Chapter Text
Youngwoo pauses at the foot of the steps leading up to her new high school, wringing her hands nervously in front of her as her eyes dart around while taking in the new surroundings. School has always been a nightmare for her, the loud chatter of students and the constant bullying always too overwhelming but she loves learning about things she can never learn about at home or from her Appa which makes her endure everything happening around her. Youngwoo’s favourite subject is science, specially biology and she can spend hours going through her textbooks, the colorful diagrams and explanations never failing to enrapture her.
Right now, she takes a deep breath, slowly starting to climb up the stairs and make her way through the doors. She knows where the office is, having been there once before and finds her way there pretty quickly. The teacher has already been informed of her arrival and she is quick to explain to the girl her schedule and classes before handing her a map of the school so she can find her way around and also assigns her a locker.
Youngwoo thanks her, bowing before exiting the office, on her way to locate her first class which she deduces is Mathematics. There is still a good half an hour for classes to start and there aren't many students in the hallways, the few lone ones throwing her openly curious glances.
She finds her class with ease, ready to enter through the door only to flinch when she hears a loud thump from behind her, her hands flying to her ears reflexively.
“Shit, I am so sorry, did I startle you?” she hears an unfamiliar voice ask in an apologetic tone. She shakes her head and bends down to pick up the book lying down near her feet before handing it back to the person, her eyes darting across the floor the entire time. “Thank you. By any chance are you new here? I haven't seen you before.”
“Yeah I am new, its my first day,” she mumbles quietly. “I promise I am not so bad to look at,” she hears him chuckle after a moment, her eyes lifting on their own accord at the words. She is met with a tall lean frame, rolled up sleeves, broad shoulders and a face with sparkling brown eyes and a smile that makes her feel all funny inside when she realises it is directed at her.
“W-Woo Young Woo,” she replies haltingly. “I am Lee Junho,” the boy introduces, holding out his hand. She touches the tip of her fingers to his carefully and bows, making him smile at the innocent gesture.
“Is math your first class?” he asks while stuffing the rest of his books haphazardly into his bag.
“Yes it is. Yours too?” she asks politely and earns an absentminded nod from him.
“The others will come soon. Let's go inside,” he adds, opening the door to the classroom and waiting for her to step in. She closes her eyes and quickly counts down to three out of habit, stepping inside after which he closes the door and follows her in. She glances around for a bit before decidedly making her way to the empty desk in the corner of the room where she places down her bag neatly on the table.
“I didn’t take you to be a last bencher,” she hears Junho joke from across where he has taken a seat.
“Its better to be seated at the back,” is all the explanation she offers before the door to the classroom opens and the students start to pour in, the noise levels increasing as she covers her ears with her hands, trying to drown out the chatter.
She can get out her headphones but that will just earn her more attention and she wants to stay as inconspicuous as possible. No one seems to be paying her any attention though and she stays put in her place, grateful for the small reprieve. She steals a glance at Junho whose attention had now been whisked away by who she assumed to be his friends before quickly looking away, playing with her fingers to keep herself occupied.
The professor enters soon and the chatter thankfully dies down as the class settles. She is made to introduce herself as she quickly blurts out her name and where she is from before sitting back down in her seat, eager to get back to the lesson.
Halfway through class the door opens, catching her attention and she looks up, frowning to see a girl standing in the doorway, leaning her hip against the door while she chews boredly on a piece of gum.
“Dong Geurami, you are late again today. That's detention for you,” the professor says in a hard voice, anger evident on his face.
The girl, Dong Geurami glances at him with an unbothered expression and saunters along to the back of the classroom, coming to a stop in front of Youngwoo. She opens her mouth to say something but then seems to think the better of it and slides into the empty seat next to her. She opens her bag, sighing as she flips through her textbook, trying to find the page they are currently on. Her pencil falls to the floor which she goes to pick up, looking up just as Youngwoo slides her notes across to her.
“You can copy mine,” Youngwoo whispers, her attention back on the professor before she can be reprimanded for talking. Geurami looks at her in confusion for a moment before a small smile graces her lips and she nods in thanks, settling back in her seat for the remainder of the lesson.
♡☆♡
Guerami hands the book back to Youngwoo after class was dismissed who takes it and places it carefully in her bag. “Why did you give me your notes?” she asks Youngwoo who frowns at the question, a hand coming up to push the hair from her eyes.
“Because you were late and you missed out on the lesson,” Youngwoo replies with a huff. “I am always late to class, will you keep giving me your notes everyday?” Geurami scoffs out, earning a shrug and stilted nod from Youngwoo.
“Unless you don't want me to. You said you are always late. Why?”
Geurami looks at her, dumbfounded and then just leans over, patting the top of her head gently in mock exasperation.
“Come on, we’ll be late for the next class. You can sit with me so I can copy your notes and I’ll tell you all you need to know about this shitty place we call school,” she announces instead of answering Youngwoo, picking up her bag and sauntering off as Youngwoo smiles to herself and follows her out.