Mirage

05

Sunwoo hummed along the aisle as he eyed the shelves that were occupied with varieties of snacks. All seemed attractive but sadly not everything could be invited into his stomach.

He has an image to be cared for, specifically when a soccer game was nearing.

Recess for him was simple. He would buy some bread and drink and ate them either on the rooftop or at the bleachers if the team held an urgent meeting. He rarely sat down at the table, knowing that he would be alone and the rest of the students were afraid of him.

"Mango juice!" A sudden exclamation made him curse underneath his breath, spotting a boy who was giving his back at him whilst holding high his chosen beverage.

That boy was walking backward and Sunwoo seemed to know what would happen next.

Yes, the boy accidentally stepped on his shoes, almost losing balance but Sunwoo - being the fast person he was, supported the boy's back and pushed him forward.

"Oh, I'm really sorry!" the boy apologised, finally turning on his heel which later portrayed his disappointed expression as he finally found out who he had bumped into. "Sunwoo...."

"Eric," a few years had passed since middle school, but Sunwoo still could recognise him though they were separated by study ranking. "I'm surprised you still remember me, genius boy."

Eric sighed, looking down at his shoes. Once as classmates, they surely had interacted with each other but naturally drifted apart right after they started high school. Sunwoo must have felt that he was not on the same level as Eric's friend.

"If only you were not befriending Jihoon, we probably could get closer," he spoke lowly but not inaudible for Sunwoo to hear.

But, he was not offended. Because it was the reason why he was an outcast. No one dared to mess with Jihoon and his clan - they were the most powerful people in school.

"If you say so," it was then that Sunwoo turned on his heels, activating his eyes again to search for something to eat. However, his intention was a failure when Eric called him.

"About Haeun," the latter started in which Sunwoo's breath hitched. He was almost questioning how Eric knew her but then remembered, they were the same species - geniuses. "Treat her right. You will regret it if you don't."

The advice was questionable. First, why would Eric care about whatever nonsense happened between them both? Second, why would he regret whatever decision he made?

"Eric, are you perhaps like Haeun?" Sunwoo questioned, a playful grin plastered on his face as he teased the latter. "And you're being a boy who sacrifices himself for a girl he likes?"

"No!"

"Then why do you care so much?"

"Because..." Eric trailed off, biting his own lip to avoid slipping out something he should not. "One day you will know."

At that, Eric walked past the other boy, paying for his stuff and swiftly left. A bit, it did concern Sunwoo but he was a type of person who couldn't care less about something not important.

So he shrugged it off.

Taking some random snacks from the shelf, he paid for them and let his mind be occupied with only soccer things.

However, when he dragged his feet across a table where Eric was seated with Haeun and another girl whom he assumed was his classmate too, Sunwoo seemed to get the idea.

The way Eric passed a tissue to Haeun to wipe the stain on the corner of her lips and the smile he had given when the girl said something, Sunwoo was sure, his assumption was right.

Eric probably liked her.

He smiled to himself as he felt victorious, slowly disappearing from the area. He did not know that Eric was eyeing him on his way out, a deep sigh filling the chair he had seated by.

"That sounds heavy," Jia spoke up, sipping on her drink. "What's the tea?"

Hesitancy was enveloping the boy whether he should spill or keep. But he chose the first one, knowing that this story would be living only between them.

"I ran into Sunwoo earlier."

"What?!" Haeun screamed, heavy breathing. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Calm down, can you?" Eric hit her arm, glancing over her watch that was blinking the big numbers on the screen. "Only Sunwoo's name can make your heart beat like crazy huh?"

"I call it Sunwoo's power," Haeun smiled cheekily, monitoring the numbers carefully. "Back to the story, spill more."

"He looks different," he paused, recalling every moment he had with the said boy earlier. "It's the same Sunwoo I met in middle school. Not the problematic one in high school."

Eric was engrossed in his memory that was once Sunwoo existed in. But at a certain point, he could not recall any when a palm was passing through the back of his head.

"Ouch! What is that for?" he hissed, glaring at Jia across him who seemed angry considering how she struggled to reach for his head from such a distance.

"Make it clear!" the girl clarified, sighing as she sat back in her seat. "You said you know Sunwoo the most. So is he okay or not for Haeun to date?"

Eric then pondered, flickering his gaze from Jia to Haeun, "So we are going to let the two date? Really?"

And the gibberish debate took place between Eric and Jia whilst Haeun was in deep thought. For a moment, it intrigued her to find it herself, what kind of old Sunwoo was?

Up until now, the side of Sunwoo she was looking at was all that people were talking about. Bad boy, bad attitude and bad records.

But, Eric seemed to know how to differ him.

"Kim Sunwoo...." She said his name so beautifully as she walked back to her class alone after recess. It was as if she was planting his name in her head for her not to forget.

Surprisingly, the said name appeared in her sight which made her lips tugged upwards harshly. She wanted to call him out loud, watching his lips twitch in annoyance when he saw her, or maybe hearing him spitting something like 'don't come near me'.

Nonetheless, none of that would occur. Haeun shut her intention off when she recognised the other boy who was standing across from Sunwoo.

Park Jihoon.

They both seemed to be talking about something serious, their gazes on each other were sharp. Sharper than Sunwoo's jawline. But, the smirk on their faces seemed tense - as if they were just provoking.

Not long after, Jihoon took his leave bitterly, and Sunwoo just watched him blankly. Indeed the talk that took place was not a positive one.

"It's not my problem," Haeun shrugged, smiling cheekily as she skipped towards the boy, calling his name, "Sunwoo."

Again, the boy rolled his eyes when she bugged him, asking if he had already taken his meal.

"Just care about yourself, can you?" he said soullessly, but Haeun seemed not to care as she kept showing her goofy side at him. "What should I do about you?"

Sadly, none of them was aware that Jihoon was still there, watching them with a confused look.

"A new chick?"