As he tried to look behind him, Jaehwan tripped over his own feet and fell. His knees throbbed with pain and his palms stung from the fall. Jaehwan felt his cheeks flare with embarrassment.

That was not supposed to happen. Jaehwan immediately regretted not buttoning up his backpack properly; all his school supplies had fallen out onto the sidewalk.

Jaehwan was picking up pencils and sharpeners when a shadow fell above him. He looked up to see the bad boy standing there, a soft smile gracing his lips. He began helping Jaehwan pick his things up and handing them over.

Jaehwan was shocked. He saw his lips move. He was saying something – something he couldn’t understand. He wished he didn’t say a word, but he was there and speaking. The blonde boy was smiling after helping him. They both stood, yet Jaehwan couldn’t answer to any of the boy’s words. He couldn’t hear anything he said.

Instead, Jaehwan clutched his bag to his chest and went home.