"𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞,"
~🌙 ~
Lunch was the same as usual. We'd eat, talk, complain about our day and laugh at each other being silly. Sunghoon and Sunoo would bicker about something new like they did every day. Ni-ki would sit across from me and mimic everything I did if he found it funny. Jake and Heeseung shared food - often talking about what ramyeon they were going to eat before bed. Jungwon just sat there giggling at everyone. There was nothing physically wrong with those forty-five minutes, but still it felt empty.
Sunghoon grabbed my backpack, whilst Jake helped me into my crutches. For a gentle guy, his hands were surely not. He grabbed my elbows with a tight grip and slipped my arms into the crutches like he was stuffing a chicken. I wouldn't be surprised if he left a bruise.
"You all set?" he asked with a thumbs up.
"Might have a few bruises but yes. Let's go," I spoke and we head off to class. We didn't talk much on the way there, unlike how Hyerin and I would. She was really good at talking. There wasn't a second left silent and even if there was it didn't feel awkward. I was used to being with the boys 24/7 so the quietness wasn't painful, though I felt the need to talk.
"So are you prepared for this weeks English lesson?" I asked. The two looked at me strangely as if I wasn't speaking to them in Korean.
"Why do you ask?" Jake was puzzled, "You should already know the answer."
"It's always the same, Jay-ah. Jake: yes, me: no," Sunghoon pointed out, using his fingers to demonstrate. I nodded at their plain answers and was met with another bleeding silence.
"The homework was a bit harder this week," I mentioned and Sunghoon agreed. Jake didn't say anything, but I could see the smirk on his lips. I was glad that he didn't gloat about being able to speak English well. It was quite charming to see him at the top of the class rankings every semester.
"It was tricky," Jake lied, "The sixth question really got me."
He rubbed his temples and shook his head. I gave him a strange look as I witnessed his horrible acting. Meanwhile, Sunghoon doubled over in laughter.
"Question 6? You mean the easiest one because all you had to do was circle YES or NO?"
"I mean it was-,"
"Stop lying already!" I choked out in between fits of laughter. Jake looked defeated and accepted the L.
"I should stop trying to relate to you guys," he sighed, nudging my arm slightly.
"It's fine. It's just funny to see you act. You're always so dramatic," I joked.
"Not as dramatic as you though,"
"What do you mean?" I raised a brow at him.
Jake clutched his chest with two hands and started to groan in pain. I paused in my hobbling to watch him pretend to bend over in pain. He stumbled forward before walking into the wall and clutching onto it for support.
"Oh, Hyerin-ah. Bogosipeo," Jake cried out loud. I rolled my eyes at his poor attempt to tease me.
"Yah, you know I haven't said anything of the sort," I fought. I limped down the hall leaving them behind, but they only followed teasing me more.
"Hyerin-ah! Help me with everything!" Sunghoon joined in besides me.
"Hyerin-ah! Hold me tighter!" Jake sung from the other side of me. I sighed and gave them unpleased looks.
"If I wasn't peg-legged right now, I'd be chasing you down that hall!"
***
I unpacked my equipment onto my desk including my notebook and pencil case. The teacher had already begun teaching, but something was missing. Had I forgotten something? I looked over everything on my desk once again, inspecting everything. I was completely set for class. I brushed the thought away and payed attention to the class.
Forty-five minutes passed and I was already bored. My thoughts drifted away from my lesson and towards what life was like before my leg happened. I envied the thought of running, cycling and walking freely in general. Even though it wasn't long until my cast is taken off, the idea of being free again felt like a dream. I enjoyed having company everywhere I went, whether it was Hyerin or one of the guys. I longed for the times I could walk anywhere without an escort.
It had been about a week with Hyerin as my assistant and I didn't hate it. It felt rather familiar and more comforting than if Sunghoon or Jake followed me around. She didn't lurk or pry, but she cared from a distance. It almost felt normal for her to be around so much, which is why lunchtime felt so odd.
"I'm sorry I'm late songsaengnim!"
Hyerin appeared at the classroom door in a low bow. Students muttered and whispered amongst themselves like commentators. It did look bad - the new student being late to class in her first week. The teacher wasn't happy judging by the disappointed glare she gave Hyerin.
"What is the meaning of your late arrival, Miss Eun?" the teacher tutted as she walked towards her bowing figure. Hyerin raised her head but wouldn't meet the teacher's eyes. I could tell she was nervous from the way she fiddled with her hands.
"I just lost track of time..."
"If I lost track of time your studies would be interrupted and quite similarly, you interrupted my teaching. It is unacceptable!"
"I'm sorry," Hyerin bowed again but the teacher still wasn't phased.
"Eun Hyerin! Isn't this you and your friends at the arcade!" A voice yelled from the back of the class. Han Soobu held up his phone in the air and the whole class craned their necks to see what he was showing. Indeed, it was a picture of Hyerin and her friends in an arcade that was posted on Instagram. The teacher stomped towards him, taking his phone out of his hands. She scanned it closely before returning her glare to Hyerin.
"What a wise way to skip my class, Eun Hyerin-ssi. Did you have fun whilst your classmates worked hard to get an education?" she spat.
The class 'Ooo'd at the teachers verbal battle and anticipated the upcoming punishment Hyerin was about to receive. Sunghoon, Jake and I refused to feed the growing crowd but instead grew worried for our friend. Yes - it was her own fault for not checking the time, but the fact she was here proved she wasn't a delinquent.
"I'm sorry," Hyerin repeated, biting her lip.
"I'm sorry won't cut it. You can spend the rest of the day in detention," the teacher returned to the chalkboard and Hyerin turned to leave. I watched as she turned around and brought her hand up to wipe her face. Was she crying? Worry rushed over me as the situation must have be intimidating for her. All I wanted was to go up there and defend her, but what would I even say?
"Songsaengnim! You can't send Hyerin to detention!" I blurted out. Heads turned, once again and this time even more chatter was raised.
"Park Jongseong, you better have a good reason for interrupting my class for a second time!"
I gulped without realising what I just said. I was in a huge mess now. Jake and Sunghoon looked at me funnily.
"What are you doing?" Sunghoon whispered to me in a strained voice.
"She doesn't deserve this," I whispered back.
"But she does, Jay. She skipped class and thats on her-,"
"Sunghoon, please. Just don't."
The teacher stopped writing on the board and faced me with an impatient look. I could tell that her rage was now at a peak. Along with that, the whole class was watching my every move like an eagle and its prey.
"Eun Hyerin needs to escort me to my doctor's appointment," I made up on the spot.
"She's in detention, someone else can take you," the teacher argued.
"N-no!"
"Are you arguing with me, Mr Park?"
"Oooooo," everyone rounded again.
"No, but she is my assistant for these things. Plus, why should should I let the other students miss class for this? Hyerin hasn't even learnt anything yet," I said rightfully. The teacher thought for a second and nodded. Eventually, she gave in and called Hyerin back to class to pick me up. I was relieved that I managed to save her. It might not have saved her from the future whispers from students but from that awful detention room instead.
I picked up my bag and packed my things. Jake shook his head from beside me. He had an aggravated and disappointed frown all over.
"I know you like her Jay, but this is really stupid," he sighed. I didn't react to his words, mainly because it was enough to annoy me. Stupid? I didn't think so. Considerate and helpful, possibly. Jake would never understand this since he would always uphold studies before anything.
"You don't even have an appointment. You'd may as well just bail on class if you're going to make up lies,"
What was his problem?
Whatever it was, I didn't have the time to argue with him about it now.
"Sometimes you have to sacrifice things for the sake of others," was all I said before left.