Holding Your Hand

Part 1: "Why Her?"

Hyeri kicked the school entrance door open with a confident smile on her face. "Today's a new school year! I'm not letting myself down this time!" The naughty girl yelled, her voice echoing across the halls. Everyone recognized the childish-sounding voice and rolled their eyes, some even wrinkling their nose. Hyeri noticed the toxic glares pointed at her and relaxed herself, her wide smile fading into a weak grin. She shuffled across the hall and searched for her locker, looking down at her feet and trying to ignore the people giggling and talking behind her back. She then spotted her locker, L50, just in the middle of the lockers. Why did I even have hope?... Hyeri thought to herself, holding in her tears. She typed the code in, then she heard a faint click sound as the locker opened...

"Wh-What?..." Hyeri gasped as she saw that the inside of her locker was vandalized, having the same phrase written in red permanent marker: "ANNOYING PIECE OF CRAP". She looked around her, and nearly everyone started to giggle cackle at her close-to-tears expression.

Why?...

~•●•~

Soon it was time for class. Students rushed to their classroom, pushing and shoving each other to get there. Hyeri was the last to enter her class, C-38. She put on a fake smile and sat on the last seat.

"So, class..." The teacher, Mr. Seo, spoke in his deep, stern voice. He let his eyes glide across the classroom, as if he was scanning them. "Attendance... okay guys, this is not in alphabetical order yet, so don't ask, whoever is curious."

"Miss Park?"

"Here."

"Mr Choi?... Oh, not you, I meant Choi Kyung-soo."

"H-Here."

"Mr Hae... oh! I have the top student in my class. Lucky." The teacher joked as he looked up from the attendance paper, grinning at a boy, probably the guy who was "Mr Hae". The boy avoided eye contact and just weakly waved at the teacher. Hyeri stared at the boy, who was sitting right next to her, curious about him. His pitch black hair fell over his forehead, and his round glasses rested on his nose steadily. He seemed like a cold, quiet person. She could assure he was quiet, but she wanted to know his personality. Hyeri took a quick glance at Mr Seo to check if he was distracted, and he was speaking to a student that asked a question, so now was the chance. Hyeri leaned in closer to the boy and whispered to him, "Hey, bro. What's your name?" The boy didn't respond until after a few seconds of thinking. "Hae Hyeon-jin." His voice was soft and comforted Hyeri's ears. She wanted to hear him talk more. "Cool, I'm Hyeri." Hyeri introduced without hesitation, lending her hand out to Hyeon-jin. He noticed her hand, but he just ignored it. Hyeri then gave up and kept her hands to herself.

"So, students. For the whole school year, you will have a certain partner that you'll have to work with in projects. You cannot change it. If its a project needing more than 2 people, you add another pair to your group, making 4 people. I will announce your partners for the rest of the year, so listen carefully." Mr Seo explained, taking another sheet of paper from his desk. He began announcing the pairss, and in the middle of the list, was Hyeri's pair. "Okay, Na Hyeri goes with... oh. That's... unexpected. Miss Na, you're with Hae Hyeon-jin." Mr Seo announced, his eyes widened. Hyeon-jin frowned. "S-Sir... uh-" he stuttered, looking up from his desk, "why her?" he continued. Hyeri's heart stung a little. Of course he wouldn't want to be with me... I'm an idiot after all, Hyeri thought to herself, trying to keep up a smile. "Mr Hae, no complaining, please," the teacher responded, "at least you'll help Miss Na with actually using her brain." He joked. The whole class, except Hyeon-jin, laughed at the joke, all having their eyes of her. Hyeri attempted to laugh along, but she ended up...

snapping.

"Why can't anyone just accept me for who I am? Is it that hard? Why can't any of you sick morons at least be nice to me? I've always been nice to you! So why? HUH?!" Hyeri snapped, getting up from her seat and causing dead silence in the whole room. Hyeon-jin also seemed to have a shocked expression on him, but it wasn't obvious. Mr Seo chuckled nervously. "L-Listen, Miss Na. It was just a joke, I-" "OF COURSE! OF COURSE IT WAS JUST A JOKE!! Everything is a joke! So are my feelings, am I right?!" Hyeri growled, interrupting Mr Seo's words. She stomped out of the classroom and smashed the door closed behind her.

~•●•~

Hyeri sprinted to the bathroom, hiding herself in a cubicle. She sniffled and stared blankly at her feet. The bell suddenly rang, then a group of girls came rushing in.

"I heard Na Hyeri broke down in her classroom."

"I know! I heard her."

"She's such a sensitive bitch."

"Whoever shoves her head into a toilet gets my entire wallet. Take it all, including my credit cards."

Hyeri overheard the girls. She wanted to gasp for air as her nose was clogged from crying too much. The rather disgusting smell of makeup and cosmetics lingered across the bathroom, it's smell fighting with the tempting fragrance of perfume. The girls went off, leaving Hyeri alone again. She exited the bathroom as well, walking back to her class. She couldn't afford anyone sniggering at her anymore.

As soon as the classroom door swung open, Hyeri found Hyeon-jin still sitting down, resting his head on his arms. Was he asleep? Hyeri gently closed the door just in case he was asleep and sat down on her assigned seat as well. There was nothing to do at all, so she rested her head on her arms as well...

"Hey."

Hyeri got up immediately as soon as she heard that soothing voice again. Hyeon-jin had turned to her, still resting his head. "Oh... hi." Hyeri responded in a voice barely above a whisper. "I'm... sorry that I... said that..." Hyeon-jin apologized, looking down at his desk. "It's okay, I'm used to it anyway..." Hyeri responded. Hyeon-jin was about to fall asleep, but he was trying to keep eye contact with Hyeri. She noticed and chuckled at him.

She carefully placed his hair over his eyes.

"It's fine, Hyeon-jin... just sleep, I told you I was used to it already."