his secret | woosan

one

"right, onto the next segment, in a remarkable move, mr. choi, owner of seoul high school, unveiled a momentous scholarship system that was set to redefine the landscape of education for financially disadvantaged students. brace yourselves for this monumental announcement: four extraordinary individuals were granted admission to this prestigious institution solely based on their exceptional academic achievements. this was a watershed moment in education, where the shackles of financial limitations were shattered, and the pursuit of knowledge..."

"mom, hurry up and turn off the tv! we're running late!" i shouted from the front door as i hastily tied my shoes. today marked my first day at a new school, and i could honestly say i had never felt this nervous in my entire life. the last thing i wanted was to be late on my very first day.

i could hear the volume of the tv gradually going down as my mom hurriedly made her way from the living room. "oh, look, my baby's making headlines! you know, i'm bursting with pride to be your mom!" she exclaimed, pinching my cheeks tightly. i winced from the pain, but seeing my mom so overjoyed because of me was undeniably adorable. her expression left me chuckling.

with a wide smile, i replied, "thanks, mom, but we really have to get going now! it's already 8:40!"

"right! okay, okay! you've got everything, right?"

"yes, mom! let's go!"

my mom swiftly grabbed the car keys, and we made our way outside to the car. throughout the entire ride, she couldn't stop giggling and showering me with praise. i didn't mind one bit; it had been a while since i had seen her so blissful. usually, she was burdened with the stress of her two jobs and barely got any rest.

anyway, i had been on edge since last night. i put in so much effort to snag that scholarship, and now i was finally heading to my dream school. but the idea of jumping straight into 10th grade kept me tossing and turning all night. and honestly, i wasn't getting my hopes up too high. i had mentally prepped myself for potential bullies and feeling like the odd one out among those snobby rich kids. still, i hoped i could manage to make at least one friend.

fingers crossed for a smooth day ahead.

——————

glancing at the clock up front, a smile crept onto my lips. it was 13:30. just one more class to endure before heading home and crashing for the rest of the day. so far, my first day had gone pretty smoothly. sure, i caught a few strange looks, but i did my best to brush them off. all my teachers were surprisingly nice, and to my surprise, everyone here seemed really smart! i felt guilty for assuming most of these kids were only here because of their wealthy parents. but you know what? the healthy competition was actually kind of thrilling and motivating!

art class was the final bell of the day. i hung my backpack on the empty desk beside the window and arranged my art supplies and book. suddenly, the classroom door swung open, catching me off guard. i almost jumped to my feet, thinking it was the teacher, but instead, i slouched down into my seat when i saw a guy walk in like he owned the place. his shirt hung out of his pants, the top buttons undone, and his tie loosely draped around his neck. his face scowled with irritation, eyebrows furrowed.

"san! i made these chocolates for you yesterday... will you please accept them?" a girl pleaded, holding out a box of chocolates towards his chest, her head bowed. the room fell silent as gasps escaped from the girls and a few guys. san, the guy in question, stared blankly at the chocolates, his face void of expression. he sighed in annoyance, adjusting the backpack strap that hung low over his shoulder.

"get out of my way," he spat, looking up. the girl gazed up at him with tear-filled eyes, confusion evident. when their eyes met, he rolled his eyes and glared at everyone in the room. then, without warning, he aggressively knocked the chocolates from her hands, causing her to flinch. one guy standing behind him chuckled at the spectacle, while another yawned as if he had seen it all before.

"are you deaf? get out of my fucking way," he barked, shoving her aside as he walked towards his seat. he forcefully yanked out his chair and slammed his bag onto the table, creating a resounding thud that echoed throughout the room. all of a sudden, san's gaze shot up, catching me staring, and our eyes locked for a moment. his sharp, dark eyes bore into mine, and i quickly averted my gaze. a strange feeling of fear and anger churned in my stomach. i slouched down in my seat, attempting to conceal my very existence.

forget about making a friend, my mission was to avoid this guy at all costs.

i took a quick glance back at the girl. standing in the corner she had been shoved into, she softly sobbed while clutching her shoulder and gathering her chocolates. just as some girls were about to offer their help, the teacher walked into the classroom, and everyone returned to their seats as if nothing had happened.

i felt an overwhelming wave of sympathy for the girl. how could someone do that? didn't he feel bad? were jerks like him incapable of feeling empathy for others? ugh, i wanted to yell at him and tell him how much of an asshole he was for doing that!

suddenly, exhaustion washed over me. i rested my head on my arms, the noises around me gradually fading, and i succumbed to a doze under the warm afternoon sun.

"all right, that wraps up this class. i know it's the first day, but you'll be assigned a group project which will be due at the end of this unit. everyone will be working in groups of four and..."

"wooyoung."

"jung wooyoung?"

"wooyoung!" the teacher called out to me. my eyes shot open, and i jolted to my feet, accidentally knocking half of my belongings off the desk. laughter erupted from behind me, and suddenly, all eyes were on me.

"yes?" i responded softly, rubbing my eyes while focusing on the teacher at the front.

"pay attention up here, please. aren't you the new student? you know you've gotta maintain your scholarship your first year here, so don't get too comfortable. alright, you're in group 4 with san, seonghwa, and mingi. take a seat, please. next is..."

"i'm sorry..." i mumbled.

i slumped back into my seat, releasing a sigh of relief as i sensed the eyes gradually shifting away from me, returning to mr. smith or jones, or whatever his name was. when did i even doze off!? i rested my elbows on the table, cupping my face in my hands to conceal my flushed cheeks.

suddenly, my head shot up, eyes widening as a realization dawned upon me.