A silhouette carrying a knife began chasing me as soon as I walked out of my house. Where he came from—I have no clue. Instinct carried my feet away from the perpetrator and I was fleeing as fast as the speed of sound. Once I turned to the corner, I was in front of the school gates. Since when was the school building merely seconds away from my place?

  I clutched my stomach from the sudden shot of pain and it wasn’t long until I realized that the chaser had reached me. My heart stopped and I could feel the slithering of the cold, icy knife on my warm muscle. 

  “Taehyung,” a soft voice resonated all the way to my ears. The agonizing feeling vanished as the surrounding became annoyingly blinding. I tried to look for the owner of the voice, but I couldn’t open my eyes at all. My name was mentioned once more as I felt a poke on my right side where the man had stabbed me moments ago.

  Something tickled in my ear and I squirmed. “Kim Taehyung.”

  My body jerked upwards as if I had been shot by a gun and my eyes scanned the surroundings immediately. The murky smell of an empty classroom reached my senses and the thought of being left alone triggered. It wasn’t until I felt a presence next to me that I realized I wasn’t by myself after all. My lips set into a grim line as I frowned at the female that was scanning me expectantly. She practically glowed when we made eye contact, but I’m positive that it was just the sun’s inevitable rays casting shades of yellow and orange on her pasty skin. I was half glad to see her—it proved that the stabbing was a dream—and half annoyed that her face was too close to mine.

  “I guess you’re a snorer, huh?” she chuckled to herself and pushed several pieces of notebook paper, which were torn on the right side, towards me. I kept my expression aloof and vague. “You kind of overslept through the whole day so the teachers asked me to write an extra copy of notes for you.” 

  My jaw tightened and I stood up, taking my bag to leave. When I heard shuffling behind me, I quickened my pace to escape the new girl. I assumed that I was far enough for her not to chase me, so I went back to strolling casually.

  “Emergency meeting—be at the basement by 6 sharp,” I halted my tracks as I read the text. Glancing briefly at the time, I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Couldn’t he have sent it sooner if he expected me to be there right away?

  A hand grabbed my shoulder and I flinched. I frowned and craned my neck only to see the newbie hunched down and panting hard.

  “You’re extremely rude, you know?” she patted her chest a couples of times. The girl mumbled incoherently, wheezing while she made effort to straighten her back up. I scowled in annoyance and shrugged her arm off my shoulder.

  “Hey! Why won’t you at least talk to me? If I knew your attitude was like this, I should’ve believed everyone’s warnings,” she trailed after me but halted to a stop when her fits of cough started. I whirled around to tell her off and say that her fake acting won’t get her anywhere but what I saw made my eyes widen in horror.

  Her knees and hands were on the ground as she tried to even out her breathing. Scrambling for her bag, I watched as her eyes formed tears when she started coughing madly once again. I groaned as guilt took over me and rushed to her side.

  “Puffer,” she croaked and dug through the contents of her bag frustratingly. When I noticed that she made no progress, I snatched the item from her and opened all the possible zippers and pockets. I turned her bag over, spilling all materials in the process.

  I haven’t spoken to her at all (not even a single word of acknowledgement) and yet hear I was, trying to help her find the medicine that would prevent her asthma attack from getting worse. I picked up a blue, L-shaped device with a cylindrical canister on its head and scanned it dubiously.

  Seolwha—after a few efforts, I finally remember this heaving girl’s name—crawled over to me and snatched the apparatus from my grasp. She shook what I assumed to be her medication several times before opening the cap on the other end and clamping her lips around it. Pressing down the canister, she slowly inhaled in and held it for a while before breathing out and repeating the process. After another try, she closed her eyes and visibly relaxed as the corner of her lips twitched upwards. I stood up and dusted the knee part of my uniform, preparing to leave.

  “You made this mess, help me clean it up,” my eye twitched as she spoke, her voice slightly shaking. I wordlessly turned back to shove all the contents of her bag back to its rightful place. She stood up and brushed the dirt off her skirt. Handing her belonging back to her, I squinted and she smiled widely. Wasn’t this girl gasping for her life earlier? Because it didn’t seem like she was just dying on the ground.

  “You don’t talk much, are you mute?” she questioned mockingly and titled her head to the side. I was about to retort a comeback when my phone vibrated once again.

From: Jimin
To: Taehyung

Where are you? Jungkook’s having a rage. Your better be on its way here.

  “,” was the first thing Seolhwa heard from me since we met. Though I didn’t bother and quickly strode towards the direction of the meeting area. Seeing a boy—who’s currently going through puberty—throw a fit is not a pretty sight.

  “Do you like turning away from people when they’re talking to you? At least hear me out, I almost died chasing you!” I knew her hunt would never end but I also had to get to the meeting before Jungkook could turn the whole place inside-out. In the midst of having an internal conflict between myself, I grabbed the newbie’s arm and dragged her to where I was going, much to her surprise.

  We turned to the narrow alley I was too familiar with. She squirmed and tried to pry her wrist off my grasp. Nu-uh lady, you’ll have to be my ticket to Excuse Land so that I won’t get in trouble.

  “Where are you taking me?” she stuttered and I looked back to see her flustered but she glared once our eyes met. I shrugged and continued to pull her towards me until we reached a steep staircase that lead down to a rust-covered metal door. We descended down and she protested even more.

  “I’m going to yell of you don’t let go of me at this instant,” she struggled but I only kept my hand firm on her. She was about to say something when the door screeched open, revealing a fuming and displeased Jungkook.

  “We’ve been waiting for over ten minutes already,” the younger boy grumbled and I saw Seolhwa cautiously peak from behind me. She was no longer protesting but I kept my grip on her in case she’d turn away and make an escape. Jungkook kept yapping on about how important time was and they wasted it on waiting for me—the usual sermon from him. I swatted his hand when he grabbed me by the collar, getting his fist dangerously close to my face.

  “Wait, dude, calm down and put that fist of yours away from me. You’re worse than a girl on her—ouch, what are you doing?!” Seolhwa pinched my arm and shot a glare at me, which admittedly, wasn’t threatening at all.

  “Watch what you’re saying,” she sneered and I had to hold myself from completely bursting into fits of laughter. Keep your cool image, Tae.

  “Who’s the girl?” Jungkook scooted closer and whispered in my ear. I squirmed uncomfortably at the proximity and rolled my eyes when he scanned her from head to toe.

  “Settle down, Cookie,” he glared at his nickname, “she’s the reason why I was late. Thought you wouldn’t believe me, so I dragged her along.”

  I shrugged, as if kidnapping my classmate to use her as a scapegoat was the most normal thing in the world.

  “This doesn’t change anything, I’m still going to yell—” I spun around and cut her mid-sentence.

  “And you wouldn’t stop chasing after me, so I…brought you along,” my eyebrows knitted together at how displeasing the statement sounded. Did I just really drag a stranger with me?

  “You brought one of your fans along?” Jungkook gaped and I rubbed my forehead in annoyance. I thought dragging the girl would be a good idea, but I started to think otherwise.