Mr Hong from the maths department was my favourite teacher for a number of reasons.

He just didn’t seem to mind that I wasn’t great at maths. He had taught Soobin, maths prodigy, when he was in sophomore year like I was. Soobin represented the school in many occasions and he was even part of the legendary Olympiad team during his freshman year. Being the only freshman who made the team that won a major district competition, he drew a lot of attention from both students and teachers alike.

Mr Hong was the teacher in charge of the Olympiad team. A picture of the victorious team from years ago still hung in his office, and I would always see it and be reminded of my perfect brother.

Kai nudges my arm and leans over to check one of his answers with mine. Seeing as I hadn’t even started, he scowls.

“Soojin. Why haven’t you done anything?” he keeps his voice low as the classroom is dead silent.

“Sorry, where are we up to?”

“The next chapter already, keep up!”

Kai was right to be so urgent. Mr Hong was forming teams for this year’s regional competitions at the end of the week, and we had heard that some sophomores would end up joining teams with upperclassmen. Everyone wanted to be part of those teams – they often came home with awards.

Kai shot me another look before turning back to his own work, and I did the same, rushing through the questions to catch up to the rest of the class.

At the close of the class, Mr Hong stood by the classroom door to collect our exercise books. When he got to me, he gave me a smile and told me he was proud of me for whatever I’ve done. To Kai, he said that he believed in him, always and forever. Kai snorts when we were to look back at these kinds of exchanges with Mr Hong. Others often made fun of him behind his back, including Kai, but instead of a “cheesy old ”, I saw a teacher who would always encourage us. What good does it do to students like us if you constantly put us down?

Kai and I would race each other to the school cafeteria as soon as we can to beat the queue. Today, we both had biology on the top floor, so we had to sprint down two flights of stairs. I never liked running down the stairs because we had previously been told off for doing so. Kai was unfazed. He said it made no difference – it wasn’t like the teachers could give us detention for being “hungry, growing children”.

We bumped into Yuna on our way to the cafeteria. She had her long, dark locks pulled back into a ponytail today. I told her I thought she looked very nice, and she smiled the brightest smile I’ve ever seen. Her happiness was contagious, because it made me smile too, a pleasant change after scowling at Kai all day. Without giving much thought, I asked if she wanted to eat with Kai and I today. She said yes before I even finished stuttering out my question.

The seniors had their own table in the cafeteria. One year, the graduating class took over the long table at the back of the hall, and from then on, it became a tradition. No sign was needed, because all of the seniors congregated there, even Soobin and Yeonjun.

That’s why I was more than surprised to see maroon clothed Jisu place her tray in the seat opposite me and sat down to eat with us three sophomores.

I did notice that Yuna motioned for her to join us, but I didn’t actually think she would. She was a senior too, wasn’t she? She would surely go and join her friends?

“Julia!” Yuna cooed as Jisu took a seat. “You remember Soojin, right? She just joined the volleyball team. This is Kai, he’s also a sophomore.”

Jisu glanced at Kai and I with a smile, giving us both polite nods as we bowed our heads at our senior. “Yes, of course. The two of you often stay to watch us practice, don’t you?”

Kai and I exchanged an alarmed look, causing Jisu to laugh.

“So it is you! I’m short sighted so I wasn’t too sure.”

Throughout the duration of lunch, Yuna talked to Jisu most of the time. Kai welcomed the company of one of his friends, Jeongin, leaving me to ponder in my own thoughts while I picked at the cafeteria food.

I look over my shoulder to glance at the rowdy senior’s table. I see Yeji sitting with some of her friends, while Soobin and Yeonjun are with a large group of boys. I recognised the back of Soobin’s head, but what surprised me was that Yeonjun was already looking at me.

He must have saw me looking after all, because I felt someone pull back the chair next to me and sit down loudly. Yeonjun must’ve finished his lunch already because he came with just an unfinished bottle of grape juice. He greeted the others on the table with a curt nod before hopping straight to bugging me. He knew exactly what to do to get on my nerves, and he did just that. I had a habit of keeping my phone next to my lunch tray while I ate, and I hated it when people looked through my phone. Don’t we all?

“Give that back, jerk.”

“What are you hiding that’s so secretive in there?” Yeonjun teases, avoiding my swats. “Is your passcode still my birthday… oh it is, ha!”

In the corner of my eye, I notice Jisu fighting back a grin.

“Why is your passcode his birthday? Are you two dating?” Jisu teases, to which both of us answered with an aggressive ‘NO’.

“How do you two know each other, then?”

“This is Soobin’s sister, remember?”

“Well then, how do you two know each other? Are you guys dating? You look good together.” I blurt out as I finally wrench my phone out of Yeonjun’s grasp.

Jisu and Yeonjun shares brief eye contact before Jisu tells me they weren’t actually that close. I look at Yeonjun, hoping something in his expression would tell me something different, but I had no luck.

Yeonjun caught my gaze and raised his eyebrows. He was already onto me.