I Have No Friends
I have no friends.
It was such a natural state of affairs that I hadn't even noticed until now, but I still only had Ma Yeonseo as a friend. The kids in class were nice, just as I'd hoped at first, and of course I wasn't bullied.
Why did it turn out like this?
I only realized it when summer vacation hit, and I spent the break reflecting on the past months.
Early in the semester, when things were still awkward for most kids. Like everyone else, I stuck close to the familiar face of Ma Yeonseo.
Not that we were glued together—we'd chat during breaks, eat lunch side by side, study unfamiliar lessons together, and head home as a pair. If we got a bit closer during group activities, that was it.
Nothing much different from elementary school days. If anything, since we weren't assigned as desk partners anymore, we probably spent less time together than before.
Time passed, and by the time class relationships had solidified across the board, I was still only hanging out with Ma Yeonseo.
Perfectly naturally, just like always.
Wait, no way.
Yeah. That was the problem.
I'd gotten so wrapped up in hanging out with Ma Yeonseo that I'd neglected everyone else.
No freaking way!
Finally reaching the truth, I was struck with shock.
Just a little, though.
And understandably so—time with her was so satisfying that it wasn't like I was regretting not making friends. Hell, it even felt way more comfortable playing with her than bothering with new kids.
Kang Yuchan... you've gone soft!
Suddenly, I felt pathetic.
Peace makes people complacent, right? My bold initial vow to make tons of friends had vanished, and now I was content with the status quo.
What a loser.
But I can still turn it around.
At least I'd woken up now. The real work started from here.
I still had two and a half years of middle school left.
Two and a half years!
Plenty of chances to make friends ahead.
Not too late—I just had to start doing better now.
Sigh. But suddenly acting buddy-buddy out of nowhere might backfire.
Charge in blindly, and I'd just get labeled as the weird kid.
First impressions are everything between people, right? Wedging into established groups now would probably do more harm than good.
Guess there's no helping it.
I concluded that for this year, I'd quietly stick to Ma Yeonseo.
No choice in the matter.
Oh, right—maybe text Yeonseo while I'm thinking of her.
Not because of any ulterior motives.
...Definitely not.
Biding my time, I curled up and quietly got through first year.
Finally, I was a second-year.
"Whoa, different classes?"
"Yeah."
"And different floors too?"
"Probably?"
"No way."
To my shock, Ma Yeonseo and I weren't in the same class.
We were even on different floors now, making chance encounters tough.
It had been four years since we'd started hanging out.
We're really split up now.
I'd vaguely expected this day would come eventually.
But now that it had, it felt a bit... disappointing.
No! Snap out of it, Kang Yuchan!!
Shaking off my momentary lapse, I shot a glare at the main culprit, Ma Yeonseo.
"...?"
She blinked back innocently, like she had no idea.
Almost fell for it again.
Scary girl.
And so began my second-year life without Ma Yeonseo.
"Oh! Same class, nice!"
"Thank goodness. All my close friends got split up—would've sucked."
As expected, unlike first year, relationships were already set.
Still, the shuffled seating left a weird awkwardness hanging around.
Soon enough, opportunity knocked for me too.
"Yuchan, you play that game too?"
"Huh? Yeah, I do."
"No way, for real? What's your tier?"
"Yuchan plays too?"
Games gave me a chance to chat with the guys for the first time in ages.
Felt awkward after so long.
Worth keeping up with it steadily.
And that wasn't all.
"Yuchan, we're hitting the PC bang after school with some class kids. Wanna come?"
"Me?"
"With you, it'll be exactly five. Come on."
An invite to the PC bang I never saw coming!
This is it!
Pumping my fist inwardly, I accepted gladly.
And then.
"Ah."
I suddenly remembered I'd promised to walk home with Ma Yeonseo.
Double-booked by accident.
...What now.
As after-school loomed, I racked my brain.
Walk home with Ma Yeonseo, or PC bang with class friends.
For a split second, I thought, Walk with her, then hit the PC bang? But that didn't feel great.
Time to ask her permission.
After agonizing forever, I made my choice.
"That's how it is."
After school, Ma Yeonseo showed up in the classroom as usual. I explained: I had plans, so no walking home together today.
"......"
She just blinked, like she'd misheard.
Feeling needlessly anxious, I started rambling excuses.
"It's a chance to bond with class kids, y'know? First time for me too, so..."
Her tightly shut lips finally parted.
"Do whatever."
"...Huh?"
"Do whatever you want."
"Wait, really? That's okay?"
"Yeah."
Maybe it was my imagination, but she answered surprisingly casually.
Guess I was the only one taking it seriously.
Worried for nothing.
Even if Ma Yeonseo came off a bit curt sometimes, she had a sweet side deep down.
"Thanks for understanding...!"
Problem solved smoothly, I promised to make it up to her and headed to the PC bang with the class kids.
The dazzling school life of friend-making genius Kang Yuchan had begun!
"Alright, newbies—self-intros?"
I didn't stop at class friends; I steadily expanded outward.
First up: the book club.
"Kang Yuchan, Class 3, second year. Nice to meet you."
The librarian-run book club was basically for resume padding.
We'd meet biweekly to read, discuss, and if you participated well, get a principal-stamped certificate.
Obviously, only kids already into it joined such a dry club.
Thanks to bullying making me book buddies, I fit right in.
"Yuchan oppa, didn't you say you liked Woo Jang Mountain's books last time?"
"Yeah?"
"Ta-da! Read this one too?"
"Huh, first time seeing that."
Surprisingly, the closest I got was to Kim Chabin, a first-year girl one grade below.
The only other new first-year joiner, she leaned on me hard as her sole peer.
"New book coming in. Want first dibs, oppa?"
"Sure, but... when'd you snag that?"
"Hehe, saved it ahead for you."
"Is that allowed in book club...?"
"It's book club, so yeah."
"Anyway... thanks. I'll read it."
"Thanks? You'll know later?"
"I'll think about it."
"Tch, just thinking?"
"I'll consider properly."
"Gimme the book back."
"Kidding. Kidding."
Kim Chabin was cute-looking with killer aegyo, super popular all around.
If only Ma Yeonseo was even half as cute.
Ma Yeonseo doing aegyo... hmm. Can't picture it.
Hanging with class friends, book club activities.
Naturally, time with Ma Yeonseo dropped sharply, but our bond stayed solid.
...Until that incident.
"Hey, Yuchan."
I was prepping for next class like usual when a guy from the next class I'd only seen around came up.
"You dating Ma Yeonseo?"
About me and Ma Yeonseo's relationship, no less.
Something I'd never even considered.
Did I hear that wrong?
Stunned by the curveball, I snapped back and played it cool.
"Nah, not dating. Why?"
"For real? You're really not?"
His face lit up instantly as he plopped into the seat ahead, grilling me.
"She got a boyfriend?"
Her dating status first.
"Th-then! Anyone she likes? Ideal type? Like, celebrities or whatever!"
Down to her tastes in detail.
This guy's...
Head over heels, plain as day.
Ma Yeonseo...?
Her as someone's crush hit hard...
But thinking it over, not surprising.
Ma Yeonseo had matured into an adult-level beauty with insane development.
Prettiest girl in school by far—enough to ignite middle school crushes.
I'd just overlooked her charms from seeing her too much.
"Saw some guy eyeing you earlier—like he likes you?"
"...Outta nowhere?"
Walking home with Ma Yeonseo, I told her about the boy.
"Told him I didn't know."
"Good call."
I peeked for her reaction, but she didn't flinch at all.
She knows he likes her and doesn't care?
Somehow relieved, my steps felt lighter.
Then.
"......"
I probed casually.
"Just curious. You actually like anyone?"
She glanced at me, firing back.
"You? Anyone?"
"I asked first."
"Tell me, and I will."
"Me, well..."
I glanced her way without thinking, then shook my head. Nope.
"Hmm... really?"
She looked away, tone flat as ever.
"I do."
"......Huh?"
I doubted my ears for a second.