Class 3 Romance (bxb)

Ha Joon - New Beginings

It didn't seem like such a plain door would be the answer to a new life, but here he was. Moon Ha Joon stood outside his new classroom, class 3-2, minutes from meeting his new classmates. They couldn't be worse than what he had left behind. Anything had to be better than what he had come from.

Ha Joon shifted his book bag, re-positioning the weight on his shoulder. He pushed his glasses back up on his nose. The long hallway remained empty and quiet as he stared at the door. The rest of his new classmates already escaped to their individual classrooms. A loud chorus of laughter poured out of the door in front of him. Ha Joon shifted his bag again. His hand shook as he reached for the doorknob. The brass knob twisted in his hand, growing long and thin. It snaked up his hand, wrapped circles along his arm and twisted tight around his neck. He clutched at his throat, but couldn't pull it free. He gasped for breath but found no relief. It wrapped tighter and tighter around his neck until he blacked out and died. His body lay there until class ended. The classmates he never met surrounded him and cried out in anguish. Their eyes filled with tears with the knowledge they would never spend time with him. They mourned the loss of the chance of a new friend. They grieved for days, weeks, months.

Ha Joon opened his eyes and shifted his bag again. He grabbed the normal doorknob with his still shaking hands, then pushed the door open. All laughter stopped as 26 pairs of eyes turned to stare at him when the door opened and he took two steps inside. The bag a lead weight on his shoulder hindered his ability to move further. The paper in his hand crinkled in his sweaty palms.

"Can I help you?" The teacher at the front of the room moved toward him. He took a step back.

"I'm Moon Ha Joon." Ha Joon's voice wouldn't raise louder than a whisper.

"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that."

"He said his name was Moon Ha Joon." The girl sitting closest to the door called out, still staring at him at she did. Ha Joon took another step back. He'd made it back into the doorway as his hands shook the paper against his leg. Two more steps and he could make his escape. Flee the school, the city, maybe even the country.

"Thank you, Hae In. Class, this is the new transfer student I told you about. Come on in Ha Joon."

Ha Joon willed his legs to move, but nothing happened. Forward or backward he didn't care. Any direction as long as he moved and didn't remain stuck in this position like a useless statue. The paper shook harder against his leg. Somewhere in the back of the room he heard a snicker, followed a sharp cough near the front.

"Class, let's make Ha Joon feel welcome."

The room erupted with a volley of greetings.

"Hello."

"Hi."

"Welcome, dude."

"Yo."

He winced as the loud chorus of greetings poured over him.

"Okay, okay, that's enough. Ha Joon," the teacher walked across the room, stopping a few feet from him, "may I please have your transfer paper."

Ha Joon said nothing. His trembling hand lifted and passed the crumbled paper to her outstretched hand. He waited for another snicker, some rude comment. Instead, the room remained silent.

"Ha Joon, my name is Park Eun Hee. We have your desk ready if you would like to join us." The teacher moved forward and reached her arm out to touch his shoulder. Ha Joon flinched back.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's okay. When you're ready to take a seat, yours is the empty desk third row back second from the window."