Forget Me Not

Chapter One

CHAPTER 1 — The Boy Who Forgot His Lunch (Again)

The morning bell hadn't even rung yet, and Leehan was already sprinting through the school gates with one shoelace untied, a toast half-chewed between his teeth, and his backpack bouncing like it was trying to escape.

"Late again!" Taesan called from the bike rack. His uniform jacket hung loose, shirt half tucked, hair still damp from a rushed shower. Somehow, he managed to look both bored and model-ready.

Leehan skidded to a stop beside him, panting. "I—had—a system."

Taesan raised an eyebrow. "A system that involves tripping over your own foot?"

"Exactly. It's called momentum acceleration."

"You're an idiot."

Leehan grinned, victorious anyway. "An idiot who's on time!"

The bell rang right then.

"...Barely," Taesan muttered, grabbing Leehan's collar and dragging him toward the building before the security teacher spotted them.

First Period

Mrs. Yoon's history class smelled like chalk and despair. Leehan dropped into his seat beside Taesan, pulling out a pen — or trying to.

He blinked at his empty pencil case. "Wait. Did I—?"

Taesan didn't look up from his notebook. "Lose your pen again? Yes."

"I swear I had one this morning!"

"You also swore you packed your homework yesterday."

Leehan paused. "...I did?"

Taesan sighed and wordlessly passed him a spare pen, the way one might feed a stray cat.

Five minutes later, Leehan was doodling a cartoon dinosaur in the margins instead of taking notes.

Taesan side-eyed him. "That supposed to be Mrs. Yoon?"

Leehan grinned. "Obviously. See the angry eyebrows?"

Mrs. Yoon: "Mr. Kim Donghyun!"

Leehan froze mid-smile. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Would you like to explain the economic factors behind the Goryeo collapse?"

"Uh—taxes?"

"Be specific."

Leehan glanced at Taesan desperately.

Taesan covered his mouth, murmuring, "Rice taxes. And... corruption."

Leehan straightened up. "Rice taxes! And corruption!"

The class burst into laughter.

Mrs. Yoon narrowed her eyes. "And cheating off your partner?"

"Teamwork!" Leehan corrected quickly. "Twenty-first century skill, ma'am!"

Even Taesan had to hide his chuckle behind his sleeve.

Lunch Break

Leehan opened his bag, humming a tune. Then froze.

"...No lunch."

Taesan blinked. "You forgot it again?"

Leehan looked personally betrayed. "I remember packing it! Rice, kimchi, the leftover—wait..." He stopped, realization dawning. "I ate it while packing."

Taesan dropped his chopsticks. "You ate tomorrow's lunch at 7 a.m.?"

"I was taste-testing!"

"For quality control?"