashed across the traffic.

 

I can’t be late on my first day of school?! If my mom finds out she’s bound to have me shipped back to our hometown back in Gangdong.

I was about to continue sprinting to Kyunggi High when I saw the old grandma who was walking towards the zebra crossing at the corner of my eyes.

The peak hour traffic looked especially dangerous for her to cross alone, especially when her frail body looked like it was going to fall apart.

Looks like I have to be late after all.

I ran towards the grandma. But someone reached her before me.

“Grandma, where are you going? I’ll help you there.” The teenager said politely.

“Ah, what a nice young man. It’s ok, I can make it there on my own. Don’t be late for your school.” She replied amiably.

“Then I’ll just help you across the road.” He smiled.

My heart skipped a beat.

I stared as he helped her across the road, occasionally showing his side profile while chatting with her along the zebra crossing.
Somehow, even though there was already someone helping her across the road, I forgot I was in a rush to school.

When he jogged towards me, I was still staring at him.

I swallowed as I felt myself blush. (What was I blushing for?!)

My first instinct was to turn and run before he caught me. (Author: >.> Um… that was never his intention.)

I sprinted all the way till I reached the main gate of Kyunggi High and was trying to catch my breath when the Head Master asked ‘why are you late?’ in an impatient tone.

In my mind stored a thousand excuses due to past experiences, but before I could choose a valid one to be late for the first day of school, a familiar voice rang up from behind,

“I’m terribly sorry I’m late. I promise this will not happen again.”

I turned around to see the polite student who caught up with me (Author: …. Once again, he was just rushing for school.).

I immediately blushed again. Thankfully, he didn’t see it as his head was lowered into a bow.

“I’ll deal with you later. You!” I turned back to see him glaring at me, “Do you have a reason for being late?”

Now that Mr Nice Man is right behind me, all I could think about is him and his actions just now.

“Oh Sun Hee.” The HM glanced at my name tag and repeated.

“I….. I helped an old grandma across the road.” I said in a panic.

“You? You did?” The Head Master looked at me from head to toe suspiciously.

I already face-palmed myself a good 10 times in my mind. How did I manage to throw out such a stupid excuse? What was I thinking?! What happened to my bullsh*tting skills...

But since I already started the lie, I continued with a guilty tone, “Ye…. Really! Right at the main cross section down the street!”

The suspicious look on the Head Master’s face did not go away, but he continued anyway,

“I’ll believe you for now. But your hair and uniform still do not qualify. School service for 2 hours after school today! Fix the ridiculous colours in your hair by tomorrow morning – I will personally check on you.” He turned to the student behind me again, “What about you? What’s your reason?”

“I helped an old grandma across the road.”

“Oh Se Hun, do you think I’m an idiot?!” The HM shouted.

“No.” He replied calmly.

“Then?! Even if it was an excuse you should have came up with a better one! Do you think I’d believe that there are coincidentally so many grandmothers crossing the road this early in the morning?! Both of you! Report to the General Office today at 5pm for your school service. Now go to cl-“

Out of guilt and fear that ‘Se Hun’ will confront me for ‘stealing’ his excuse, I nodded quickly and ran all the way to class even before the Head Master could finish his sentence.