“You’re a jerk!”

“I’ve already heard worse from my mom. So just get out.”

“No wonder they all hate you!”

“That’s not what you said last night.”

“!”

The girl had her walk of shame as she slammed the door behind her, leaving Minho and annoyed on his own bed. It was already his usual routine to bring girls at home, yet they always expect more from him when he clearly told them that it’s just a fling, or maybe a one-time thing. Just by thinking of the same girl who left him, he can’t even remember her name at all, but at least he had a good time. That was all that matters.

“Why are those girls so clingy anyway?” he scoffed wore his pants to at least get ready for school.

“Lee Minho! What have you done again?! Just so you know, this is a house, not a motel!! What are you doing with your life?! Do you really want to be a bum or a beggar in the streets?! You—”

He could already hear his mom’s nagging aka his alarm clock. Almost every day it was the same speech over and over again.

“Why mom? Do you want to kick me out already? Just like what you did to dad? I think it would actually be better that way.” Minho talked back, making to older woman stop talking.

“Minho, I didn’t mean it to be like that. I just want to tell you that you should know better—”

“Just stop mom. Who knows, maybe dad liked your idea and really left us because of you. Because if he really wanted to stay, he should’ve begged on his knees but he didn’t. Instead of pointing out every wrong things we do, why don’t you look at yourself first? Maybe there is also something wrong with you that’s why we act this way.”

Minho shook his head with a scoff as he grabbed his towel and went to the bathroom. Even if his mother pleaded for him to talk everything out, he won’t listen anymore, and the woman just gave up and went back to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her only son.

Minho covered his ears in annoyance while his mother knocked and tried to woo him. When the noise from the outside stopped, he finally removed his hands from his ears and faced the mirror. His unshaven jaw, eye bags, and the swollen darkish lips because of smoking, all of it stood out and he even can’t deny he looked awful despite being known for his good looks and his all over physique an aura.

Sighing, he proceeded to clean up and hoped for the rest of the day to be at little bit better. He tried his best to look good and dress well even if he was really tired and still have his hangover from the drink the night before and from his mother’s nagging. When he finally convinced himself that he looked decent enough to go to school without getting kicked out from the classroom like always, he stormed out of his home without even giving his mother a glance.

“Minho, you haven’t even had breakfast yet!” he heard his mother nag again for the second time around.

“It’s all yours! I’m going to school!”

“But it’s still…early…” the mother’s voice deflated as she was trying to get her son’s attention. It all happened in just a flash and soon, Minho was already out of her sight. The woman was hurt and humiliated but since she loved her son so much and she didn’t want him to leave, she was willing to endure all of it. As the tears escaped the woman’s eyes, she simply went back to the kitchen and kept the food that she specially made for her dear son.

On the way to school, Minho lit up a cigarette stick and took his time walking. He really didn’t want to go to school for he hated the place but he had no choice. He’d prefer to listen to old professors giving boring lectures than to listen to his mother pointing out everything he does. Inhale, and puff, inhale, and puff. For ten minutes, he filled his lungs with smoke and the sweet and cooling sensation lingers all over his mouth.

“Mr. Kwon wouldn’t like your smell if you pass by him. He’d throw a fit!” a very bubbly girl suddenly walked beside him when he was just about to throw the cigarette on the sidewalk. He was startled with the sudden presence and the girl instantly giggled at his reaction.

“I never get close to that man.”

“Still, you know that man has the smelling ability of a wolf!”

“Whatever.” Minho rolled his eyes.

“Just kidding. Oh, well seems like you’re taking time so I’ll go ahead. See you in class~” the girl beamed again before she started jogging towards the school just like a kid that was excited to be in preschool.

“How can Shinhye be so excited so early in the morning?” he mumbled as he watched the girl run away. Looking at his watch, he still have at least 10 minutes more to get to school without being late and just walked a little bit faster just to get in on time.

The man entered the room looking mysterious as ever and saw that Shinhye was already there chatting happily with her group of friends. Taking a seat on his usual place, he watch the friends laugh and smile and deep down he somewhat felt envious. Friends? He really has no one. He has those people he usually hang out with but he can really never call them friends. They really knew nothing about him and vice versa. But Shinhye, she has everything. She came from a good and complete family, good standing in school, and set of true friends.

He had known Shinhye since high school and it did not even bother him one bit with him being the ‘cool guy’ and her being the ‘best friend of everyone’. Although they weren’t really close and kind of awkward (well, it was only him who feels awkward around her), they had shared a fair amount of moments together. Shinhye, from what he remembered, was exactly the same. Nerdy, bubbly, friendly, and very likeable.

“You still smell like cigar.” She playfully sniffed his head. Minho didn’t even realize Shinhye approached him and was startled by her once again.

“Was it that strong that you can smell me from afar? Or you’re the one with the smelling ability of a wolf?” Minho questioned her.

“You’re funny. But yes, it is strong.” She handed him a bottle of cologne, forcing it to his hands so that he can’t refuse her good deed. “Mr. Kwon is already on his way so you better hurry up.”

“Ms. Park, please take your seat.” The professor told her sternly while entering the room and the class fell silent at the presence. Shinhye quickly scampered back to her seat, earning a glare from their professor.

Just as Minho was still registering the nice action from Shinhye, their professor started sniffing in the air and Minho didn’t even think twice and poured the cologne on his body. Once the liquid got absorbed by his skin, everything seemed like magic for their professor finally proceeded to his lecture and Minho sighed in relief. For once, he didn’t want another scolding that would mess up his whole day.

“Before I dismiss you, I already got your exams and I am disappointed. If you want to pass this subject and get out of this hellhole really quick, you better study hard or study harder. I know the look on your faces and I mean it…Your grades were pulled down and if you want to see your standing, you can just talk to me after class.”

One by one, the professor gave back the student’s test papers and each one of them went back to their seats with a frown…even Shinhye, the well known genius of the school. She slumped back down to her seat with her friends and was forcing a smile all along yet Minho saw right through her.

Even before Minho got his paper, he already knows the results. He failed yet he was nonchalant about it. He’s not the one who will sulk over a failed test so he just left the room, completely uninterested on what’s going to happen in his life. He believed that there are worse things than failing an exam and he won’t be affected.

“At least there’s one more exam.” He sighed and put the crumpled piece of paper on his bag.

Luckily, he had no other class aside from that boring Statistics class. He can do whatever he wanted, yet there’s nothing to do yet. It was too early for bars to open and he really wasn’t in the mood to go home. He wouldn’t admit it but he was kind of lonely. His so-called friends were still in their classes while he already had the whole day to waste.

“Hey, no more classes?” Shinhye, for the third time that day startled the tall man and she laughed more than she should. “Why are you so jumpy?”

“Why are you startling me over and over again?”

“That wasn’t intended, well, except the first one.” She smiled. “So, where are you headed to?”

“I don’t know actually…home?”

“So you really don’t have classes anymore? Or are you going to cut class?” she looked at him suspiciously and he simply shook his head.

“Uhm, how about you?” no matter how awkward he was, he still tried to put up a decent conversation between the two of them. He really didn’t even know why he was going into the same direction as Shinhye when he could just leave immediately.

“Oh, I have no more classes too so I’m just going to have to study for the finals.”

“What for? I’m sure you passed.”

“That’s what you think…do you want to go? Oh wait, you might want to rest first. Never mind.”

“Actually, I’ll go with you. I don’t have anything to do anyway.” Minho shrugged. ‘Maybe Shinhye’s company wouldn’t be so bad’, he thought.

Shinhye’s eyes glowed as she smiled sweetly to him. She thanked him for being her study buddy for the day and she excitedly dragged him to the coffee shop just around the corner. Minho can’t still register everything until they entered the coffee shop full of books, but with less people compared to other shops. It was peaceful and the ambiance was so welcoming that everyone who stepped inside would fall in love really quickly, including Minho.

“I knew you’d like it here. They also have the books we might need, let’s go upstairs~” Shinhye excitedly ran towards the stairs and they were welcomed with less people and more books. “Would you like to order?”

“Nah, maybe later.” Minho finally chose their table but still couldn’t help but ogle at his surroundings.

“Okay, then. Let’s start~”

“Uhm, wait. I’m still curious as to why you still need to study. You’re smart!”

“Minho, I am just like the other students. If I don’t study enough, I’ll fail. I am not a genius like what everyone says, I work hard for those grades. I know what you’ll ask next…why do I look so carefree?” Minho widened his eyes for Shinhye got the question, right. “Time management, plus I really don’t stress myself so much…a lot of people asked me that already.”

“Oh…”

“Let’s study first, I might get carried away and we’ll just end up talking all day.”

Once again, she showed him her breathtaking smile. For the first time, a girl made Minho blush but at least she doesn’t saw anything for she had started studying already. Minho opened up his book and tried to read and memorize everything that was needed to be remembered. For almost an hour, he struggled to understand a thing even if he read the phrases and formulas over and over again. Maybe hanging out with her wasn’t really a bad thing but studying was.

“This is so frustrating, I can’t understand a thing!” Minho exclaimed, almost wanting to give up and just drop out of school.

“Have you really tried?” he frowned for she was questioning him but her expression changed into an apologetic one when she saw his reaction. “Seems like you really do, don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

Shinhye gladly help the friend in need and tried her best to make him understand every little thing. It was easier for him and he concentrated on the important details that Shinhye told him to remember. At least, studying for him had not been a burden during that day and it was quite easy when there was someone who was confident in his own abilities.

Maybe he was also upset that he got a failing grade and he never wanted to be a homeless and hopeless perso