BETTER FRIENDS - chapter 1
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐃 in it's usual mischief, sneakers squeaking around as students roughed around, others laughing at the dismay of others, dismay that they may have caused their own selves.
Lee Julie found herself laying her chin on her desk placed at the front of the class next to the door, scribbling indecipherable nonsense on a random piece of paper, there was nothing worth doing— watching the bullies torture some poor student was substandard and gossiping with the girls who she was forced to call her friends was an even bigger waste of her time.
"Are we going to visit the beauty stores after classes?" Min Eun-bi giddily asked around the other girls. Park Hyoryeong, —whom sat at the desk across — Eun-bi's close friend smiled and hummed in agreement, nodding excitedly as she scrolled through her phone.
Eun-bi turned to her left, Julie sat at the desk right infront of her, "What about you? Julie? Are you going to come with us?"
Silence bestowed the group, Hyoryeong awkwardly looked up from her phone, staring at the girl in the front.
Julie put her pencil down, sitting up from her slouched position, turning around with a blink and bored facial expression, she looked at Eun-bi. "The beauty store? When we have mock exams coming soon?"
"If you don't want to come that's fine." Hyoryeong interjected, causing Julie to divert her attention. "They may not have anything that you might like anyways.."
Julie furrowed her brows, choosing to stay silent, she stared as Eun-bi jokingly chastised Hyoryeong for being rude. "Hyoryeong you can't just say something like that" Eun-bi bantered.
"What? Like I'm lying? She wouldn't find anything for her, it'll just be a waste."
With a flat face, Julie turned back around. By now she was used to the little jabs Hyoryeong would make, and the unserious attempts from Eun-bi; trying to force her to be nice.
She looked at her hands, the bronze skin tone staring back at her. The words; they may not have anything you might like, irked her to no end. The not-so subtle prejudice was never missed. The small snide remarks, the discrete looks that was made towards her, the leaving her out of activities just because they felt like they didn't want to be seen with her.
Lee Julie knew that Min Eun-bi and Park Hyoryeong were only friends with her to make themselves feel better about themselves. So that they could get a pat on the pack for befriending the new student who's clearly different.
Amidst Eun-bi and Hyoryeong's unsettling banter, Julie felt her eyes drift around, landing on the figure she so often found herself staring at.
Everyone was well aware of Yeon Si-eun. The boy who's top-grade student. The academically gifted one. He was the type that could look at a mathematical problem and solve it with his eyes closed shut. Always with that look of aloofness.
One thing that Julie liked staring at, were his eyes— when they weren't glued to a notebook or random textbook— Those dark black eyes that looked so waxed that she could probably see her reflection if she looked close enough. Julie would always find herself lost in them, finding peace in watching his irises move left to right as he jotted down notes. She thought they were beautiful.
Unfortunately for her, the boy usually kept to himself, always tangled in his academics. It kept him distant from the rest of them; like a guarded wall that she so desperately wanted to break down.
She never felt like this often, especially for a boy she barely knows at all, but it was something about Yeon Si-eun, that made her want to protect him from anything and she didn't know why. Maybe she was experiencing a strong case of limerence, or, maybe it's because he reminded her of someone that she used to know.
The simple pronunciation of her name made her jolt, startling her from her day dreams. Her heart skipping a quiet beat. She turned around, looking at Min Eun-bi, the one who called for her.
"Stop zoning out." Eun-bi said, "Teacher said it's time for P.E."
Most of the class sat on the track field's stoned steps, waiting as they watched the remaining few of their classmates finish their usual end of class laps around the field.
Julie was one of the first girls to finish, she was quite athletic. Sports was something she took quite seriously. Back in her old school, she was one of the highly notable members on her girls team. Byuk-san didn't have a girls team for any sport the school had to offer yet, so the only way Julie could show off and show out was in physical education classes.
Her scalp grew slightly itchy from sweat, and she released it from it's captive hair tie, letting it breathe. One thing she really liked about herself was her hair, it was long, curly, dark and healthy.
She placed her hair tie on her wrist, and decided to pay attention to the remaining few of her classmates. The slow ones who weren't really deemed to be skilled athletically.
"Look at him,he looks so stupid—"
Julie glared at Hyoryeong, who was down the steps with Eun-bi and other girls, they were standing around with Yeong-bin's group. She hated that group.
"If I beat Bolt's record, I'd think about it," Julie hears Ahn Su-Ho say to the phys Ed teacher.
Ahn Su-ho was one of the few people at this school Julie had ever truly respected. He never pissed anyone off on purpose, he didn't go out of his way to undermine and bully others. He stayed in his lane and minded his business. Plus— he was an excellent fighter.
Julie wouldn't say she knew the boy personally, but, they were fairly acquainted.
After his conversation with their teacher, Julie saw Su-ho climb up the steps, his footsteps heading towards her.He slid into the empty space next to her, stretching his arms as he grabbed a water bottle from her duffle bag.
"Did I say you could take one asshole?" Julie chuckled as she watched him open the bottle and take a huge gulp.
"Stop acting so tough" Su-ho swallowed, a small smile on his face from her insult.
Ahn Su-ho had met Lee Julie back in his MMA trainee days, back when she never attended Byuksan, back when Julie's hair was taken through a straightener and her eyes were covered with big chunky glasses.
She was a decent fighter he'd admit, someone that would always give him trouble. But they didn't know anything about each other besides their names. But one day she had just decided to quit, and just a few weeks later, she had shown up in his class, as one of the first new female students that Byuksun High had started accepting.
It's been a year since then, yet Ahn Su-ho and Lee Julie still don't know much about each other—aside from their first and last names.
The two sat in silence, Su-ho's posture relaxed into the back of the step behind him, Julie sat up straight and poised, arms crossed as she watched the rest of her class.
Yeon Si-eun was struggling to complete his run, he stood out from the rest of the class with his white undershirt and black school pants. Julie theorised reasons for his lack of P.E uniform.
Her eyes darting to Yeong-bin, unknowingly staring daggers.
"Fuck man." She overhead one of Yeong-bin's lackies chortle "he's like a zombie."
She then watched as the same bully proceeded to reenact the movement of a zombie, causing Yeong-bin and the others around him to laugh.
"Fuck you're so right" Hyoryeong agreed with him.
Julie glared even harder, her crossed harms tensed— the more angry she began to feel, the more her hands gripped her arms. "Shitheads" she unknowingly chided.
Su-ho felt her irritation, and honestly he agreed, which is why he took the water bottle he was drinking and flung it straight at the bully's head, hitting him.
Julie couldn't help but snort at the way the whole entire group froze.
The bully he flung the bottle at looked at the two, visually upset but he knew he couldn't say anything. Su-ho looked as relaxed as ever, leaning forward as he pointed at the bottle. "Get that."
The bully brought the water bottle back with a fallen facial expression. He stood infront of Su-ho, ashamed of himself.
"What's your name again?" Su-ho asked the guy
"I'm Jeong-chan" he's mumbled
Su-ho nodded and hummed, waving the water bottle dismissively, sending Jeong-chan on his way.
Julie was finally able to wipe the smile off her face, all while Yeon Si-eun had finished his run. She got up, knowing the period was almost over.
"Catch you around" Su-ho offered a goodbye.
"Yeah" Julie hummed away.
In the girls locker room, Julie was the first to arrive and the first to leave, showering and changing into her school uniform, her beige hoodie over her left shoulder and school bad slung over her right. She hummed a small song as she closed and locked her locker, the old metal making a loud sound.
She was just about to turn and leave, but then she was stopped by Eun-bin and Hyoryeong.
"Lee Julie" Hyoryeong spoke, she didn't look quite happy, but then again, when was she ever? "Since when were you and Su-ho friends?"
Julie scoffed, "we're not."
"Then why were you so close to him all of a sudden?" Eun-bin asked her, looking to the side a little, trying to avoid eye contact.
Julie stared right into her soul, her brows furrowed in confusion, "why do you care?"
"Because—" she coughed, "Hyoryeong wanted to know."
Julie's face contorted in that of annoyance, she forcibly stopped her body from making her eyes roll, "whatever, can I go now—"
"You know he used to be a fighter right?" Hyoryeong cut her off, hands on her hips matter-of-factly.
Julie nodded "yeah I know—"
"And you know the rumors that went on about you when you first got here, so you being friendly with him would be really telling."
There it was— another snide remark.
Julie just sighed, she was honestly so sick and tired of tolerating Hyoryeong and her stupid antics.
"You're just going to stay quiet—"
"Hyoryeong." Julie spoke, "do me a favor. Just shut up."
Eun-bin physically tensed, backing up a little bit. Hyoryeong blinked, she wanted used to Julie talking back, never had she ever responded to her words before, it was usually recieved with silent glares and annoyed grunts.
"What?" Hyoryeong choked, unable to speak.
"I think it's best if you mind your business instead of worrying about who I'm friends with." She got close, "Because I'm definitely not friends with you."
She walked off with the final word, bumping shoulders with Hyoryeong on the way, not even sending Eun-bin a glance her way.
Lee Julie really needed better friends.