In the Belly of a Whale ~ ldh

I Funny

"Ever notice that anyone going slower than you is an idiot, but anyone going faster is a maniac?"
~ James Patterson, I Funny

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As soon as I got to school, Byeolha attacked me at my locker. "Jiwooooooo!" She was clinging to me like a koala, her belongings abandoned on the floor. "You know that cute international student? Osaki Shotaro? He asked me out!"

"What? We're barely even back! School hasn't even started yet!" I stared down at her incredulously and she giggled.

"So? He was blushing and stammering and it was adorable," she gushed.

"I'm happy for you." I wriggled out of her grip and turned to open my locker. "Have you seen the others?"

"I haven't talked to Yechan if that's what you mean." Byeolha leaned against the locker next to mine. "I saw him with Park Ruri earlier." I pressed my lips into a thin line. "Do you want me to kill him? Because I can totally kill him for you if you want."

"I don't know who we're killing, but I'm game." Aejin appeared with a sweet red bean bun in hand.

"Im Yechan." Byeolha made a face as Aejin took a bite of her breakfast. "Where's Seungin?"

"He had to talk to the team captain about something." We began to walk down the hall. "Want some?" Aejin offered me a bite but I shook my head.

"Jiwoo!" Hyuck was running at me full speed, showing no signs of slowing down.

"Hyuck!" I braced for impact but he managed to skid to a stop a few centimetres before collision. I exhaled sharply. Byeolha gave me a sly look.

"I'm going to go ask Shotaro if he wants to eat lunch with me." She skipped away.

"I should get ready for class." Aejin crumpled up the wrapper from her bun as she trailed along behind Byeolha. I turned my attention back to Hyuck, who's gaze was fixed on the heart-shaped pendant hanging from my neck.

"You're wearing it." He smiled then, and it was the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. It seemed to fill every corner of his being with light. I couldn't help but return it.

"I never took it off." My fingertips brushed the pendant as I stared down at my shoes. My cheeks were burning. "Did you have a good break?"

"Yeah, it was okay. I..." Hyuck trailed off and I looked up. He cleared his throat, averting his gaze. "Did Yoonwoo hyung go back to the US?"

"Yes. My Grandma was discharged from the hospital, so we got to spend time as a family together at home before he left."

"That's good to hear. What are you doing?" He quirked an eyebrow. I froze when I realised I had subconsciously been straightening his uniform.

"Sorry! Force of habit." I let my hands fall to my sides as he laughed.

"Ah, your brothers must love you a lot." He slung an arm around my shoulders as the two of us began to walk down the hall.

I didn't have any classes with Hyuck that semester, but I had English with Jaemin and chemistry with Aejin. I wasn't sure when I had started caring about whether or not I had classes with Hyuck. I also wasn't sure when I stopped finding him so irritating. At any rate, I knew I cared about him.

"Hey cutie," Jaemin jabbed me in the side with his pencil. "How do you say 'why do you keep zoning out?' in English?" I rolled my eyes. "I'm serious!"

"I don't know. Leave me alone." I swatted him away. "Why can't we study an easier language?"

"Like what?"

"Um... Japanese?" I suggested and he laughed.

"You could get Byeolha's new boyfriend to teach you." We both looked towards Shotaro, who was sitting on the far side of the classroom with his head resting on his notebook. "Looks like you two have a similar work ethic." I smacked him. "Ow! Kidding, kidding."

"Jiwoo, Jaemin." The teacher, a foreigner named Mr Landau, was standing next to Jaemin's desk. "If you can't keep it down, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the classroom. Am I understood?"

"Yes sir," we answered in sync.

"Now, we only have a few minutes left. Remember that your essay on your summer break is due..." Mr Landau rambled on and I tuned him out.

"You always get me in trouble," I whispered.

"Me? I had a sparkling reputation until I met you!" Jaemin clapped a hand over his heart. "Also, I think you do know the answer to my question." I gave him a dirty look, then told him how to say 'why do you keep zoning out?' in English. "See, I knew you were the smart one." He ruffled my hair and my cheeks flushed.

"I hate you."

"I love you, too, cutie."