It was very early morning, and the pale golden light of the sun was casting soft rays across the room. Zeyin, a 16-year-old boy with messy black hair that never seemed to stay in place, and eyes that flickered a soft shade of brown, looked like any other high school student.
Zeyin groggily opened his eyes. He stretched his arms high, letting out a big yawn while the sleep's grogginess faded. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was 7:15 AM, and in a flash, he sat up straight.
"Oh nooooooo!!!!" Zeyin screams at the top of his voice. " I'm running late! "
He launched himself out of the bed.
"No, no, this can't be happening!!"
"Mom's gonna kill me and Mr. Eun's gonna give that disappointed look that's worse than any lecture".
His heart started to pound as he scanned the room frantically. Clothes were piled all over the floors, books scattered on the desk, and his shoes— where could they be?
He rushed to his dresser, grabbed his school uniform, tripped over a sock, and went down like a sack of potatoes, kissing the floor. "Arrgh!! Why does this happen every time I am in a hurry?".
Suddenly, he heard his mom calling him from downstairs, "Zeyin, hurry! You're going to be late!"
Her kind but firm voice filled the house, making him snap out of his frantic search. He dashed to the bathroom, ignoring her as she called again. He could hear dishes clinking and smell breakfast cooking in the kitchen.
"Yes, Mom! I'm on my way !" Zeyin yelled back, even though he was halfway through brushing his teeth.
He quickly brushed his teeth, hardly noticing the toothpaste splattered on his shirt. Wiping it off with his hand, he tried to regain his calm as he rinsed his mouth. His mind was racing, figuring out how much time he had to get to school.
I might still get there before the bell rings if I leave right now.
But if I miss the bus again, I'll have to walk for at least 30 minutes..... Ugh, why do I always do this to myself? He thought to himself.
"Zeyin! Breakfast !"
His mom called from the kitchen.
"I don't have time!"
He was in full panic mode, his mind scrambling to determine the fastest possible route.
"I'll grab a bite on the way!"
He quickly grabbed his bag from the corner of the room, the straps were tangled with pens, snacks, and crumpled notes. He couldn't remember the last time he organized it. But there was no time for that now. He slung the bag over his shoulder and ran downstairs, his feet thundering against the wooden steps.
Once he reached the bottom, he saw his mother in the kitchen. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, she wore a faded blue apron over a simple shirt. Her warm gaze followed him, full of love and quite concerned, but he could see a hint of concern in her eyes. She observed him hurrying about.
"Zeyin, slow down. You're going to make yourself sick," she said with a gentle smile.
"I'm fine, Mom! I'm just late!" Zeyin replied.
He grabbed a banana from the kitchen and tossed it into his bag.
Zeyin often struggled with being on time, but he always tried not to disappoint her.
"Just remember to eat something at school, then, alright? And don't forget your jacket," she said.
Oh, right....
I can't forget the jacket — it's cold out there today.
"Thanks, Mom," he said.
His mom smiled at him.
"You'll be fine. Just remember to take a deep breath when you get there, okay ?" she said.
"Yeah, yeah."
He rushed down the narrow street towards the bus stop; he wasn't too late. The cold morning air hit his face as he ran. His shoes made loud sounds on the ground with each step, and he could hear his heart pounding in his ears.
Suddenly time stops
The Fourth wall is broken...
"Hey there, readers! Yeah, I know you are out there, scrolling through this story. I never imagined I would be talking with you like this, but here we are. I'm Han Zeyin, your everyday high school student. My hair is messy, forgettable face, and my grades scream, 'I tried, but not really.' Yup, peak mediocrity."
Pause.
"Now, here's the deal. I'm supposed to be running late. It's a classic move, right? But wait—why am I even running late? Is the author just trying to make things more dramatic? Probably. They likely want to create some suspense: 'Oh no, Jun is late for school, and something mysterious is about to happen!' Well, guess what? Nothing is going to happen, I'm just late. I'm pretty sure there'll be some fight scenes later, but let's be real, it's just the same old thing. So predictable."
Sighs dramatically
"Look, I know what you're thinking: 'But Zeyin, we want you to be special! We want you to have superpowers or at least be a genius!' Yeah, that sounds great, but guess what? The author decided to make me just... normal. Why couldn't I be one of those overpowered heroes with a backstory so epic it gives youchills? Instead, I get stuck with being the kid who forgets his jacket and always misses the bus. Real fun, huh?"
Rollseyes. "Anyway, don't get too comfortable. Time's about to start again, let's get this painful average life rolling. Unless the author has some plot twist for me, and I'm sure the author has something extraordinary in store. I mean, they have to, right?
Time goes back to normal.
Zeyin heard engines making noise in the distance and quickly looked at the street. The bus was coming, he was almost there. He pushed himself to run faster, his legs aching and his heart racing. Just in time, he arrived at the bus stop, jumped up the steps, and sat.
That wasclose.
The bus door shut behind him, and with a little bump, it started to move. Zeyin leaned back in his seat, feeling a sense of relief. For now, he was safe. On the way, Zeyin noticed that the streets were crowded. He thought, "The streets are crowded as always, like a never-ending wave of people in a hurry, all rushing towards something I couldn't care less about."
Soon, the bus reached the bus stand near the school, and the bell rang loudly, announcing the beginning of the school day. Students filled the corridors with lively conversations as they organized their lockers and headed to their classrooms. Zeyin hurried through the crowded hallways of his high school.
Just in time, Zeyin reached his classroom and snuck into his seat, earning a slightly amused glance from Mr. Eun, his homeroom teacher. He is a tall man with square glasses and a tired look that seemed to never leave his face.
"Cutting in close again, Zeyin?" Mr. Eun said with a sigh. He adjusted his glasses and gave him a long look.
Zeyin smiled innocently.
"You know me, sir. I like to keep things exciting."
Mr. Eun smirked but went back to the attendance sheet without saying more.
Zeyin sat down and noticed his best friend Rong Ren grinning from the desk next to him.
"You almost missed it again," Ren said.
Zeyin sighed loudly.
"Not everyone wakes up early, you know?"
Ren laughed silently.
"That's true, but you're really something else. What were you up to this time? Gaming? Watching a late-night manhua adaptation?"
Zeyin scratched his head and smiled.
"Both."
The class period went by quickly, with Mr. Eun reminding everyone about the upcoming tests and homework.
Time passed, and soon it was lunch break.