TSCEIAB Ch. 26

 

The bag I was carrying on one shoulder fell over, and the handouts I was carrying in my arms scattered on the floor.

I could hear the children’s voices as if the earphones in my ears had fallen off. Most of them were giggling, and some were muttering things like, “Ugh!” or “Ouch, that hurts…….”

 

“Ugh…….”

 

I could see countless legs around me as the kids were gathering. As I scrambled to get up from the floor, I heard a thin, pretty voice overhead.

 

“Oh my. Are you okay?”

 

A hand was held out in front of me.

 

“My legs are a little long. Do you want to hold on and get up?”

 

It must have been Angelica who tripped me. I didn’t take her hand and just stared at her, and the dark-haired girl next to me giggled.

 

“Leave her, Angie. She looks good cleaning the floors.”

 

The kids around me burst into a small laughter. My face turned bright red.

I wanted to say something, but there were so many stares that it stifled me.

I clenched my fists tightly, the tips of my fingernails dug into my palms.

Don’t cry. If you cry, you’ll lose.

I consoled myself and started picking up the handouts scattered across the floor. But Angelica pretended not to notice and placed her foot on one of them.

 

“…… Move.”

 

I whispered in a thin trembling voice, Angelica tucked her hair behind her ear and said.

 

“Huh? What did you say? I couldn’t hear you very well because your voice is so small. Can you say that again?”

 

“Move.”

 

“Hey guys! Be quiet! I think our transfer student has something to say!”

 

She must have sensed that I was conscious of the children’s gazes and called out to draw their attention.

I bit my bottom lip and glared at the handout she had stepped on.

Should I just throw it away? I just got it today, so I haven’t made copies yet. What should I do?

I started thinking like a fool.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“Whoa!”

 

In the distance, the kids began to whisper, as if they had found something. They were stepping aside to make way for someone who was approaching.

I didn’t notice this until I heard a low, cold voice in my ear.

 

“Move.”

 

An overbearing voice commanded.

Not to me, but to Angelica and her friends.

I looked up and saw a boy standing tall among the crowd.

It was Hugo with his dark hair and disheveled clothes.

 

“H-Hugo?”

 

Angelica’s face turned bright red at once.

It wasn’t out of shame for her actions but rather from the fact that the boy she liked was looking straight at her.

 

“Don’t block the road, move.”

 

But when Hugo’s voice was heard again, Angelica grasped the situation. She stepped back to make way.

 

“Uhm, Hugo. Listen…….”

 

Angelica looked confused and tried to say something. But Hugo was quicker to come over and help me up.

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

Neither I nor Hugo said anything. Hugo’s face was even paler than the last time I saw him, and he simply looked at me in silence.

As I stood upright, Hugo glared at the kids around me.

His gaze turned to Angelica last, and she flinched.

Pretty looks and slender shoulders. Her teary eyes were clearly triggered by his protective instincts, but Hugo didn’t blink an eye as he uttered a sarcastic remark.

 

“Aren’t you too old for this kind of behavior?”

 

It was a stiff, sharp tone that contrasted with the voice that smiled at me and told me where the teacher’s office was.

In an instant, the atmosphere turned chilly, and some of the children who gathered began to disperse.

 

“Alright, alright! Let’s all get moving!”

 

“Yes! Don’t gather together! It’s hard to pass by!”

 

The group of kids, who had been watching me and murmuring, quickly dispersed and disappeared.

Angelica’s friends also led her away.

 

“L-let’s go.”

 

“Yeah. Let’s go, Angie.”

 

Hugo looked at the empty hallway and took a deep breath as if his mood was not at ease.

His chest rose and fell a few times. I studied Hugo’s pale as I endured the throbbing pain in my knee.

 

“…… Are you okay?”

 

A small worry escaped out of my mouth without me realizing it.

It was because I felt a little guilty when I saw his face, pale from the lack of guidance.

Hugo turned his head towards me. He raised one eyebrow and said incredulously.

 

“Are you worried about me, now?”

 

“…… You don’t look well.”

 

I muttered softly, and the corners of his mouth awkwardly rose and fell. He tried to smile but failed.

 

“Thank you. I am fine. How about you?”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“It looks like your leg hurts, are you sure you don’t need to go to the infirmary?”

 

How did you know my leg hurt when I was just standing still?

I looked at him in wonder, and he interpreted my gaze differently.

 

“Do you want me to take you there?”

 

I shook my head without hesitation.

 

“Nope. I’m really okay. It doesn’t hurt that much……. And I know where the infirmary is, so I can go there by myself.”

 

“…….”

 

His eyes frowned in disapproval.

I pretended not to notice it and picked up my things that had fallen on the floor.

Handouts with clear shoe prints, earphones, and backpack…….

‘I don’t see where my glasses are.’

I couldn’t find the rimmed glasses. My dad’s wish that I take them off every morning was finally coming true.

 

Ha……

I swallowed a sigh and straightened my back.

 

‘I guess I have to give up on the glasses.’

I slung my bag back on my shoulder and looked at Hugo. His eyes were still squinting.

When he was little, he was cute even when he frowned. But now he was all grown up, it’s a little scary.

I was worried that if I stayed with him any longer, there would be more rumors, so I awkwardly greeted Hugo, who was standing still.

 

“Hey, uhm….. Thanks for your help. I’ll be going now. It’s a little late.”

 

“…….”

 

“…… Then I’ll take my leave.”

 

Hugo said nothing. I arbitrarily interpreted his silence as an answer and walked away.

Hugo’s gaze boring into my back stung more than the slight pain in my right ankle.

Until I turned to the corner at the end of the hallway, the gaze I felt behind me didn’t seem to leave.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

When I went to school the next day, the atmosphere had changed a lot.

 

‘What’s this? Why is it so…… quiet?’

The cabinet where coffee or cola should be poured was clean, handouts and other assignments and class materials didn’t disappear, and there were no wads of paper flying from behind me or anyone bumping me on the shoulder as I passed by.

 

‘Is it because of Hugo yesterday?’

 

All he did was help me up and say something sarcastically to the other kids.

But given his position, maybe the kids had given up on bullying me.

 

‘It’s a little awkward to make way for me, but……. It’s convenient.’

 

Oh, maybe it’s not that, could they be avoiding me?

I tilted my head for a moment but then withdrew my attention.

It was better to be like I was invisible than to be bothered.

But not everyone treated me as invisible.

 

Lunchtime that day.

Someone approached me in the cafeteria and spoke to me.

 

“Hello. You’re Haley Baek, right?”

 

As I unfailingly took out my packed lunch from home and ate it, a shadow fell over my head.

 

“……?”

 

I looked up and saw a girl standing with loose auburn hair.

 

“Is this seat taken?”

 

She gestured with the plate in her hands like she wanted to have lunch with me.

Why?

 

“…… No, it’s not.”

 

“Great. Mind if I sit here?”

 

A girl whose name I don’t know sits in front of me. I was wary of her, remembering Angelica and her friends.

Didn’t Angelica also sit in front of me like this at first, threatening and harass me?

 

‘Is she a fan of Hugo? Did she come here to confront me about yesterday?’

 

As I was thinking about it, the kid sitting in front of me muttered, “Oh! I forgot to introduce myself.”

 

“I’m Melissa Caleb. You can call me ‘Mel.’”

 

It’s our first meeting, but you’re allowing me to call you by your nickname right away.

The girl who introduced herself as Melissa looked at my stiffened face and said.

 

“You’re wary, aren’t you?”

 

“…….”

 

“There’s no need to be so cautious. I just wanted to have lunch with you. Do you feel uncomfortable like you’re about to throw up or collapse at any moment?”

 

“…… No.”

 

“Great!”

 

Melissa smiled and picked up her fork.

On her plate were two small loaves of bread and some tomato spaghetti that looked a little bland and tasteless.

I was only able to continue eating after Melissa focused on her meal without saying a word.

I was halfway through my lunchbox when Melissa’s mouth opened.

 

“If this continues, I’ll get sick.”

 

“……?”

 

“It’s too quiet. Can’t we talk while we eat?”

 

She pouted. I swallowed what was in my mouth and looked at Melissa.

 

“…… If you have something to say, go ahead.”

 

How will it start? There will be all kinds of questions. What is your relationship with Hugo? how long have you known him? What did you two talk about? etc.

The words that would follow were easy to predict. But what came out of Melissa’s mouth were entirely different questions.