Byeolrim Academy
The final year class hall was noisy and loud. Students had just returned from the summer break. Everyone was trying to catch up on the fun they missed, planning activities for their final year in high school, discussing the tertiary institutions they were going to, some wallowing in their broken relationships, others forming new ones.
Lim Joon-seok, the popular school's gossip rat, the guy who knows everything about everyone (even if he doesn't want to) and the unofficial class clown, suddenly rushed through the door, falling in the middle of the room. He quickly regained his stance, grabbed the seat in front of him, and sat beside her.
Kim Bo-ram, a natural cutie and the school's very own Barbie doll, had fair, perfect skin, big eyes, and a small face. Her hair was always styled in two buns, which perfectly fit her aesthetic.
"What's wrong with you? It's just the first day of school and you're already full of gossip?" she scoffed, uninterested.
"This one is legit," he said, still panting.
"Really?" Seo-ra exclaimed from across the class, rushing to sit beside him as she handed him a bottle of water. "Tell us," she said, eyes wide.
The entire class gathered around him at that moment. He smirked knowingly.
"What would you guys do without me?" he said, dusting off his shoulder.
"Tell us already," a girl demanded from behind.
"Calm down, will you?" He exhaled. "I have two news, good and bad. Which one first?"
"Tell us the good news first," Seo-ra said.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"I just found out from the teacher's office that our homeroom teacher is…" He paused for suspense, then shouted, "Mr. Moon!"
A collective gasp filled the room.
"Why? Isn't that good news?" he asked, puzzled.
"It's just too good to be true," Bo-ram said, squeezing her teddy. "Now I wish I heard the bad news first. What's the bad news then?"
"We have a transfer student," he blurted.
Seo-ra slapped his arm. "How is that bad news?"
"It's bad for my heart. Her beauty—it's… I can't explain it," he said, holding his chest dramatically.
Bo-ram stuffed her teddy in his face, annoyed.
"Why is everyone angry? It's really true," he said, trying to redeem himself.
A sudden sound came from the front of the class. They all turned at once. Mr. Moon, their favorite, tall and handsome teacher, stood at the front with books in hand.
"Settle down, students," he said in his deep but calm voice.
They all smiled as they settled into their seats. The class became so quiet that even the sound of a pin dropping would be loud.
"Come in," he said with a smile.
Soo-ji walked in calmly too calmly almost as if the floor would break if she stepped carelessly. Her head was lowered.
"Would you like to introduce yourself?" he asked politely.
She nodded slightly and raised her head. "My name is Lee Soo-ji, and I'm from Gangnam."
The class erupted in murmurs of awe.
"You're really pretty, Lee Soo-ji," a voice came from behind.
Her face turned red.
Mr. Moon chuckled. "Class, this is Lee Soo-ji, our new transfer student. She will be joining us for the rest of the year. Take care of her, okay?"
"Yes, Mr. Moon!" they chorused.
He gestured for her to find a seat.
"Come and sit next to me, it's vacant," Bo-ram said, pushing Joon-seok off the chair.
Soo-ji smiled slightly.
Joon-seok stood up, dusting his uniform. "You're lucky I like pretty people," he teased as he moved to sit behind them.
"Don't listen to him," Bo-ram said, shaking her head.
"So class, I know the school reporter must have told you already," Mr. Moon said, looking at Joon-seok, who just shrugged. The class burst into laughter.
"I'll be your homeroom teacher for your final year," he continued. "I know you're excited, but there's more to it than just fun. I believe you all have your college goals and the points you're working toward this term."
"Yes, Mr. Moon," they replied with less enthusiasm.
"It might be hard, but I'll always be here if you need anything," he said with a smile, picking up his attendance list. "Let's take attendance."
After a few minutes, he was done and left the class idle before the next lesson.
Bo-ram turned to Soo-ji. "Hi! I am Kim Bo-ram," she said, pointing to herself.
Joon-seok leaned forward. "I'm Lim Joon-seok, your personal tour guide. I'll always be here if you need anything."
"Ignore him," Bo-ram said.
"Why should she? You always act like you don't like me the most when you do," he sulked.
Bo-ram threw her teddy at him, but he caught it.
"Don't ruin this perfect face, or you'll end up marrying me," he joked.
"Please don't," she replied playfully, then turned back to Soo-ji. "Let's be friends. What do you think?"
"Me too," Joon-seok added instantly.
Soo-ji smiled shyly. "I would like that."
Joon-seok clutched his chest. "What is this? Your voice sounds like honey."
"Hey, Seok, can't you see you're making her uncomfortable?" Bo-ram scolded, then smiled at Soo-ji. "Our first class is mathematics. I hope you like math."
"Uh… not really," Soo-ji admitted.
"Neither do I. That math teacher is a total bitch"
"Don't scare her," Bo-ram interrupted. "Just ignore her. Apart from her, all the others are sweet and—"
Her words were cut short.
Ms. Ga-young, the most terrifying teacher in Byeolrim Academy, small but fierce, known as a "walking zombie apocalypse" behind her back, stood at the front.
"I don't need your greetings. Open to page 9 of your mathematics textbook," she said coldly.
Everyone rolled their eyes.
"You're in your final year. Don't expect me to be nice."
"Like she was ever nice," Joon-seok muttered.
"Who just spoke?" she snapped. Silence.
She smirked.
"Joon-seok, Yoo-na, and who is that beside Bo-ram?"
Soo-ji's heart dropped. She felt like she had died a thousand times already.
This couldn't be happening. Not on her first day.
Her palms turned slick against the desk. The textbook page blurred in front of her eyes. There was no way she'd be asked to solve a question in front of the entire class. Numbers had never been her friends, and now they were about to betray her completely.
She knew she was finished.