The story I'd like to share with you is a funny one that took place in a high school. I hope it will engage your imagination and draw you into its world.
Unlike most stories, this one won't focus on a single main character right away, though one may naturally emerge as the plot develops. As the author, my goal is to craft a plot that brings you joy, especially if you're feeling sad or down. Okay, let's begin.
Our story is set in an Eastern Asia-style high school. It's the first day of the new semester. After paying their tuition fees, the junior students have officially completed their transformation—they are now seniors. (The high school system here typically lasts three years; how many years does it take in your country?)
Ketto Lim is an introverted student. He isn't talkative, but that doesn't mean he dislikes conversation. He's simply reserved around strangers or people he's just met. However, with those he knows well, he can be quite chatty and even playful. Now, he is beginning his journey as a senior student.
As we all know, change can be daunting. New environments often feel unsafe and scary because they are unknown; we naturally prefer the comfort of familiar places. Ketto is no exception. He feels this anxiety deeply, and before heading to his new school, he was in a low spirits. I could see the frustration on his face.
He is unwilling to share his feelings with his parents because they are very affectionate and supportive. He doesn't want to burden them with his negative emotions. So, whenever he is with his family, he forces himself to smile and act optimistic, telling them he's eager to start his new journey. His parents were somewhat surprised, as they had expected him to be more nervous or awkward.
But whenever Ketto is alone in his room, he feels uneasy and insecure. He isn't sure how to deal with these sensitive emotions. If he could, he would wish for time to stop, allowing him to stay in his safe space forever. To make matters worse, his two best friends from middle school have moved away due to personal reasons. One friend left because his parents believed the educational quality in their district was poor and relocated to a better region. The other moved when his parents found work in another city. Losing both close friends at once has been hard on Ketto, and he misses them dearly.
With no other choice, Ketto knew there was only one path: to persevere and become familiar with his new environment. One afternoon, he called his two best friends. He sincerely asked about their recent lives and told them how much he missed them. They made a promise to meet up once the semester was over.
At home, Ketto's mom reminded him to get everything prepared and to be ready for his new academic life. Some relatives also called, urging him to study diligently and persevere. Ketto had always been a well-behaved student; almost all his previous teachers liked him, and his homeroom teacher was particularly confident in him. In their eyes, Ketto was a model student, which was why he won numerous awards every year. Furthermore, he was somewhat popular among his classmates because he was always willing to help anyone in need. He was sensitive, friendly, and warm-hearted.
Academically, he scored high points in every subject. It didn't matter if it was a science or a liberal arts class—he excelled at all of them. However, Physical Education was the only subject he struggled with. He didn't just dislike PE; he hated it.
He thought about calling his former teachers but couldn't summon the courage. After a long internal struggle, he gave up on the idea. Instead, he decided to send them text messages. The teachers were delighted to hear from him. They encouraged him to enjoy his senior year, to be brave and confident, and to keep up his excellent academic performance.
But he did not send a message to his PE teacher, whom he had feared for a long time. In Ketto's eyes, the PE teacher seemed like a monster— overly strict and unkind. In reality, however, the teacher was widely respected.
Everything proceeded smoothly. Nothing surprising happened, and fortunately, there was no bad news. Ketto settled his mind and focused on preparing for the term. Recently, he had started jotting down a diary, or a journal, of his days. He wanted to record his feelings and daily routine, solely for the purpose of looking back on these memories in the future. He believed that keeping a journal was an important and meaningful habit.
That afternoon, Ketto went to the largest local bookstore to purchase textbooks for his core subjects, such as Literature, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Of course, he also bought some new stationery.
He also needed a new backpack. However, he believed specialty stores offered better quality, so he went to one to find a bag that was both stylish and durable. Faced with too many choices, he found it difficult to make a decision. He struggled for a while, trying on different bags and checking how they looked in the mirror. A store clerk came over and offered him some specific suggestions. Finally, Ketto made up his mind and chose a particular model.
It was primarily white, but not a pure white—more of a shade between white and grey. It wasn't too large, but it had many handy pockets for storing small items, plus a separate compartment for his pencil case. Although it wasn't perfect in every way, he was almost completely satisfied with his new backpack.
After settling his mind, Ketto began to smile and told himself to be confident, repeating the affirmation over and over. He had learned from a book that taking a deep breath can help when one is upset. The method was simple: inhale through your nose and then exhale through your mouth.
His parents got up early every day to take public transportation to work, so Ketto often stayed home alone. During these times, he frequently felt bored and unmotivated to do anything. Sometimes he would watch Korean dramas, live streams, or other recreational programs.
Unlike most boys his age, who tended to love video games, card games, and sports, Ketto preferred to sit down with a good book or listen to music. He found a quiet, simple happiness in these activities. While some people might consider his daily routine boring, Ketto did not see it that way at all. He thought of his life as monotonous but never tedious. For him, doing meaningful and useful things was the greatest source of happiness.
It was the first day of high school. Stepping through the school gates, Ketto felt a mix of excitement for the new beginning and anxiety about the unknown. After checking the information board in the central park, he learned he had been assigned to Homeroom 7-1. He didn't know if this was lucky or not, but as a complete newcomer, every class would be new to him anyway.
He scanned his surroundings, counted the building numbers, and found the one that housed his classroom. As he headed there, he began to feel a bit hyperactive and struggled to catch his breath.
When he arrived, only a few students and one teacher were there. He greeted them shyly and then didn't know what else to say. The teacher asked for his name.
"My name is Ketto Lim," he replied.
The teacher gave a brief introduction in return: "I'm Miss Jerry Ho. Welcome to class 7-1." Miss Ho was full of smiles and had an outgoing personality. She assigned Ketto a seat.
He went to his desk and sat down quietly, unsure of where to look or what to say. Then, the boy sitting in front of him turned around, smiled, and said, "Hi, I'm Addy Jang. Nice to meet you."
Ketto raised his head and replied, "H-hello. Nice to meet you too. It's my pleasure..." He was obviously nervous; his voice was trembling, and his sentences were halting.
They started talking about their middle schools and previous lives. Everything felt a little awkward, but it was a start. Addy, confident and outgoing, seemed to thrive in this new environment. He was the type to proactively introduce himself to every new person who walked into the classroom.
As more and more students filled the classroom, it became lively and noisy. Ketto watched the others chatting easily with one another and felt numb. They all seemed to know each other already, as if they had been friends for a long time.
Ketto pretended to look outside the window, and his mind began to drift, making him completely forget his surroundings. Gazing at the clouds, he felt as if he had entered a paradise. The more beautiful the scene, the more joyful he felt!
Suddenly, a new student arrived. He had dyed hair, styled in slight curls. Teacher Miss Ho looked at him and asked, "Excuse me, what's your name?"
"Hanky Kim," the male student answered calmly.
"Where's my seat?"
"Right here," Miss Ho said, pointing to a desk.
"Bad," Hanky said in a bland, bored tone.
Miss Ho looked a little confused. "What?"
Hanky sat down in a seat near Ketto's. Ketto looked nervous and uneasy. He thought Hanky was a bad guy who acted very rudely. *"I'd better stay away from him,"* Ketto mumbled to himself.
Once everyone had arrived, Miss Ho began to deliver a speech. First, she welcomed the newcomers and congratulated them on starting this new journey. She sincerely hoped everyone could enjoy their unique academic life in high school.
The students listened carefully—except for Hanky. He put his bag aside and went directly to sleep on his desk, completely forgetting that Miss Ho was still speaking.
Addy turned around and whispered to Ketto, "What's wrong with him? He's so daring and brave."
"We'd better not talk about him. I'm afraid of him," Ketto replied in a very faint voice.
Miss Ho had already noticed the sleeping student, but she told herself not to get angry. Since this was the first class, she decided to stay calm and maintain a pleasant attitude toward her new students.
Hanky sat down in a seat near Ketto's. Ketto looked nervous and uneasy. He thought Hanky was a bad guy who acted very rudely. *"I'd better stay away from him,"* Ketto mumbled to himself.
Once everyone had arrived, Miss Ho began to deliver a speech. First, she welcomed the newcomers and congratulated them on starting this new journey. She sincerely hoped everyone could enjoy their unique academic life in high school.
The students listened carefully—except for Hanky. He put his bag aside and went directly to sleep on his desk, completely forgetting that Miss Ho was still speaking.
Addy turned around and whispered to Ketto, "What's wrong with him? He's so daring and brave."
"We'd better not talk about him. I'm afraid of him," Ketto replied in a very faint voice.
Miss Ho had already noticed the sleeping student, but she told herself not to get angry. Since this was the first class, she decided to stay calm and maintain a pleasant attitude toward her new students.
Speaking of Hanky, he was born into a wealthy family. His father owned a large enterprise, and his mother managed a five-star hotel and an elite, exquisite resort. Because they were usually very busy, they did not have enough time to raise Hanky properly.
As time went by, Hanky became silent around his parents and rarely contacted them in his spare time. His parents gave him a credit card, and he could buy anything he wanted. He also did not study at school. His teachers gradually began to ignore his existence, as they had tried to persuade him so many times to be persistent and diligent. He would just nod numbly and then continue his behavior as before.
Each student in the classroom went to the front lecture desk to collect their new textbooks. They had a lot of courses, including but not limited to: Literature Appreciation, Math, Physics, History, Law, Chemistry, and Biology, etc.
While checking the subject schedule, Ketto noticed they would have three PE classes every week. He almost screamed but stifled the sound. *"OMG, three? Are you kidding me? I hate sports, and I dislike high school. Who can save me? I don't want to take this PE class. Um..."* He was completely lost in thought.
Addy turned around again. "Ketto, we have so many courses. It's going to be so tiring," he said, adding, "I'm worried about my liberal arts subjects. I don't like reciting sentences, essays, and historical events."
"As for me, I hate PE class. I'm very bad at sports," Ketto replied disappointedly.
Addy comforted him, "Don't worry, I don't think PE class will be that tough. We don't have tests or exams for it. The PE teacher usually just lets us do activities freely, right?"
"Yes, I think you're right," said Ketto. "But you don't have to worry about the liberal arts. I'm good at those main courses. If you have any problems, we can discuss them together, and maybe I can help you."
Ketto smiled and nodded, feeling calmer.
"Really? Great! You are such a kind person!" Addy said happily.
They continued to talk for a long time.