Who was at my locker that day? My eyes scanned the classroom. No one looked suspicious; they all were focused on themselves...
The letter had sloppy handwriting, maybe on purpose, so I can't identify it.
My head was pounding from a painful headache; what was going on today?
I massaged the temples of my forehead, trying to relieve some pain.
Yeonjun glances over at me but doesn't say a word. Was he angry? He must be from last night what he saw, and it wasn't anything, though!
I didn't have the chance to talk to him, and my pencil fell off my desk, rolling to his foot; he noticed but didn't try to retrieve it. Instead, he kicked it, which made it roll over toward Beomgyu.
Beomgyu looks down at the pencil below his foot; he bends down and picks it up.
"Is this yours?" He walked over.
"Yes, thank you." I take the yellow pencil from his fingers; Yeonjun was eyeing us from the side.
His eyes followed Beomgyu back to his seat, never leaving until he sat down.
Was he distraught over something like that?
I felt a slight pain in my chest, now this? What's going on with me? I closed my eyes, trying to push away the thoughts of despair.
"Can someone please pass the study guide around?" Mr. Song asks.
"I'll do it." Beomgyu offered.
He walks around the room handing the papers to each student; as he was walking down the row between Yeonjun toward my desk and me, Yeonjun's foot was pointing outwards. Beomgyu was destined to trip.
"You forgot me!" Yena yelled across the room.
"Sorry!" Beomgyu walks back in the opposite direction. That was close; what game is Yeonjun playing?
As Beomgyu came back toward us, I lightly nudged Yeonjun's foot with mine so it would move.
He didn't budge, and His eyes cut at me in annoyance. I shoved it again with more force, and his foot went back under his desk.
Beomgyu hands the paper on our desks. He went to step forward but was met with Yeonjun's foot across his ankle.
I went to stand up, but someone beat me to it, the person caught Beomgyu in their arms. He had red-dyed hair, big eyes, and a very distinct nose. What only, in reality, lasted a second felt like minutes of them looking into each other's eyes.
I don't remember seeing him inside the class. Who was this guy?
"T-Thank you," Beomgyu says; he stands up quickly, fixing his shirt.
"No problem." The guy smiled and returned to his desk by the window.
Yeonjun scoffed, his legs crossed along with his arms.
"For this study guide, please get in groups of 3 in the library."
"Only three people?" Yena asks.
"No more than three, We must keep our voices down inside."
"I can be with you and Yena-"
"I'll be with them." Yeonjun cuts off Beomgyu.
"That's fine. You both can be together!" I laughed nervously, and the tension was thick in the air.
"Hey! Beomgyu, let's be partners." The guy from earlier comes behind him.
"Oh, sure. I'll see you later, Soona." Beomgyu says, not acknowledging Yeonjun standing there.
That red hair guy seems to want to be close to Beomgyu; it was strange. Did he write the letter?
"Are you both done staring into nothingness? let's go!" Yena snaps her fingers in front of our faces.
"I forgot my book in the classroom, and you two go ahead!" Yena runs off. The air between us was silent, so silent it was awkwardly painful.
"About last nig-"
"Forget it." He cuts me off, emitting a deep sigh.
"What's your problem?" It came off a little too aggressive due to my frustration.
"My problem? Do you need to ask that?" He stopped walking.
"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking."
"The problem is you." He spits out but immediately looked regretful.
The pain in my chest started to resurface again, and I placed my palms flat on it.
The air felt thickened, and I couldn't breathe as clearly. The pain in my head returned, making the room almost spin.
"Are you okay?" Yena asks, coming back.
"I'm fine." I tried taking deep breaths to regain my eyesight.
"What happened?" She asks, observing me.
"Nothing, let's go. We can't be late."
Here we sat, Yena beside Yeonjun and me across the table. His eyes didn't fade mine since what happened a few minutes ago. Was he feeling sorry? I hope so.
I looked over toward Beomgyu, sitting beside the red hair guy along with another guy.
They seemed to be getting along, laughing and smiling.
We were quietly studying when my phone vibrated with a text from an unknown person.
"Soona, no phones out." The teacher scolded me.
"Sorry, it was a family member." I lied. I placed my phone back inside my jacket pocket.
"Who was it?" Yena asks beside me.
"I don't know; they're trying to ruin something."
"We'll figure it out, don't worry."
Something rolled and hit my foot, and I looked under the table to see a note.
I slowly opened the rolled-up paper, "Any ideas of who I am?" I crumbled the paper up and threw it in the trashcan.
I didn't have time for these silly games!
"Just ignore it, don't worry," Yena reassured me.
"This is incorrect." Yeonjun points are the answer.
"No."
"Yes, it's not right; look at mine." He shoved the paper toward me.
"Yours is wrong, and this is supposed to be a 3." I showed him.
"No, I'm certain." He glares.
"Ah ah' Ok! Look, the answer is 239!" Yena shows up both.
We were both wrong...
"Ah, Soona, I won't be home after school; I have a meeting to attend for journalism."
"That's fine, and I'll go get a drink; anyone wants anything?"
YN: "Peach tea."
YJ: "Just a water."
I walked out into the empty hallway toward the drink machines. I luckily had just enough change to buy all the drinks. I decided on getting the same as Yena, and I loved peaches.
I turned around to go back to class but bumped into Beomgyu; we both fell.
"Sorry!" He says, getting on his knees.
"Don't worry, and It's my fault." I stand up, brushing my knees off.
"Are you okay?" He looks at my red knee.
"Yes, it's just a scrape; how's studying going?"
"It's good; the guys are nice."
"What are their names?"
"Taehyun and Kai."
Taehyun.
That name sounded familiar, but why?
"I'm glad you're making friends."
"Can you help me with the homework tonight?"
"Oh, sure! Yena's going to be busy, so that'll be great."
"Where's my water?" A voice speaks from beside us.
"Sorry, Here." I handed Yeonjun his water.
"Thanks, you two should head back before the teacher gets angry." He warned us.
"I'll get going; see you tonight, Soona!" Beomgyu runs off.
"Tonight?" Yeonjun whispered to himself, but I heard it; he tilted his head.
"I'm helping him with homework."
"I! I need help too!" He stammered.
"Do you? You seemed to know most of it earlier.." I trailed off.
"Help me after school, and you can help him later."
"Fine, fine."
I run to catch up to Beomgyu. "Hey, I have to stay behind to help someone, but I'll go to your house right after!"
"Oh, ok! See you then!"
"You're about 4 minutes late," Yeonjun says, seeing me enter the classroom.
"Oh, be quiet; at least I agreed to help you." I sat down beside him.
"Oh, this one is wrong." He pointed to my paper.
"Is everything I say wrong to you?" I raised an eyebrow.
"No, I'm trying to help."
"Oh, I didn't know people were in here; my apologies." The red hair guy said upon seeing us in the room.
"It's fine, and we are just doing work," I replied.
"You don't mind?" He asks.
"No," I answer, looking at him; he seemed relaxed. Couldn't he be the person, right?
"Thanks! I'll grab my stuff." He exits the room.
"Why did you invite him?" Yeonjun huffed.
"I'm just nice."
"A little too nice lately." He says with a smug look.
"To everyone but you." I tried to contain my laughter, his eyebrows raised.
"Yah!" He throws a piece of the eraser at me.
"Don't do that! It might get in my hair." I ruffled through my hair.
His eyes lit up, and he looked toward my hair. Suddenly his hands went to my head, ruffling my hair.
" don't do that!" I tried slapping his arms away, and my hair was becoming messy.
"It took me an hour to get it this good!" I whined.
A burst of laughter emits from the doorway; Taehyun was laughing at the way I looked now.
"You are dead," I muttered.
"Do it." He muttered as Taehyun sat in front of me.
"I'll introduce myself, and I'm Taehyun. I'm a part of the news club."
"Nice to meet you; I'm Soona. Just another student."
"I'm Yeonjun, Same as her."
"Nice to meet you both; I hope we can become friends." He smiled.
"Do you need me to walk you home, Princess Yeonjun?" I joked beside him as we exited the school entrance.
"Yah! I'm not a woman." He crosses his arms.
"You're behaving like it."
"Race you to my house; whoever loses has to buy drinks next time!" He runs off before even finishing the sentence.
"Yah! not fair!" I ran after him clenching my bag.
"I Won!" He was bent over, catching his breath.
"That's...not fair! You...ran before me!" I was trying to catch my breath as well.
"Want to go again?"
"No...I can't." I shake my head, he laughed.
"Here, for helping me today." He handed me a coke.
"Thank you, I'll accept it as compensation." I take the bottled drink.
"The sun's setting soon. Do you need me to walk you home?" He offered.
"I'll be fine, and it's only 4 minutes away."
"Be safe; see you tomorrow." He waved goodbye to me.
I knocked on the door, and I finally made it to Beomgyu's home.
"Come in." He opened the door.
"It's so quiet again." I walked inside; it felt slightly cold as well.
"I needed to have a peaceful mind."
"Sorry, it took so long. I had to race Yeonjun." He let out a small laugh.
"I see, Oh you have a coke! that's my favorite."
"Oh, do you want some?"
"If you don't mind."
"I don't mind." He grabs a glass from the cabinet and fills it with ice.
"Did you have any hard questions on the homework?"
"A few yes." He opens his bookbag, fiddling inside to find the paper. He takes it out and places it on the table in front of us.
"Number 4,8 and 12."
"I see, those were easy for me; I'll help you." I sit the coke on the table.
"Is this the right formula?"
"Yes, it's correct. You just executed it wrongly." I erased the writings.
"Thank you again for coming so late."
"It's not a problem; I would have been alone always."
"I'm alone every day."
"You can always visit me." I patted his shoulder.
BG: "Are you excited about the school camping trip?"
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it."
"Are you camping with Yena?"
"Of course, she'd kill me if I didn't." I laughed.
"I guess I'll stay with Taehyun."
"Taehyun? Why not Yeonjun?" I ask.
"Ah, He's been acting angry toward me lately.." He sighed.
"You should talk to him!" I sit up straight.
"I tried, but he just ignored it."
"Try again." I hit my knee in frustration.
"Thanks again for your help." He says, walking me to the door.
"Anytime, and please talk to Yeonjun.." I pleaded with him.
"I'll try. Will you be fine going home?" He asks.
"I'll be fine, don't worry, I have to stop somewhere first; I'll see you tomorrow!"
Beomgyu closes the door, and he felt his chest become lighter. He walked toward the table to clean the papers up, and his eyes rested on a watch. It was Soona's watch she removed earlier; she forgot it.
He grabbed the watch, examining it all around. Should I? No. It's her privacy. He was debating whether to slide open the eye.
His mind was beckoning him to, but he restrained himself as much as he could.
He walks over to a small box in the living room, the same one his grandmother owned before she passed.
He opens the box with a minor key hidden under the plant beside the tv.
He fiddled through the box until he found the small case; inside was the watch his Grandmother owned.
He picked it up and compared the two side by side.
The design was the same, the coloring the same. The only difference was the initials carved inside.
He couldn't even open his grandmother's watch, and He never tried to again since he gave up hope.
His grandmother didn't tell him much about it, but his mind wondered why they had the same watch.
He closes the box and places the key back in its place.
His mind debated whether to return it now or tomorrow to her; she would probably notice it gone soon.
He placed the watch on the table and rearranged the content of his backpack for tomorrow. His eyes kept shifting toward the look.
He couldn't keep his mind away from it for a second.
He picked the watch back up, staring at it, thinking to himself, "What is inside?"
"Why is it so protected?"
If only he could know.
The watch suddenly dinged; he jumped backward, feeling scared.
"What are you?" He spoke to himself.
He didn't want to lose the watch, so he decided to wear it on him to assure he'd return it tomorrow.
He grabbed the watch and placed it around his wrist, snapping the ends into each other.
Suddenly he felt a burning feeling in his skin; he was having trouble taking off the watch, but finally, I clipped it, and it falls to the floor.
He looks at his wrist, which now had the initials of Soona burned into him.
"What?!" His eyes were widened in disbelief at what he is seeing.
He ran over toward the sink and ran the cold water over it. The burning feeling subsided, but the initials didn't go away.
He tried to rub it away, but it only hurt in doing so.
A knock erupted from the front door; he placed a towel over his wrist and walked to open the door.
"Hey, have you seen a watch? I forgot it." Soona asks, looking anxious.
"Y-Yeah, I'll go get it." He retrieved the watch off the floor and returned it to her.
"Thank you, sorry. Are you okay? You look frightened?" She examined the boy's face.
"I'm fine, and The door just startled me.." He lies; she bought into it.
"Okay! See you tomorrow."
He closes the door and slides down it; He removed the towel.
The initials still there; he rubs his eyes and looks again. Nothing changed.
What was he to do? And why did this happen?