Dead By Dawn

4 - Silent

“So then I said, ‘Why do I need math if I’m gonna be a scientist? All I need to do is just mix stuff and make it explode.’”

    The laughter and the chatter in the classroom died down as the door opened. Students scrambled to their seats as the teacher walked in. She had a small skip in her step and a bright smile on her face.

“Students, we have a new member of our class today! Come on in and introduce yourself.”

The teacher motioned for the student to walk into the room. The boy now stood at the front of the room. He slowly raised his head from the ground, looking around the classroom. He didn’t stay looking at one thing or person, seemingly too shy to stare too long.

“Hi, my name is Namjoon. Please take care of me.” He bowed slightly.

“Alright Namjoon, go and take a seat next to Y/N.” You raised your hand to show him who you were.

Namjoon shuffled over to the empty desk next to you. He set his backpack down and pulled out a notebook and pencil. You waited for him to stop his movement before introducing yourself.

“Hi, I’m Y/N! You’re gonna like this class. We are the best sixth grade class in the school! Miss even said so.”

Namjoon looked slightly startled at your small outburst. But once he saw the wide smile plastered on your face, he let himself relax a little. He nodded at you before you both turned back to the front of the classroom, ready to learn what the teacher had planned for today.

***

Namjoon had been here for a few weeks now. He was always happy to see you, and eventually he became friends with you and Hoseok. Recently, you had seen that his smile wasn’t as big in the morning as it had been before. You brushed it off as him not getting a lot of sleep. Maybe he secretly reads at night instead of going to sleep? It wasn’t until you saw what was happening at recess that you knew why.

“You’re such a crybaby.”

“Yeah, twelve year-olds don’t cry!”

“Come on, just give us the money.”

You had been chasing a runaway ball when you heard something—or rather some people—talking. You peeked around the corner of the school building. Your eyes widened as you rushed to the scene.

Namjoon layed on the ground, curled up into the fetal position. There were three other boys that stood around him. You could see that two of them were kicking him. The third boy turned his backpack upside down, spilling its contents on the ground next to him.

“Leave him alone!” You yelled.

The one who dumped Namjoon’s backpack looked up and scoffed at you.

“Oh look, your little girlfriend came to rescue you. How sweet,” he spoke bitterly.

You were quick to run up and punch him in the face. He stumbled back. When he looked back to you, his nose had started to bleed.

“You’re gonna pay for that!”

As he knocked you to the ground, you heard footsteps rounding the corner. You looked back as much as you could to see Hoseok with a teacher who was on recess duty. The teacher stood with his arms folded against his chest. He looked at the three boys that stood around you and Namjoon before looking down at you.

“What is going on here?” His voice boomed. He looked furious.

It was safe to say that the three boys were suspended for what they did, while you and Namjoon were taken to the nurse’s office to get checked-up on. After that day, you, Hoseok, and Namjoon stuck with each other. The three of you grew to be the bestest of friends. That was, until he disappeared right before you all were supposed to go to high school together.