Ch. (0,7): At The Center

Learning how my mom tied her connection to this school made me disgusted. I tried staying in class, but I couldn't help but go to the infirmary and sleep off because there was no way I could sleep in class besides Rainier Seo.

If there's anything I learned, that connection might not save me from shame, but it was strong enough for me not to worry about trivial things such as grades. So, there's really no point in going to class. Although I'm just probably making justifications in my head for not wanting to study... I really can't.

I woke up after an hour; no one was around the clinic, but there was that yogurt milk drink and doughnut pack I always buy on the bedside table. Though I was hungry, it wasn't mine, so I lay down and dozed my hunger away as I patiently waited for the lunch break.

I thought I didn't care about people's attention, but I guess I still do. Some tried to keep their conversations quiet to subtly gossip about me. Still, some intentionally talk behind my back so that I get to be part of the focused group discussion they have.

"Some people are just well-connected. While two consecutive absences can give us demerits, others get special treatment and encouragement in the headmaster's office." A guy waiting in line behind me blabbered.

His friends laughed with him and added, "Isn't it prohibited to go to an internet cafe? How I wish I could carelessly walk inside there wearing Rosevale uniform."

"You wish! Are you acquainted with the headmaster? If not, then keep dreaming. Hahahaha!"

"That reminds me, did you hear..."

"One doughnut and one yogurt milk drink," I told the attendant in the canteen.

"You look pale and skinny, boy. Why don't you eat porridge and meat?" The auntie was kind, and I was really touched by her concern.

"But I'm not eating in the cafeteria, auntie."

She smiled. "I know!" Then she took disposable food containers. "Eat plenty. You're tall, but you must still be growing!" She gave me plenty compared to regular servings.

"Wow, talk about special treatment~" Someone from the group sarcastically dissed when they saw it.

I couldn't help but turn my head only to see them clamped like clams out of water. They shut up and acted like they were minding their own business. It's never in my family's nature to endure being the topic of gossip, that's why we moved so far here. So, hearing them literally stabbing me in my back was just plain torture for me. Thankfully, I was barely able to stop myself from making a scene as the auntie at the counter gave me the food with a cheerful smile.

"Here you go, Next." She calls for the next in line, so I couldn't fight and stall the lines.

After swiping the meal card, I returned to the clinic. Unfortunately, that classmate who insisted on tutoring me was there, so I had no choice but to find an isolated place to eat. Rosevale is huge, and thankfully, I did find a quieter place for me to eat alone; the back of the art room.

The classroom was closed, so I could only settle in the back of the classroom. There was a big tree, but since it was autumn, it was rather eerie to be here, hence the reason why no one was here. The two-meter high fence around the school's perimeter is also built near the tree, it was a nice spot for me, but I don't think the responsible students of Rosevale would want to be here unless they plan to cut classes too. It made total sense why there's no one around here. Because of that, I was able to eat in peace, not until I took a whiff of cigarette smoke from the art room's open window.

I turned around and saw the only smoker in this school. "Oh. You're here." He said.

I was annoyed... I didn't eat that much yet, and now I had no choice but to find another place.

"Just stay and eat," He demanded while peeking through the window. "Did you eat the thing I left on the table?"

I froze and stopped trying to close the lid of the food containers clumsily.

"Why would I? It's not mine." I quietly murmured.

"I bought it for you, though," he nonchalantly informed me.

I didn't want to have a crush on him like I did when I first met him. He must be self-righteous... he's narcissistic and high and mighty, thinking he's all that just because he let me copy that cryptic answer.

"Next time, don't do that again," I firmly warned him.

"Hmm." He hummed.

I didn't even look at him as I left, afraid I'd be head over heels for that face while he tried to be considerate. He was kind when we met outside that club. He fought for me, lent me his jacket, and helped me calm down… I don't want to be confused. I'd rather firmly think he's an asshole than delude myself that he's kind to me.

"Are you an idiot? What considerate?... He's killing you slowly with that secondhand smoke. Are you freaking serious?" I mumbled to myself to stop this delusion from going further, but that annoying classmate saw me.

"Great, you're here! I looked for you everywhere! Next time, just eat with me in the cafeteria," He said and took the food containers from my hand abruptly, and his other hand held my arm with a firm grip.

"Come here. I have to talk to you in private." He took me back to the back of the art room.

"You know there are other places you can pick if you want to talk in private, right?" I suggested knowing that someone inside the art room could hear us. Of all people, I didn't want Rainier Seo to listen to us.

"You're right," he said with a lot of conviction.

"Of course I am! Now please, let's leave!!!"

"No, please... just listen to me." He didn't listen to me and kept saying whatever he wanted.

"You're right. I didn't volunteer to tutor you out of mere kindness toward a classmate. I want you to know that I'm gaining a lot too if I tutor you. You must have heard it from the headmaster, right?"

At his mention of the headmaster, my head was now preoccupied with what that bastard was trying to do to meddle with my life.

"What are you talking about? That bas– The headmaster only told me that I'm a troublemaker like my good-natured mother! He contradicts himself. He only blabbered about making me study as if I care about–"

"Oh come on, do you really want me to say it out loud?" He sighed and took a deep breath.

He's probably thinking I was faking ignorance.

"Woah! Seriously? You know, just agree to my offer. It's a win-win situation for us anyway."

"Explain to me what that bastard told you!!!" My emotions got the better of me. It so happened that I'd been irritated for so long, and he was just a perfect melting pot for my temper right now.

He was speechless for a while because I called the headmaster with such profanity. But he gave in and finally spoke human language.

"Okay. Chill!"

He distanced himself and let go of my arm and food.

"No matter how well-acquainted you are with the headmaster, he can't manipulate your grades to save you. The students will talk, and the PTA will be involved for sure. So, you have to do the bare minimum to pass. I agreed with the headmaster that if I tutored you and helped you pass, he'll give me a recommendation letter to A university in my senior year."

He paused for a while and began pleading his case, "You see, I badly need to get into A University. I'm confident I can get in with or without the recommendation letter, but if it's from the headmaster... I know my admission is secured."

I was flabbergasted at his reasons. This student also contradicted himself a lot.

"If you're so confident, why is the great Levi Kim begging desperately like this?" Rainier Seo laughed while sitting on the windowsill of the sliding window.

This classmate was taken aback and finally stopped showing his smiling face. "Fuck this shit," a curse slipped out of this classmate called Levi which made me speechless for a while. Indeed, there's an indescribable satisfaction when a cuss comes out of the type of person who seems to be proper and polite.

"If it's not the gold digger's son... You're quite good at eavesdropping, as usual," sharp insults flowed naturally after. He showed his true face confirming my first impression of him.

"Yeah, but I was here first. It wasn't my fault that I got the VIP seat for your little skit," Rainier Seo counterattacked with a slight tilt on his lips, angering and throwing Levi Kim out of his composure.

It was quite an interesting face-slapping scene until I got involved in the middle.

"You can't tutor Sky. He already hired me," Rainier Seo deliberately said.

Levi Kim chuckled and then glared at me, "That can't be true, right? I already talked to the headmaster. Come on!"

"Oh, come on, you're confident with or without the headmaster's recommendation letter anyway. Why are you overreacting?" That bully kept grating Levi's patience. It was satisfying to watch that I feel a little sorry for this annoying classmate.

"You!!! Am I asking a bastard like you?!!!" Levi Kim held my hands tighter again, and I dropped the food containers I was carrying. He was more desperate than I thought. "Sky Lee, trust me. I can make you pass. I swear."

"It hurts," I pleaded.

He clicked his tongue and begged, "Please, you can't choose that fucker over me... you can't!"

My instinct was right; this guy is a little sociopathic.

I was trying to shake him off. And Rainier, that nosy brat, jumped off the window and forcefully took my hands off him.

"Just accept it and complete your application papers," he warned.

Levi was about to hit Rainier, but this brat held me as a shield. I blankly stared at the fist suspended in front of my eyes. The air from that fast movement even blew away the strands of my hair.

"What are you doing, Levi? What would the headmaster say if you hit his favorite student?" Rainier Seo sarcastically asked.

I was equally as shocked as Levi.

"Crazy fucker!"

He cursed and walked out. When Rainier Seo let go of my arms, my legs gave out, and I fell to my knees, trying to process what had happened.