1: The "New" Guy

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The sound of a car horn beeped excessively. Ryan looked out the window and flipped his friend off, exchanging grins with his friend who's rushing him out the door. Ryan quickly pulled his shoes on and sprinted out the door.

"What's with the hurry, Bam?" Ryan asked as he shut the car door. He clicked his seatbelt on and settled inter passenger seat. When he looked to his friend, Bambam, the boy had a shocked look on his face.

"Damn, Ryan. I didn't know you worked that hard to lose weight over the summer! Good job, dude. You'll definitely turn heads down the halls of senior year."

Ryan chuckled, "ha, that wasn't the point... but I doubt anyone would turn their head for me now. Nobody ever did anyway."

"Hey, stop with that. People notice you... Just..."

"Not in the way they notice you," Ryan continued.

Bambam offered a weak smile and continued to drive. Ryan's house wasn't far from school but since Bambam always offered a ride, Ryan accepted.

However, sitting in the car on the way to school with Bambam wasn't the worst part of the last three years of High School. Arriving at school and walking beside Bambam was torturous.

Once Bambam's slick black Porsche rolled up to the school parking lot, everyone would stop to watch him walk out and sling his backpack over his shoulder. Bambam was always dressed well. He always dressed... expensive. The 'Thai Prince' could never be caught slipping. In other words, Bambam was really 'popular'.

Ryan, on the other hand, was quite different. His family has a decent amount of money, maybe even more than Bambam. Ryan dressed expensive as well but no one would ever compliment him. He was never referred to as a 'Prince' and would never even cross anyone's mind as 'popular'.

The only difference between Bambam and Ryan was, well, people's standards.

"Hey, Bambam," somebody would greet with a flirty smile every time Bambam walked past a group of girls.

Bambam would smile back with a small wave. Sometimes, he would wink if he thought they were cute.

"Hey, Bambam's friend," another girl said and tugged on Ryan's arm. She ran her hand over the muscles on Ryan's shoulder down to his hand and pressed her body against him. "Are you new here? I'd definitely remember seeing you around."

"No, I've been here since grade 9. We actually took a computer science course together last year," Ryan replied. He carefully peeled her hands off his arms but when he turned around, Bambam was with his other friends.

Ryan usually avoided Bambam with his other friends. They all knew each other but Ryan would always be picked on and treated as an outcast, so he wouldn't try to hang out with them anymore. But Bambam wasn't the only friend Ryan had either.

"Jihun!"

Ryan had already walked away from the group of flirty girls, and looked over to a girl running towards him. She had a big smile on her face as she threw her arms around Ryan, to which he hugged her back, lifting her up from the ground for a second.

"How was your summer vacation, Jisoo?" Ryan asked when he put her on the ground again. She went on a trip with her family and relatives so they haven't seen each other for the whole summer.

"It was fine. My relatives aren't the nicest people, as you know, but I still had fun. What about you? Wait... Wow, Jihunie, you've done quite a lot this summer..."

Jisoo took a step back to look Ryan up and down. She felt her cheek flush pink as she stared then smiled shyly after Ryan noticed her blush.

"What classes do you have?" Ryan asked but was immediately interrupted by someone walking out of the school.

"Jisoo unnie!" Jennie shouted. Jennie was also as popular as Bambam. She wasn't technically Ryan's friend but she was Jisoo's younger cousin so he saw her often.

"I guess we'll talk later," Ryan said to Jisoo and began to walk away.

"Unnie, who's this?" Jennie asked and stood in Ryan's path to stop him from leaving. "I'm Kim Jennie. Are you new here?"

Ryan only stared at her in disbelief. He almost felt a little hurt that Jennie didn't recognize him but was there anyone in this school who would?

"I'm Ryan..."

"Ryan...? Wait, Ryan? Like Seong Jihun? That chubby loser that used to follow you around?" Jennie asked Jisoo.

Ryan smiled awkwardly at Jennie, trying to mask his hurt feelings. Everyone referred to Ryan that way but having Jennie say it to his face hurt more than the rest.

"Jendeuk... I told you to stop calling him that. The only reason other people say that is because you called him that first," Jisoo said and crossed her arms.

For a second, a flicker of regret came over Jennie but she quickly overcame it with a shrug. Jennie gave Ryan another look before stepping aside to let him walk.

"I'll see you later, Jisoo," Ryan said. "Bye, Jennie."

"Bye..." Jisoo replied then glared at Jennie. "Did you really have to say that?"

"Well, who wouldn't say that? At least he looks a lot better now," Jennie replied. "It's kind of weird how much his face structure changed though. I never knew he was that hot. He doesn't have a girlfriend, right?"

"Why are you so curious suddenly? Weren't you the one who rejected Jihun when he asked you out last summer?"

Jennie shifted her weight on her feet and rolled her eyes.

"Must you remember every detail?"

"How could I forget after you humiliated him for asking you out? Jennie, you threw a cup of boba tea in his face in the middle of the school atrium. What's with you and this attitude when you're around your other friends... Rosé and Lisa, or something?"

"You wouldn't understand, unnie. The school hierarchy is a lot more complex than you'd think and I can't have people thinking that I went out with someone like Seong Jihun. He's a nobody! He could've taint the reputation I've been building for the past two years!"

Jisoo scoffed and flicked Jennie's shoulder. Jennie winced in pain and rubbed the spot.

"Yah, I told you to stop thinking like that! You're lucky I know you aren't always like this or else I'd tell your eomma about the parties you go to."

"Come on, unnie... Let's be honest, the real reason I wouldn't have dated him is because he's yours," Jennie teased and nudged Jisoo's shoulder. "You like him don't you? You two have been friends for three years and you talk about him a lot."

Jennie raised an eyebrow and Jisoo looked away.

"I have to get to class. You should go too, okay?" Jisoo said and walked away.

"Yes, ma'am!" Jennie said with a salute as Jisoo left. Jennie sighed as she looked at the time. "Who goes to class this early?..."

The morning bell rang and students hurried into the school as Jennie stood in her spot.

"I should see where Rosie and Lisa are..."











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