"It's so hot!"
"You should lose weight hehe!"
"Hey my human fan! There's no breeze! Level three!"
"Okay! Here! Here!"
"Haha! You look stupid Taejoon!"
This piece of craps! This is humiliating! I wanna die!! Gritting his teeth, Daeho swallowed his pride and he intensified his fanning in front of Choi Taejoon. For someone like him, who was weak, there was only one place for them: the bottom of the food chain, while people like Taejoon stayed at the top.
His sole role as a bottom liner was to run errands for people like Taejoon.
People like him had no choice but to comply, or else he would face serious trouble. It was better to endure the embarrassment in front of his classmates and, more specifically, in front of... His eyes wandered and landed on the beautiful Park Jihye.
She was incredibly stunning to him. He couldn't help but stare at her for a long time, so much so that he didn't realize Taejoon and his companions had shifted their focus.
"And who are you looking at?" Taejoon asked with a mocking tone, glancing at the same spot.
He jolted at Taejoon's voice and felt a surge of anxiety. No way! Taejoon would surely tell Jihye about his staring! And he wasn't wrong; Taejoon and his two friends burst into loud laughter.
His face flushed with embarrassment, especially when Taejoon loudly called out to the girl, drawing the attention of his previously indifferent classmates.
"Hey Park Jihye! It looks like Daeho here has a crush on you!"
Daeho's heart raced as he felt the eyes of his classmates on him, their laughter amplifying his humiliation. He saw Park Jihye scanning him from head to toe, her expression shifting from curiosity to disdain. She then looked at Taejoon with a sneer.
"Shut up, you fool! Who would be interested in that guy?!"
The words cut through Daeho like a knife. He felt his face grow even hotter as he tried to shrink into himself. The laughter around him seemed to grow louder, and he wished he could disappear.
He knew Jihye would never be interested in someone as pathetic as him.
"Poor Daeho, tsk, tsk." Taejoon said, mocking him.
He couldn't help but bite his lower lip in shame. If only he had the same status as Taejoon, would Jihye finally like him?
"He's really handsome hihi."
"Hey lower your voice, you will disturb his sleep."
"When will he be my boyfriend, he's so dreamy.."
Above Taejoon and his lackeys stands the true boss. I glanced over to someone not far from me. Looks, body, and wealth—he has it all. That's Jeong Si-Woo. I sighed, wishing I could be him.
The girls gathered around his desk, causing Taejoon to frown in annoyance.
Jeong Si-Woo sat confidently at his desk, completely unfazed by the commotion. His presence commanded respect and admiration, drawing attention from everyone around him. The way he carried himself, with effortless grace and charm, only intensified Daeho's feelings of inadequacy.
As Daeho continued to fan Taejoon, he tried to block out the chatter about Jeong Si-Woo. The contrast between his own humiliating position and Si-Woo's effortless dominance was stark and painful. He wished for a moment that he could escape the scorn of his peers and trade places with someone who seemed to have it all.
The girls around Si-Woo giggled and whispered, their eyes filled with admiration as they eagerly fawned over him. Taejoon, irritated by the distraction, shot a glare at the girls and snapped, "Move away from him! Can't you see you're being annoying?"
The girls reluctantly backed off, but their murmurs of admiration for Si-Woo continued. Taejoon's frown deepened as he tried to regain their attention, but his irritation only made Daeho feel more out of place.
Feeling the weight of his position as a bottom liner more than ever, Daeho focused on his task, though the shame of being caught staring at Jihye and the contrast with Jeong Si-Woo's effortless superiority made it nearly unbearable. He wished for a chance to change his fate, even if just for a day.
When he finally escaped from Taejoon's hand, he quickly left the room and headed to the canteen to eat.
He was exhausted and hungry from fanning Taejoon. Luckily, he wasn't turned into a punching bag this time, unlike the day before. His body was still sore from the previous encounter.
He trudged to the end of the long line.
"Move!"
"Get to the back!"
"Hey, ugly kid! We were here first, get lost!"
They laughed as they said this. Trying to control his irritation, he walked to the very end of the line after being pushed aside. Jerks! They acted like they were superior, just because they weren't being bullied by Taejoon's group.
Glaring at the back of his head, he let them get in the line first.
He spent nearly half an hour waiting due to the annoying people cutting in line. With no energy left, he made his way to the far end of the canteen and took a seat.
He was taken aback when he saw someone like him sitting next to him. He recognized him because, after all, who else would sympathize with people like them at the bottom of the hierarchy?
"Hello," he began. The other person looked up in surprise. He felt a bit sorry when he noticed the bruise on the right side of their face.
The person looked at him in confusion. He felt a twinge of irritation, thinking they should have recognized him.
"You're Park Woojin, right? I'm Kim Daeho."
"A-Ah, hi..." the person replied awkwardly.
He smiled widely. See? This person was just like him—alone and friendless.
He was about to start a conversation when another person sat down beside them.
"E-Eh? Renji?" Park Woojin exclaimed.
Daeho turned to see the newcomer and froze. It was Renji, looking slightly out of place but with a familiar smirk on his face.
"Hey, Woojin," Renji greeted, giving a casual wave. Daeho watched as Renji took a seat next to Woojin, noticing the quick shift in Woojin's demeanor from surprised to visibly more relaxed.
"Renji? You know him?" Daeho asked, trying to mask his curiosity.
"Yeah, he's a classmate," Woojin explained, his initial shock giving way to a smile. "Renji's a friend of mine." He said, a bit uncertain, but Renji simply nodded in agreement. Woojin's smile widened.
Renji glanced at Daeho, then back to Woojin. "I was looking for you. Thought I'd find you here."
Daeho shifted uncomfortably but tried to stay engaged. "I'm Kim Daeho. Nice to meet you."
"Hey, nice to meet you too," Renji said, not sounding particularly enthusiastic but polite enough.
Daeho could sense the shift in dynamics. The presence of Renji seemed to change the atmosphere, making him feel like an outsider.
What is this? He thought Park Woojin was just like him. When did he make a friend?
Daeho felt a surge of anger in his heart, as if Woojin had betrayed him even though they had only just met today.
Daeho sat quietly, feeling the sting of being an outsider. The initial relief he felt from finding someone like him to talk to was quickly overshadowed by the realization that Woojin was no longer alone. Renji's presence made Daeho feel even more isolated, as if the brief connection he had with Woojin was slipping away.
Renji and Woojin chatted comfortably, their conversation flowing with ease. Daeho, trying to keep his composure, took a bite of his meal and forced himself to listen, even though the dialogue felt distant and out of reach.
Eventually, Daeho stood up, feeling his appetite fade. He forced a smile and said, "Well, I should get going. Nice meeting you, Renji."
Renji gave a curt nod, and Woojin looked up, a bit puzzled. "Oh, already? Well, see you around, Daeho."
Daeho nodded, feeling a pang of regret as he walked away. The brief connection he had hoped for with Woojin had dissipated, leaving him to face the reality of his own lonely existence once more.
____________________________
"Is he from our class?" Renji asked after Daeho left.
"No. He's from the other section."
"Oh.."
"By the way, sorry for the last time. I couldn't attend the class. What happened between you and Hyunwoo?" Woojin curiously asked.
He calmly lifted his gaze and seemed to recall the incident.
"They found out what happened in the back alley. I don't know where they heard it. He challenged me, so there it is," he said with a shrug.
Woojin got worried about of what he heard from Renji and couldn't help but voice his thoughts.
"There are many like Donghyun's group here. Now that he's no longer the King because you defeated him..." Woojin paused. It only just occurred to him. The hierarchy in their section has changed. Donghyun's group lost to Renji. So that makes Renji the new King of Section 1-A.
He didn't know whether to be happy or scared. Since even Hyunwoo, from the section next to theirs, already found out that Renji is the new King, it would surely reach others as well.
Renji noticed his expression and looked at him with a frown. "Don't worry about me. It's not your fault. I was the one who initiated this, so I'll take care of it," Renji said with a shake of his head.
He was compelled to nod.
"But you're really amazing! I didn't know you could fight like that. Where did you learn those moves?" For a moment, he forgot his worries. Woojin's voice clearly showed his admiration.
Renji looked slightly surprised by Woojin's reaction but managed a modest smile.
"I've had some training before. It wasn't something I picked up overnight," he said, his tone casual but with a hint of pride.
Woojin's eyes widened. "That's impressive. I didn't realize you were so skilled. No wonder you were able to handle Donghyun and his group."
Renji shrugged. "It's not just about skills. It's also about understanding your opponents and being prepared for anything."
Woojin fell silent for a moment, which Renji found puzzling. Just as Renji was about to speak, Woojin suddenly said,
"Can you teach me how to fight?"