15. the nicer Soojin

The hot warm noodles, spicy tteok-bokki and alongwith a cooling refreshing lemonade helped Kang Soojin to forget all her table manners as she ate. She hadn't eaten a proper meal since the past three days and it was only fair she could gobble this without the need to act prim and proper. Han Seojun, his mother and his sister looked at the girl who although elegantly, yet hurriedly kept eating the food, a bite of gimpab, then the ramyeon and then the tteok-bokki and this was all when Han Seojun was about to slurp his noodles.

Go-woon pushed the specs back on her nose, leaning towards her brother, "was she starving all the whole?" He shushed her soft whispers and watched Soojin gulp the food without biting.

"Ya, why are you breathing the food?" He called her out, getting Soojin's attention immediately and she realised she was under the radar and that made her concious enough. That led her to keep the bowl down on the table hurriedly as it let the dish on the left to drop down and spill its contents.

Soojin was red in embarrassment, this wasn't what she was taught. Afraid she was making a mess, she bowed her head. "joesonghamnida, ma'am, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't-"

Han Seojun clicked his tongue while Mrs. Han chuckled, waving her hand like it wasn't a big deal. "It's okay, Soojin-ah. It's just a little spill. We'll clean it up later, why don't you finish the food, you seem famished."

"Is it... Is it really okay?" She asked, horrified on knowing how silly her mistake seemed to them. If this was her home or her father was dining with her, this would have taken a different turn. "I can clean it now, ma'am..."

"Aish, what is with this ma'am." Mrs. Han eyed the girl with what seemed like fake anger, "you're Han Seojun's friend, you should call me Emo. Seyeon and Suho would call me Emo too."

On the mention of his late friend, Han Seojun's gaze lowered and the vibes a bit heavier, nevertheless Soojin nodded.

"Ye, Emo-nim,"

"Always the polite one." Mrs. Han smiled at the girl, "teach my Seojunnie some manners too. All he does is goof around with his friends and rides on that bike of his."

"Omma!"

"Wae? You don't?"

"I do, but still... Why are you complaining about me to Soojin."

While the mother and son's banter went on, Soojin looked at the spilled food and then at her hands. It was a blessing this wasn't her home or they'd be at the suffering end. Go-woon tsked at Soojin to grab her attention.

"I know my Omma and Oppa likes you, but I don't. So please, don't expect me to greet you with respect, unnie." She glared at Soojin and then at her food leaving Soojin to ponder on what was happening.

It would have hurt the previous Soojin a lot, to see herself being destroyed and changed, to see that her actions had consequences.

But this Kang Soojin was not going to sit back in the filth of her wrongdoings. Respect or not, she didn't care, all she had to do was stick to the plan, and once she was done, she wouldn't have to be reliant on anyone, not for respect, not for love.

She ate the noodles in peace and with a smile, a smirk rather. The countdown to her finale had started already.

_

Han Seojun was never the one to pay attention in school. He never could, and didn't have to since his grades never improved no matter how much he'd break his head on it. Back when he was with his trio, Suho would tutor Seyeon and him and his notes would help them both to pass but ever since their friendship disrupted so suddenly, things haven't been the same for him.

But today was different, today was something else considering how alert Han Seojun was in class. And the reason was clear, bright and situated at the corner of the class.

Kang Soojin

But not the old Kang Soojin, the one who was grumpy, kept quiet, was afraid of being mocked and the one who was an outcast. Rather a different Soojin, a new Soojin, the one who raised her hands for answering questions, the one who asked weird doubts for all sums, the one who smiled and greeted people when they mocked or bullied her and dangerously so, her smile was a warning for them to stop.

Gone was the silent Soojin, the one who was shunned by shame and regret, and he saw a different girl altogether, more brighter and upfront than the nicer Kang Soojin.

But unlike the class, Han Seojun knew this was all a ruse, everything a charade to divert people's attention from the true Soojin.

The one who sat on the pavement last evening, the one who looked miserable and vulnerable, the one who was thinking about death and the one whom he felt extremely sorry for.

And hence to find out the what's and the whys, he was alert and observant.

"Wow, we have Han Seojun awake in our class today," The English (language) teacher mocked him, Seojun looking blankly ahead. "Why don't you come and help us differentiate between an object and a subject of this sentence." She then proceeded to write a sentence while the class chuckled, Lim Jugyeong teasing him and Suho the only to not turn.

Soojin on the other hand was scribbling stuff in her book, probably taking extra notes as she always did.

"Ye, Han Seojun, tell us. What's the subject?"

Han Seojun gulped, he had no clue what either of it was, korean itself was so difficult to fathom, English was something else altogether. And they all knew how easily he jumbled stuff.

"Languages?" He naively replied garnering sniggers and he looked at Soojin to see her chuckling at that.

Instead of fuming, he felt nicer to see her smile and him being the reason for it.

"Han Seojun, when are you going to start studying? The terms are getting closer by the second." The teacher scolded him but Han Seojun was still staring at the weird girl. "Han Seojun, things would be better if you could focus more on the board and less on..." She matched the direction he was looking at, "Kang Soojin."

The class broke into ooohs and Soojin immediately turned, looking at the boy who was actually staring at her. The moment their eyes met, Han Seojun averted his gaze and faced the teacher, who was now shushing the class.

"Um... aniyo, why would..." Han Seojun cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his head, clearly flushed. "Why would I... stare at Kang Soojin." He knew Soojin was still looking at him, and now he felt extremely stupid for being so nonchalant about gawking at her.

Wait. He wasn't gawking at her. He didn't care about her to waste his precious nap time observing her.

"Well, either way, Soojin can be a good influence on you."

Seojun glanced at Soojin and this time it was she who averted her gaze, and Seojun watched her scribble something in her book again, ignoring all of the class and the teacher. Thankfully nothing else was said and the rest of the periods passed without anything else. This time however Seojun was alert throughout the lecture and Mr. Han was happy to see Seojun up and awake, a little worried too.

Han Seojun was still not done with the new polished Kang Soojin and he wouldn't want to be left behind in her list of faking stuff. At lunch when the class dispersed, Lee Suho and Lim Jugyeong walking out of class, hand-in-hand, Han Seojun ignored the prick in his heart and walked towards the girl who was still studying.

"It's lunch." He said, again, hand on her notebook and voice a little more authoritative. "Let's go."

Soojin looked up at the boy, and the moment she did, Seojun noticed her tired face, the little cut on her lower lip, a very light crimson mark on her right cheek and those deep dark bags underneath her eyes. His heartbeats dropped, questions went silent and his imagination started taking a dark turn.

"How did you..." He reached out to touch her the bruise on her lip inadvertently only for Soojin to back off at the sudden gesture.

"Oh this?" She touched the bruise, shrugging like it was no big deal, "just nothing."

Han Seojun noticed how she avoided the question by some random excuse but didn't ask him why he needed to know. She turned and retreated back to her books, "I have three days worth of catching up to do." She explained, yet Han Seojun stood firm.

"You cannot keep running away from them." He simply stated, words although soft yet harsh. "Skipping meals will make you sick and avoiding the school will make you seem weak."

Kang Soojin's face wasn't expressionless anymore, rather it was filled with contempt, her hand holding the pen firmly. "If you want me to apologise to anyone, I won't." She replied, articulating her words well, even when she was still staring at her books. "And I'd rather save my energy for myself." She gave him a small smile, trying to get him off her back but failing to do so.

Han Seojun let his hand off the book, slowly and Soojin released the pen from her grip. "We can eat together..." When Soojin looked up at him, he fumbled at the reason, "I mean, we do have to start with the project and since I chose the topic, I'd like to explain what we can do."

That seemed... doable.

So Soojin agreed, and they walked in the cafeteria where hushing and whispers followed the duo, their classmates weren't too pleased with the idea of Soojin sitting amongst them. Lim Jugyeong's smile faltered and Lee Suho's iciness intensified. Even Chorong and gang didn't seem much happy seeing them together.

Soojin felt extremely suffocating by the way some eyes followed her. Before she could turn and escape, Han Seojun stood behind her and that meant she couldn't leave. "Rice seems nice, and gravy," He placed them all neatly on Soojin's tray, all she could do was look at the guy in a confused manner. "Add the chips, and the milk," He kept filling her tray, "and you're done." He smiled meeting her eyes, Soojin stood still with the tray in her hand.

"Gomawo," She replied, lowering her eyes and quickly left to go sit at the corner most seat, burying herself with the food she now has to finish.

While Soojin sat silently, eating her food morsel by morsel, Chorong called out to Han Seojun cheerfully. "Ya Seojun-ah, why don't you sit with us?"

Han Seojun shook his head, "I always sit with you morons," He playfully teased them, but neither member of the gang smiled, "I gotta sit with my partner."

"Ya Han Seojun, why Kang Soojin?" One of the boy spoke up, distaste vigilant on his face.

"Ye ye," Chorong nodded in agreement. "Seojunnie, please..."

Han Seojun was about to speak up when he saw Soojin at the farthest seat and a girl accidentally dropping the tray by her side, and that got all their attention.

"Oops, I genuinely did not see where I was going." The girl, another senior from the adjacent class spoke, "but i wouldn't apologize because i don't think I'm wrong."

Han Seojun, Lim Jugyeong and Lee Suho were amongst the people who were surrounding the girls, the former looked at the Soojin and the sauce dripping from the side of her hair.

"She deserves it, a bully, that's what she is." The girl's friend sniggered, but Soojin didn't move a muscle. She kept staring at her steel tray and let the food drip down on her skin. The curry was hot, the sauce seemed to cause an itchy sensation and tears ready to fall but she held them back. "Why don't we all dump the leftovers on her so she knows she belongs in the trash and not here."

And then Seojun saw that one tear roll from Soojin's eye and drop on her hand and for a second, Han Seojun's world stopped.

Why?

_

I'm at a vacay but I was missing them and i heard so did you guys :⁠^⁠)