Bang Mir. That was his name. Now that it came to this Cheondung couldn’t think of a better name for the boy. It somehow fitted him. Bang Mir. Cheondung smiled to himself and changed his clothes shoving his bloody gym uniform in the bag. He took the tampon out of his nose and threw it in the bin. After washing up he exited the room very happy to find Mir standing by the window.

“Hey!” Cheondung greeted. Mir looked at him with those puppy eyes of his and said:

“Man, you sure are slow. You’re slower than a snail.” he was kidding but Cheondung looked away ashamed and shrugged. Mir sighed.

“Let’s go.” He said and pushed Cheondung down the hall.

“Where are we going?” Cheondung asked curious.

“Well since I’m your guide I have to give you a proper tour around the school campus.” He said smiling and Cheondung’s breath hitched. That smile was so beautiful!

“I guess you’re right.” He mumbled and they walked down the hall towards the exit.

As they walked Cheondung couldn’t take his eyes off Mir. He was just so amazing. The way he walked, talked and everything he did was… well… amazing. It took him a minute too realize he was talking to him.

“Hellooo, earth to Dungie, are you listening to me?” he asked snapping his fingers in front of Cheondung’s face.

“S-sorry, what did you say?” Cheondung apologized blushing.

“You were spacing out weren’t you?  Thinking about me? It’s understandable since I’m so irresistible.” Mir said and pointed towards himself.  Cheondung blushed even more. It wasn’t like Mir wasn’t right but he would never tell him something like that.

“You wish.” He said “Anyway, you were saying?”

“I asked from which school are you?” with that they began a light conversation as Mir was showing him around. He showed a lot more interest than Cheondung ever imagined, especially towards the circumstances around him being expelled from school.

“That’s not cool. I mean if you had actually done it, it wouldn’t have been so bad but this isn’t cool.” He said shaking his head.

“I agree.”

“But it is partially your fault.”

“Yeah, I - What?” Cheondung asked surprised.

“You know you could have said you didn’t do anything or something like that.” He said shrugging.

“What do you think I did?! Of course I said I didn’t do anything.” He said.

“Well you aren’t the type to argue with a teacher. I bet you just kept silent like in music class today.” He said. Maybe he wasn’t trying to insult him but he was doing really great with that.

“Well” he started already shaking with anger “in a prestigious school in which you obviously do not belong there is no point in arguing with the teachers, but I wouldn’t expect you to know anything about that since you probably studied here from elementary school.” Cheondung said with that arrogant private school student tone he hated so much.

“Obviously keeping silent couldn’t help you in that private school of yours.” Mir said totally pissed. Cheondung stopped and gave him a death glare.

“What do you expect? Yelling and arguing? Maybe people shouting at each other are something common in schools like yours but in a high class school like mine we prefer having civilized conversations.”

The way Cheondung said it pissed Mir even more. “Schools like yours”! Who did he think he was?! Mir moved closer to him almost hovering over the boy’s smaller body.

“I think that for your own good you shouldn’t talk like that.” he growled.

“Or what?” Cheondung said bravely but the truth is he was a little frightened. He didn’t want to fight with Mir but if things got that far there was no way he would back down. Mir smiled evilly.

“You might end up with more than a bleeding nose.” Cheondung’s eyes widened.

“Are you threatening me?” he asked. Mir shrugged.

“Nope.” He said “I’m just saying. Take this as an advice from your guide.”

The two boys had something like a stare off until the bell rang.

 “Cheondung!” someone called and he turned his head towards the noise seeing Seungho walk towards them. Mir backed away and said:

“I’ll see you later Dungie.” The words rolled from his mouth, he smirked and walked down the hall. Cheondung stared after him like an idiot for maybe the third time today.

“Hi there stranger!” Seungho said smiling but immediately got serious. “How are you felling? Does your nose hurt or something?”

“I’m fine hyung, thanks.” Cheondung answered after a minute.

“I’m glad you are.” He smiled. Cheondung’s next class was Chemistry so they went towards the lab. Cheondung couldn’t help but notice Seungho’s silence as they walked down the hall.

“What’s wrong hyung?” he asked.

“Um…nothing.” He mumbled.

“Don’t be silly! I can see something’s bothering you so spit it out. Come on I’m listening. What is it?” Cheondung urged waving his hand as a sigh for Seungho to begin.

“Well I…this isn’t my busyness but I…” he began. “I was just wondering… look I was wondering why you were with Bang Mir earlier that’s all. Is there some sort of problem?” he said finally.

“Oh no, of course not.” Cheondung smiled “It’s nothing like that.”

“Then what is it? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Cheondung started explaining how Mir came to the nurse’s office, about him being his guide and everything. They parted when they got to the class room and Seungho promised he will wait for him in front of the school after class.

Entering the class room he psychically prepared himself but was very surprised to see that Mir wasn’t here. He sat down and placed his books on the desk sighing. “Here we go again.” He thought. The class went by very fast and strangely normal. He introduced himself, again, answered a few questions and before he knew it the bell rang and he was free to go home since this was his last period. He shoved his things in his bag and marched out of the class room. He was almost at the exit when he heard someone call his name. Turning around he saw a boy running towards him.

“You’re a fast one.” He said breathlessly and smiled when he reached Cheondung. The boy was tall with brown messy hair falling over his dark brown orbs. Smooth milky white skin and full red lips. He was dressed in skinny dark blue jeans a white t- shirt over his muscular form and a black leather jacket with the sleeves up.

“What do you want?” Cheondung asked. He didn’t mean to be rude but this was seriously a crappy day. The boy kept smiling.

“I’m Lee Joon.” He said. “Here. This is for you” Joon handed him a folded piece of paper. It was some kind of note. Cheondung took the note and smiled at the boy. It wasn’t Joon’s fault he was having a bad day.

“Thanks. By the way I’m Cheondung.”

“I know who you are. See you later.” He smiled again and walked down the hall.

“Yeah see ya.” Cheondung said and shoved the note in his backpack.

He saw Seungho was standing by the fence waiting for him.

“You’re late. Again.” He said smiling. “Hope it doest become a habit or something.”

“Sorry.” Cheondung said smiling at the older boy.

“Hey hyung?” he asked as they walked out of the school yard.

“What?”

“Wanna come over and play some video games?”

“Yeah, sure.”

With the corner of his eye he saw Mir leaning on the fence. He was talking with some of his friends but stood up when they passed him.

“Hi!” he said to Cheondung but all he did was turning his head to the right not caring about the disappointed look on Mir’s face.

When he and Seungho went to his house they ordered a pizza because Cheondung was too tired to cook something up. They ate the pizza in the living room while playing “Naruto Ultimate ninja” on his Playstation 2.  Cheondung had chosen to play with Jiraya while Seungho chose Naruto. It appeared that Seungho was really good but he said he had never played before.

“Are you sure this is your first time playing hyung?” Cheondung asked skeptically eyeing his hyung.

“Yes, how many times do I have to tell you?” he said kicking Naruto in the head taking the last of his blood and winning the game again.

“You’re doing pretty well for a person who doesn’t play video games.” Cheondung mumbled and Seungho laughed.

“I didn’t say I don’t play video gamed but that I don’t play Ultimate ninja.”

“Then how come you’re so good?” he asked putting the controller on the ground.

“I was a complete maniac for Naruto M.U.G.E.N. And it’s not so different from this game.” he admitted shrugging.

“I knew it!” Cheondung said brightly clapping his hands together “I knew you couldn’t be so good if you haven’t played it before, which would mean you’re lying, or you’ve played something like it!”

He looked so happy with finding it out but his smile faded when he saw that Seungho was laughing.

“What?” he asked but Seungho just kept laughing “Why the hell are you laughing hyung? Hyung!”

Five minutes later when they both finally calmed down they played a few more games. Seungho looked at the clock.

“It’s getting late. I should go.” He said putting the controller down and getting up.

“Oh, ok hyung. See you tomorrow.”Cheondung got up and they both walked towards the door.

“Yeah see you.” After making a few arrangements they wished each other good night and Seungho headed home.

Cheondung ate the rest of the pizza while finishing his game after which he went to his room and wrote his homework. When he finished he saw the note Joon had given him today. He took the piece of paper on which was written:

I’m sorry for the way I acted today it was none of by business to ask you about it in the first place let alone criticize you. But if you want me to I’ll continue to be your guide. I’ll be waiting for you after school by the fence so you can tell me your decision. This is my phone number feel free to call me anytime even if you decide you don’t need me as a guide. In case you’re wondering why I still want to be your guide you should just think a bit and I believe you’ll get it but if you don’t I’ll tell you after school.

955 661 352                                     Mir 

Cheondung was staring at the note wide eyed. He slapped his forehead. He felt very stupid right now. So that’s why Mir looked so tense when he passed him. But it really seamed weird now that he didn’t know why exactly Mir was his guide. Damn it. Why didn’t he read the stupid note?! He picked up his phone and without second thought he dialed Mir’s number. Mir picked up on the fifth ring.

“Hello?” he said with a sleepy voice.

“Um… hi, Mir it’s Cheondung. Did I wake you up?”

“Kind of. What is it?” he asked his voice sounding normal now.

“Well I…um…I just wanted to tell you that I…”He didn’t know how to say it.

“Yeah, I’m listening; you wanted to tell me what?”

“I…I want you to be my guide.” He whispered finally.

“What? I didn’t hear you. What did you say?” Cheondung could hear a smile in his voice. He was teasing him but he knew he somehow deserved it.

“I said I want you as my guide.” He said and before Mir could answer he continued. “Before you say anything I want to tell you something. Look Mir I’m sorry for the way I acted today. You were just curious and I shouldn’t have said all those things I did. The fact that I have studied in a private school doesn’t make me better than anyone. So if you still want to I would be really thankful if you are my guide.” He finished his tirade in one breath and waited for Mir to answer but for a long moment he kept silent. Truth was he was stunned by this sudden reaction from Cheondung. By just looking at him he could tell he was a shy person even around people he knew and this was totally out of his comfort zone. He could imagine how hard it was for him to say it to a person he didn’t even know well.

“Mir?” he whispered “Did you fall asleep?” Mir laughed.

“No I didn’t.”

“So, what do you say?” he asked biting his lip. After another long moment Mir answered.

“Ok, I accept.” He said simply and Cheondung released the breath he didn’t realize he was holding until now. He felt something warm on his lips and his hand wiped his mouth. Blood. He was so nervous that he bit his lip to blood.

“Thanks.” Cheondung said wiping his lip with a napkin. Mir almost laughed. He was thanking him. Hilarious. Truth was Mir needed this more than Cheondung because if he refused to be his guide and blew up his last chance not even Byunghee could help him. Cheondung would eventually find his way around even without him. Maybe slowly but he didn’t need Mir for anything else accept to walk him to his classes.

“You’re welcome.” He answered smiling. “Do you want me to wait for you before school?”

“No need. I’ve got an arrangement for the morning but if you want you can come fulfill your guide duties after first period.”

An unfamiliar feeling built up in Mir. He had a pretty good idea who Cheondung was meeting up with but still he asked.

“Mind if I ask who your appointment is with?”

“Oh, with Seungho-hyung.” He answered simply. “Why?”

Mir’s breath caught up in his throat. Hyung?! He knew it and for some reason he really hated Seungho.

“No reason.” he answered. “I’m just curious.”

Cheondung saw that someone was at the other line. His dad probably calling to check up on him.

“I have to go Mir but I’ll call you tomorrow, ok?”

“Yeah sure. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” He said and hung up.

Mir was wondering what made Cheondung hang up. He remembered overhearing that he and Seungho were going to play video games. Maybe Seungho was still at Cheondung’s house. Mir took a quick glance at the clock. 10:36 PM. He must have gone home by now. Mir lied down in his bed and spent the rest of the night thinking about Cheondung and Seungho.

Meanwhile Cheondung answered his dad’s call with an annoyed sigh.

“Hello?”

“Hello Cheondung.” He heard his father’s stern voice from the other side of the line.

“Hi dad, what’s up?” he said hoping he sounded as normal as possible.

“I’m just calling to check up on you that’s all.” He said.

“Oh I see.” Cheondung felt a sudden flow of anger building up inside of him. They talked a bit more, his dad not forgetting to remind him not to forget to do his homework, to go to school on time and such. With a quick awkward goodnight his dad hung up. Cheondung suppressed his anger and the need to just break something and went to bed completely disappointed in everything and everyone.

To be continued…