on track • hwang hyunjin (under construction)

two

Yeonhee pried her foot into the cracks of the concrete floor, thinking again why she was waiting for someone who might potentially not show up.

Now she remembered him, he's that kid in her class who didn't give a dang about studies. Frequently punished for either coming late, sleeping in class or not submitting homework; it happened so many times the school board probably gave him the most boring detention in the library.

One thing she could thank him for; he'd never disturbed the class or whatsoever, unlike some others.

Just when she was about to give up and head home, she recognised a tall build strolling her way, his uniform unkempt as usual.

"I guess you're really desperate seeing how you willingly showed up," he taunted, sliding his hands into his pockets as he stopped a little too close to her, causing her to step back.

"I'm taking my chances," she answered bitterly, avoiding eye contact with her sluggish classmate. "Now, why are we here? Don't tell me it's another detention activity."

She nodded towards the guidance office, which was also where the discipline head was seated. Hyunjin sniggered at her awful attempt at mockery. "Certain people really don't take me seriously. We're already here."

He tapped the door she was absentmindedly leaning against, causing her to look up and squint at the sign above. "Kiyong's Visualise?" She asked more to herself than to him, as if doing that would clear her doubts. She wasn't familiar with clubs in her school, but this was certainly not a name she was expecting. What club was it exactly?

But before she had time to think, she had already been pushed into the room, flinching at the strong acrylic smell hitting her nose.

"Ugh, what club is this?" Yeonhee cupped her nose to prevent it from falling off, but her question was very much answered when she looked around the room.

The floor was covered in torn newspapers that were splattered with hues of colours, evidence of much activity in this room. On it lined multiple empty easels along the perimeter of the room, with metal trolleys filling the gaps between each of them. The walls were no exception to this mess either, with various paintings hanging on any space there was between the windows and art supplies chucked neatly below them. But what shocked her the most was the fact that they were in this room in the first place, meaning...

"Hold on, so you're in the art club?" She asked rather incredulously as she took another glance around the room to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"Tsk, don't say it with so much scorn." Hyunjin clicked his tongue, gliding towards a giant noticeboard mounted on the wall that was filled with multiple portraits and group pictures. "Yours truly is the creative director of Kiyong High's Art Club, aka Visualise."

He spun on the spot extravagantly, before taking a bow as Yeonhee stared at him, speechless.

"You must be joking," she muttered, advancing towards the noticeboard and scanning the ID photos of each student before landing her eyes on Hyunjin's under the word CD. He was smiling differently in the photo, like a well-behaved boy possessing decent grades, unlike the smirk he had on now.

"Surprised, aren't you?" He said smugly, leaning against the wall as her eyes shifted to him. "This is why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover." He scooted over to one of the tables, sitting on it as Yeonhee remained rooted to the ground, another wave of disbelief washing over her.

There were many things going on in her head. First of all, the art club? Of everything, this was one of the last places she expected him to be in. Second of all, he even holds a position in the committee? This was Hwang Hyunjin, the least organised person she knew, they were talking about.