I'll Be Here, Always | Han Seojun

Chapter 3 | Old and New Friends

The night sky was beautiful. The stars twinkled and the sounds of the city surrounded us. Wind flew through my hair as I watched the lights around me become streaks from the sheer speed of the motorcycle. I found myself smiling as Seojun weaved through the cars to get me back home. The ride went by faster than I wanted to despite having a hatred for the deathtrap.

"We're here tigress." He slid his visor up as parked his motorcycle right outside my house.

"Thanks, Seojun. It means a lot." My lips curved up to a smile. He looked away, not willing to make eye contact with me. My smile almost left my lips as I realized that he probably didn't want to have anything to do with me.

Although we aren't friends anymore, I'll be damned to make sure that nothing would happen to him or the other boy. I'd be willing to put my life on the line, if that would guarantee a happier life for them. I promised myself that I would never deal with another loss ever again, not if I could put a stop to it.

"Hey," I playfully punched Seojun's shoulder, "don't worry about this. I'll pretend not to know you at school." A heavy feeling weighed down on my shoulders, but I continued to put a smile on my face.

"Thanks, bu--" He started to say but I interrupted him. This facade could only last for so long.

"Just go, JunJun." The nickname slipped out of my mouth without me realizing. I motioned him to go with a wave of my hand. Without making eye contact, he slid down his visor and revved up the engine. As the motorcycle got quieter, a ghost of a smile lingered on my lips. I couldn't help but be grateful that he was doing ok. At least one of us was ok.

Turning around, I went up the steps to the entrance of my apartment. I opened the door to darkness. Right, my parents were working at their late-night convenience store. The shop opened during the night, but was usually closed from eight in the morning to three in the afternoon. Although they work only on the weekdays, it was hard not being able to see them at night. My brother and I usually made their breakfast before we went off to school on the bus to make their lives a bit easier. Closing the door quietly behind me, I placed the pastries on the dining room table before heading up to my room.

As I got ready for bed, I couldn't help but be anxious about the next school day. Will it be normal? How will my friends react to me coming back out of no where? Will I still have friends? Although all of these questions raced through my mind, I quickly fell asleep due to the events of the day.

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The next morning, I was finally on time for once in my life. I looked at the mirror as I admired my appearance. My long and wavy black hair was back in a ponytail with my bangs framing my face. My light makeup enhanced my natural features, while, the classic ironed uniform of Saebom High looked brand new. I went downstairs and made my parents their breakfast as I scarfed some pastries, from the day before, down my throat. Picking up my backpack, I made sure to close the door quietly on my way out to not wake up my parents.

On the way to the bus, I listened to some music to get me going for the rest of the day. Some people could just function early, whereas I on the other hand, need something to wake me up. Whether that be coffee or music, I needed at least one of them every morning. I waited for a few minutes at the bus stop before the bus came right on time. Taking a deep breath, I stood up and made my way on the bus. As I faced the aisle, absolute silence ensued. I didn't know what to do until I heard, "The goddess of Saebom High School is back!"

The murmurs soon turned into cheers as I lightly smiled and waved. I guess it was good to be back? I walked down the aisle and went to sit in my usual seat. Looking to my right, I found myself face to face with Kang Sujin. My palms went clammy as I attempted to find an excuse for my sudden disappearance. We were pretty close before I left, and not that many knew of my reason for leaving. I tried to rack my brain for an excuse, but then felt an arm wrap around my shoulders. My body was being pulled for a warm hug. When we pulled apart, my eyes filled up with tears as Sujin smiled fondly at me.