THE HIRED BOYFRIEND

1

As the headmaster congratulated me and handed over the scroll meant to symbolize my achievements, I felt a rush of mixed emotions. The scroll's weight in my hand was both a testament to my hard work and a reminder of how out of place I felt. The eyes of the audience pierced through me, their gazes blazing with a mix of curiosity and judgment.

I felt utterly exposed.

At that moment, I felt naked, estranged from the grandeur of this fancy ceremony. The auditorium, with its polished floors and ornate decorations, seemed to swallow me whole. My dull, worn uniform starkly contrasted with the elegant attire of my peers. Their fancy smiles blinded me, but I forced myself to smile back, trying to blend in despite the chasm I felt between us.

The headmaster moved on, calling the next name, and I had to keep moving off the stage. The applause that had just celebrated my moment of recognition faded quickly, replaced by the growing applause for the next student.

I was already forgotten.

Sitting back down, I looked at the scroll in my hands, its pristine surface reflecting the stage lights. The bustling beside me made me peek at the person next to me. It was Hyeyoon, the class president. Her presence exuded confidence and grace, and her shiny, elegant watch gleamed under the auditorium lights, making me shift uncomfortably in my seat. I tried to imitate her poised demeanor, but it felt awkward, forced.

Hyeyoon's scroll lay forgotten in her lap as she busily typed away on her phone, completely absorbed in her digital world. She seemed utterly indifferent to the ceremony around her, lost in a realm where the opinions and expectations of others didn't seem to matter.

I couldn't help but envy her right now; How I wish to be in her shoes. "That's would be nice," I muttered, probably louder than I intended, as Hyeyoon looked up at me, a questioning expression on her face.

"Huh?" she asked, her brows slightly furrowed.

My face grew warm with embarrassment. I shook my head quickly, avoiding her gaze and turning my attention back to my scroll. The feeling of her eyes on me was almost palpable, and I heard a small, annoyed noise escape her lips.

My face felt even warmer, my cheeks burning with the intensity of my discomfort. I tried to focus on the ceremony, but all I could think about was the contrast between us—her effortless elegance and my awkward attempts to fit in. The weight of the scroll in my hands felt heavier than ever, a symbol of my achievements but also a reminder of the distance I still felt from truly belonging.

The ceremony finished much later than I had anticipated. As a result, many students hurried straight to their private tutoring centers or stayed behind for after-school study sessions. Their complaints about the ceremony taking up their precious time echoed through the hallways. Unlike them, I walked through the main gate, mentally preparing myself for my part-time job.

Today, we were short-staffed. Wooyoung had decided to quit suddenly, leaving Woojae hyung scrambling to find replacements. The pressure was on, and I knew I needed to get there as quickly as possible.

I rushed toward the bus stop, half-running and half-jogging, knowing I couldn't afford a taxi. The thought of missing the bus and being late gnawed at me. As I ran, I ignored the shiny, expensive cars of parents picking up their children.

Reaching the bus stop just in time, I breathed a sigh of relief. The bus pulled up, and I quickly boarded, finding a seat and catching my breath. As the bus rolled away from the school, I gazed out the window, the ceremony and its fancy trappings fading into the distance.

As we neared the destination, my phone pinged, and I instinctively squeezed the device, dreading the notification. The digits on the screen were a painful reminder of my harsh reality. I had just two more days before my father's monthly debt was due. I couldn't afford to be late with the payment like last time; the bruise under my ribs still stung as a constant reminder of the consequences.