Jung Yong Hwa's POV

The results were up. I was anxiously waiting for the crowd of students to decrease. Knowing the students in my grade, it would take a while. After around 20 minutes, most of the crowd had gone to talk about their mid-year exam results, to their friends. I searched for my name among all the others. When I found it, I smiled to myself.    '#11 Jung Yong Hwa  86.2%' It read. This outcome was better than I expected. To be honest, I studied a lot for mid-year exams because I didn't do so well in the mid-semester exams. My parents were disappointed, alongside myself.   In the midst of the moment, I started searching for my best friends' results. Jung Shin is knowledgable enough to get around 75-80%, but chooses not to. Jong Hyun was around the same as me. Sometimes I'd get a better percentage, other times he did. But out of all four of us, Min-Hyuk was the brainiac. Min-Hyuk always got #1. To us, it was no surprise. He didn't even need to study to beat us, but according to him, it enables him to relax. So, in other words, he just does it for self-amusement.   '#42 Lee Jung Shin  59.97%' '#7 Lee Jong Hyun  90.0%' '#2 Kang Min-Hyuk  96.7%'   'Wait. What? Min-Hyuk is #2?!' Too shocked to process it, I checked who beat him.  '#1 Park Shin Hye  99.03% ... Who's that? I've never heard of her. Is she new or something?' I kept rambling to myself, not noticing someone next to me. I turned to leave when I suddenly see a girl who was half a head shorter than me wearing casual clothes.    "Oh My Jesus!" Startled by the sudden presence.   Her hair was covering her face, but I could see one of her eyes. It was so... lifeless. It seemed as if she was dead. I realised I had been rude.   "Mianhe. I didn't mean to be rude." I apologised sincerely. But, all that went to vain, as she ignored me. Upon taking a glance at the board, she walked off. I watched her disappear around the corner. I was shaken by her eyes. Never in my 13 years of living, have I ever seen such lifeless eyes. The image still crystal clear in my head.   Seconds later, my best friends arrived. Jung Shin put his arm around my shoulder in a 'bro' manner, while the other two just stood there.   "Gwenchana, Yong Hwa-yah?" Lee Jong Hyun, the ever observant one, asked, noticing my fazed mood.   (A/N: Here, the boys are the same age; 13)   "Uhh..." I started, still looking at the direction the mysterious girl went. I had an urge to just comfort her, but I didn't even know who she was and judging by her appearance, she didn't go to Seoul Academy. "Um... Yeah, I'm good." I finally shifted my attention towards them.   (A/N: I don't know what their schools are called. Sorry)   Although Jong Hyun wasn't convinced, he shrugged it off, knowing I would open up when I was ready. With that, I decided to change the subject.   "Guys, check this out. Min-Hyuk got #2." I pointed to the results sheet.   "What?! No way!" Jung Shin protested, not believing what I said. But as soon as he read Min-Hyuk's results, his eyes widened in shock.   I put on a smug I-told-you-so look. "Mind blowing, right?"   "Ugh, Nah Duh!" He said giving me the 'no kidding' face. I shrugged it off and checked if Min-Hyuk was upset about it. But to my surprise, he smiled. 'What? Why's he smiling?'   Before I could say anything, Jong Hyun beat me to it. "Aren't you upset, Min-Hyuk?"   "Should I be?" With that, he walked off. As soon as he did, the bell rang, indicating that free period was over, as well as the first semester.   Park Shin Hye's POV   The stairs to the apartment seemed to go on forever; like a never ending equation. There was an equation to everything; be it a scientific matter or a simple act. An equation made everything easier for me. Everything except my life. My world was black and white. There was no colour to it. This useless brain provides everything but a solution to end my suffering. Throw me mathematical problems, scientific equations, etc, I could handle it. But I didn't need all that. All I needed was one thing. To end my suffering. But how? I asked myself that very question ever since I was 4.   Finally, the endless flight of stairs had stopped to my apartment floor. I walked towards my apartment door without looking up. I had already memorised how many steps I needed to take and which directions to go. When I arrived, I got the key out of my pocket and unlocked the door. I went in and shut the door behind me. Then I took off my shoes and walked to the living room, where my mother usually was.   I arrived at the living room but there was no sign of her. Looking around the place seemed hopeless because I had a strong feeling that she wasn't coming. I suddenly felt thirsty, so I made my way to the kitchen. I grabbed a glass and was about to open the fridge, when I spotted a note. Forgetting about my thirst, I gently tugged the note off the fridge.   (A/N: When they're speaking in English, it will be underlined.)   'Shin Hye,   I have some personal matters to attend to in Japan. I'm deeply sorry that I am unable to take you with me, as it will not be a good experience for you. But I will be back when I can. There's some money in the envelope I left on the dining table. It should be enough to last you a few months. Don't buy anything that's not necessary. If you run ou