I took a deep breathe. Exhale and inhale. A sigh of exhaustion escaped my lips as I stood yet again in front of my school building. Another day at this misanthropic island where animals moved about in packs and herds not welcoming anyone else in their group. High schools were just so unsociable as people were categorized in permanent cliques. Newbies fitted nowhere!

Unfortunately I myself was a newbie. I just transferred to this school four months ago and yet I hardly had any friends. Wasn't Korea supposed to be the land of amiable and welcoming people? Oh how I wished I could go back to Nepal, back to my welcoming family and friends. But chance of that dream was like looking for a needle in a hay stack. At least until my dad's happy with his job here.

I was just settling down in my seat when I heard someone calling my name,

"Shayana! Annyeong hasayo!" said the only friendly face, the only person who truly accepted me for whoever I was. The only person worth coming to school for; our sweet class representative, Jung Hara.

I returned her greetings and we eventually started a little conversation.

"So did you make any friends yet?" she questioned.

I shook my head in disappointment.

"It's ok cheer up!"

"Even the most bullied and nerdy girl in class refuses to be my friend I have no idea why. It's been four months already here and I am still finding it hard to fit in. in fact, I might be the most friendless person in school!" I said, exasperated and annoyed.

Hara gently patted my back in encouragement.

"It's ok you'll find a friend eventually. I seriously wish I could be that friend for you but I'm just so busy with my class rep. duties. I'm sorry, but cheer up ok? I know-"

She was cut off due to the loud thud that occurred as the classroom door flew open. In the door frame stood the boy who was hated most. A person who was loathed by even his own classmates. He was a delinquent of the whole school and was also the meanest bully around. According to the rumours, he was not just any bully who hit people for lunch money, he was a person who could really hurt you if he wanted to. His absolute existence screamed danger. He was feared by everyone. Everyone except our valiant class rep.

"Ugh! Choi Seunghyun! How many times do I have to teach you manners?" She shouted. "And for the thousandth time take off those stupid earrings! How many pairs do you even have?! I already confiscated three!"

Seunghyun with his usual nonchalant and weary expression sat down in his seat, continuously ignoring Hara's complaints and commands.

Infuriated at his ignorant behaviour Hara went over to his table and slammed her hand hard on his desk which for the first time made him look up directly into her eyes. His intimidating expression got us scared and the class's atmosphere grew dead silent but Hara didn't waver. At least, she didn't show it.

"As the class representative I command you to fix up your shirt and basically fix up your whole appearance. You give a bad name to our class." She returned his intimidating gaze.

He mumbled something.

"What?" she asked.

"I said shut up!" He said conspicuously.

Hara was taken aback and she retreated. It was over. All of us let out our breaths that we unknowingly were holding in during the whole argument.

I looked at Seunghyun who was now absent-mindedly staring out the window. He was hostile and his behaviour towards Hara fuelled my lungs with anger.

++++++

At lunch time I was walking down a hallway alone as ever when I heard voices from around the corner. As much as I didn't want to, I couldn't stop myself from eavesdropping. To my surprise, it was Hara and Seunghyun. Hara was trying her best to get her words to his head but he just stood their casually leaning on the wall with his jaded expression, saying nothing at her rants. Nothing at all.

The next moment left me astonished and aghast. Hara finally broke. She started crying. Something no one had seen her do.

"I really do hate you, you know?" She managed to whimper as she sprinted away.

At that moment, I couldn't just bottle up my outrage. How dare he make her cry? Despite being scared of him I directly confronted him.

"Why?" I asked in exasperation.

He stopped to look at me but as usual he was nonchalant and he didn't say anything.

I took another deep breath and released my anger.

"Why did you do this? Can't you just listen to her, please?" I asked more calmly this time. A little pleadingly.

At first I thought he was just going to ignore me again but then he answered,

"Why, you ask? Because that's who I am!"

This time I was speechless. Before walking away he muttered something under his breathe, but I had heard him vividly,

"At least what people think I am."

++++++

The day was finally over and I was heading home from school. The whole day was like a drama that I couldn't help but replay in my head, over and over again. Hara crying and Seunghyun feeling despondent? Was that even possible?

Then I remembered that mom was going to come home late today and my sister was out with her friends. Nobody was home. So I decided to take the longer route. To give myself time to think and relax. I took the road with the ice cream parlor.

Later, I was walking in the nearby park, devouring my favorite ice cream; a chocolate and black current scoop with rainbow sprinkles and chocolate sauce. It was just so deliciously enjoyable. Nothing in the world could distract me from my ice cream except ........

I saw Seunghyun sitting on the grass near a big tree. He had his back to me but I recognized it was him. I silently approached him and was shocked to find out what he was doing.

To my astonishment and amazement, he was caressing a cat. I could see the love in his previously cold and stony eyes. His features looked gentle and kind. He looked completely different. I had started to doubt he was the same person.

"Is he yours?" I asked him and immediately regretted because when he saw me his nefarious expression was back again. But he didn't say anything except,

"No he isn't, he's a stray cat." He replied rather disdainfully.

But I continued to stay mild and soft with my words,

"What's his name? Did you name it?"

Seunghyun picked the cat up in a gentle and loving gesture and stated,

"I named him Cookie. I know it's a weird name."

"No, no it's actually very cute!"

He patted its head one more time before the cat disappeared into the bushes. He stood up and continued looking in its direction. The atmosphere between us was awkwardly silent. Until I broke it.

"Your actually very kind, you know?" I said as I fumbled a little.

"Are you sure?" He spouted harshly. Infelicitously, he was back to his usual frigid self.

"You do know," he suddenly grabbed my wrists in one hand with a strangle hold grip and pinned me to the tree. My back was now scraping its hard and rough bark but I couldn't escape as Seunghyun was blocking my escape. He gently lifted my chin with his free hand to make me look directly into his deep eyes. Eyes I knew that hid stories no one knew but him.

His face was close to mine, only inches away. He smirked and continued, "That I could be really dangerous."

Instead of freaking out, I laughed. Not maliciously but a truly hearty giggle. Seunghyun was completely left dumbfounded and taken aback that he let go.

"Why are you laughing?" He asked a bit flustered and confused.

"So this is how you live?" I warmly smiled. "You're actually a kind person, a person who has a heart! But a heart that you have concealed behind thick, dark walls. You've built up a façade to make people think you're malicious when in reality you're the total opposite."

"What do you mean?" His said gathering his cold demeanor.

"Why do you this Seunghyun?" I questioned him sadly. "Why don't you let people see the true you?"

"What do you know about me? Huh?"

"I know because I can see the pain and melancholy in your eyes. You're afraid to trust people, afraid of being hurt. We both are friendless and lonely. So I kind of know how you feel. Besides, you know how they say: it is better to walk with a friend in the dark than to walk alone in the light."

Seunghyun was silent and awed.

"So what do you say, I'm Shayana Chitrakar, would you like to be my friend?" I smiled and extended a hand of friendship towards the most wrongly hated boy ever. And surprisingly, he accepted it.

And so unbelieving, we both walked home together. I couldn't believe I had made a friend and above all it was Choi Seunghyun, thought to be the most dangerous guy in our school, which I now knew they were just false allegations. After all, he allowed me to see his heart behind the walls he had created but I promise to breach them further. I promise I'll never break your trust!