To See The Moon

Saved By Knives

     Jeongin never expected his gym class to turn into an afternoon stroll with the school's assistant teacher.

     Usually, Jeongin didn't trust teachers. He certainly never wanted to have a one-on-one talk with one. Most of those ended in a huge scolding and often a detention, usually for the simple reason of coming to class a little late. It was like every teacher in the school was just waiting for Jeongin to drop out. Why waste energy on a student with no future?

     But this time was different. Chan didn't seem like a teacher. Maybe it was just the small age difference or the fact that Chan had defended Jeongin, but Jeongin could allow himself to feel a little more comfortable.

     "So, Jeongin, I know we've never spoken before, but I'm usually supervising during your gym classes and I've noticed something..." Chan began.

     "It doesn't seem like... the other kids are very friendly to you."

     Realization dawned on Jeongin and his mouth twitched. "Ohh, this is one of those teachers talking to isolated students type of thing, isn't it?" He chuckled. "It's okay, Chan hyung, you don't need to worry about me."

     Chan raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

     The fact that Chan had only come to Nila two months ago was becoming very obvious. "Because I'm from the Alley. You don't need to care about people like me. Everything you're seeing is to be expected."

     "What's... the Alley?"

     Jeongin gawked. He wasn't sure if he heard right. "Seriously!? Um... no offence, hyung, but maybe you should pay more attention to your surroundings."

     Jeongin had usually seemed like a quiet kid when Chan would see him around. Seeing Jeongin tell him off like this surprised him, but not necessarily in a bad way. "Okay, then educate me."

     "The Alley. It's that really dark place near the city square. It's falling apart; it's almost like a slum," Jeongin said. "It's the kind of place in spooky stories told to the kids here to make sure they don't wander off. It's the place that middle schoolers dare each other to enter as a way of showing off. When you're younger, it's a place filled with monsters, and once you're old enough, it's a place filled with gang violence and poverty. That's the Alley."

     Chan stopped in his tracks. "Wait, Jeongin, you LIVE there!?"

     "Pretty pathetic, huh?"

     "No, no, that's not what I'm saying!" Chan quickly said. "I'm saying that doesn't sound like a very safe place to live."

     "Oh..." Jeongin had never had anyone question his safety before. He shrugged. "I've lived there my entire life. I know how to navigate the streets and stay out of trouble. I've never seen any violence there; the most I've heard is some yelling outside my window. Not to say I don't try to avoid the Alley as much as possible, but it's not like I'm risking my life every day."

     "Okay, so it's just not the best living space..." Chan was still confused. "But that doesn't explain the behaviour of your classmates."

     "Really, it doesn't?" Jeongin's sarcasm startled Chan. "I'm a lowlife from the Alley, the kind of person nobody wants to talk to, the kind of person that others bully to feel better about the luxurious upbringing they get. I've been destined to fail so nobody thinks they need to give me the time of day."

     "Wha- why do you say things like that with such a straight face!?" This was exactly the kind of thing Chan was supposed to be on the lookout for, the problems he was supposed to fix as a teacher in training!