Chapter 3 | The Second Man

Students dressed in their winter uniforms flocked inside the lobby of Third District of Seoul High School for Science and the Arts main building, boys wearing long-sleeved collared white shirt with a khaki necktie underneath a caramel blazer and a pair of brown trousers, whereas girls wore the same white collared shirt with caramel vest, khaki bow tie, and a pleated brown skirt, both wearing winter outerwear amidst the chilly weather in Seoul in March.

It was a quarter past eight, a good forty-five minutes earlier that the normal school day. On the bulletin board where the announcements are usually posted were filled with posters, indicating the students’ respective classes.

Some girls were squealing over the fact that they were in the same class as their crushes, while some walked away from the scene in devastation for being separated from their friends. Boys were high-fiving their friends, and some felt indifferent about the class they were in.

Jaemin and Donghyuck stood at the back, both of them tiptoeing to catch a glimpse of their schedule

Annoyed, Donghyuck said, “Stay here.” He then squeezed his way to the front, receiving glares from girls he ‘accidentally’ pushed aside. By the time he was at the front, he scanned the classes of eleventh graders. His eyes then landed on one of the lists, perusing thoroughly the names before seeing his and Jaemin’s room number.

“We’re still in the same class,” Donghyuck said by the time he was back by Jaemin’s side.

“Of course we are,” Jaemin stated as a matter of factly. “Where’s our room?”

Before Donghyuck could even respond, a commotion snatched their attention. There in front of the bulletin board, two guys were having an argument, more like a male student was shouting at another male student for having been pushed.

“Do you not see me?!” the taller guy shouted, the veins on his temples almost popping out in, what seemed to be, anger. Jaemin hadn’t seen that student around at all. The guy’s face was stoic, almost menacing.

“I-I’m just t-trying to look up my s-schedule!” Jaemin heard the other guy stuttered in fear. As he focused on the guy being shouted at, recognizing him being Zhong Chenle, a Chinese boy who was granted a scholarship just like him and the top student among his batch, he was already taking off his backpack. He had spoken to him a few times, all of which are about academics. Other than that, he never really talked to him.

“I don’t care,” the unknown guy stated firmly. “Apologize to me. Now.”

“Come on, Jeno-hyung. Just drop it. He probably didn’t mean to push you.” Another guy, who Jaemin presumed a friend of the guy who was making a scene, tried easing the tension by pulling the guy’s arms and dragging him away from Zhong Chenle.

“Intentional or not, I could care less,” Jeno insisted, standing almighty as he crossed his arms on his chest. “I want an apology and I want it now.”

“What are you, a five-year old?” Jaemin finally intervened. Wide-eyed, his best friend gaped at him as he trudged his way in between the two. The students circling them took a couple of steps back to give way to him. “Do you enjoy intimidating the ones who are obviously weaker than you?”

Jaemin stood in front of Jeno, face-to-face, eye-to-eye. He glared at the guy standing before him who glared at him just as intensely in return. Nobody backed down. Donghyuck ran to his side, pulling one of his arms to stop the commotion, but he just gestured for him and Zhong Chenle to stay behind him.

“And who are you?” Jeno asked mockingly, smirking. “I don’t remember talking to you, Pretty Boy.”

“Na Jaemin, Class 11-A,” Jaemin expressionlessly stated, outfacing Jeno fearlessly. “This guy right here does not owe you anything. He doesn’t need to apologize to you.”

“Then apologize to me on his behalf.”

“What?”

“You heard me,” Jeno dared. “It’s easy. You just have to apologize to me on his behalf, and then we’re all good after this.”

“Nobody’s apologizing to you—not me, not him, nor anyone in particular.”

“You’re such a hard-headed person. I like it,” Jeno said in amusement, tilting his head. “Now, I no longer want just an apology. I want you to apologize to me...on your knees.”

Goggling incredulously, Jaemin cackled at the stupid request. When he spotted a girl drinking from her tumbler, he snatched it in a swift motion. And before Jeno could even see it coming, he felt the cold water splashing onto his face as he closed his eyes in reflex. Everyone collectively gasped, wide-eyed at what just happened. If the scene earlier was full of murmuring gossipers, it was now dead silent that had someone dropped a pen, the sound it will make would’ve probably ricocheted across the hall for some time.

“Maybe I will apologize once you stop being an egotistical, self-eccentric, stonehenge-headed, little prick,” Jaemin fired back, giving the tumbler back to its owner before grabbing both Donghyuck and Chenle and stalking off, leaving everyone speechless and motionless.

Jeno slowly opened his eyes, his brows furrowed like they were sculpted. He looked around, throwing daggers at anyone who he made eye contact with, wiping his wet face with the sleeve of his blazer. If he was amused earlier because he thought he had the upper hand, at that moment, he was enraged.

“What are you looking at?!” Jisung barked at the top of his lungs, trying scare everyone off. The students then scattered around, minding their own business, proceeding to do whatever they were ought to do.

“Na Jaemin, huh?” he muttered, watching the three retreating figure, his eyes fixed on the guy who had the courage to splash water on his face. “Just you see.”

-

“Oh my God, Nana,” Donghyuck exclaimed once he, Jaemin, and Chenle were out of sight. “That was so hilarious!”

“I’m sorry, Jaemin,” Chenle apologized, bowing his head. “Because of me, you were dragged into this mess. You should’ve just let me apologize to him. It was no big deal anyway.”

“It’s all right, Chenle. He was acting like a stuck up kid, throwing a tantrum because he didn’t get what he wanted. You don’t owe him anything.” Jaemin smiled wholeheartedly, ruffling the smaller guy’s hair.

“Still, I accidentally pushed him.”

“Even if you did, he had no right to raise his voice. He could’ve just waited for you to apologize or maybe ask you politely to apologize to him, but no. He had to make a scene on the first day of school where everyone can see and hear. Good thing there was no teacher around.”

“I think you’re wrong, though...” Donghyuck trailed off. “Let me explain first, okay!”

Jaemin stared at his best friend expectantly.

“I mean, if I accidentally pushed someone, I owe that person an apology. No questions asked.”

“So you’re on his side?”

“No!” Donghyuck exclaimed. “I’m just being rational here.”

“Yeah, okay. I should’ve just let Chenle apologize, but he was shouting at him. If you were in his position, being shouted at and publicly shamed, what would you do?” Jaemin reasoned out. “I just said Chenle doesn’t owe him anything because I was mad at him, okay? He could’ve handled the situation better.”

“You know what?” Donghyuck asked. “Let’s just go to our class.”

-

Inside a stall of the school restroom that stretches for about sixty square feet on the ground floor of the school’s main building, Jeno exasperatedly removed his soaked blazer and white, collared long-sleeved, absentmindedly hanging them on the door as he changed into Jisung’s extra ones. Although they were too tight for his body, they were the only ones available, so he couldn’t really do anything about it. Calling his butler was also out of the question because class was about to start in several minutes.

When he was finally able to go, he got out of the stall and checked himself in the mirror, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“I didn’t think it would be this eventful today.” Jisung snickered, fixing his hair. “I’m almost thrilled to be in this school.”

“Will you please, for the love of Gods, shut up?” Jeno snapped.

“Chill, Hyung,” Jisung said, trying to suppress his laugh. “That Na Jaemin might come barging in here to save me from your wrath.”

Jeno threw his wet uniform at Jisung, who caught it by surprise, before storming out of the restroom as the latter followed closely behind. Jisung stuffed Jeno’s uniform inside his bag, reminding himself to give it back later.

-

Seated beside Donghyuck at the farthest left, facing the board, three rows from the very back of the classroom, Jaemin placed his bag under the desk and took out a notebook as his best friend, who was seated beside the window, typed on his phone with a lovestruck smile.

Fifteen minutes before the class started, the students started piling up, empty two-seater benches getting occupied as more students enter the classroom. Chenle, seated just behind Jaemin and Donghyuck, mindlessly doodled on his notebook.

A loud group of boys could be heard, approaching the room. Jaemin could instantly recognize the familiar baritone voice. Seconds later, three boys emerged from the front door, namely Mark Lee, Lucas Wong, and Liu Yangyang, and Hendery Wong.

“I swear, he looks like an angel,” Yukhei, commonly known at their school as Lucas, said in a dreamy tone, not noticing that they were already inside the classroom and that his classmates were turning their attention to him. “Hey, Jaemin!”

“Lucas,” Jaemin acknowledged meekly as the three boys approached his and Donghyuck’s seat.

“I heard you had a confrontation with another student,” Lucas said. “There’s a video spreading around. Just pray that it won’t reach the faculty or you’re dead.”

“Yeah,” Jaemin confirmed, “I hope, too.”

“Are you all right?” Mark intervened, worry plastered all over his face.

“Yes!” Donghyuck exclaimed with dreamy eyes.

Mark looked at Donghyuck for a split second then paid him no attention.

“I’m good,” Jaemin said before gesturing to the boy sitting a line away just behind his row from him using his thumb. “He’s the one you should be asking if he’s all right.”

“I’m okay. It’s all thanks to Jaemin-hyung.” Chenle smiled.

Mark nodded indifferently, taking a seat on the same row, the line before Jaemin’s. Lucas then took the seat beside him. Yangyang sat behind Chenle, while Hendery took the empty seat beside a girl named Lee Nagyung, just behind Jaemin and Donghyuck.

The bell finally rang, indicating that the classes were about to start. A few seats were still unoccupied, a sign that there were going to be latecomers. The students who weren’t in their seats and were talking to their friends immediately went back to theirs before taking out their notebooks and mechanical pencils.

Moments later, a male dressed in a pair of black shoes and trousers, dirty white tweed blazer, and a sky blue button up shirt walked in confidently, taking off his black messenger bag, placing it on the teacher’s table. The guy was about a hundred and seventy-eight in height with a curtain fringe hairstyle. He was pale, had a pretty, dark brown eyes, and a fairly calming smile.

“Good morning, Class 11-A,” the man said. “How is everyone?”

The homeroom teacher smiled at the class, taking a piece of chalk before proceeding to write his name in Hangul, Hanja, and the English alphabet. Just then, a loud impact of a sliding door opening startled everyone inside as two students dramatically entered the room. Jeno, who didn’t even bother to apologize for being late, spotted the surprised Jaemin. He stared into his soul, smirking, and then sat beside a rather frightened Chenle who froze in his seat.

Surprised, Donghyuck muttered, “Isn’t that…?”

Jaemin remained silent. What was that guy even doing in here? Was he there to make a ruckus?

Jisung sat next to Yangyang, muttering a small greeting to the guy who smiled brightfully at him in return after he apologized to their teacher.

The homeroom teacher cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’m Qian Kun. You can call me Mr. Qian. I will be your homeroom teacher, as well as your teacher in Morality class. Being late and having rude behavior like what your two classmates just pulled are two of the many things I don’t tolerate.”

Jisung smiled guiltily, bowing his head slightly. Jeno’s expression remained passive as his eyes met Mr. Qian.

“And since this is the first day, I don’t wanna be harsh on you and start the discussion right away,” the latter stated as he clapped his hands. “So, let’s get to know each other, shall we?”

The class groaned altogether.

“Come on, it’s not that bad! Just state your name and anything else you think is worth knowing and mentioning about you. We’re gonna be together for the rest of the school year. It’s just fair for us to introduce ourselves. It will strengthen our bond,” Mr. Qian stated. “And since the two of you are late, let’s start with you.”

“Lee Jeno, eighteen,” Jeno simply said when he rose from his seat, staring right ahead with both of his hands in his pockets. “I’m a transfer student from Seoul Science National High School.”

“Well,” Donghyuck whispered, “that explains the arrogance.”

Jeno snapped his head at that just in time for Jaemin to snicker. The latter fixed his posture when he noticed Jeno’s glare aimed at him as Donghyuck cleared his throat in fear. Jeno sat down, clenching his jaw in annoyance.

“Hello, everyone.” Jisung waved his hand around, smiling. “I’m Park Jisung. I’m also a transfer student from Seoul Science National High School. I was a part of dance troupe and photography class at my previous school.”

One by one, students introduced themselves, going on as smoothly as Mr. Qian had anticipated.

“Hi everyone, I’m Lee Donghyuck as most of you already know since almost everyone was from Class 10-A last year with a few exceptions,” Donghyuck pulled an awkward smile before waving off as the whole class snickered.

“Mark Lee,” Mark saluted in a cool manner.

“Good morning,” Jaemin started off, his face stoic. “I’m Na Jaemin.”

“That’s it?” Jeno said out of nowhere, staring right ahead, not even gazing at Jaemin when the latter sat right away after he mentioned his name. “Not gonna mention anything about yourself?”

“There’s nothing interesting about me.”

“I’m sure there is.” Jeno then looked at him in mock-wonder, propping his chin on his knuckles and furrowing his brows as if thinking. “Like, I don’t know, maybe meddling in other people’s business?”

The whole class gaped in surprise. Almost everyone at school liked Na Jaemin, so it was a shock that someone would say such a thing to him.

“Seriously?” Jaemin laughed humorlessly. “You’re so petty.”

“Petty?” Jeno exclaimed incredulously. “You splashed water on my face on the first day, and you’re the one who has the audacity to call me petty?”

“You were picking on someone smaller and weaker than you, so I had to step in.”

“So, you’re calling that kid weak, eh?”

“You know that’s not what I mean by—”

“It doesn’t seem like it to me.”

“Class,” Mr. Qian interrupted, “that’s enough.”

Jaemin clenched his jaw in irritation, huffing out a breath in disbelief. How dare this guy do this to him? Nobody in his entire stay in this school has ever had the courage to do that to him. He was well-respected and well-liked by everyone in the campus.

If looks could kill, Lee Jeno would probably be six feet under the ground. Jaemin basically burned holes at the side of his head the entire time, throwing as much daggers as he could after their little argument was stopped by the homeroom teacher.

Leisurely, Jeno looked at Jaemin, smirking at him in triumph.

What a ing , Jaemin thought.