During class when we were all doing silent reading, the teacher walked by my desk and asked if I could go get the assignments from the printer room. I immediately said yes.

I grabbed the heavy box of assignments and left the printer room. As I carefully walked down the stairs to get back to the classroom, I saw him walking up the stairs alone with his head down and headphones in his ears. I don’t think he noticed me. I held my breath and immediately moved to the right of the stairs until he passed me. When he finally passed by, I started breathing again and continued walking down.

“Do you need help?”

I frozed at the bottom of the stairs. I slowly turned around while having my eyes fixated at the ground, “N… no… tha… thank you…”

“Okay.”

As he was about to put his headphones back on, I unconsciously blurted out “Ho… how… is… you… your… bruise?” Did I really just say that???

He paused and seemed surprised at my words. He smiled, “I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“I’m… sorry.”

“I understand. Your friend’s just trying to protect you right? I’d do the same for mine.”

He then put on his headphones and left.

“As long as he’s okay” I thought.

I continued walking back to class silently.

During break I did what I was told and guided the transfer student around the school. If you were looking from the back, we were just like a giant accompanied by a hobbit walking around. He was way too tall.

As we were walking pass the library he suddenly asked, “do you hate me?”

I was surprised, “No!”

He chuckled. “That’s good.”

“W… why?”

“No it’s just, you’re so quiet! After we left the classroom, you haven’t spoken one word to me. I thought it may be because you didn’t like me or something.”

I then thought, “Is that what other people think as well? I’m just scared of interacting with people, not because I hate them”

“So what clubs are there in the school?”

I started listing the various clubs in the school until he quickly stopped me.

“What club are you in?” He looked at me with his light brown eyes.

I got nervous again. “I… ha… have… my… ow… own… club.”

“Really?! Don’t tell me it’s a book club?”

I nodded slowly as my face turned red.

He laughed out loud, “Seriously?! It’s so you!”

I silently looked the other way. Is it that funny?

“So can I join your club?”

“Eh? You… want to?”

“Yeah! I’m a small bookworm as well.”

He really doesn’t look like someone who would enjoy reading books.

“If… you… wa… want. It’s a really… just… a… small club.”

“It doesn’t matter!”

“We… meet every…. Mo… Monday… room B4…”

“I’ll be there!”

In a way I was happy to have another member join my club. Ever since I created the book club in my 1st year, only 5 members joined. That’s including Chunghei but she never really participates, we just have her name down as a member because she said she wanted to support me; I really appreciate it.

When we reached the empty east gym, he wanted to stop and go in for a look.

Once we stepped onto the gym floor, he ran to the far corner and picked up a basketball.

“Ara, let’s play!”

“Ehh?! No no, I… I… can’t play.”

He then threw the basketball at me and I caught it.

“C’mon!” He lightly jogged towards me.

I’ve never been particularly good at sports.