The next day was Friday, and it passed by quite quickly. Monday and Tuesday passed, and Yoobin finally came back to school. She was put next to another student named Jaehyun. Jaehyun was quiet unlike loud Yoobin, but they didn’t really talk much at all.

Jiho’s POV:

After homeroom, before Biology

School finally got a little bit more exciting after Yoobin came back. She brought the energy I needed in my life and I feel like I belong more when she’s around because I finally seem to have a friend. Thankfully, she was put right behind me.

Yoobin was my savior. On the first day of school everyone was too shocked at my appearance to say anything, but from the second day was like hell. Everyone looked at me, Chaeyeon made all of these transformation collages and distributed them to everyone, people laughed and pointed. On the fourth day, there were enough of those unsafe lose weight fast bars to feed half the school in my clasrooms locker, with really hurtful notes attached to them from a lot of the people in my class. As soon as I opened my locker, all of the bars fell out of my locker, and everyone started laughing. Two minutes after that, the most surprising thing happened. Yoobin started yelling at everyone.

“Do you guys really have to go this far? What did Jiho ever do to you? From what I remember, she was nice to all of you and has never gotten into a fight with anyone. What, now that she looks a little different you guys are going to turn your back on her? Wow, I didn’t know how shallow and superficial my classmates were. And you, Chaeyeon. Are you bitter that she’s always been above you in everything? Are you taking this chance to get her back? Well, there’s no point. She’ll forever be better than you and your minions. Sorry, honey.”

Everyone’s mouths were hanging down to the floor, including mine. Yoobin was always somewhat popular and not very outspoken. After that, me and her became super tight and no one other than Chaeyeon & Co. ever bothered me. I have no clue how why angel like Yoobin is friends with someone like me. We’ve only been friends for a month but we know each other so well.

Anyways, back to our reunion.

“Jiho-ah! Why were our seats switched?” she said. “This kid next to me barely ever talks. I’m dying of boredom!”

“Binnie, can’t you be a little more quiet? Jaehyun hears you! Also, it’s your fault that our seats got switched! Why did you have to be sick for a week?” I said. “At least you got put next to someone quiet. I’m next to the biggest big mouth I’ve ever encountered!”

Mingyu came flopping into his seat. “Are you talking about me?”

“Haha, no, of course not. You’re the calmest, most quiet person I’ve ever met.” I’m telling you, I’m never quick to judge a person. But Mingyu is different. Yes, he’s handsome, and has the second best looking jawline I’ve ever seen in real life (first being Jungkook of course), but his personality is the total opposite of how he looks. He’s definitely nice, but he’s so friendly it gets annoying. I should probably be glad that someone actually wants to talk to me, but he can be so extra sometimes. I’m hoping that I learn to love him though because I am not sure how I’m supposed to sit next to Mingyu until at least summer break, maybe even until the end of the year.

“You definitely we-”

Everyone heard heels clicking.

The door opened.

The sound of heels got closer.

The door blew closed.

Textbooks slammed onto the front desk.

The biology teacher had arrived.

“Did everyone do their homework? You know what happens when you don’t do your homework.”

That’s how our teacher always started class. Not with “Hi kids!” or a simple “Good morning!”, but by either asking about homework, scolding students for being too loud, or the worst, giving out demerit points.

I started getting out my homework, when I suddenly felt a kick on my leg.

“Agh-” Everyone started staring at me, including the teacher. Thankfully, a second later, the classroom phone rang.

“I have to step out for a second to answer the phone, so take out your homework and put it on your desk. If it is not on your desk by the time I come back, 1 demerit point.” She answered the phone and closed the door.

“Yoobin, what was that kick for? Her stare was strong enough to kill me!” I said.

“You know how I’ve been absent? I only have the homework up until last Friday done! I forgot to get the homework from Monday and Tuesday! She’s gonna bury me alive for not having the homework!”

“What do you want me to do about that? I don’t have any extra worksheets, and even if I did, how are you supposed to copy it in like less than 2 minutes?”

Jaehyun tapped Yoobin’s shoulder.

“Ummm. . . I ha- have an extra worksheet from Monday, but it’s not done,” he said. “If you want, you can copy off my homework.”

“Jaehyun-ah, we’re thankful that you’re trying to help Yoobinnie and all, but how is she supposed to copy it in the time we have? There’s like no time until Teacher Kang gets back,” I said.

“YAH YAH! That’s where you play in Jiho! Fake to be sick or something,” Yoobin said.

“Are you crazy? You want me to pretend to be sick, and most likely fail and get in trouble, just so you can copy down your homework? I don’t know how that makes sense! Why don’t you just fake sick instead of copying the homework?”

“She’s gonna ask to see my homework before I leave anyways. You did your homework so I don’t see why you can’t do this one thing for me. Pleeaaaseeee?”

Her aegyo ended up working on me. Even though she’s only 5 and a half months younger than me, Binnie was like the little sister I never had. She’s honestly just so adorable and hard to resist and is also super pretty.

After a few minutes, when the teacher was about to come back inside, I sprinted outside of the classroom and held my stomach while ‘collapsing’. Our plan was for me to pretend to be sick and keep her outside of the classroom until Yoobin was done copying Jaehyun’s homework. Since Mingyu was the closest to the door, we asked him to slam his textbook on his desk as a signal that I could end my act. It was just a bunch of fill in the blanks so I didn’t expect it to take that long. I didn’t try to faint or anything, but I started groaning about how much my stomach hurt in front of her, and I have to say, it was pretty believable.

“Agh- Teacher- aghhh-- my stomach. . .”

“Jiho, are you okay?” She didn’t seem that concerned but since I wasn’t actually sick, I don’t really care. I quickly glanced inside the classroom, but Yoobin was only done with a quarter of the sheet. The teacher started looking in the direction I was looking and I quickly had to stop her.

I pulled on her hand while saying, “No, please-- help me. My sto- stomach feels like it’s about to explode. . .agh--”

“Wait one minute, Jiho, let me just get someone from your class-” I pulled her hand as hard as I could so she didn’t go back into the classroom.

A familiar voice said, “Ah, our pitiful Jiho, I think we need to call 119.” It was Chaeyeon. It was really obvious she was trying to blow my act, but for the sake of Binnie, I couldn’t let her. Stupid me threw her a dirty look and I think the teacher might’ve started to understand what was going on after that.

“Yeah, Jiho, I think we need to call for help. Chaeyeon, can you tell someone in the classroom to come out and another to get another teacher?”

Right then, I heard the slam of the textbook. I sighed with relief.

“Ah- Teacher, my stomach isn’t so bad.” I mentally slapped myself. I’m such a bad actress! I could get into so much trouble if she finds out I was faking it.

“Are you sure Jiho? You were and groaning a second ago. I think you need to go to the nurse at least.”

I came up with a idea right then. “Truthfully, it’s that time of the month right now and my cramps are ultra bad.”

“Is that so? I think you should go to the nurse and lie down a little bit then.” She leaned into the classroom. “Jungkook-ah, can you walk Jiho to the nurse? Her stomach doesn’t feel too well.”

“Why do I have to go? She said she didn’t want to!” he exclaimed.

I guess the devil got the best of me. “Agh- actually, my stomach still- agh- hurts a little.”

“Jungkook, you heard her! Just go. If we’re being honest, you’re not planning on paying attention in the first place,” said Binnie. This is why I love this girl so much!

He got up, pushed his chair in and walked right past me. I could feel glares that belonged to Chaeyeon and a couple of other girls piercing through the back of my head. I swiftly walked out and followed him.

The atmosphere was really awkward. We didn’t talk at all for the first 2 minutes of the walk and I was struggling to keep up with his fast walking. In order to break the ice, I said something.

I cleared my throat. “Thank you. . . um. . . for the other day.”

“Huh?” Jungkook asked, confused.

“That day near the convenience store. I saw you with your phone and the siren noise. If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve died that day.”

“Ahhh that? You don’t have to feel indebted or anything. I just did it as a human who understands other humans. Like community service or something.”

“Oh, okay,” I said trying to hide my disappointment.

“You seem fine, so can I go now?” he asked, slightly annoyed. I nodded and he left.

Yah, Kim Jiho, what were you even expecting? A lovey dovey confession? Why would he even like you?

I decided to go to the nurse and lie down. Of course, on the way there, I just had to fall down 4 stair steps and scrape my knee against the railing. I managed to limp to the infirmary despite my injured ankle and scraped knee, but the nurse wasn’t in there.

I laid down on one of the beds and I thought about my life for the past year. Going to the U.S., coming back looking like a pig, losing people who I thought were my friends but were just in it for the popularity, countless failed diets, getting treated like total crap by Chaeyeon and her crew, and no one wanting to stand up for me. Without realizing, I started tearing up. Jiho, why are you crying? It’s not like crying is going to help with anything!

45 minutes later

“Jiho! Kim Jiho! Get up!”

Someone was shaking me and saying my name. I opened my eyes to see Mingyu staring down at me.

“Oh! What time is it?? I must have fallen asleep!”

“Biology ended 10 minutes ago and it’s just the 30 minutes of study hall we have. But are you crying? You have red eyes and your face is all wet.”

“I wasn’t crying! W