Just As Insane

Heavy stomping, footsteps and pants echo down the empty High School hallways.

She was late.

Her hair was messy, her bangs drenched in cold sweat, and her school uniform wasn't exactly presentable; her skirt was higher than the required length written on the dress code policy. Her buttoned-up shirt was uneven and only half of it was tucked inside her skirt. Her shoelaces were untied; almost succeeding in tripping her plenty of times during her trip on foot. 

Without even bother taking a break to catch her breath she pulled the door to her classroom open, catching the attention of 50 eyes. The man who's obviously the homeroom teacher was standing behind the podium with a stack of paper before him. 

Finally she was catching her breath, her hands pushing on either ends of the doorway and her legs were slightly spread apart to balance her shaky legs. 

"Kim Sohyun you're thirty minutes late!" The man roared. The girl at the door finally pulled her legs and arms inward and straighten herself. Then she bowed, a perfect right angle. Throwing her messy, long hair around in midair. 

"Sorry Teacher Park-"

"Don't apologize now you're wasting time! Take your seat and talk to me after class!" 

"Yes~" Sohyun took quick, yet heavy steps toward the center and sat down in her seat. Around her some students were snickering, others smiling at her silly appearance, and some who sat quietly with straight faces because they simply weren't amused by the scene.

Quietly she was thankful for those who showed no interest with their blank expressions.

She unloaded her bag and took out her textbook, pencil box, and papers. Slowly one of her classmate who's supposedly her seating partner nudge her. She turned to meet the eyes of Jeong Yein. She wore a nice ponytail with her orange-brown hair to the side of her head like a child. 

"Do you want to share with me?" She asked in a whisper. Sohyun wasn't sure what the girl meant until she saw a paper on her desk. It hit her that the teacher must have handed it out before she even showed up to class. 

"Thank you." Sohyun replied with a smile as she scoot closer to the girl. The paper wasn't anything special except for a list of topics. Global issues? Seems like it. At the top was 'abortion' followed by 'animal abuse'; all 24 subjects listed in alphabetical order. Then below the list was instructions for a project that was set to be completed in three months, a 200 points project. A project that can make a two-letters grade difference.

Sohyun was actually hyped for this as she currently has a D in the class. Not because she's not a smart girl, she's just lazy. A common excuse to fall behind in classes.

"As you can see this unit we're not going to focus on the same world problem or issue anymore. Instead everyone are free to choose a subject from the provided list below. And no, you cannot choose a topic outside of these 24, I came up with one enough for everyone. So, Park Jimin, as the best student in the class I'll let you choose your topic first and we'll go down the roll sheet, depending on grades." 

Great. I'm already failing this class. Now I'm going to get a subject nobody wants to take on. This time I'm going to fail it for sure. Great. Just great.

Finally it was down to the last three with three topics left. Sohyun was quietly praying that she wasn't the last person to actually get to pick, after all the leftover topics are pretty shady. She look over the paper that the good girl Yein has been marking, eliminating all the topics that has been chosen. Sohyun read 'insanity,' 'oil,' and 'taxes&wages'. 

Just looking at the three was already depressing. She hated math and calculation, so what is there to discuss about taxes and wages? Oil deals too much with politics and Sohyun was never really a fan of politics. And exactly what does insane got to do with global problems?

What a strange teacher she has. 

"Sohyun?" The teacher called, with a bright smile that she wasn't last she responded with a loud 'yes?'. But in an instant her teacher turned her down. "Since you were late, you'll take the last topic available. And I hope you will learn your lesson that way." 

Sohyun wanted to slap herself. It wasn't her fault she stayed her babysitting her drunk parents all night. Or was it?

The topic tax&wages along with oil was taken by the last two boys in the class. 

"Alright Sohyun, your topic is 'insanity'. I hope you don't disappoint me by failing this project and failing this class." 

Gee teacher way to put me on the spot.And what? Insanity? What am I supposed to do with insanity? Visit a home for mentally ill people? Now I'm bound to fail....

Sohyun blew out a buff of air that brushed her bangs aside. Beside her she can hear Yein whispering. 

"Are you okay?" 

Sohyun nodded with a reassuring smile. Maybe it was because Sohyun was always late to class, but for some reason the girl Yein seem awfully kind?

After class the teacher sighed heavily in front of her. "Sohyun, are you having problems at home?" 

"Huh?"

"I've been a teacher for twelve years, I know what's going on when a student is falling behind. Not just always showing up late, but you don't turn in homework, and barely passes your exams. And it happens often when students are going through a tough time at home." 

Sohyun bit her bottom lip. Other than her parents drinking and getting drunk on a weekly, sometimes daily basis, there wasn't anything else to complain about. 

"Uh....No?"

"No?"

"Yeah....No." Sohyun repeated. 

"Are you sure? There's nothing going on at home that may be the cause of you failing? For instance maybe you're stressed about something? Or maybe you're having financial problem and is working two part time jobs?" 

Wow. For the first time her teacher actually sounded like a good person. Or was it that she have never picked it up before because she's always leaning toward his bad side by showing up late? 

"No? I don't work and we're financially stable." 

The teacher let out another sigh, "Then what's keeping you from making the grades?" 

Sohyun blinked. Well her laziness and slacking personality? 

"Nothing, I just don't do my homework and study...."

"Why?"

"I don't know...." For the first time she was actually confuse at how and why she never study or do her homework. Most of the time she just sit at home and enjoy whatever her parents had playing on TV. 

"Sohyun, do you want to be a senior next year?"

"Yes."

"Then do your best with this project. If you do well you'll be able to become a senior next year." 

Sohyun nodded with pursed lips. 

On her way home; as usual she'd stop by an older lady's hot dog stand. As she wait for the older to put her order together, a question popped up in her mind. "Auntie. Do you think insanity is a world-wide issue?" 

The older look at her with questioning eyebrows then laugh a little, "Of course, there are insane people everywhere." 

"But...." 

"Sohyun, let me tell you something." The woman began as she throw Sohyun's hot dog into its bun, "Stay away from people like that. You're a good girl, you always come by my stand. I don't want to see someone perfectly normal like you become insane." 

Sohyun was surprised by her words. Why would she turn insane? She had no reason to. "But auntie, what is insane to you....?"

"Insane to me? What do you mean? Of course an insane person is someone who kills and commit crimes, like that of a gangster, a robber, and those lowlife bastards that lives on the street and harrasses innocent people. Oh seriously, why do people like them exist anyway?" 

Sohyun nodded as she proccessed the woman's rant. 

Once she got home she was greeted by her mother who was drinking soju in the kitchen. Sohyun walk over and snapped the bottle out of her reach. "Mom! Why are you drinking? It's still early!" 

Her mother in her breath, "You wench! What are you doing?! Give me my drink!" 

Sohyun shook her head, "No. If I let you drink then dad will get mad when he comes home." 

"You wench your father already had his share! That fatso is already sleeping in the bedroom!" The shorter yet stronger woman pulled Sohyun's arm down and rip the bottle from her grip. 

"Mom!" She cried, the shorter quickly fled into the bedroom and shut the door, locking it. 

Sohyun stomped her foot when she failed to stop her mother. She drop her backpack onto the ground and decided to take a walk outside for some fresh air. The air inside smelled of drunk addicts. 

Sohyun walked down the rocky, cement pathway with cracks every now and then. The peaceful and quiet walk was disturbed when quick footsteps movements, rocks being kicked, around and grunts could be heard. She tracked down the sound. 

At one end of an alley, three grown men had their backs to her. She noticed how a boy, or rather a man, a lot younger than them were on the ground. His short breaths could be heard as he tried to stand up. 

"Serve you right you little thug." One man said aloud. 

"Hey kid," another squat down in front of the younger on the ground, slapped the top of his head and continue to scold, "if you still value your worthless life you better get away from this neighborhood. We don't want the police running around here in search of a lowly punk like you." 

The one on the ground coughed a little. When he didn't answer the former smack him on the head again. "Are you deaf? Didn't you hear me talking to you?!" The man held up a hand to one of his man, the one on the far left reached behind him and extract a gun from a belt around his waist. 

Once he handed it to the lad, the older took it and turned off the safety, and aimed the gun to the top of the younger's head. "I'll give you a hand then you punk." Before he could pull the trigger, Sohyun's voice could be heard. 

"Police! Someone's hurt! Police!" Sohyun cried. 

The three men shot their attention toward the empty alley entrance. "Who's that? Are the police here?" The man asked standing up from his previous position. 

"I'm not sure but let's get out of here first." The one on the right said. 

The man in his breath, "Let's go." 

With that the three started sprinting out of the scene. Sohyun hid herself perfectly well behind the tall fences of a house nearby. Sohyun gave it a little longer, making sure it was safe for her to come out of hiding. 

She hurried toward the end of the alley again, this time the young man was already up on his feet and patting himself of dusts. Sohyun's eyes widen and she gasped at the sight of the lad's face. His bottom lip was busted and he had some small cuts on his cheeks made by the tiny, sharp rocks. 

His black hair was messy, though Sohyun wasn't sure if it got messy from the older man's smacking him before, or was it messy in general. His dark hair gave him a dark look. His eyes looked terrible; with heavy bags under them. 

Sohyun didn't realize she was frozen in her tracks until he looked up, his serious, cold eyes meeting hers. She took a shaking step back out of fear. The man looked at her with a dangerous glare in his eyes. 

"What are you looking at?" He questioned with a heavy tone. 

Sohyun only shook her head and look away. It was the first time someone has ever look at her with such crazy and scary eyes; not to mention the man was good looking too. 

"Do you have a phone with you?" He asked, she shook her head again. "Good, call the police and I'll kill you." He warned before walking past and away from her. Sohyun finally breathe through her nostril after holding her breath for too long. She watched as the lad kicked the walls as he made his way out of the neighborhood. 

Sohyun was taking her time heading back home. 

Unlike teenagers her age, she didn't have a curfew. She was freed to roam because her parents could care less about whether she even exist or not. From the outside, they may be viewed as people who weren't capable of being stabled parents; but a long time ago, they were the complete opposite. 

They were parents every parent adored. Other children envied Sohyun because of her parents. But drugs did them wrong. It started when one of her father's co-worker offered to sell him . He brought it home and got both him and his wife hooked. Though they've managed to stay away from the drugs, they've switched their interests to alcohol. Why? 

Even Sohyun wasn't sure herself. 

Sohyun was sitting beside a riverbank, with her legs off the ground and roofed the grass. She watched as the sun set at its own pace; releasing a heavy sigh. "What should I do....My parents can't help me with my project and I can't grasp it on my own...." 

From the corner of her eyes she noticed a figure in black approaching. She shot her focus toward that direction, there she saw the same man from earlier. His hands were pocketed and he was slowly cruising by the side of the river. His eyes were set toward the ground, just enough for him to see where he was stepping. 

Sohyun stood up quickly, preparing herself in case she had to run for it. At her actions, she earned the man's gaze. This time they weren't stern and cold. Instead he appeared rather blank. Aside from the clashing of the water against the shore, a strong silence began building up between them. 

Finally the ice was broken when Sohyun spun around and was ready to leave. 

The latter just watched as she head toward the top of the hill and onto a set of sidewalk. His gaze followed her, even to the point where he saw her almost tripped by a hole in the dry dirt. He his lips. 

Life's boring and boring when you have no one to play with. 

He began tracking her tracks. 

Sohyun had her hands clapped before her as she took tiny steps toward her neighborhood. Her calm heart was jumped when a hand grabbed onto her wrist and in front of her, the man stood in front of her. Sohyun felt her heart stopped when he tighten his hold around her wrist, yet she kept her eyes on the ground. "It's been a while since I've seen kids wandering the streets.  Children like you are asking to be harrassed by staying out past their bedtime huh?" 

His voice was soft but his tone was eerie. 

"No....Please don't hurt me...." She whispered. A victorious smile began creeping its way onto his face. 

"You're scared?" 

Sohyun swallowed the fear lump in . "Please...."

The man placed a hand around Sohyun's neck, forcing her to tilt her head upward. He looked directly into her eyes. "You're the first." He mumbled. It has been so long since he felt some sort of power and authority over another being. 

Sohyun's eyes began to water along with the cold sweat that formed on her temple. His touch was cold and it was a death move. Choking. 

Sohyun shut her eyes silently pleading for her life. The man dropped his hand from around her neck and then began to pull her after him. 

"No-no please let me go! I don't want to go-" The man turned around quickly. 

"If you wake up anyone around here, I'll kill you." He warned. Sohyun's let out a whimper. He pulled at her wrist again, this time leading her to be an isolated area across from the river. 

Sohyun let out a shriek when he pushed her onto the creaky single mattress on the ground. Sohyun quickly pull her upperbody up into a leaning, sitting position. She quickly scan the dim room, three candles were lit around the small spacious room. 

The mattress was thrown against one corner of the room, across from her was a single couch and broken table. It was slanted with two missing legs on the same side. He shut the door and locked it, upon turning around he met Sohyun's feaful eyes. 

"If you try to run. I will catch you and kill you." He said as he move to one corner of the room, just diagonal from her. It was obviously the kitchen as it had a sink, counters, and a-there was no fridge. And the stove probably doesn't work, seeing how it was covered in dusts. He opened a drawer behind the counter and pulled out a drink. 

Alcohol.

He made his way over and sat on the edge of the bed, Sohyun moved closer against the wall. "P-please let me go. I won't tell anyone I've seen you." She beg under a whisper. The man wore an amused sneer. 

"People who beg for others to spare their lives are weak. They cannot help themselves, so they beg their way out of death. But that's not even the amusing part." He shot his head toward Sohyun, causing her to flinch a little, avoiding his eyes. "Do people value their lives that much? What is there to value?" 

"W-what are you saying...?" Sohyun asked, hoping she could keep him talking without giving her any full attention. 

"I'm asking you. Why do you value your life? Even to the point where you're begging for me to let you go? To spare your life? To allow you to continue your way of life? I don't understand it."

Sohyun looked at the glass of alcohol in his hand then into his eyes again. "You mean....I....I don't understand...." Sohyun said, after giving it some thought. This man was strange, he kept questioning her about her life. Exactly why did he wanted to know? And would it benefit him or her if he knew? 

The man moved closer to Sohyun which made her scoot even farther back, her back hitting against the rough wall. "I'm asking you why you want to live." 

"I....It's not that I want to live....I'm just....Afraid of death." Sohyun managed to answer with a shaky tone. As if her answer was golden, the man pulled back, slightly amaze. 

"So it's not because you want to live. It's just that you're afraid of death." He said aloud, as if reading out information out loud just to take note of it. "How old are you?" 

"1-16...." Sohyun answered. The man's sneered faded into a soft smile. 

"16 huh? Are you a high school student?" He questioned. Something about his tone changed. Sohyun nodded. 

"Yes I'm a high school student...." 

He sighed and turn away from her, sitting on the edge of the bed again. "16. At 16, my mindset was completely different from yours." After a long moment of silence he let out a depressed sigh. "Go." He said. 

Sohyun was standing outside the small building. Through the open door, she could see him sitting in the same position. 

He...is somehow pitiful.

The next day at school Sohyun managed to make it to class on time. Apparently the teacher had also assigned homework for them, but Sohyun had forgotten. "Kim Sohyun, if you can give me a verbal report of your project's progress then I'll let you off of the homework assignment last night." The teacher said to Sohyun after class. 

Sohyun sighed, "Teacher....The topic insanity is too vague. Can't I choose-?"

"You can't! I made it clear that no one can choose a topic outside of the provided ones. Also, this was to teach you a lesson about showing up late and what do you know? It worked. Weren't you here on time today?" 

"But that's because-"

"No more excuse. Do your best with the project and don't disappoint me. Good luck." With that the teacher waved her off. 

Sohyun wasn't sure why but she found herself standing outside the man's empty home. It looked like he wasn't in. For some reason, Sohyun wanted to see him. After all, it may have been a better place than home. 

She crossed one leg over the other and spun herself around. Coming toward her, she saw the lad clapping a hand over his shoulder. Blood was soaking through his heavy, black leather jacket, and even his hand was stained with the color red. 

Sohyun's eyes widen and mouth dropped open in astonishment. She approached him. "A-are you alright?" She asked. 

The man wore a frown, "Why are you here?" He answered her with a question of his own. Sohyun looked at the fresh blood and winched a little. 

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