Maybe, just maybe, I have possibly made a new companion?

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Key's POV:

With the helpful aide of the ever-so-kind Onew, I easily found my way to the counseling office. The ladies at the front desk greeted me politely and acknowledged me as the "new student." They eagerly handed me my schedule and even gave me a map of  the school as an extra hand to help get me around campus. I was really grateful for their efforts, no matter how small it seemed. I was just happy to have two nice deeds done for me in a row.

Finding my classes were easy. However, dealing with all the obnoxious students was another matter. Word of my little "confrontation" with Kim Jonghyun spread like wildfire all over campus. It was so typical of me to get into trouble before the school day had even started. Since everyone pretty much worshipped that stupid dino douche, people had already begun taking his side, or something like that.

Nobody wanted to cross the wrong path with the school idol. Because of that, they did what, in their minds, was the smartest thing to do which included the options to either completely ignore me, harass me into insanity, or make near attempts at killing me.

Walking down the hallways of SM Institute was awkward and uncomfortable. I more or less tried to look indifferent as nearly every student I passed by would erupt in voluptuous giggle fits. Wherever I walked at least one person would call me a . I ignored the taunts as best I could, but they were starting to sting. I couldn't believe I was letting these comments get under my skin. Unfortunately, they were beginning to.

The tardy bell wailed loudly overhead. It reminded me of a siren.

"Aish. I'm already late," I cursed to myself. I ran while occasionally looking down at my schedule to check the room number of my first period. After a minute of frantic running, I finally reached my destination.

I took a deep breathe before entering. I going for a more stealthy approach, so I tried to open the door as quietly and slowly as possible. But of course, my plan had failed, for the door creaked. Louder than I had hoped, I may add. I winced as the hinges screeched. Feeling dejected and with a flushed look on my face, I stepped into the room.

Immediately upon entering, I could already hear the mockingly obnoxious snickers. I shot the already seated students a dirty look, but turned to the teacher upon hearing him clear his throat in annoyance. He looked middle-aged, but he was already balding. He sported rectangular spectacles and looked like he had a permanent scowl etched onto his face. The man raised his eyebrows at me, as if waiting for me to do something amusing. I caught the hint and performed a 90 degree boy.

"Sunsengnim, I apologize for being late. I got lost," I said, trying to sound sincere and mustering up all the politeness I could. He scowled as he eyed me, but I figured that was because he always had that look on his face.

"You will address me as Mr. Kwon. And you being a new student, I guess it cannot be helped," he grumbled sternly, not bothering trying to hide the annoyance in his voice. "Hurry and take a seat over by Jessica, Mister...Mister, ah..."

"Kim. Kim Kibum, sir. Er, I mean, Mr. Kwon. But I go by Key."

"Yes, yes. Now, Kim Kiboon please take a seat."

"It's Kibum," I corrected him, irritation flaring up inside me. Mr. Kwon grunted and waved his hand dismissively.

I  reluctantly turned towards the rows of desks only to meet the cold stares of the students. I tried my best to ignore them and I immediately spotted a vacant desk near the back of the room right next to a wavy-haired blond who I assumed was Jessica. I felt the hard looks of the students pressing onto me. I shook off the feeling of discomfort and through clenched teeth, I stomped towards my desk. As I approached, Jessica gave me a dirty look and snapped her gum.

When I took my seat, I saw her roll her eyes and turn to look at the person next to her as if to say "Can you believe what I have to deal with? Isn't my life just so difficult?" I glared densely at her as I felt her eye me up in down. Her nose scrunched up in disgust. When she caught my fiery eyes burning into hers, she looked uncomfortable and fidgeted in her seat. She quickly looked up to the front of the room.

I felt satisfied with the reaction that the little snob gave me and turned my attention to Mr. Kwon. He droned on and on about simple math procedures that I had already reviewed ahead of time. Boredom quickly set in. I was usually the most attentive in class, but at that moment all I was focused on was waiting for the dismissal bell to ring.

Mr. Kwon demonstrated different formulas for the next several minutes. I yawned and turned my head towards the window. Since the class was located on one of the top floors, all I had a good view of was the building across from the one I was currently in. I could, however, get a clear look inside one of the windows. It was simply another boring class in session. How drab.

I figured that listening to Mr. Kwon would have been more interesting, so I tore my eyes from the window. Wasn't there anything that was interesting enough to distract me long enough until the end of class? I decided to count the number of chews Jessica took out on her gum per minute. It went on like that for several minutes before I got bored of calculating the numbers in my head. It was 67 in case you were wondering.

I yawned and felt heaviness seep into my eyelids. I suddenly felt very drowzy. I propped my arm onto my desk and let my cheek rest in my hand. Where did all this sleepiness come from? Oh well. It can't be helped, I thought as I let my eyelids slowly droop—

"MISTER KIM! SLEEPING IN CLASS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!" shouted a croaky voice. I jumped in my seat from surprise, and I felt the drowziness jump out of me, too.

"Wha...? Oh, uh...s-sorry?" I said, completely helpless. Mr. Kwon shook his head with utmost disappointment then looked at me with sad eyes. He was being melodramatic, of course. It wasn't as if I had flunked his class, which is something I'd never do, of course. Flunking, that is.

"If it isn't too much to ask of you, Mister Kim. I suggest that you pay attention to the material."

"Yes, sunsengnim. It won't happen again," I muttered through gritted teeth. My classmates, or should I say classenemies, snickered at me. My cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. I kept my face down and stared hard at the wooden desk for the remaining class period.

I had no trouble staying awake for the rest of the period. for Mr. Kwon kept shooting me accusing looks of disapproval. I didn't entirely understand why. I was only sitting there. Quietly, in fact. Sure, I had nearly dozed off. But that was it. Mr. Kwon acted as if I had caused a loud disruption in class and I had to immediately be labeled as the "bad kid" and now needed to be kept under watchful eye. The guy seriously made me feel guilty for nothing.

By the time I looked back at the clock, there was fifteen minutes of class left. I groaned to myself impatiently, but I stuck it out. Soon the fifteen minutes were up, and the bell rang to be dismissed from class. I cheered silently. Mr. Kwon was in a hurry for something and rushed out the door.

Students pushed back their seats and got up from their desks and I followed suit. I stepped into the aisle and started heading for the door, when a leg jutted out in front of my feet. I failed to notice in time. Consequentially, I felt myself dive toward the floor. I crashed onto the hard marble and groaned in pain. Laughter erupted from the many students that still remained in the classroom.

I quickly got up and brushed myself off. I noticed one guy that was laughing harder than the rest — one of the stupid jocks that started shoving me around earlier. I sent a piercing glare his way and he stepped back in surprise. He soon recovered though, because he took a step towards me and brushed up his body against mine, obviously trying to be threatening.

"Don't worry, . It wasn't me. But now I wish it was!" His remark was followed by a new line of giggles. "He's the one who tripped you," jock boy said, pointing towards another student. I gulped as I realized it was the same jock I had punched in the nose earlier. He brought up his forefinger and slid it across his neck in a slitting motion. Uh oh. He still wasn't done with me.

"Just leave me alone!" I yelled to no one in particular. And with that I quickly ran out the door, a train of harsh laughter trailing after me.

For the rest of the day, I tried my best to keep my head down, collar pulled higher than it normally should have, and my hands jammed in my pockets. Any method to conceal myself from all those harsh, judgmental stares I received while strolling the hallways of SM Institute. I tried my hardest to focus in all my classes, but everything just buzzed past. Lessons were fuzzy in my memory. My vision was blurred. As much as I tried to pay attention to my teachers, all I really thought about was simply surviving my first day. People were being so mean to me. And for what? Because I stood up for myself, that's why.

I was harassed in every class period. Boys shot spitballs at my hair and the back of my neck, which was a totally disgusting experience, by the way. Girls made it obvious that they were whispering about me by glaring at me and pointing at me. I seriously felt like crying. I almost slapped myself for getting to that point in my misery, and quickly snapped back to my normal self.

I was quite reluctant to attend any more classes.  However, the unpleasantness for that matter couldn't nearly match up to how much I was dreading lunch. All that time which served as freedom and downtime for hungry students would be another opportunity for more people to harass me. The only difference was that it would be in a bigger room, crowded with more people. Fantastic.

I felt sick to my stomach as I entered the doors of the lunchroom. But calling it a lunchroom would be inaccurate. It was more like a huge, fancy, over-the-top hotel pavilion. There were actual chefs preparing meals right before the students' eyes. The food they served at lunch looked fancier and more expensive than any place I had ever eaten at. There were long tables all over the lunchroom covered in silk fabric. Students chattered happily as they engorged on their feasts, which they all of course took for granted.

As I entered, a few students lounging near the entrance noticed me. I gulped and stealthily made my way to the very back of the lunchroom, making sure to keep my head down. I gasped in relief as I made it to a table, thankfully unnoticed, and sat down. From my bag, I pulled out a bento box my mother had prepared for me. I removed the lid and uncovered its contents: chapchae nooodles, bindae duk (Korean pancake), spicy sweet chicken, steamed sweet potato, and steamed rice.

"Jalmukesumneda!" I cried out happily before digging in to my long-awaited meal. I was busy splurging on steamed rice when I heard someone clear their throat loudly. I looked up reluctantly from my meal only to see Seohyun, her nasaly friend, and a couple other girls regarding me in disapproval.

"Bwoh?" I asked impatiently, speckles of rice flying out of my stuffed mouth. I began laughing to myself as I saw them wrinkle their noses in disgust.

"What are you eating? You get your food over there," Seohyun said, pointing towards the chefs. I followed the direction of her finger. I turned back to her, wearing a blank stare, and shrugged.

"I already have my own," I said after swallowing down my rice.

"Tch. Whatever you're eating, it looks gross. Filthy commoners," Seohyun interjected rudely. "And what are you eating that stuff in? Is that a box?" She looked more disgusted than amused.

"It's a bento box," I said matter-of-factly. The plastic girls wrinkled their noses even more before bounding off. I smiled as they took their leave and quickly returned to my precious bento. I had only eaten for two more uninterrupted minutes before I heard another person clear their throat from above me.

"Hyung, may I please sit here?" a gentle voice inquired. Annoyed, I looked up from my lunch to face whoever interrupted my meal. I nearly gasped as I met the eyes of an awaiting boy. His face resembled that of a porcelain doll — Pale, milky white skin. Soft, pinkish-red lips. Dark, soft, yet beautifully captivating, eyes. The boy had a skinny figure and dark reddish-brown ruffly hair which, in my eyes, resembled mushroom-like physique. He was easily the prettiest boy I had ever seen.

I continued to stare dumbly up at the boy. The boy began to fidget uncomfortably under my fixated gaze.

"Um...all the other seats are taken," he said quietly, awkwardly shifting from one foot to the next. I glanced around and spotted many vacant seats at several tables around the lunchroom. I looked back at the boy and raised my eyebrows in question. He gulped.

"Neh...well, you see..." the boy started uneasily. I continued to look at him with a bemused expression. He sighed. "To be honest, no one will let me sit with them. So I was hoping that you could, um..." His cheeks tinged several shades of red from embarrassment. The boy looked so uncomfortable, so helpless, and so desperate, that at that moment I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

I smiled reassuringly at him and patted the seat next to me. Oh, how his face lit up with sheer delight. He beamed at me and eagerly plopped down.

"By the way, I'm Lee Taemin. What's your name, hyung?" asked the boy who I now knew as Taemin.

"I'm Kim Kibum, but I'd prefer it if you called me Key."

"Ooh~ that's a really cool nickname, hyung!" Taemin said enthusiastically with genuine admiration.

"Yah, why are you speaking so informally to me? Call me sunbae," I scolded. Though, I was only half-joking.

"But I like hyung better! It suits you more," Taemin said, pouting. I chuckled at him. He was so cute. "What's that you're eating, hyung?" Taemin asked, wearing a curious expression. He craned his neck to get a better look at my bento. At first, I was hesitant to answer. I was betting that Taemin was rich, hence why he was able to attend this school. If I told him about my "commoner food," he might be disgusted with me, just like everyone else.

Although, Taemin looked totally innocent. He didn't strike me as the type to be so shallow and judge so quickly and harshly. I sighed, not knowing whether or not I'd regret answering the boy.

"It's...it's a bento lunch," I said curtly. I quickly returned eating, not wanting to wait for his response. I winced as I heard him gasp in surprise. Here comes the stream of rude remarks...

"Wow, hyung! I love bentos!" I stared at him. Taemin loves bentos?

"Y-you do?" I asked in disbelief, choking down my food. He nodded eagerly.

"When I was in grade school, a lot of my friends brought bento boxes for lunch. They said their mothers made if for them. I always ate something the chef would prepare, so I was really interested at first. I asked my friend if I could try some. I really liked it, so I asked my mom if she could prepare me a bento for lunch, but she gave me a disgusted look and told me that bentos were for poor commoners who couldn't afford decent meals" — I winced as he tactlessly made that remark, but I knew he meant well — "and that made me really sad, because I loved the bentos my friends would bring. So we would always trade lunches. But when I came here,  I was disappointed to discover that nobody brings bentos. They all purchase the food here." He finished off with a disgruntled sigh.

I stared at Taemin in awe. I had no idea he was like this. Here I was, expecting him to judge me and reject me, like so many of the students here have already done. I felt guilty for thinking of Taemin that way. He was such a sweet kid.

"So hyung, can you share with me? Please~" Taemin pleaded with a puppy-eyed expression. I laughed at his forced cuteness.

"Aigo, how can I resist someone so cute?" I said, ruffling his hair.

"Yay! Thank you, hyung!" Taemin cheered happily.

The rest of the lunch period carried on like that. Taemin polished off the rest of my lunch in a few seconds flat. He was a chatterbox, asking an endless amount of questions. However, I didn't seem to mind at all. I was just thankful to have found a new friend that I could share my time with here at SM Institute. At that moment, as I laughed while I watched Taemin tackle the last bite of steamed sweet potato, I hadn't realized just how important he would become to grow on me.

In conclusion, lunch went better than I had expected.

A/N: 18 subscribers in one day? You guys rock! I am open to any suggestions you guys might have. I am more than welcome to take them into consideration. Please subscribe and comment comment comment! I hope you guys are eager for the next update 'cause it's coming your way soon.