Everybody’s damaged. It’s just a question of how badly, and whether you’re healing or still bleeding.

20^th August 2015

“That new boy is good.”

“Of course. Don’t you know he entered the school using scholarship?”

“So what he is good at basketball? His arrogant face makes me feel like punching him.”

“I heard from the other transfer students that he has no friends.”

“Who would befriend someone like him? Poor and yet still so proud.”

“That’s true. So what he is good? He will forever be that outcast.”

The locker room of the basketball club fell into complete silent and the sound of a door being unlocked echoed in the empty room. A boy with dark brown hair walked out of the shower, heading straight to his bag. His expressionless face showed no signs of how he felt about what the others said about him. He would never make a defense or an apology until he is accused. Not even when they judge him without understanding his reasons.

To Sehun, talking about him behind his back simply means that they had nothing else to talk about. He couldn’t control what others think about him so he sees no point in making friends who didn’t understand him. It didn’t matter to him that he had no friends, he didn’t want any in the first place. If it wasn’t for the scholarship, he wouldn’t want to step into this school. Luxury has never appealed to him. He likes simple things, books, being alone, or with somebody who understands.

Pulling his jacket over him, he glanced at the watch and widened his eyes. It was almost 7pm and he needed to go back for dinner. He rummaged through his bag quickly, looking for his phone to call his Grandmother but it was nowhere to be found.

“Aish.” Sehun grabbed his backpack and ran towards his locker urgently. He needed to go. The last thing he wanted was his Grandmother having to starve while waiting for him. However, upon opening the locker, tons of letters dropped out, pooling at his feet.

Without taking a second look at it, he piled up the mess from the ground and dump it into the nearest bin. It had been the case since he transferred into this school. He was sick of opening his locker to find overflowing letters that was filled with requests from desperate girls. If he hadn’t overhear the girls in his class talk about Locker 303, he wouldn’t know about the ridiculous rumour.

But amongst the pile of colourful letters, a plain white looking paper caught his attention. Just like how it did the very first time he opened this locker. Instinctively, he picked it up and opened it.

Name: Aleyah Lee

Ideal Type: Sehun-ssi

Meeting place: Lotte World Entrance

Date & Time: This Saturday, 2pm.

Sehun eyebrows furrowed at the mentioned of his name. Other than the colour, he remembered that her letter stood out from the rest because she was the only one who left the Ideal Type column blank. The others had height criteria or even  preferred physique written on it. And maybe that was why he could remember everything she wrote in the letter despite only looking at it once.

He remembered turning up at the agreed meeting place that day because he was curious what was all these letter about. Little did he expect to see a guy shaming a girl in front of another girl so openly. He might appear cold like the others said, but he was not heartless. His grandmother had brought him up teaching him to protect girls, and not make them cry. Let alone humiliating them. So when he saw the girl lowering her head so she could hide her teary eyes, he took a step forward instinctively.

When she looked up at him, he realized it was the famous pianist in the school. And also, his classmate.

He wasn’t sure why would she be looking for him again. And he wasn’t sure why would she look for him through the locker when she could approach him in class. To him, it was clear that Aleyah was one of those girls that believed in the rumour. Without taking a second look, Sehun crushed the paper and took his phone from the locker, making his way back home urgently.

“I’m home.”  Sehun announced when he stepped into the house. A rare bright smile caused his eyes to turn up into crescents when he spotted his Grandmother cooking in the kitchen. Rolling up his sleeves, he stepped into the small space and started washing the vegetables that was sitting in the sink.

“My Sehunnie is home!” A 70 year old lady who has the exact same pair of eyes beamed at her grandson lovingly, “Go and take a bath, dinner will be done in a while.”

“It’s okay Grandma, I will go and bathe after I finish washing these vegetables.”

“But you’re so smelly.” Mdm Oh pretended to furrow her eyebrows in disgust. She knew that if she didn’t put on such an act, her filial grandson would never leave the kitchen. “It’s giving me a headache.”

“Alright, I will go and bathe.” Just like she had expected, Sehun disappeared from the kitchen right away and she smiled in relief. With her age there was nothing much she could do for her grandson. The only thing she could do was to make sure there is delicious food for him when he returned home from school.

For years, she had been living in guilt that Sehun had to live in a 1 room apartment with her which he had given up the only room for her while he slept in the living room. She felt sad that a young boy like him had to be shortchanged in so many ways and she really didn’t know if she should blame or thank destiny for taking away her son and daughter-in-law in a fatal car crash, leaving her 1 year old grandson behind. But she felt weak surrendering to her fate so she brought the boy up single handedly despite the little amount of money she had. Thankfully, her grandson is smart and hardworking enough to get a scholarship to one of the most prestigious school in Seoul. Or, she could never afford to send him to a high school.

“Grandma, this is for you.” Sehun passed her a few hundred dollars as he took a seat opposite her at the dining table.

“How come you have so much money?”

“The school give scholarship students allowance too. These are leftovers for the month.” Sehun avoided her eyes as he quickly pulled out his progress report from his bag. “Look at this Grandma.”

“What did it write? I can’t see clearly. Read for me Sehun-ah.” The old lady squinted her eyes at the ant-like words.

“They are my results.”

“How did you do? Did you pass?” Mdm Oh asked worriedly.

“It’s all A Grandma.” Sehun said while he sipped on the soup that his Grandmother cooked. His eyes glancing on the watch on his wrist.

“Aigoo! My grandson is so smart!” Mdm Oh laughed heartily and nodded her head proudly before tugging into the meal, giving him the few pieces of meat that she had just bought from the market today.

“I’m done Grandma.” Sehun kept the empty bowls as he told his grandmother. “I’m going out late tonight, don’t wait for me.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m meeting my friends to study.”

“Okay. Don’t study too hard.”

“Remember to wear the jacket that I bought for you before you sleep. It’s a bit cold tonight.” Sehun reminded his grandmother before leaving the house and headed towards the bus stop.

Yawning tiredly, he stretched a little as he alighted from the bus and entered a convenience store nearby. He is tired, but he knew has to press on. He has too many things to deal with. School, CCA, Living expenses, etc. But he has faith that things will eventually get better. No matter how tough it gets, he has to realize that all these will only make him stronger in the future so he just needs to patient. Because after he graduates, he can find a stable job and buy a bigger house for Grandma and him. But for now, he needs to have patience.

“You’re here.” An older man nodded at him, “It’s quite quiet today. You can do your work.”

“Thank you Mr Lee.” Sehun thanked his supervisor before disappearing into the rest area to change into his uniform. When he returned to the counter, he opened his backpack and took out his work to do immediately.

He knows he can only work on himself by himself for himself.

To give his Grandmother a better life.

Updates wouldn't be so fast over the next few weeks. Please be patient with me. I have tons of assignments to finish and it's killing me. /:

Enjoy!