Say It Back || SoonHoon (#wattys2019)

seventy-five

우지
It's Monday again.
Another start of a week of school.
But now it's different.

With what has happened,
I don't know what to make of things.
I am unsure of what to do.

Shall I take the risk?

I haven't seen you yet,
even though it's about time you show up. By the lockers, as we always do.

This day almost seems normal.
But you're not here.
So it isn't.

Oh well, I'll see you in class anyways.
Eventually, I'll talk to you.

호시

Crap.
Oh frickshajgs.

I rush into the school grounds, almost tripping over my untied shoelaces.

I take a glimpse of the time on my cellphone. It's blurry since I'm running, but I can clearly read it.

Currently fifty-seven minutes late.

I run through the empty halls,
gasping for breath.
Relief fills me up slightly as I see another student who is tardy.
I begin to slow down when I near my classroom.

I don't forget to knock before I enter.

All eyes turn towards me, but the first pair I meet is the teacher's.

"Mr. Kwon."

"Good morning, sir," I let out quite airily.

My heart is pounding from all that running. I can still feel my legs moving even though they aren't.

His eyes shift down a little bit, sizing me up with disapproval.

"Please fix your tie, as well as your shoelaces, and then take your seat."

"Yes, sir," I mumble loud enough for him to hear.

I casually stumble towards my empty seat, earning a few snorts and chuckles from my classmates.

After plopping myself and my bag down, I hurriedly fumble with my necktie and bend to knot my shoelaces. I try to make my messy hair and my unprepared self look somewhat presentable.

Once I finish, I look up.

My eyes, coincidentally,
lock with yours.

You're looking at me, I realize.
This entire time your eyes are on me.

Before I can take a chance to read your stare, your head swivels to the front, and just like that, it's as if you have never looked at all.