The word 'murderer' had played in her head at least a thousand times throughout the night, keeping her up and making sleep near to impossible. She wouldn't say she actually believed the rumour that was apparently a 'fact' but it was definitely something that she was interested in.
"There's no way." She muttered to herself as she locked her front door after stepping outside. "He surely wouldn't be in school if he murdered someone!" She conceded as she began her short walk to school. It can't be true. He'd never be allowed back to school if that was true. Na Ri's thoughts were cut off when she spotted Bo Ra across the street, linking arms with a boy she'd never seen before. She debated on greeting the couple or just continuing on her way but before she could come to a conclusion she got pushed aside as a boy sped past on a skateboard.
"Hey!" She yelled as the blonde boy continued on, not stopping to apologise. Chan glanced back at the stunned girl with a small smirk on his face before focusing his attention back on the footpath ahead. "Who does he think he is!" She grumbled whilst fixing her hair. Chan couldn't help the chuckle that left his lips at the sight of her annoyed face. He never went out with the intent of pushing her but once he had returned from his thoughts she happened to be right in his line of path. It wasn't his fault that she hadn't noticed him behind her.
Once he arrived at school he made his way to the rooftop where he normally sat alone. He had done this for the past two years. Nobody ever went up to the roof since students aren't actually supposed to be up there but nobody had ever cared enough to tell him otherwise. Chan sat in his usual spot, right on the edge of the building with his legs dangling over, overlooking the field where boys would play various sports.
He smiled sadly down at his lap as he replayed past memories of himself with his group of friends, all laughing and kicking around a ball. He hated how everything was different now. It was no longer how it used to be and he had nobody to blame but himself.
Chan swung his legs back and forth as he watched different groups of people. He'd always found people watching interesting. He'd never realised just how many different kinds of people there were until he was left with nothing to do but watch others for entertainment. Over the past two years he'd finally understood the term 'You see everything when the world doesn't see you.'
"Pretty sure that's stalking y'know." A voice commented from behind him causing him to jump a little in surprise. He whipped around to see the new girl standing by the door with a small smile on her face. He scowled at the sight of her and turned back around. She rolled her eyes at his rude gesture but stepped forward to approach him.
"Are you always this rude? I'm only trying to be friendly." Na Ri remarked but wasn't surprised when he didn't reply. She took a seat beside him and looked towards the horizon. Chan watched from the corner of his eye as the light breeze ran through her hair. He felt as though he should apologise for this morning but chose against it.
The pair sat in silence for a few moments before she spoke again. "I can see why you sit here. It's nice."
Chan decided to cut this 'bonding' session short. He got up without saying a word and left, leaving her to sit alone in confusion by the edge of the rooftop. "Nice talk." She muttered as she heard the rooftop door close, signalling his departure.
He sighed in relief once he heard the door shut behind him. He really didn't want to spend another second with the new girl. He found her annoying and didn't see why she felt the need to sit with him. He stomped down the stairs to the ground floor where room 43 was and sat at his usual space at the back, waiting for the sound of the bell.
Just like the previous day, Na Ri arrived a few minutes before the bell. She strolled into room 43 but unlike yesterday, she smiled at him. Chan was confused by this action but Na Ri felt proud of herself. She figured the boy was just lonely and bad at making friends. Perhaps that's why he was always alone and had grown hostile. She was determined to at least be a friendly face to him, whether that meant they would actually become friends or just a casual smile as he passes by.
She took the same seat as she had done before and waited for Bo Ra to arrive. Na Ri decided she would give her friendship with Bo Ra a chance since she planned on living with her dad till she goes to university, unlike when she lived with her mum and they constantly moved. Her mum had a job writing articles for a fashion magazine which required her to move frequently and her dad had moved out three years ago but once they announced their divorce Na Ri had decided now was her chance to actually make friends in a permanent area.
Bo Ra's smiling face entered the classroom followed by the sound of the bell and a crowd of chatting students who all shot a friendly smile Na Ri's way. She returned the gesture before noticing the glares the students then carried. She followed their harsh looks only to land on Chan who was scribbling on his hand with a blue pen, not looking in the least bit bothered by his classmates unfriendly manner.
'Maybe he doesn't notice.' She thought to herself. Little did she know that he really did notice and that he could never bring himself to glare back at them. He dug the pen hard into his skin to distract him from their unwelcoming glares that never failed to make him feel unwanted and irrelevant. Sometimes, Chan simply didn't care what others thought, but today he did. For once he just wanted them to smile his way or even to just act as though he wasn't there, anything except for those glares that he had grown so used to, yet no matter how used to them he got it never stopped the ache in his chest as he thought back to how life used to be.
He only noticed the blood dripping from his palm once Mrs. Lee called Na Ri's name. She replied with a simple 'here' causing a few male students to smile across the room at her in adoration. Chan rolled his eyes, annoyed at the typical behaviour of his past friends. Of course they have already developed an interest in the new girl.
Once the bell rang all the students left the room and headed to classes except for him. He felt the sudden urge to just leave school. He really wasn't in the mood to pretend to listen to Mr. Yang teach about world history and its importance in today's world. He headed outside to jump the wall, being careful to avoid CCTV which had got him busted twice before. He hopped over the wall and made his break for freedom, not aware that he was being watched.
"Where could he possibly be going?" Bo Ra wondered. "Maybe he feels sick and needs to go home?" Na Ri conceded. "He feels sick yet he jumps the wall? Does that even make sense?" Bo Ra teased with a giggle causing Na Ri to blush in embarrassment. "C'mon, let's head to class." Bo Ra suggested while tugging Na Ri's hand behind her, pulling her back into the school.
"You're back!" Kang Dae announced with a raised eyebrow, clearly surprised to see Chan approach the group of boys all leaning against the wall outside the convenience store. The remaining five boys smirked, sending chills down Chan's spine. He knew they were trouble but he couldn't go home and listen to his mother ranting about his sudden departure from school all over again.
Chan nodded as Jaeyoung wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer to the group. Chan began to regret coming to them once he smelled the stale scent of cigarettes and alcohol mixed together. He crinkled his nose in disgust as the boys eyed him warily.
"Something we can help you with?" Minjae questioned the anxious boy. Chan was suddenly speechless. He didn't know what to say since last time their conversation didn't end on a high note. "I was just passing through." He lied causing all six boys to laugh.
"You expect us to believe that, Chan?Don't you know us at all?" Sungjin teased. "Have you thought about our offer?" Kang Dae eyed him expectantly. "I have no interest in re-joining your group." Chan lied again. He was very interested in teaming up again but he saw the worry he put his parent's through when he'd come home late smelling of all sorts of mischief and often covered in blood stains from falling over as he'd run from the police.
The boys shot each other amused looks as Jaeyoung unwrapped his arm from Chan's shoulder and instead used it to grab Chan's shirt roughly, pulling him closer to his face before letting go with force, causing Chan to stumble backwards and fall. A chorus of laughter sounded around the stunned boy before he shot up and stormed towards Jaeyoung, fists clenched and ready to go.
He was about to swing when suddenly he was grabbed from behind, his two arms being pulled behind his body and held. "We ain't looking for no trouble, Channie!" Minjae warned the blonde boy who was trying to ignore the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
Chan gritted his teeth together in defeat before sighing and unclenching his fists. "Sorry." He murmured, hanging his head low. Controlling his temper had always been his downfall.
Minjae let go of his grip on Chan and patted his back. "No need to be sorry. No hard feelings! In fact, how about we all hang out together tonight, y'know, just like old times." Kang Dae suggested. Chan tensed as memories of said 'old times' coursed through his mind. Those drunken nights of never ending parties and countless petty crimes that had nearly landed him a place in a holding cell one too many times. He shook the thoughts of the past away and weighed the pros and cons of just doing a runner.
"Taking your silence as a yeah!" Kang Dae grinned as he flung his arm around Chan's neck, pulling him away from the scene and off down the street, followed by his five friends. Chan didn't know what he'd got himself into but there was no backing out now. This was it, this was the continuation of Chan's downfall.
This one's a bit longer since I'm babysitting and suuuuper bored. Thanks to anyone checking this out! Gif is Na Ri on the roof with Chan.