Like ants....

Like ants with their backs burdened with either food of building materials for the castle. Siwan followed, in the line. Being one of many. The backpack hanging heavily on the back filled with the building materials for Siwan's education. Siwan was one of the ants. All of them hardworking.

Siwan couldn't help but laugh a bit mentally, wondering if the other students were as empty of thoughts as they looked. Their expressions blank, they were not only moving mechanically like ants working, but their expressions looked the same. Working without thinking of their own desires.
Most of them, most likely like Siwan. Having their future life planned ahead of them by their parents.

The ants entered the school building by some mechanic automatic, and so entered their classrooms and sat down.
Siwan were one of them. Thinking, it was only until the bell rang, they would get a sense of individuality through the different ways of attending class.

Some would be listening attentively, some busy writing down the teacher or professor's every single word, others would play on their phones while the rest would sleep. Siwan was neither of them, and all of them. Everything would depend on Siwan's mood and ability to concentrate. Not that it really mattered. Everyday, every lecture, every minute, to every second seemed so pointless. Pointless? Maybe not, but more precisely, boring. Getting into university had been achieved, getting a job would become impossible anyway due to the amount of students in the same field and the economic crisis. Not to forget the fact that Siwan's parents already seemed to have fixed some sort of internship or job for Siwan after graduation. Not that Siwan cared.

After graduation, nothing would change. They would still be ants. Every morning getting up, going to work, going home, sleep, waking up, going to work, going home, sleep, waking up, going to work-
Nothing would change, except the surroundings. It didn't matter where they were, it would always be the same.
Siwan looked out the window, and glanced towards the football field far away. Just being able to see the players on the field, Siwan smiled. The players really looked like ants, and yet they were so much more human than the students in the same classroom.

Siwan looked away from the window and returned to look absentmindedly at the professor pretending to paying attention when one of the students in the front glanced back and met Siwan's stare. A pair of playful eyes. It was only a second before they looked away again, but Siwan couldn't help but stare.
It was strange. Normally, no one would look back unless they wanted to convey something to a friend.
Siwan had no friends in particular. There was no time for friends when one was an ant with a tight schedule.

Eat, class, eat, class, study, sleep, eat, class, eat, class, study, sleep-

Siwan got up, packed the backpack and started to leave the classroom, when being stopped by the playful eyes.
"Want to study together later? I've been told your grades are the best in the whole class?"
Siwan nodded to answer the question. Grades? Siwan's grades weren't exactly the best, but they weren't bad at all. The other lit up in a big smile.

"Great! You're Siwan, right? I'm Jiho!"
Jiho shook Siwan's hand energic, not noticing how they were blocking the way for the other students to leave the classroom. Siwan just watched, not quite sure what to do.
There were something in Jiho's eyes puzzling Siwan. They were not blank as many of the other students'. There were some sort of sparkle in them making Siwan curious.

Siwan nodded again, and put a hand on Jiho's upperarm to gesture Jiho to start moving so the other students could get out. Jiho still grinning followed the gesture making room for the others.

"Seven at-" the rest of Jiho's words drowned in the sound of students passing them and Siwan spacing out, yet Siwan once more nodded. Jiho seemed so full of energy and excited by the thought of studying. Siwan didn't quite understand, but just presumed the other had some sort of disease.

"Library?" Siwan asked, for the first time saying something. Jiho frowned  shaking the head.
"No, let's say outside this building!"
With those words Jiho left in a hurry, not even saying goodbye. Siwan looked after the other with a frown before heading on to the next class.

Once more, Siwan; like the other ants, started to walk in the stream, with mechanical steps and a blank mind to the next class.

Or was the steps so heavy and the mind so blank? Siwan for once doubted it. Not helping but thinking of the strange and lively Jiho, Siwan's burden no longer felt so heavy.

Could ants have fun?