3. death wish

Lim Jugyeong had mustered enough courage to join school after being supported by her family and her friends, Lee Suho and Han Seojun included but when Jugyeong did come across Soojin, the girl she absoultely should have despised, she could not help but sigh. The very first thing the kind girl noticed was Soojin's hands, given she was the only one after Suho to know that Soojin hailed from a not so loving family and the stress often reflected in those reddish rough hands of hers. She wanted to go yell at Soojin, to slap her, to rant at her, to ask her why she gave her and their friendship up so easily, to cry and to rage, but Jugyeong could hardly react when Soojin sat in her usual seat.

Sure, they might not be friends now, after what Soojin did, Jugyeong could hardly forgive her, the PTSD she had from her bullies was still too raw and Soojin being added to the list was not the pinch she needed. But, Jugyeong did not feel the need to go face Soojin, even though Su-ah and the others were by her side, she just let it go.

However the class did not.

Soojin was brutally ignored by Su-ah, Tae Yoon and the others she once spoke with, girls from her batch would often name call her, the boys however were already afraid of her, but now, they resented her. School teachers disregarded Soojin in class, except Mr. Han, their homeroom teacher who could always look beyond the surface. She was secluded from everything, games, projects, groups, lunch and even being talked to. She was the only one without a team for the end term project and if she had no team, she'd not get the easy marks which everyone else would score. None of them wanted her with them, not even Su-ah, or Suho.

Soojin pretended that it did not really affect her, but it did and whenever she'd see Jugyeong and Su-ah laughing together, her heart would beat louder.

It was day three since the incident, and Soojin sat scribbling in her book, she had to keep studying for the mock exams which her father wanted her to take owing to her less marks but Soojin could not find the peace to study either way. The rest of the class were out for PE, and since Soojin had to study rigorously for the test, she excused herself under the pretense of having cramps and headed straight towards the class.

"Here," Soojin eyed the strawberry flavoured drink which was offered to her and the guy who was holding it. "Drink up."

Soojin was not the one to be phased easily, nor would she get bothered by anything. She truly was the living definition of being nonchalant, but Han Seojun was testing her tolerance level ever since he asked her if she was okay. Granted he did not attend school for the past couple of days, and Soojin almost forgot about him and his weird behaviour, but now that he was back, she was once again, puzzled.

She looked at the drink, strawberry juice, the one Lim Jugyeong gulped like water, and then at Han Seojun, and she focused back on her books. She'd rather pretend this was a hallucination than entertain Han Seojun who still stood holding the strawberry drink.

"Ya Kang Soojin," He spoke up, pushing the drink towards the girl across the desk, pushing her book away, "drink up."

Soojin took a deep breath, she needed to start mediating if she had to keep up with all of this without losing her mind. "Wae," Soojin said, sliding the drink towards him, holding her book, "you still have not answered my question." She found the answer to the math problem and noted the same in the margin.

"Aish," Han Seojun ran his hand over his hair, letting them fall over his face, "have you always been this high and mighty princess?"

"Ya Han Seojun, call me a princess again and see what happens to your beautiful face."

"Aah, so you admit I have a beautiful face."

"Aish, why are you so egoistic and stupid."

"Why are you such a nerd."

"Ya, stop it." Lee Suho stood in between them, it was such a mess with Kang Soojin here to study with him and Han Seojun here with Se-yeon to goof around, "should you two not be friends by now?"

"I'd rather die than be friends with this high and mighty princess."

"YA! WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT CALLING ME THAT."

Soojin immediately met Han Seojun's eyes, looking at him and Seojun could notice how her jaw clenched on that nickname, her nose flaring and those eyes sharply warning him. "You really must have a death wish, Han Seojun," Soojin turned, giving him the attention he desperately kept asking for, "and if you think I am going to fall for any of your silly tricks, then forget it. It would be better for the both of us if you could just leave me alone." Scoffing, she focused back on the sums.

"I noticed that you did not eat anything at lunch, and hence..." Han Seojun grabbed her hand and placed the drink in her hand, with that he stormed off" the class.

Soojin rolled her eyes, and grabbed the plastic bottle in her hand, mad at the arrogant idiot who was up to something and mad at herself for holding up a conversation with him. She got up and threw the bottle in the trash bin, as she made her way to the restroom, this time to wash her hands to get out of Han Seojun's lingering touch.

Why in the world were Han Seojun's touches so warm?

_

Lee Suho was quite the observant kid ever since he was little. His mother's death, his father's betrayal, and the incessant fame which came owing to his father, his best friend's suicide and his unwittingly handsome looks always felt like a burden to the guy. He never wanted any of those, nothing rather, for all he wanted was his mom to be healthy, for Seyeon to never be bullied, and more so, to not let Han Seojun ever walk away from him. He had been alone most of his life, and post the death of his friend, loneliness was all he had.

Yet in all of the isolation, he had Kang Soojin.

The girl who was his neighbor growing up, and Suho instantly liked how quiet and reserved Soojin was too. She hardly spoke, and whenever she did, it was graceful. Not only was she polite, she was in her own way sharp, unnerving and did not give two fucks about anyone else. Suho also learned how brillant she was in her studies and besides looking pretty, Soojin had a cold personality which she hid behind her happy facade. Their fathers were friends, more so business partners which led to a silly feud between the two to hop their projections on to their kids.

Suho did not really care, honestly, but Soojin did, and he could see how much Soojin struggled to ace the tests, only for her to stand second always. On knowing the consequences of Soojin never standing first, Suho tried to do not so well on his test, purposely skipping some questions and Soojin did score well, but she screamed at him for pitying her and told him to never do that again else she'd never speak to him. Suho did not have anyone but her and for their friendship, he never cheated even though Soojin had to bear the dire results at the end.

So did it hurt when Soojin tried kissing him, or when she threw the chain in the fire, or when she bullied Jugyeong, it did, Suho could pretend all he wanted that Soojin was not his friend anymore, but it hurt to see his oldest friend fall off in such a way.

But as much as he knew Soojin, he also knew how Han Seojun, his best friend was and even though they had a rift for the past year, he could read his friend like a book. It wasn't much, Suho knew that, but Seojun being soft to Soojin was something that did not add up at all. He knew Seojun would kill anyone who bullied or troubled any of his friends and Lim Jugyeong was more than a friend to him.

It was really fishy for Han Seojun to be kind instead of mad at Soojin.

"Seojun, have a minute?" Suho interrupted the gang who were playing a mixture of football and dodgeball. The rest of the guys resumed playing when Seojun excused himself. "What are you doing?"

Han Seojun scoffed, "playing, because it's PE."

Lee Suho wrapped his arm around Seojun's shoulder, "don't even act smart, Seojun, it doesn't suit you." Suho snarkily remarked, which may come off as rude but Seojun knew it was anything but that. "Now spill it."

"Ya Suho," Han Seojun got out of his hold, knowing exactly what Suho asked him. "I'm not Lim Jugyeong that you're getting all mushy with me." He teased him back and Suho smiled, glad to see how Seojun still mastered the art of changing the subject. "People might get the wrong idea if we stay this close often." Han Seojun ran his hand through his hair, smirking and proud.

"Seojunnie, what are you thinking to do with Soojin?" Suho cut to the chase and watched Seojun's smirk vanish, his eyes now held the rage he often hid and then Suho witnessed him changing his expression to nonchalance.

Seojun mocked laughed, shaking his head, "ya Suho, you insane? What are you even talking about?" He met Suho's calm yet intimidating gaze.

"Aniyo, you're insane. Because you and me both know exactly what you're doing."

Their staring match would have lasted for the entire period if it wasn't Jugyeong who interrupted the boys, walking on them staring at each other like they'd fight again. She hated being the middleman in their fights, sometimes Jugyeong would wonder whether she's the third wheel here.

"What's wrong?"

"Lim Jugyeong, please take your boyfriend from here and ask him to mind his own business," Han Seojun smiled, a smug one at Suho who still kept staring at the guy. "Gomawo," He yelled as he walked from them towards the boys who played. (Thank you very much)

"Is something the matter?" Jugyeong asked, concerned, "did something happen between you two again?"

Suho shook his head, he didn't want to trouble Lim Jugyeong considering she just recovered from her PTSD. "Ani, you know me and Seojun, it's just harmless banter." He assured her and they walked back to join their class, but he wasn't done with Seojun just yet.

There Soojin was frustrated by the fact that there's no one who wants to team with her for the term project. She spoke to their teacher Mr. Han to let her submit the project by herself, she didn't need a team but Mr. Han could do nothing for her, a team was what she needed and if she couldn't get one, she couldn't get those easy marks.

What was she to do now?

"That's it for today," Mr. Han smiled at the class, "don't forget to smile back and always remember to help others, because a good deed never goes unnoticed." And the class cringed at once, telling him to stop being so cheesy while Mr. Han just smiled at them.

The class dispersed rather quickly, Soojin as always stood back as Jugyeong and Su-ah discussed about the project. Seojun was resting his head on the last bench, dozing off rather and it took everything for Soojin to stand up, and walk towards the lazy head.

"Ya Han Seojun," Soojin's clear voice resonated in the classroom, garnering their attention, Seojun lazily sat back up. "Do you wanna team up for the end term project?"

_

Do leave your comments and votes if you're reading