A Good Phone

Once again, it's break time. But this time for our dear hero, he's not sleeping. Just like everyone else, he's browsing using his brand new phone. Although he looks like an old man with the way he uses it, he still enjoys it. With this more updated phone, the wider the scope of activities it could conduct. And Ye Han is having a good time exploring it.

His classmates, of course, did not miss this event. The dirt poor and stingy as hell Ye Han is playing with a phone. An expensive-looking phone to boot. The Inquisition was the most shocked by this occurrence. It was just last week that they were teaching him about smartphones and now, he's using a brand new one.

"What the f*ck? Where did he get the money? Last week he's whining about losing his 20k and now he has a phone. What's happening here?" Exclaimed David.

The others were also clueless about the situation. Their eyes darted between Ye Han and his phone.

"Did he steal it perhaps?"

"Impossible." Retorted Jin. "He's too lazy to do something, much more steal something. He might even choose sleep than to pick up a free million-dollar cheque."

They then realized that the possibility of Ye Han doing such "troublesome" action is close to none. Thinking about his laziness, they all agreed to Jin's assumption.

"So if he didn't steal it, where could he have gotten it?" The atmosphere sank in silence as they churn their brains thinking of possible scenarios.

"Maybe someone gave it to him?"

"Or he won it as a prize?"

"Sugar mommy?"

"Sugar… daddy?"

"An illegal job?"

Time passed by as they suggested possibilities with each scenario much absurd than the previous. Some of them even formulated outrageous conspiracy theories out of a simple cellphone.

"This is getting absurd!" Jin complained.

"That's rich coming from a believer of the Tartar Sauce Deity," Shin said with a vicious tone.

"I have evidence, you heathen!"

"Then why don't you stop desecrating the name of the Drumstick Drought Monster?!"

"Don't make me start the 5th crusade, Shin. You don't know my capabilities." Jin glared.

Shin just scoffed at the threat and asked daringly. "I welcome you to your burial grounds, heretic."

The other 3 were silently egging the 2 to start a brawl. They thought it would make a grand spectacle. Two teens fighting it all out to defend the honor and sanctity of their own beliefs. Now that's a compelling story.

But before they could start on tying each other at stakes and burning it, they noticed Alice, joyfully approaching Ye Han. And this action made the Inquisition's members halt their war.

"Hi, Ye Han!" She waved at him. "That's a cool phone you've got there."

But in contrary to Alice's energetic greeting, Ye Han just slightly nodded his head. "Sure, thanks."

Alice was not seemed to be bothered by this lack of response instead, she somehow looked happier with Ye Han's reaction. "So where did you get the phone?"

The 5 eavesdroppers put on awkward expressions. There's nothing wrong with Alice's question but it just sounded awkward for them, especially since they've made weird theories regarding the subject.

"I won it as a prize." Ye Han replied.

*clap* "Aha!" David suddenly presented his right palm to the other 4 in a demanding manner. "Pay up."

His friends can only put 10 dollars each. Their expression looked very sour.

"Ohhh! That's very cool Ye Han. Where did you win it?"

"I don't want to talk about it." He replied as his expression turned a little sad.

David is busily gloating the 4 while praising himself for his top-notch deductive skills. "I should open a detective firm you know. I'm brilliant at this, look at all the money."

"Shut up!" All of them said at the same time.

"You know, we should exchange numbers."

"?!"

The mutual feeling of destroying a winner in life overtook the minds of the infamous Inquisition. There is no such thing as congratulating a guy or becoming a helpful wingman for him in their dictionary. For them, the feeling of dragging someone is much more fulfilling than seeing them succeed in any romantic exploits.

Where did this behavior stem from? Well, it felt natural for them, almost primal. The sight another male enjoying the spring of their youth makes the single dog trait take over. The solution? It's obvious.

"Ohohoho. Looks like we've got another hunt to do."

"Indeed."

Then slowly, with their gears on hand, they approached the unassuming Ye Han.

"Oh, Ye Han!" David purred but the disgust in his voice could not be faked.

"How would you like to be burned? Medium rare or well done?" Ahmed's cheerful tone is laced with pure venom.

"Ehehehe." All of them laughed slowly yet ominously.

But Alice stood in between Ye Han and the rabid group of losers. "You should stop bullying Ye Han!" Her lips pouted into a frown.

"Uh."

"Just look at how poor Ye Han is. Bullying is the last thing he needs right now."

How Alice aggressively defended Ye Han came as an abrupt surprise for them. Looking at her somehow furious expression, instead of feeling that it looked cute, they felt like they're staring at the face of a man slaughtering rabbit. Without context, her expression might look cute. Her puffed-up cheeks and pouted lips further elevated the cuteness level. But they knew that this adorable creature in front of them is not to be trifled with. One wrong move and they're toast. So to save themselves.

"We're sorry." Shin apologized in a small voice.

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to him!" She said pointing Ye Han, who is still busy with his new phone not having single care at the world.

"We're sorry, Ye Han."

Ye Han just gave a slight nod and went back to his business.

"Now get out of here. Isn't rude to interrupt a conversation?"

"… yes." The 5 of them wordlessly went back to their seats. The others who were about to join remained silent.

"Now let's exchange numbers!" With the nuisance gone, Alice can proceed to her original plan.

"Sure, let me just search for it."

"That's too long. Let me teach you the fastest way."

As the 5 of them observed the interaction, they contemplated their lives. But in the middle of it, David accidentally made brief eye contact with Ye Han.

"Heh." Ye Han smirked.

"What?!"

"What's wrong, man?"

"Look!" He said as the others also turned their heads at where he is pointing.

Ye Han, still giving an annoying smirk faced them. He used the time that Alice was busy not looking at him and gave them a sh*t eating grin.

"Don't worry. We'll destroy him someday." They vowed with determination.

"Now, we put our phones close to each other and… we're done. Thanks, Ye Han!"

***

Extra: A Unique Experience

"Honey I'm home!" A man greeted his wife from a busy day of work. But his expression fell seeing her absent-minded look.

"What's wrong honey?" He immediately hugged his wife.

"I met this annoying customer at work."

"Yeah me too." He replied. "What did he do?"

"The white-haired bastard went inside and ordered only a cup of water. He acted like he's drinking our product. After that, he even had the balls to ask for sugar packets. I don't know what to do."

"Me too. There's this white-haired dumbass who registered for the competition. He's completely clueless and doesn't even know a single thing. And in the end, he even called me a liar. What a joke."