Echoes of the Rain

Head girl

I turned slightly to hear what Yohan was trying to say.

"Did you and yoonsoo become friends or something?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" I responded, louder than I intended. The entire class turned to look at me.

The teacher's voice cut through the silence. "Yuri, go out of the class."

"But sir..." I tried to explain.

"I said go," the teacher repeated firmly.

With no choice, I gathered my things and stepped out of the classroom, frustration bubbling inside me. I caught a glimpse of Yohan through the window; he was still smiling, mouthing a quick "sorry." I rolled my eyes and shifted my gaze, only to find yoonsoo staring at me with a serious expression. I couldn't understand what his deal was.

As the class finally ended and the teacher left, I felt a mixture of irritation and confusion. What was Yohan thinking, whispering like that during class? And why was yoonsoo giving me that look? Today was already proving to be more complicated than it needed to be.

Yohan came running towards me, practically tripping over his words. "Sorry, sorry, Yuri."

I folded my arms, a bit annoyed. "What were you saying earlier?"

Before he could answer, yoonsoo called out to him. Yohan glanced at me apologetically. "Yuri, give me a minute," he said, turning his back to me and starting a conversation with yoonsoo.

I stood there, unsure of what to do. Should I wait or just leave? After a moment of indecision, I decided to head to the canteen. I needed to clear my head.

As I made my way there, my phone rang. It was my landlord. I answered, bracing myself.

"When are you going to pay your rent for this month?" he demanded, his tone impatient.

I sighed, trying to keep my voice steady. "Sir, as you know, my college just started, and buying the essentials has drained all my savings. But I promise, I'll pay the rent next week."

There was a brief pause before he responded, "Okay... Next week is your last date for payment. If you fail to pay the rent, then pack your things and get out of my house."

He hung up before I could reply. I stared at the phone, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on me. Everything seemed to be piling up at once. How was I going to manage all of this?

I placed my plate on an empty table, but the appetite I had moments ago vanished after that call with my landlord. The stress of everything was getting to me. As I sat there, I saw Yohan approaching, his usual smile plastered on his face. The last thing I wanted was for him to sit beside me. I could feel the stares from everyone in the canteen-whispers and curious glances, as if they were wondering why someone like Yohan would bother talking to a poor girl like me.

When Yohan set his plate on the table in front of me, I couldn't bear it. I stood up abruptly, taking my plate with me. "Yuri, what happened?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

"I'm done," I muttered, not even looking back at him as I walked away. I didn't wait for his reply, and I definitely didn't look back to see his reaction. I just needed to get out of there.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Classes dragged on, but my mind was elsewhere-on my rent, on my job, on the feeling of being out of place in this school. Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the day. But instead of relief, I just felt a sense of dread for everything waiting for me outside these walls.

I entered the bookshop, and the first thing I noticed was Jiho, already there before me. We didn't exchange greetings; there wasn't any warmth or familiarity between us to warrant that. I quietly put on my apron and headed to the bookshelf to start arranging the books.

"Yuri," yoonsoo's voice called out to me, low but clear.

I turned to him, slightly surprised. "What happened?"

"Come here, please," he said.

I walked over, curious. "Yes, what happened?"

Yoonsoo pointed at the computer screen. "How do you solve this error?"

I leaned in to take a closer look, quickly fixing the issue. "There you go," I said, stepping back.

"Ah... thanks," he replied. There was a pause before he suddenly asked, "Do you want to be head girl?"

"What... I mean, how come?" I asked, confusion evident on my face. The thought had never crossed my mind. I couldn't understand why he was asking me this out of the blue.

Yoonsoo's phone rang, and he glanced at the screen. It was his mother calling, but he let it ring until it eventually stopped. There was a brief silence before he spoke again.

"Yohan asked me to find a good candidate for head girl, and you meet all the requirements," yoonsoo said, his tone serious.

I shook my head, "But I don't want to be."

"Can I ask you why?" Yoonsoo o pressed gently.

"I just don't have time for these things," I replied, avoiding his gaze.

Yoonsoo began to say something, but we were interrupted by Yohan entering the shop with a burst of energy.

"Yoonsoo, Yuri!" Yohan called out loudly, drawing the attention of a few customers.

Realizing the scene he was causing, he quickly apologized, "Oh, sorry," lowering his voice.

Yoonsoo looked at him, slightly annoyed. "Why are you here?"

Yohan grinned, "Why do you think? I'm here to get a book."

His eyes shifted to me as he spoke, but I turned away, focusing on arranging the books on the shelf.

"Hey, Yuri, let's go grab something to eat. My treat," Yohan offered, his tone casual.

I sighed, still not looking at him. "Didn't I tell you it's not a big deal?"

Yoonsoo interjected, "Yohan, what about your math academy?"

Yohan shrugged, "The teacher fell ill, so they canceled class."

Yoonsoo gave him a pointed look. "Then take your book and go home."

Yohan laughed, "Yeah, I know..."

As I continued to work, my mind wandered. I couldn't help but wonder why yoonsoo, someone who seemed to come from a wealthy family, was working here in this small bookstore. There was something about him that didn't quite add up.