Some Kind of Wonderful (Heungsoon Edition)

Chapter 1

It was late. Park Heungsoo was dead tired. He just came home from his part-time job as cashier of a 24-hour convenience store a few blocks from his house. It may not seem like heavy work but standing most of the time during his 8-hour shift takes a toll on his right knee. It hurts enough to cause him to limp his way back home. Of course, he never lets his sister see him limping. She would only get worried and her eyes would get that angry glint. Heungsoo sighed. His sister still hasn't forgiven Namsoon for breaking his knee and shattering his dream of becoming a professional soccer player. He had already told his sister that he and Namsoon had made up. But it seemed she is not yet ready to let go of her grudge.

Heungsoo has to get up early tomorrow because it's the first day of his final year in high school. His excitement has nothing to with school and everything to do with Go Namsoon. He barely saw his best friend during the school break because both of them were busy with their part-time jobs. As they get older, the need to be more responsible weighs more heavily on their shoulders. Namsoon has his alcoholic dad to take care of. Heungsoo and his older sister take turns looking after their sickly mom.

Despite the heaviness of his eyelids, Heungsoo went to the bathroom to get a damp towel. Heungsoo can't sleep without cleaning his feet thoroughly. As he rubbed a small towel between his toes, Heungsoo half-hoped his door would open quietly and he'd see Namsoon on the other side, sporting a mischievous grin on his face, just like he used to do in the past. But Namsoon never sleeps over at his house anymore. Not when the welcome is colder than the Arctic. Heungsoo sighed again. He can't sleep over at Namsoon's house too often either, especially when his mom has her bad days. So, yeah, he's definitely looking forward to tomorrow.

Oh shit! I'm going to be late for school, Go Namsoon cursed silently as he scurried around the apartment. He turned on the rice cooker and set out some side dishes on the table for his father to eat when he wakes up. It's the first day of school and he's going to get a demerit and most likely pay a late fee. Shit! If he can reach the 6:45 a.m. bus, he might still make it on time.

Five minutes later, Namsoon was able to board the 6:45 a.m. bus to Seungri High School. Assa! Namsoon grinned inside but his face remained nonchalant. He waded through the standing passengers to get to the back of the bus. Namsoon stopped short when he saw Oh Jung Ho sitting belligerently on an aisle seat. Jung Ho's friends were nowhere in sight. Namsoon hesitated but he eventually approached Jung Ho when the younger guy started to get up from his seat.

"Forget it," Namsoon said as he pushed Jung Ho back in his seat. He held on to a grab handle and stood beside Jung Ho. Namsoon was not surprised Jung Ho reluctantly tried to give up his seat for him. If he was a petty person, he would have been gloating at the switch in their positions. But he's not. He had abandoned that gangster-like mindset a long time ago.

Instead, Namsoon is surprised that Jung Ho is actually heading to school. He heard Jung Ho and his father had moved to another house in an even poorer section of the city. Namsoon thought Jung Ho would drop out of school and go off on his own after ending up in a hospital from his father's beating a few months ago. He guessed Jung Ho is really made of sterner stuff. For a brief moment, Namsoon could sort of relate to Jung Ho. Both their mothers are dead and their fathers are alcoholics. Namsoon counted himself lucky that his father never raised a hand to him.

But the thought of actually bonding with Jung Ho... Namsoon mentally shook himself. Nope! He's not that nice. Even though he feels sorry for Jung Ho and may have forgiven him, Namsoon has not forgotten the things the younger man did to him and Heungsoo. So yeah... they're no longer enemies but they're not exactly friends either.

Namsoon looked down at his classmate and saw him scowl even darker. Yup! The feeling is definitely mutual. They spend the bus ride in silence.