The class meeting is always a bore. Always.

I don’t really get it why people like this kind of meeting. Everyone speaks up, and also everyone declines. I’ve lost count of how many ideas about what-will-our-class-do-for-upcoming-school-festival were uttered, but it’s freaking useless anyway because even after three hours we still don’t reach any deal. 

The second thing that I’ll never really get is why the class committee still forbid me from going home. I mean, I don’t plan on and definitely, won’t give any contribution in this meeting. I just want to go home quickly and continue my reading on Victoria Schwab’s new book. Not that I don’t have the digital version of the book in my tablet and actually can read anywhere but I rather read in a quiet place. My room, for example.

“The idea of café is so last season. We need something unique!”

Okay, yeah. I do agree with you. Doing café is so mainstream. Why don’t do something extreme like maybe ninja show? Not like I’m interested in ninja show, though. But perhaps Naruto fans will like it. Wait, isn’t there any Naruto fans left nowadays?

“How about musical?”

Oh, God. Not boring musical. I like music okay, but musical? Drama? Stage? Script? Nope and nope. I remember back in elementary school a teacher gave me a role as sunflower and I had to sing and did the stupid dance on the stage while the whole school plus the parents were watching me. It was a horrible experience and since that I’ve been avoiding anything related to drama and musical like avoiding pest.

Ouch, I don’t even want to think about my elementary school days. It was the worst stage of my life, literally. The only good thing from elementary school is Oh Hayoung; my favorite girl, my best friend and my bunch of sunshine.

I remember clearly the day Oh Hayoung stood in front of the class and introduced herself as a transfer student. Twin braids, wide smile, and rather plump. She seated next to me for the whole year and from there our friendship began. The first was sharing math book because her book was different with ours. The second was me helping her with her math homework. The third was spending our after-church Sunday in the park, ice cream with our feet dangling from the bench.

The most significant one was when she blew up the kids who bullied me with her hapkido kick. Hell, Oh Hayoung was fierce and is still fierce. Sometimes I’m afraid of her. Sometimes, because most of the times she is a sweet and delicate girl.

“Café is more profitable!”

Here we go again.

 God, I want to get out from this class.

I lean my back to the chair’s backrest and stare blankly at the crowd of people around the class representative’s seat. Maybe if I sneaked out nobody will notice. My presence is like a smoke in a hazy day after all, aka completely unnoticeable.

So I grab my bag and tiptoe my steps to the door, until I hear someone’s voice greet my ear.

“Are you going home with Hayoung?”

I know this voice, and I want to scream internally. Of course! Choi Zelo! God, I forget that he’s in my class. I shoot a glare at him and motion him to shut his mouth before pulling him outside the class.

“Don’t. Don’t tell anyone I’m leaving. And yes, I’m going home with Hayoung,” I hiss under my breath. He frowns, clearly displeased with this news.

“Why are you still sticking with her?”

HE ASKS. HE ASKS WHY.

He actually asks about it. I’m so ing done.

“She’s my friend, okay? My God, please tone down your jealousy before it eats you alive!”

The other thing than the class meeting which I will never get is Choi Zelo and his obsession with my friend. I mean, okay he’s head over hell for Hayoung. Okay, he’s protective of her which is good actually. I’m okay with him as Hayoung’s boyfriend, I’m happy for them, really.

I don’t get why he hates me so much. It’s not like I ever wronged him before, but he seems always snap out every time I’m around. Then it hits me. He’s actually jealous of me. Why? Because I’m the closest one to Hayoung, duh.

“HANBIN! JOY’S TRYING TO LEAVE THE MEETING!” And so he shouts.

I freeze in my place.

The hell.

Kim Hanbin or the perfect class rep marches his way to the door and now glares at me with his menacing look. Oh no, he’s number two people-to-avoid on my list. Don’t ask me why, because our relationship –isn’t there any proper word for this?—is sour since the start of the year. I’ll tell you about it someday.

 “We’re not done with the meeting. Joy, get your back on your seat. And do something useful for once for God’s sake.”

I swear I will kill that stupid grin on Zelo’s face. I can’t believe this, how do you deal with a friend’s boyfriend who is jealous of your friendship? Like, really dude?

But I guess I don’t have any choice with Hanbin’s dagger stare stabbing me so I drag my feet back to the class, under the annoyed eyes of my classmates. Once I sit down, Hanbin back to the front again to lead the meeting. Me? I doze off for like ten minutes before laying my head on the table and is about to close my eyes when I catch Zelo sneakily walk out the class.

That jackass.

“HANBIN! ZELO IS LEAVING!” I scream out loud. Hanbin shoots me an annoyed look and shakes his head. Once again, all eyes in the class are on me, not in a good sense.

“Well, he said he need to go home earlier because his grandmother is sick.”

What the hell. “He lied!”

But jackass number two aka Kim Hanbin just shrug his shoulders, doesn’t care at all.

This is unfair.

 Oh Hayoung is a bundle of sunshine, but her boyfriend is definitely a prick.