The Gift
'Haeun...? You... yesterday you definitely said we'd go together... but why...'
I was inwardly sobbing with betrayal.
Thud—
Kang Minjae brushed past me, deliberately slamming his shoulder into mine hard.
"Ugh…!"
"Fucking trash."
Minjae looked down at me like I was a bug, spat the words, and headed back to his seat.
Abandoned in the morning, late to school, treated like garbage right from the start.
Any normal person would have their mental state crumble here.
But I, Lee Woojin, am the great captain of the Titanic, aren't I?
…Kang Minjae, that bastard. He's just jealous, huh?
I sneered inwardly.
Haeun took care of only me in the nurse's office, looked only at me, so he's jealous and acting out. Of course, that guy's been crushing on Baek Haeun forever. Pathetic loser. In the end, the winner is me, Lee Woojin.
I completely forgot my pathetic morning display.
And started spinning the perfect mental victory circuit again.
Yeah. Haeun was just busy this morning… she forgot for a second. I get it. Yeah~ yeah~.
Amid the kids' contemptuous stares and Minjae's factual violence, I grinned creepily to myself, lost in solitary triumph.
"……!"
Heat rushed to my face.
Flustered and furious, my ears burning red, I clenched my fists tight.
Which bastard…
I bit my lip, stomped to the blackboard, and snatched the eraser roughly.
Scrub scrub—
I aggressively wiped away the red chalk marks, mentally listing suspects who could write shit like this.
Yu Jiwon…? You? No, Kang Minjae who picked a fight earlier? Nah. Choi Jia? …Ah, it's you. Kim Doeun, who always bullies kids for fun.
Whoever it was didn't matter.
This whole class of trash was in on it anyway.
Yeah, whatever. No matter how much you act superior and treat me like a bug… the winner's still me. Haeun only has eyes for m—
I was midway through erasing the board, executing my tearful mental victory, when—
Thud—
Something blunt flew from the back of the class and smacked my head dead-on, dropping to the floor.
A chunk of white chalk.
"……Which bastard!?"
My bottled-up patience finally hit rock bottom.
I slammed the eraser to the floor, whipped around with bloodshot eyes, and unleashed my pent-up rage.
"......."
The classroom froze in stunned silence, like ice water poured over us.
But the quiet lasted less than three seconds.
Soon, blatant snickers and whispers erupted from the kids.
"Whoa, does he have anger issues?"
"Crazy, why's he freaking out alone? Sudden rage quit lol."
"Must've hit a nerve~ pervert bastard."
Open mockery poured out.
No one said who threw the chalk.
The whole class was toying with me, roasting me alive.
"……."
I bit my lip until blood welled up from the shame.
Just wait till I catch you… I won't let you off…
I hung my head and staggered back to my seat.
Right as I passed the aisle to my desk cluster—
Thud—!
"Ugh!"
Minwoo, passing by, slyly tripped me.
Completely off-guard, I flailed ugly and crashed onto the cold classroom floor.
"Puhahaha! See? Told ya! I said he'd trip! Pay up the 10,000 won, I win!"
Minwoo cackled at my sprawled form, yelling at his friends.
They'd even bet on me.
I lifted my dirt-smeared face and glared at Minwoo; he spread his legs cockily and jutted his chin.
"What're you looking at, retard."
"……Fuck."
I swallowed the curse internally, dusted myself off, and slumped into my chair like a deflated balloon.
"Sigh, what a moron~ look at him."
Minwoo and the kids' jeers echoed in my ears.
I face-planted on my desk, burying my head in my arms.
Praying desperately for this hellish day to end soon.
Ding dong dang—
The long, boring classes finally ended; after closing, kids streamed out like an ebbing tide.
Empty classroom.
I finally lifted my head and packed my bag haphazardly.
Cleaning duty for being late? Not today.
"Woojina~!"
Then, a clear, cheerful voice from the front door.
It was Baek Haeun.
"Let's go together."
Haeun approached, smiling warmly at me.
After ditching me that morning.
Smiling like nothing happened.
"Uh…? Yeah…."
Flustered, I nodded anyway.
As we walked the hall side-by-side with my bag slung on, the morning humiliation resurfaced; I broached it cautiously.
"Oh, right. Haeun… this morning… you said we'd go together…."
"Huh…?"
Haeun's eyes widened round, then she clapped and beamed innocently.
"Oh yeah~! Woojin, sorry~. I totally forgot."
"……."
"Really sorry. Wanna go together tomorrow then?"
So light, no malice at all.
The 30 minutes I paced the empty hall in despair? Just a forgetful blip to her.
"N… no."
Pride stung, I averted my eyes and muttered.
"I'll… go alone tomorrow."
"Whyy~?"
Haeun stopped, peered right into my face, lips curling mischievously.
"You sulking?"
"......."
Me…? Sulking?
As if, Haeun. You're just my pawn. I'm the one training you…
Even in this pathetic mess, my great Titanic brain steadfastly sailed the mental victory route.
I forced a cool, casual smile.
"Nah?.. Nothing like that. I'm heading out first."
I bolted without looking back, leaving Haeun behind as I hurried home.
Completely missing the chillingly cold smile blooming on her lips as she watched me go.
I trudged heavily through the front door; Suah from the living room rushed over and hugged my waist tight.
"Oppa~."
Normally I'd shove her off in disgust, but my whole body ached; I just stood there, gazing down at her head.
Suah looked up cautiously while hugging me.
"Oppa…. Lately, is something… hard?"
Her big eyes brimmed with worry.
She must've been concerned about yesterday's mess when I came home wrecked.
But male pride wouldn't let me tell my little sister I was getting ostracized and beaten in class.
"Nothing…. It's just complicated adult stuff."
At my curt reply, Suah gripped my clothes and mumbled sullenly.
"I see…. Still, if something's hard, you gotta tell me, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, let go."
I peeled her off lightly and slipped into my room.
Behind the closing door, her worried "Oppa…." faded, but I ignored it.
In my room, I collapsed onto the bed without even changing out of uniform.
Staring blankly at the ceiling, I debated grabbing my phone for more novel reading.
"…Nah. Why am I so tired lately."
Total drained feeling, like my energy was sucked dry. I tossed the phone by my head and passed out under heavy eyelids.
"Woojin."
How long had I slept?
Mom's voice from beyond the door half-woke me groggily.
"Woojin, you in there?"
Click clack—
The doorknob rattled loudly, but I'd locked it coming in.
"Woojin…! Open the door?"
"Ugh… why, Mom…. I'm tired, lemme sleep…."
As I irritably pulled the blanket over—
"No, Haeun's here to play! You gonna leave her waiting without opening?"
"……What?! Haeun?!"
That name jolted my eyes wide open.
Baek Haeun, who coldly ditched me yesterday morning, came to my room?
Hahaha…! See? My thinking was right!
I inwardly cheered, springing from bed.
She overdid the push-pull, now she's here to soothe me, gauging my mood.
Lee Woojin ain't dead yet.
Click—
I unlocked boldly and swung the door open; there was Haeun, demure under the living room lights.
"Woojin. Hi…."
Haeun greeted with her usual bright smile.
"Uh… yeah."
I nodded coolly; she pulled something from behind her.
"Oh, right. Woojin. A gift."
"What is it…?"
Peering into the pretty shopping bag, I frowned.
"What… a bear plush…? I don't need crap like this."
Why give a big high school guy a fluffy bear toy?
As I rejected it awkwardly, Mom smacked my back sharply from beside.
Smack—!
"Ow…!!"
"Sigh, you ungrateful brat! Haeun gave you a nice gift, just say thanks and take it!"
"Heehee…."
As I rubbed my stinging back indignantly, Haeun covered her mouth and giggled softly.
That pleasant laugh… I snatched the bag pretending to relent.
"Fine, fine! I'll take it."
I roughly pulled out the bear and tossed it onto a corner of my desk.
Its black glass-bead eyes gleamed oddly toward the bed, but I didn't notice.