Bruises | l.mh

09

//yena

THREE OF MY CLASSES give me detention.

The teacher is different today. He's a teacher I've never had or seen before.

I go to a seat in the back of my room and get my notebook out, looking at the words I've been writing on and off all day. They're words about a boy living in a busy world with people all around him, but feeling lonely all the same.

"Hey, Yena,"

I look over to my left as Minho sits in his seat. Naturally, I check out his covered bruise. "Still looks good."

He nods. "Thanks to you. Hey, by the way, what are you working on? Homework?"

"Oh," I glance down at my notebook. "This? No, it's just... writing."

"Writing? You write?"

"You draw?" I ask as he's getting his sketchpad out.

He shrugs. "Instead of doing homework, yeah."

"Okay kids, listen up!" The teacher suddenly shouts after everyone has taken their seats. "I know I'm not your usual teacher, but I'm here today. There is to be no talking whatsoever. If I see you using your phone, I will take it. You are to be doing homework or reading silently. This is detention. Now, get to work."

I start writing about the lonely boy sitting at a bus stop as crowds of people are moving around him. I get really into the writing. So into it that I almost don't notice Minho reaching over to my backpack.

I look over at him and open my mouth to shout at him, but he puts his finger up to his lips. He grabs something from my backpack. It's my phone.

My eyes widen.

I glance up at the teacher and see he's got his earbuds in, watching something on his computer.

I look back over at Minho, seeing him holding up my phone to me. It's on the lock screen, showing the numbers to type in the pass code.

Why? I mouth.

I read his lips. Trust me.

Without thinking much of it, I grab my phone, type in the pass code, and hand it back to Minho.

Then I think, why did I give Minho my unlocked phone?

My cheeks start to heat up.

But Minho doesn't do anything except type something in and then hand it back to me.

It's on a new contact called "Lee Minho". I try not to smile to myself as I type a message to him.

Why?

He lets out a silent laugh as he types something back on his own phone.

What do you want your contact name to be?

I think for a moment before responding. Ri Yena.

I glance up at the teacher. He's not paying attention to us at all.

Alright, Ri Yena. What are you writing?

I look at the words on the notebook page, but I don't want to tell Minho about my work. I barely know this guy. All I know about him is he gets detention a lot and has bruises that he's had me help cover before. That's it.

Why did you put your number in my phone?

He doesn't think long about his answer. Just in case I need more of your help with makeup. And also because detention is boring and you're someone I thought I could talk to.