SM High School

Myungsoo found Sunggyu on the school's rooftop, his usual hideout; this was the gang get away if anyone ever felt like ditching school or trouble.

“Hey”, Myungsoo stood next to Sunggyu, who was leaning on the wall watching cars and people trying to get either to work or school, “You good?”

“Hmm, why wouldn’t I be?”

“You know how Sungjong is; he has a big mouth.”

Sunggyu smiled, looking at Myungsoo, “Yah, you think I felt bad because Sungjong was talking about his parents? You’re a nut.”

“You’re not?”

“Hmm, I can’t miss something I don’t remember, right?”

“What about your sister?”

“Yeah, that person I miss a lot.”

Sunggyu lost his sister in a terrible car accident in the summer; they never had parents and relied on each other for so long, the between them was big, so Sunggyu’s late sister was more like a mother than just a sibling.

“How is your new house?”

“They’re not bad, but-” the school bell ringed, cutting of Sunggyu, “Let’s go, I can’t be in trouble again.”

Sunggyu and Myungsoo bowed as they entered the field; they had gym class for their first period. Lee Sungyeol, the gym teacher, was friendlier than Woohyun; he waved for the boys to join the rest of the class to start and checked their names for attendance.

As the students were running the field for warm-up, Sungjong approached the coach for a side talk, “Coach, we need to talk.”

“What do you want, Sungjong?”

“I need a favour.”

Sungyeol rolled his eyes, “Already!!!”

“Hmm, my friend”, Sungjong pointed at Sunggyu, “He’s in trouble, I think.”

“Why? What did he do on his first day!”

“He was late, and Woohyun Seonsaeng-nim isn’t going to let it go.”

“Just like he was late to my class too?”

“Appa, a little understanding here!!”

“Yah! Call me coach; we’re not home, kid!”

“Araso coach, now will you please help him?”

“Isn’t he the kid who lost his sister?” Sungjong nodded, “Araso” yes, Sungyeol can’t refuse a request from his son.

And yes, Lee Sungjong is Lee Sungyeol’s son; they’re look more like brothers than a father and a son. Sungyeol had a wild night when he was 19 - 20 years old and made his girlfriend pregnant, and being a gentleman, Sungyeol proposed and married her after graduation. Only this marriage didn’t last and ended up with divorce; Sungjong’s mom moved to the US with her new husband years back, leaving Sungyeol as a single dad.

“Thanks, coach.”

“I can’t promise you anything; you know how Woohyun Seonsaeng-nim is.”

“Just try for your lovely son.”

“And what I’ll get from this?”

“I’ll do the dishes tonight.”

“Liar!” Sungyeol pushed his son to run with his friend, “Let’s go, join your friends.”

“And~~, Myungsoo is coming over.”

“I’m ordering pizza then.”

“You’re the coolest coach Appa in the world.”

“You still need to run with your friends.”

Sungjong pouted, “Ugh, fine~~.”

Teachers’ office

Recess

“Hello, my friends”, Sungyeol joined his colleagues Woohyun and Dongwoo for coffee; they have been friends since high school, “Coffee, anyone?”

“Yes, please”, Dongwoo said.

“Me too, a strong one too.”

“I’m glad you joined us here at SM.”

“Hmm, me too.”

Sungyeol and Dongwoo exchanged looks before the gym teacher asked, “Tough first day.”

“Don’t even want to talk about it.”

“How are you hanging?” Dongwoo patted his friend’s shoulder.

“It’s hard, but I’m trying.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss; she was an amazing woman.”

Woohyun nodded, remembering his late wife; it hasn’t been long since she died; losing her was a shock to him, Woohyun loved her a lot, “She was indeed.”

“Where are you staying?” Dongwoo asked; Woohyun had his own house since a very young age; he was the definition of independent but life happens sometimes, and things go the other way.

“I moved back to my parents’ house; I need help.”

Sungyeol gave his friends each a cup of coffee, “I bet they’re happy.”

“Hmm, they always wanted me to live with them.”

Sunggyu walked in, interrupting their conversation, which reminded Sungyeol of his son’s request, so he quickly nudged Woohyun and whispered before Sunggyu comes closer, “Hyun, take it easy on him.”

“Stop listening to your son!”, Woohyun gestured for Sunggyu to come close; the student bowed, greeting his teachers, “Did you eat?”

“Not yet.”

“Come”, Woohyun stood up, “I’ll be back.”

“Hyun, don’t forget what I said”, Sungyeol reminded his friend before he walked out with Sunggyu, “Damn, Woohyun isn’t going to let this go.”

“You think we need to do something?”

Sungyeol shook his head, “Let’s wait; we might be wrong.”

Dongwoo checked the time, “I have to go too.”

“Are you meeting your favourite Student~~~? What was his name again?” Sungyeol pretended as if he was thinking, “Ah~~, Lee Howon?”

“Yah!” Dongwoo covered the coach’s mouth, “watch what you say, man!”

Sungyeol removed his friend’s hand and pulled him to sit back again, “As if we don’t know you’re still single because you’re waiting for him to be 18 and graduate to make a move.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, except you’re 20 years older than him, and you don’t know his feelings towards you. Is it the usual teacher crush that will go away when he’s in college or a real one?”

“I know it’s real; I can feel it.”

“Don’t get yourself in trouble, uh?”

“Look who’s talking!”

“Unlike you, I learned to keep it for myself.”

Dongwoo scoffed, “How long you’re going to last?”

“He is my son’s friend! There is no room for discussion here.”

“Yeah, forgot about this one”, Dongwoo patted his friend’s shoulder, “Are you going to be okay?”

“Hmm, I’ll manage; now go, your future boyfriend is waiting for you.”

Woohyun’s office

“Sit”, Sunggyu did as told and watched Woohyun push a sandwich towards him, “Here eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Eat.”

“Is this part of the punishment?”, Sunggyu pushed the sandwich back towards Woohyun. “I’m not hungry.”

“Stubborn! You didn’t have breakfast today.”

“How do you know! I feel like I’m being watched.”

“You were late; of course, you missed breakfast”, Sunggyu looked away annoyed, “And lower your hoodie! Where do you think you are?! We’re in school.”

“What’s wrong with my hoodie!”

“Looks like you’re about to sell drugs; lower it! Geez, do you have to talk back on everything!”

Sunggyu did as told, “Can I go?”

“Omg!” Woohyun got off his seat to check Sunggyu’s hair, “When did you dye your hair!! It’s blond!”

Sunggyu moved his head away when Woohyun tried to touch it, “Why? I can’t!”

Sunggyu’s hair was pitch black; it was surprising to see him go blond out of a sudden, not that it didn’t suit him on the contras he looked good, it was just unexpected.

“Ani, your hair, you can do whatever you want just don’t show up with tattoos like your friend”, Woohyun then added, “You can’t come late to school and expect a special treatment from me; I don’t do ‘connections’, got it?”

“Never asked for a special treatment.”

“Then don’t embarrass me and show up on time!”

“Pretend like you don’t know me!”

“Yah, Kim Sunggyu!”

“Fine, Araso.”

“Seonsaeng-nim, yes Seonsaeng-nim”, Woohyun corrected, “Say it.”

“Yes, Seonsaeng-nim”, Sunggyu rose from the chair, “Now can I go Seonsaeng-nim?”

“Detention.”

“What!”

“2 hours.”

“It’s my first day!”

“First day or not, I get to decide if you deserve a punishment or not”, Woohyun stood in front of Sunggyu, “And with t