Oct 2011.

Junior, High School.

"Nice to meet you all! I'm Kim Haru!"

The newly transferred student stood beside the teacher, introducing himself with a bright smile that lit up his face, showing off his gleaming white teeth.

I leaned my left elbow on the desk, propping my chin in my palm as the other students clapped to welcome him. I watched, amazed at his confidence—standing up there in front of strangers, introducing himself with such ease. To me, that would be a nightmare.

"You can take any of the empty seats, Kim Haru," the teacher said, prompting Haru to look around the classroom with his upturned, almond-shaped brown eyes. After a moment, he picked a desk in the first row against the wall—like a nerd kid. I couldn't help but be surprised; despite being one of the tallest in the class, he chose the front row.

Once he was settled, the teacher finally began the lesson. I opened my book, holding my pencil in my right hand, idly sketching circles in the corner of the page without any real purpose. As the teacher droned on, I placed my pencil on the desk and looked out the window beside me. I loved my seat—the best spot in the room. It was in the last row, right by the window, with a perfect view of the sky. On top of that, the teacher couldn't see me well from here, so I could easily drift off into my own world.

~

As soon as the first period ended, other students flocked around Haru, sparking conversation and peppering him with questions that revealed their curiosity. Haru, in turn, blended in seamlessly, showing no signs of discomfort or hesitation. He seemed to enjoy the attention, thriving in the center of it all.

Meanwhile, I pulled my wired earphones from my sweatshirt pocket, plugged its jack into my phone, and turned on the music. With my hood pulled up, I folded my arms on the desk and buried my face, letting the sounds drown out their chatter. The music settled my nerves; I preferred solitude over mingling. Crowds, strangers, noise—they all made me uneasy.

Naturally, I avoided people like Haru. He was everything I wasn't, and I had no interest in knowing more about him.

Just as I felt myself slipping into calm, a finger jabbed my shoulder. I raised my head to find Shiwoo—my only friend—standing beside my desk, his dark ash-brown eyes fixed on me as he asked, "Myung, did you finish the math homework?"

I tugged my earphones out, stuffing them back into my pocket. "Yeah, why?"

"Let me borrow it," Shiwoo grinned, brushing a lock of black hair behind his ear.

"Nope, I need it this period," I replied, standing up and making my way toward the door.

Shiwoo trailed me, pleading, "Then lend it to me next period! Luckily, math's after lunch."

I shot him a glare as we walked down the corridor. "You've become such a lazy ass recently! What are you doing at home, not doing your homework?"

With a mischievous grin, Shiwoo slung his arm around my shoulders. "Chatting with my new girlfriend."

"You're hopeless," I sighed, shaking my head. "What would you have done if we were in the same class? Or if I haven't—"

He chuckled, cutting off my words. "You're the odd one here, you know. Why don't you try acting like a normal teenager? Date someone." As we neared the boys' bathroom at the end of the hallway, he added, "Don't you have any hormones?"

Here he goes again...

I paused at a stall and glanced at his arm, still draped around my shoulders. "Are you joining me, or what?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

Shiwoo rolled his eyes, stepping over to one of the sinks to check his reflection. "Just hurry up."

I closed the stall door behind me with a sigh. Shiwoo was always lecturing me like he knew it all, never hesitating to point out my so-called "faults."

I'm not dating anyone because I have a crush on someone...

I just can't imagine spending time with anyone else but her...

*****

One week flew by, and Haru had already become friends with nearly half of the school, effortlessly interacting with anyone who crossed his path. I had to admit, his knack for socializing was impressive. Not everyone could draw people in so naturally, or make it seem as easy as breathing.

But something about him bothered me. People like him—those who seemed to be everyone's favorite—always struck me as a little too good to be true. To me, no one could be that universally liked without hiding parts of themselves. It was as if he wore a mask, tailored perfectly to every situation.

I couldn't help but wonder what kind of person he was behind that easy smile. What did he keep hidden beneath that charm?

~

I carefully unfolded my navy blue handkerchief, spreading it evenly across the desk's surface before reaching under to retrieve my lunchbox. As I placed it on the handkerchief, I noticed that the other students had left the classroom, most heading to the canteen for lunch. I preferred my own food over the canteen's offerings, and honestly, I enjoyed the solitude. Eating alone let me unwind from the day's chaos.

"You bring your lunch from home?"

The voice startled me. I looked up to find Haru seated across from me, casually straddling the chair with his arms draped over its backrest and his legs spread wide. His gaze was fixed intently on my lunchbox, curiosity lighting up his expression.

I nodded, not saying a word, and opened the lid. I dug my spoon into the fried rice, bringing a mouthful to my lips as I watched him. Sunlight filtered through the window, catching the soft waves in his light brown hair. Now that he was this close, I could take in the details of his face: long eyelashes that framed sharp, almond-shaped eyes, a perfectly straight nose, and a well-defined jawline. The sun seemed to enhance his features, giving him an almost ethereal glow.

"Wow, you're so organized! You even set up a handkerchief." He chuckled as if he'd stumbled on some fascinating secret.

I shrugged, replying, "Well, I can't let the desk get dirty."

Haru nodded, his eyes still glued to my lunchbox as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. His quiet attention made me a bit self-conscious.

"Don't you go to the canteen?" I asked, trying to break the silence, once I'd finished chewing.

A sheepish smile spread across his face as he scratched the back of his head. "Forgot to bring money today."

"Oh..." I hesitated, glancing down at my spoon."I...don't have an extra spoon or anything—"

But before I could finish, he reached over, snatching the spoon from my hand and scooping up a large bite of rice. "It's fine! We can share!" He took a bite, then looked at me, grinning like a kid. "By the way, what's your name?"

I blinked, taken aback. Sharing a spoon with someone I barely knew was... beyond unusual.

He must've noticed my expression because he paused mid-chew, a hint of worry crossing his face. "Don't tell me you have, like, OCD or something!" He looked at the spoon in his hand, now seeming hesitant. "Uh... what should we do?"

I sighed, trying not to make it awkward. "It's fine. You can have the rest; I'm not that hungry anyway..." I mumbled, reaching for my carton of chocolate milk. Poking the straw through the seal, I took a sip, finding some comfort in the familiar sweetness.

"Sorry," Haru muttered, though he didn't seem too apologetic as he dragged the lunchbox closer to himself. "Thanks for the meal," he added; his words were muffled as he shoveled another bite of rice into his mouth. I watched him eat, amused at how he seemed to savor every mouthful, as though it was the best meal he'd ever had.

When he finished, he let out a contented sigh and leaned in closer. "You literally saved me!" He then shot me a beaming smile that made me look away, feeling strangely flustered. "So... are you going to tell me your name?"

Caught off guard by his gaze, I swallowed hard and stammered while placing the chocolate milk carton on the desk, "... Myung... Park Myung..."

"Bond. James Bond." he teased with a grin, mimicking my formal tone.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I shot him a glare in response. "What's with the dad joke?"

Ignoring my irritation, Haru laughed and reached across the desk, pinching my cheeks between his fingers. "Why so serious? C'mon! Smile!" He tugged my cheeks up in a playful attempt to force a smile.

"Let go!" I protested, grasping his wrists to pull his hands away, but he held firm.

"Your cheeks are so soft!" he laughed, still holding on as if I were a new toy he'd found. His gaze dropped to my hands, which were still gripping his wrists, and his eyes lit up with excitement. "Whoa! You have finger dimples like a baby—this is damn cute!"

Feeling completely thrown off, I sprang up abruptly. "Uh... gotta go to the bathroom!" I mumbled, barely able to make eye contact as I bolted for the door, my heart pounding harder than I'd care to admit.

What the heck is wrong with him?!

*****

After that day, Haru began approaching me constantly, always trying to start a conversation or find some excuse to stick around, even though I tried my best to avoid him. His hyperactive energy was overwhelming for someone like me—I just wanted to get through school in peace.

But Haru was relentless. No matter how much I tried to shake him off, he seemed determined to break through my walls. It was as if, once Haru set his sights on something, he wouldn't stop until he got it. Eventually, I realized I couldn't push him away any longer. So, I silently admitted defeat, resigning myself to his presence and letting him tag along.

Over time, I even got used to bringing an extra lunchbox and spoon just for him, since he made it a habit to join me for lunch every day. I figured maybe it was just the food he was after, not necessarily my company. After all, I'd overheard rumors floating around—students whispering that Haru was an opportunist who knew how to manipulate others to get what he wanted. They claimed he used his charm to gain good grades and lure girls into his "sweet traps," even though he'd only been at school for a month.

From my perspective, though, those who spread the rumors were the true hypocrites. They'd put on smiles and cozy up to Haru, hoping to benefit from his popularity or his influence, then talk behind his back as soon as he was out of earshot.

I couldn't say I trusted Haru fully, but I didn't put much faith in those rumors, either. Honestly, I didn't care. I was simply tired of trying to escape from him. It was easier to let Haru follow me around, and eventually, I started seeing him more like a stray puppy—a little lost, and maybe just needing some attention and care.

At the time, I wondered what could possibly go wrong if we kept hanging out.

Probably nothing...

It wasn't as though we were close friends.

We were simply sharing lunch, nothing more.

What could come of it?

... Right?