“Kang Harim,” Mr. Dong called.

A girl with long straight hair from the back row went up to him and received her checked homework.

“I’d appreciate it if you wrote in a less casual tone.” Mr. Dong said and Harim nodded shyly before she went back to her seat.

Seri nudged me with her elbow as my name came next.

“Kim Byul,” Mr. Dong called and he looked at me expectantly.

I looked back at him with bored eyes as I walked to him, a hand in front of me, waiting for the paper.

“Are you okay?” He asked and I was a little surprised at his worried tone but I didn’t let it show on my face.

“I don’t see a reason why I won’t be,” I said, my tone sharp, almost forceful. “Do you know something I don’t?” I asked, my eyebrows up in a curious façade. “You know everything, right?” I faked a smile.

To my surprise, he looked at me without much regard as he handed me my paper.

“Let’s talk later,” he said.

“Why, is this place too public for you to insult me again?” I asked.

“I never insulted you,” he said.

I simply nodded. “Okay, sir, whatever you say.” I started to walk back to my seat.

“If you’re trying to shame me in front of your classmates, you fail. I don’t care what your classmates think of me,” he said and I turned to him. He read through me again.

His aura was off, as if I triggered something in him. He was right. I was trying to shame him but it looked like I did that to myself instead.

“Should I care?” I faked a smile again and I didn’t wait for him to reply. “In any case, thank you sir for dismissing me early. I’ll be glad to make use of my leisure time,” I turned my back on him again and I picked up my bag. I noticed that Seri was looking at me worriedly but I ignored her.

I walked out of the classroom and I wondered if they noticed I was shaking. My knees felt like they trembled and my voice was ready to croak every minute. Where did I get such brusque attitude?

Again, the library proved to be my haven. My feet led me to that place again.

I found an empty desk by the corner and I made myself home there.

 It didn’t matter if I had to write, I clearly wasn’t in the mood to but the library was a place that calmed me. It might be the shelves that smelled of old books or the occasional noise that people made.

I didn’t know why I broke off in such a rude act. I wanted to prove something, so it seemed. I proved to Mr. Dong that I was ready to face him, but I also let him know that I was affected by him. That would add to his self-esteem and narcissism. That made me wonder, he said that he didn’t care about what my classmates thought of him and those weren’t the words of someone egoistic. Maybe I perceived him in the wrong way?

All these thoughts weren’t helping. I was trying to refrain from thinking of him and this wasn’t helping at all.

I buried my face in my hands.

I didn’t know how to act at all. I didn’t know how to feel.

What should I do the next time I