"Teacher, please let me change to 5B,” said one familiar voice. His tone was near begging.
 

As in reflex, YeJin and I looked at each other.

"It can't be..” YeJin started to say but stopped in mid-sentence.

I immediately peeked through the window. Then YeJin did the same thing and pushed me a bit to the side.

"Oh, no,” I gasped.  What I suspected was true.

I could see DaeSung with Mrs. Choi and Mr. Shin.

So he’s the new student in 5B? 
CRAP!!
Sneakers with Doraemon sticker. Of course it's DaeSung! I should've noticed earlier.

We stayed quiet to eavesdrop on their discussion.

"Please, I beg you,” DaeSung pleaded, "I can't stand being in 5C. They bully me to no end. If I tell on them, they'll get me even more.”

That’s when I noticed it. DaeSung looked sad. His face was tear-stained and his hair and shirt were messy. He had fresh bruises and scratches on his face. He was quivering when he looked at the teachers, like he was trying hard to hold back tears. 

I wonder what had happened. Gosh, this makes me more curious compared to knowing where MinHo had his lunch.
Yes, I was that curious.

Mrs. Choi and Mr. Shin looked at each other. Mr. Shin took out a hand to pat DaeSung’s back.

"What have they done, son?” he asked quietly.

"The-the-they shoved me in the toilet and forced me to their shoes. When I refused, the-the-they-” he couldn’t finish his sentence and started to sob.
 

I could feel my fist tightened. Those bastards! How dare they bully timid DaeSung in school compound? I felt anger rising up from inside of me.
 

"Mrs. Choi, I think the principal has a valid reason for letting him change to 5B,” Mr. Shin said. Mrs. Choi gulped and bit her lower lip.

Yes, in your face b1tch!!

Beside me, I could hear YeJin's sobs. 

"You're crying?!!” I hissed.

God, can she be more overdramatic? She and my Umma should just form a club together.

YeJin looked at me through her teary eyes.  "It's sad, ChaeRin. Oh, so sad. I don’t have any idea what hell Dae has to go through every day. I’m glad I have made him our friend,” she said between sobs.

I groaned. 
Dae?

I felt the tightness in my stomach again. Brushing that feeling aside, I peeked through the window again. I saw DaeSung looking down, staring at his shoes. 

As much as I hate to admit this, it breaks my heart to see him like that. I prefer his stupid jokes and silly grins than him looking so sad like this. Yes, I know he annoyed me to no end but since I had already agreed to be his friend, I might as well act like one,right?

"So, what makes you think 5B is going to be better for you?” Mrs. Choi asked, staring at DaeSung through her hawk-like eyes.

"I have friends in 5B,” he answered.

Oh, no! Please don’t say my name. Just say YeJin’s name. I pleaded silently.

If DaeSung said my name, I bet Mrs. Choi was going to think that I was the one who suggested to DaeSung that he could transfer to our class just to piss her off. Like I said, Mrs. Choi had some grudge against me. That's why I always rebel in her class.

DaeSung's eyes suddenly lit up. "They're Park YeJin and-”

Oh Noooooo~~!!!

"Lee ChaeRin.”

Oh, sh1t! Sh1t! Sh1t!!!

Mrs. Choi’s eyes opened up wide at the mere mention of my name. She blinked rapidly, in the shape of an 'O'. Suddenly, she saw us peeking through the window.

"Lee ChaeRin!!!” she shouted, of course, only at me.

I gulped.
YeJin smiled.
DaeSung grinned.

Man, this day is going to be just terrific!!!

 

******************

Everything happened just like it was in a slow motion. The next thing I know, I saw DaeSung standing in front of the class beside Mr. Shin. Mr. Shin wiped his forehead with his towel before facing the class. No one else except YeJin and I even bothered to look up. DaeSung was grinning widely at us.

"Err, class?” he said.

As always, he didn’t manage to get anyone’s attention. Then came his savior, in the light of the beastly Mrs. Choi.

"ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO YOUR TEACHER!!” she barked.

Yes, that’s the way to catch teenagers’ attention, dear Mr. Shin.

Mrs. Choi cleared . "Today, you will have a new student. Mr. Kang DaeSung. Some of you might already know him as he was in 5C before this.”

"Is he the janitor’s son?” the class resident clown, Jung-su, asked.
"No, he's not, Mr. Park. Like I said, he's a student in 5C,” came Mrs. Choi impatient reply.
"He's a student? Why I haven’t seen him before?” It was HyeYeon's airhead friend, YiYoung's turn to ask.

DaeSung's smile dissapeared.

"Maybe because you weren’t looking, Miss Kang,” Mrs. Choi pushed up her glasses and cleared . "Anyway, like I was saying-”

HyeYeon suddenly raised her hand and got up. "I think I know who he is,” she said and pointed to YeJin and me. "He's ChaeRin and YeJin's friend!” she exclaimed excitedly. "Now they can be three! Cute!”

Her airhead friends, YiYoung and ShinAh giggled like it was the funniest thing they have ever heard. God, sometimes I think they weren't born with brains.

To my horror, DaeSung said, "Yes, they’re my friends. I change class because of them!” He was grinning from ear to ear.

Now that got the class’ attention. The three airheads began laughing like no tomorrow. The others simply look back and forth between us and DaeSung.

"This is amazing,” Jung-su said, like it was some rare discovery.

I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks. I put my head in my hand and sunk deeper in my seat to hide my embarrassment. I could feel YeJin standing up.

"You're