Irina was still teasing Park Dong when her eyes drifted past us. "Huh? Yang Jinsu's here."
All of us instinctively turned toward the direction Irina looking.
Yang Jinsu stood a few meters away, frozen on the flat ground above the steps. He wasn't saying anything just staring.
But the stare wasn't at the whole group. It was at me and Seolhyo, sitting so close our shoulders touching.
Jinkyung squinted. "Why's he just standing there like that?"
"I dunno," Irina murmured, leaning forward a little. Then she noticed the bruised on his face. "Uh… but his face looks wrecked too?"
Seolhyo glanced at him for only a second before turning away, her shoulder pressing a little closer to mine. Park Dong turn his look away to him.
Irina poked Park Dong's back. "...Did you guys fight with him?"
Yang Jinsu didn't move. Didn't speak. Just stood there looking at me and Seolhyo sitting close together on the steps.
At the teacher's office, Yang Jinsu stood stiffly in front of our homeroom teacher. The teacher let out a long, tired sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You show up in the middle of third period and just announce this… Are you really not going to regret it?" he asked, voice heavy.
Yang Jinsu didn't blink. "No. I won't."
Our teacher leaned back in his chair, eyes shutting for a moment as if the headache finally won.
"I'm going crazy here…" he muttered. "Are your parents even aware of what you're doing?"
He opened his eyes and fixed Jinsu with a sharp stare.
"I'll be having a meeting anyway. If you're lying, I will find out."
Jinsu replied bluntly. "I'm not lying. They told me to drop out."
Back in Class 1-1, Suwon sat at his desk, hands moving on his sketchbook as always. Park Dong leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, tapping his foot. Kim Jisung glanced at Jinsu uncomfortable, Jinsu after entering just slump his head at desk.
When the bell rang for lunch, Park Dong shot up from his seat and slapped his desk.
"Shit today's dish is braised pollack!" he groaned. Then he turned toward me, waving. "Hey, let's go eat lunch."
I raised my hand lazily without even looking up.
"I'm sleepy. I'll just crash here. I'll eat at dinner."
"Up to you," Park Dong muttered.
As they shuffled toward the door, Suwon tilted his head. "how do you even memorize the menu every day?"
Park Dong turned with a glare, dead serious. "Isn't that just common sense?"
some students talked as they leave for lunch too.
"Wanna go to cafeteria."
"But the dean is there. I hate that guy."
"Lol! hahaha you should just shave your head so you won't be beaten anymore.
"No way I prefer to be beaten more than being bald, let's just go to snack store."
Meanwhile, after everyone had filed out, Yang Jinsu lingered. He walked to the tap and splashed his face, then bent over to drink. As the water dripped down his chin, his shoulders sagged.
A group of students walked by Jinsu's startled hearing their voices he turns his head a little. That voice…
He sees Im Yongjin smirked at him, while Jinwoo met his gaze with a cold, cutting stare. Jinsu froze, then quickly turned away, muttering under his breath.
Dragging his feet down the hallway, my school life got nothing left worth seeing this isn't what I wanted...
"It's so unfair…"
he suddenly ran into Irina, Seolhyo, and Jinkyung.
"Jinsu? What happened to you?" Irina asked, tilting her head.
"W-what do you mean?" Jinsu forced a crooked smile.
Irina folded her arms. "You and Park Dong. You just ignored each other earlier… Don't tell me you guys fought?"
Jinsu opened his mouth to answer but his eyes flickered toward Seolhyo, who walked right past him without so much as a glance. His lips pressed tight. "Ah… that…"
Before he could say anything more, Jinkyung gave him a light pat on the back.
"Whatever it is, I hope you two can work it out."
"Uh… yeah. Okay," Jinsu muttered.
As they walked on, Irina glanced at Seolhyo. "Don't you think you're being too cold to him?"
Seolhyo let out a short laugh. "Hehehe… maybe. But honestly? I don't have anything to say."
As the three girls walked away, Jinsu stood rooted in place, watching their backs grow smaller.
'Back then…Should I not have confessed? Should I have gone alone that day? Should I… should I have stopped myself?" His fists trembled at his sides. "Even then… should I have apologized?'
My friends… aren't even my friends anymore.
And the girl I like…
He stare at Seol Hyorim.
Hates me.
Dragging his feet back to the classroom, Jinsu stepped inside room. His eyes drifted to his desk. For a moment, memories surfaced laughter, stupid jokes, the warmth of belonging.
Then, with a long breath, he slung his bag over his shoulder and turned toward the door.
Inside the classroom, seeing Jinsu leaving already erupted in laughter.
"No way, Jinsu's really going home already?"
"Lol, that guy's a total mess."
Hi didn't bother with them. Just as his hand reached the knob, the door swung open suddenly and smacked against his face.
"Ah! Sorry!" Ji Suwon's voice. He stepped in, wide-eyed, no why am I the one apologizing he didn't even get me an proper apology either
then brushed past, heading toward his desk with Jiseong right behind him.
Jinsu froze, his vision blurring with rage. His chest burned hot, breath ragged. All the humiliation, the rejection, the loneliness it all boiled over.
His glare locked onto Suwon.
"JI SUWON!!"
The whole room went silent. Suwon turned, confused then crack!
A sharp fist connected with his left eye, sending him crashing to the floor.
Gasps erupted.
Suwon clutched his eye, stunned, while Jinsu stood over him, chest heaving, fists clenched tight, his face twisted with fury.
Back at school after a long time…What made Yang Jinsu the angriest wasn't the friends who ignored him, or the girl who rejected him.
It was him The guy who had everything Jinsu didn't. Looks, money, strength…And the affection of the girl he liked it made envy him so much.
Knowing he could never beat Yoon Seojin in any way and knowing Seojin didn't even have to try It made something inside Jinsu twist, burn, and break.
Helplessness.
Humiliation.
Jealousy.
It all swirled together until the only thing he wanted was to let this frustration out.
Jinsu snapped .
He looked down at Suwon, eyes blazing. "Open your damn eyes when you walk, you real dickhead."
Suwon stumbled back, landing hard on the floor, clutching his left eye .Jinsu towered over him, seething.
"You should be grateful I'm not exposing everything. I'm seriously holding back from beating you to death right now."
Jisung stepped in immediately, shoving Jinsu away with one arms. "This psycho bastard…!"
Jinsu turned his look to him. "Not moving? Want another beating?"
"W-what did you say?! Keep your voice down!" Jisung hissed, panic rising.
But Suwon wasn't listening to them.
A tear formed in his right eye not from pain, but from something deeper. Something that had been eating at him for a long time.
Imagination…Imagination again…I'm always stuck in imagination…Suwon thought, shaking, fingers trembling. Slowly, shakily, Suwon pushed himself up to his feet.
Jinsu scoffed. "Oh? You got your ass beat the other day and now you're acting tough again?"
"Sh-Shut up. Say it quietly "
He faced Jinsu directly. His voice trembled, Clenching his fist.
"You… who do you think you are… to hit me…?"
His breath hitched, then he screamed, voice cracking with rage and let out the frustration he's holding on.
"WHAT DID I DO WRONG TO YOU, YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!"
And for the first time.
Suwon wasn't imagining anything.
This time, I'll make it real.