My Broken Happily Ever After

| · 1 · | Fresh Start

"CLASS, let us welcome a new student today."

Everyone started talking all at once, sharing guesses and bets.

I cocked my head, trying to look out the door to see who the new transfer is.

"Well, not completely new, but it's a fresh start, is it not?" Mrs.Jung smiled and gestured towards the open doorway. A guy with brown hair so dark it's almost black that fell barely above his dark eyes, a leather jacket, black jeans, and black boots entered the classroom. His backpack was slung leisurely over one shoulder.

"Let's welcome Jeon Jungkook. He'll be staying with us for the rest of the year," Mrs.Jung said, and the class clapped enthusiastically, especially the girls. "Most of us might remember him from a year ago."

His eyes, cold and guarded, devoid of any emotion, swept quickly across the room. I froze when ours met. He stiffened as well, his grip on his backpack strap tightening so much his knuckles turned deathly white.

Something struck inside me. An unrecognized feeling of pain, sorrow, and despondence. I looked away, confused at this newfound feeling, at him.

"Why don't you introduce yourself?" Mrs.Jung suggested, oblivious at the sudden thickening of the atmosphere in the classroom. "There might be people who haven't met you before."

Jungkook pursed his lips before saying, "I decided to get a fresh start."

The boys started cheering and clapping. While most of the girls sighed and nodded in understanding, sharing a known relief, others swooned. I would, too, if I wasn't so focused on the oh-so-interesting dimension of my purple pen.

Somehow, he seemed familiar. My brain recognized him, yet he just doesn't ring a bell. Even though he looked distant and unapproachable, I wanted to hug him, to feel the warmth he had so carefully guarded. It was strange and uncalled for, and that was what scared me the most.

"You may pick whichever vacant seat you'd like," Mrs.Jung said.

I heard his soft footsteps against the tiled floor and forced myself not to glance at him, to focus on my pen instead.

The footsteps stopped. I spotted his boots next to the desk in front of me.

I did the mistake of looking up.

I seem to drown in his eyes, unable to look away. There was unfathomable grief in them, like every time he sees me, he feels immense pain. I smiled slightly at him instead of looking away. His eyes turned glassy and unfocused, as if he was looking at something else I couldn't see, as if he was looking past my physical shell and into my soul. And just as fast, his face hardened into a stoic expression and he thumped down on the seat in front of me, ignoring me for the rest of the period.

~*~

"Park Chaeyoung!"

I whipped my head around to the source of the cheerful voice. I was walking to the cafeteria, head muddled with thoughts and questions about him. Jeon Jungkook.

"Hey, Mina," I greeted. She was her usual peppy self. She started talking about the upcoming senior camping trip and as exciting as it was, I couldn't help but tune her out.

When we reached the cafeteria, I suddenly remembered what Mrs.Jung had said: Well, not completely new, but it's a fresh start, is it not? Most of us might remember him from a year ago.

"Mina?" I interrupted her babble. "Do you possibly know who Jeon Jungkook is?"

Mina's breath hitched, but her eyes were full of fear and apprehension after overcoming the shock. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "H-he's a nice guy. A lot of things happened, Chaeyoung, even though you might not remember."