Just Before The Dawn [DaeJae]

Two

"Dae, new girl is staring at you." 

"So?" 

"What, 'So'? She's doing this all day long! I bet she likes you." 

Daehyun grinned. "Junhong, if I got a Dollar every time you think someone likes me, I'd be rich enough to never work again by now." 

The younger sighed and took a bite of his chicken. "I'm telling you, it's true. Dude, you're the hottest and smartest guy in this whole school. You could have every single girl here... or guy, if that's what you want. How can you even be so uninterested? Don't you want a relationship?" 

"Nah, not really." 

Junhong shook his head. "I don't get it." He looked over to the new girl he had mentioned, she had only just joined their class that day and was currently sitting at a smaller table near theirs, all alone. "At least go talk to her. She looks pretty lonely..." 

"Maybe later, I don't feel like being socially active right now." 

The younger gave him a look saying 'really?' and sighed again. "Dae, you're so boring. Look, she's pretty cute, don't you even want to try getting to know her?" 

"Nope. At least not in the way you mean. Why don't you go talk to her, if you think she's cute?" 

"Remember, I'm in a happy relationship. You're the one who's sexy, free and single." 

The older chuckled. "Right. You're in a relationship with a person I've never met and you're not telling me anything about." He looked over to the girl and their eyes met. Both of them started smiling, then broke the eye contact. "You know what? If you insist so badly, I will talk to her. But not now and not with the aim of getting into a relationship." 

"Great!" Junhong grinned in triumph, then the bell rang and the happy expression on his face faded.  "Oh shit, no! We have the test now! Dae, you have to let me copy, please! I don't know a thing!" 

Daehyun laughed. "Too much party last weekend, huh? Sure you can copy. But not everything, it would look suspicious if you got a good mark." 

"Of course, of course. Thanks, Dae!" 

They got up and went to their classroom, arriving only seconds before the teacher came in. 

"Good morning, I hope you ate well in the break so you will not be distracted by hunger. Any last questions?" 

A girl in the front row raised her hand. "Mr Kim?" 

"Yes?" 

"Um... can we... not write the test?" 

The man smiled. "Someone's feeling funny today, hm? I regret telling you this, but I need to est your knowledge. You don't have to worry if you paid attention. Now let's start." 

... 

"I failed so hard!" Junhong whined, lying his head down on the desk. 

"Oh come on, it can't be so bad. Didn't you copy?" 

"I tried but I couldn't read everything because you worked so fast..." 

Daehyun wanted to answer, but stopped when there was yelling and running in the hallway. Junhong raised his head. "What the hell is going on?" 

"Oh, the weirdo from the neighbor class gets beaten up!" one of their classmates at the door shouted and the two of them exchanged a confused look before getting up and following the rest of the class to the door. 

A lump formed in Daehyun's throat, when he saw the scene. 

A few students held a black-haired boy against the wall, trying to rip a sheet of paper from his hand. The expression in the boy's eyes was nothing but fear. 

Daehyun couldn't watch this any longer and made his way through the others in front of him, towards the group, where he pushed the others away from their victim. "Leave him alone!" he shouted, grabbing the sheet of paper from the guy who had just managed to get them from the boy. "Fuck off!" 

The group looked at him for a second, obviously a bit surprised that someone had come to help their victim, then they left. 

Daehyun turned to the boy, while Junhong made their classmates go back inside their room. "Here. Are you okay?" he asked, handing him the sheet of paper. 

The boy nodded. "It was just a game. Leave me alone." he mumbled, stuffed the papers into the pocket of his skinny jeans and and left towards the bathroom. 

"Sure. Just a game." Daehyun muttered, then went back to his seat next to Junhong.