ａｓｙｍｐｔｏｔｅ // guanho

Second

When Seon Ho was back in his classroom, there were only a few of his classmates seated at their seats, including Samuel who was writing something frantically. It is exactly 5 minutes before lunch break ends and afternoon lessons start, if the clock was working unlike yesterday. It made half of the class wonder why Physics lesson lasted longer yesterday as compared to usual and it turned out that their Physics teacher dismissed them half an hour later. The bell wasn't working too.

He did not pay much attention to his classmates as he took out the things necessary for the next lesson before slumping against the table, unable to take the image of those eyes he saw earlier off his mind.

Why is he always so lonely? Does he have friends? Is he a cold person? Those questions were left unanswered in his mind because he could not ask, and nobody would.

"Seon Ho, are you all right?"

He sat up straight immediately, hitching his breath as he turned to face his seat mate, nodding with a fake smile. He did not even realise his seat mate is already here since he was too caught up in his thoughts. His seat mate ignored him after giving him a weird look, turning his attention back to his book in hand. That is the third book of the week he saw him hold, like expected from his bookworm seat mate.

Elbows on the table as he shut his eyes behind his palms, he tried to shake off the guy from his mind but it did not work. He dropped his hands, letting out a sigh before staring into blank space.

When his teacher strode in, Seon Ho was still thinking of the boy, too deep in thoughts and too late to realise everyone's eyes were on him. He grew flustered upon the others' stares when he found out, quickly standing up, almost stumbling. He shouted 'Class stand' with a cracked voice due to lack of preparation, the nervousness getting to him. Some people giggled at that, increasing his uneasiness as he bit his lips.

"Class g-greet!" He blurted before he bowed ninety degrees, wanting to hide his embarrassed face from the others. When they sat down, Seon Ho pretended everything is fine by flipping open his textbook, a pencil in hand. He really wished for the others to stop giving him side glances.

"Seon Ho," When he was called out, he almost seemed to eager to look up, tensed upon the teacher's gaze. He was disturbed again by the attention from his classmates. Sure, people always give him attention, but it is the first he felt overwhelmed by it since it mocked him. The only one who didn't followed suit the others was his seat mate who only stared at the textbook, probably reading it already.

"Can you please read the first paragraph of page 101?"

"Sorry?" Another round of laughter filled the classroom. He wished he had said something else, regret filling him as the tip of his ears redden in embarrassment.

Even though the instruction is clear, he was unable to understand and execute it out immediately, seated on his chair rigidly. His teacher let out a soft sigh before appointing another  student to do it instead.

Seon Ho could sense his teacher's disappointment and hung his head low in humiliation. He had made a fool out of himself not just once but twice as if it wasn't embarrassing enough, though it was to the point he wanted to cover his face and go to a corner where everyone won't be able to see him. It was all because he kept thinking of the guy who probably won't ever care about his existence, so why bother being stuck on him?

Though he said that, the scene of the guy looking at him replayed in his mind numerous times throughout the lesson, making him rather perplexed and agitated. When lesson was over, he was called out of the class by the teacher.

He looked like he was being punished as he stood outside the classroom, anxiously waiting for the teacher to speak.
"Is everything all right? You seem restless today." He didn't expect his teacher to ask that so he widened his eyes before he answered. "Y-Yes, I'm fine!" He certainly didn't sound 'fine' like he said. Well done Seon Ho, he thought to himself.