Paperthin Hymn

Chapter Fifteen

"This is amazing, absolutely amazing!" Daesung raved for literally the hundredth time since class ended less than ten minutes ago. "Fate has brought us together again!"

     I grunted in acknowledgement as I scanned for Lexi in the crowded cafeteria, holding my plastic tray of food in both hands. Where was she? I thought we had the same lunch break...

     "Over there." I assumed Taeyang had found her, but he nodded to an unoccupied table. Disappointed, I decided I must have gotten her schedule wrong, so I followed him and sat down. Unfortunately Daesung tagged along, making himself at home.

     "Aish, I don't know how you eat school lunches." He opened his ancient-looking Doraemon lunch box to reveal home-cooked ___, steam curling off the still hot food. The aroma made my mouth water. I poked my room-temperature kimchi with my chopsticks, finding myself disliking Daesung more.

     "I moved here over the summer," he explained through his full mouth. "My dad found a new job, and my sister wanted to be in a new school district." He paused and looked around. "Hey, where's Pretty Girl? Doesn't she go here?"

     "Pretty Girl?" Taeyang crinkled his nose. "Who's that? Oh, you mean Lexi? Yeah, she-"

     I elbowed Tae in the ribs, making him yelp . "No. No she doesn't."

     Daesung's face fell and his shoulders sagged dramatically. "That's too bad. I brought a deck of cards. Did she like the cell phone charm?"

     I felt heat rushing to my cheeks. Taeyang looked at me quizzically. I would get asked about that later, darn it. "Yeah, she did."

     "Uh, so...how do you two know each other?" Taeyang asked.

     "The mall."

     "I work in Play Land, the toy store," Daesung said, perking up. "Top and Pretty Girl came in a couple of weeks ago."

     Taeyang snickered. "He calls you Top, too." He leaned over and motioned for Daesung to come closer. Daesung did as he was told and Taeyang whispered something into his ear. A smile spread over Daesung's face and he burst into laughter. "For real?! Hahahaha!"

     With a growl I kicked Taeyang's shin as hard as I could under the table. He yelped.

     "Yah!"

     "Traitor," I muttered. That jerk. He would pay for this later. I would tell Daesung he was gay.

     Then the cafeteria doors swung open and in walked Lexi. I swore under my breath as she spotted me and came over, smiling brightly. Daesung's back was to her, so he hadn't seen her yet. I should have created a distraction, but nothing came to mind and before I could think of anything she was at our table.

     "Am I very late?" she asked. "I was with the panda and-"

     "PRETTY GIRL!!"

     I the blink of an eye Daesung had sprung up and grabbed Lexi's hands, and jumped up and down with excitement. Lexi squeaked in shock.

     "You're here! Isn't this great? We go to school together now, I'm in Top's class! This means we get to see each other every day from now on!"

     My stomach lurched at that. After a moment of confusion Lexi finally processed what was going on and then she was bouncing just as excitedly as he was.

     "Daesung! That's so awesome! For real? Eep! Do you have any new magic tricks?"

     "HECK YES!"