You don’t need water to feel like you’re downing, do you? I hate this feeling. Like I’m here but I’m not. Like someone cares but then again, they don’t. Like I belong somewhere else, anywhere but here. The pressure is breathtaking. I’m suffocating. I want to run. Hide. So, I can just be.

                                                               ~~~~~~~

Namjoon’s P.O.V

   People were running towards the front of the school. Everyone was pushing and shoving trying to get towards the front. You have those who just don’t care what they get but they want to check out their crushes grades then run back to tell them. “Out of my way!” I heard a girl yell out. I was in no rush. I knew what was going on. The reason for the noise commotion was because the school had just posted the midterms. Being in first place every time, I finally stopped trying to rush to get to the front. It was no point if I already knew what my placement was.

   While I was making my way over, I could hear a lot of disappointment in people voices. “Oh man...my grade dropped down. I studied nonstop and all I got was a B+? My parents are going to kill me.” I heard a male’s voice. “I have a D+! I did amazing.” I heard Rae Bin say. She was bouncing up and down on her feet, twirling around her boyfriend. “Rae Bin... a D+ is not good. I even helped you and you still did poorly.” He said as a sigh escaped his lips. She smiled up at him. “Hon, you did help me! I used to have an F. You helped me improve! Now Mom will buy me that expensive beef that I love for a reward. You will come, right?”

   I couldn’t help but laugh a little at her. She wasn’t the brightest but she was such an amazing and sweet person. She even got selected to be the class president because of her bubbly persona. Han Rae Bin, she could change anyone’s mood just by being around them. While her boyfriend, Kang Yong Hwa, was extremely smart, he is lacking a bit on the cheerful side. That’s where Rae Bin comes in. She was attracted to his silence. For someone who cared only about grades and not having fun when it was time, she wanted to get inside his shell. "He's mysterious." She once told me.

   She makes up for what he lacks while he makes up what she lacks. I guess that’s why he loves her. For someone who never went to a party, for the first time, he went to one all because of her. You can imagine everyone’s shocked faces when he showed up with Rae Bin clinging on his arm. It’s not every time but she can get him to come every once in a while. I watched him smile at her. The smile was so small that you would miss it if you didn’t pay attention.

   More sadness and happiness came from people who either improved or dropped down from their previous placement. “Oh no... ottoke? He dropped down. He’s going to be so hurt. I feel sad for him. I like him so much so I don’t want to see him down. What do I do Eun Rim?" I heard a girl whispering to her friend. Eun Rim was consoling her friend and they started to walk the opposite way I was coming. I shrugged and walked in front of the board. My eyes automatically went to first place but I ended up being confused. Instead of Kim Nam-joon, it was Song Je Woo. I don’t even know who that is but he took my spot. I had 96.88 while Song Je Woo had 98.98. “That’s too bad. Looks like I win.” I felt a presence and glanced over to my left. It was a tall kid with black-ish brown hair. He had narrow eyes but his eyes were a little big. Who was this kid? Does he take me as his rival?

   “You can’t always get first place. Let’s get this straight. You’re not that smart and you’re barely good looking. I was so sick of hearing, ‘Oh, Nam-Joon is so perfect’ ‘Oh he’s extremely smart. He gets everything right.’ Nam-joon, Nam-joon, Nam-joon!” He glared at me and I could definitely see the hatred but for what reason? It’s not my fault that people did that. I have no control over that.

   “I hate your name to the point that it makes me sick. Not only does girls talk about you, but guys as well. Your name has even reached the elementary schools. This is our last year of middle school and when school had started, all I would hear was your name. I been waiting to knock you down and put you in your place. Thinking you’re all that because you always get first place. What’s everyone going to say now that their beloved idol has been knocked down a peg? In fact, what’s mommy and daddy going to say about their son losing his number one spot?” He smirked. As soon as it came, it left. After saying what he wanted to say, he strolled away with his hands in his pockets. My stomach flipped at what he said. My parents...are not going to take this lightly.

   My dad was the Academic Dean of Hanyang University while my mom worked at this high-class company called BDC, which stood for Black Diamond Computer. She makes top of notch computer’s that is bigger than an apple computer, LPD tablets and they have recently started on a new project where they want to make virtual animals with digital minds. The people at her company wants to emulate the brains of other organism such as bees and ants. With two extremely smart parents, how do you think they would feel if their smart son dropped down even by few points?

   I could feel dread creeping up the back of my neck. I am not looking forward to going home because I know that as soon as I step in the house, they will ask me what I got and whether or not if someone passed me. It happens every time. I heard the bell ring but my body didn’t move. How can I sit through two more classes knowing that once they end, I'd have to face my parents.

   "Come on Nam-joon. You've been staring at it long enough. We have to get to class." I felt my friend place his hand on my arm. I looked at Jongdae and saw that his expression showed that he was worried about me. Being my friend since preschool, he knows how my parents are. Giving him a small nod and a smile, I let him guide me to our next class, Language Arts.

   I sat through classes not hearing a word my teachers said. My hand automatically wrote down every thing but my mind was on my parents. I know what time they go to sleep so maybe...just maybe I can hang with Jongdae until then. To avoid them in the morning, I’ll have to get up early in the morning. I’m talking 5:00am. I know I’m going to have face them eventually, but just not today. I don’t think I can handle it at the moment. I ended up moving like a zombie to my last class. The same