The first time he saw him was when he entered the class one morning, wearing the red soccer jersey and ready to be introduced as the new kid. It was 2 weeks past the start of school year and the first thing that came to his mind is “He looks really cool,”

Then he smiles at the class and introduced himself as Hwang Chansung from Seoul. Seoul, eh? Why a city boy would like to move here? Junho listens to the teacher’s additional intro, something about Chansung’s parents’ work that requires them to move here.

“Is that why he talks so weird?” someone from the back of the class said suddenly.

“Is that hairstyle trending in Seoul now?” another said in response.

The reaction is immediate, Hwang Chansung’s face turn into a wonderful shade of red. He walks to the back of the class in a hurry to the designated seat.

It turns out; his way of speaking is not the only thing people think funny of Chansung. His big eyes, his floppy hair and haphazard haircut were being teased again and again.

Junho feels bad about all of it altogether. Especially when he thinks that Chansung is not that bad. In fact, he thinks Chansung is quite amazing and looks somehow cool.

But, Junho is just a nobody in the class. He can’t stand up for himself how can he have the courage to defend someone else.

He watched and watched as the boy with sparkling eyes and gorgeous smiles turns into a quiet boy each day. He watched as they laughed over Chansung’s tumbling lines during poetry reading or during dodge ball where everyone tries to target him.

He watched and those friendly words he tries to utter from the first day Chansung sits behind him are choked inside and he never says it.

“You look so cool, Hwang Chansung”

***

A sad and troubled look is now the frequent look for Chansung. Junho is quiet as he watched how Chansung looks so down today. Earlier, they math test result was distributed and the Mr. Park – their math teacher – has scold Chansung for his result. Chansung is especially good in math; he’s like a genius or something, Junho can never found out. He always thought numbers and equation as one of the greatest mystery in the world. Probably, because Chansung is actually good at math thus Mr. Park scolds him for his bad mark.

Junho’s heart tugged as he saw how Chansung’s disappointed face is omnipresent that day.

It was the last class and everybody else has packed and run outside the minute the teacher allows them to go, but not with Chansung. He went outside without his belonging. Junho has this feeling that Chansung went to the restroom, probably to cry or he needs sometime alone from prying eyes.

Junho doesn’t have the courage to follows him and say something.

Something nice and encouraging.

Lee Junho is such a coward that he can’t move his feet.

However the urge to cheer Chansung is also overwhelming. Not knowing what he actually did, he took a piece of paper and wrote randomly.

He put the paper with “To Chansung” facing upwards at Chansung’s table. He then ran out of the classroom.

However, curiosity got the best of him and instead of heading to the school’s gate he make a turn and standing outside the window’s of his class and peeking inside right as Chansung walks in. At first Chansung doesn’t notice the note sitting at his table, as he put all his books into his bag he notice it and looks around the classroom.

He folds it open and read it.

Lee Junho may not be the best person in the world, but he can’t help and feel quite proud when he saw Hwang Chansung smiles gratefully for the first time that day.

“I Nuneo?” Chansung asks to no one in particular. “What kind of name is that?”

Junho frozen in his spots as he realized how he had misspelled his name in his haste to write something for Chansung – and not the first time he misspelled his own name. Stupid and embarrassing, he knows.

Despite his question, Junho watched as Chansung put the notes carefully inside his notes and walks out the class.

Lee Junho goes home with happy skips in his steps that day.

‘I Still think you are one of the math Genius I have ever met.

Hwaiting for the next test!

- I Nuneo’

***