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The fire alarm blares, and smoke begins to fill the air.
"Move out of the way." Someone shoves me to the ground and I wince in pain. Looking up, I see one of the boys from my class using a fire extinguisher to put out the flames – a mistake caused by my carelessness. He throws a look at me, his eyes hard and unforgiving. I pull myself up, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. The boy manages to extinguish the fire, but I can't help but feel sick to my stomach as I look at my half-burnt notebook from the Bunsen burner.
I notice how everyone is at my table, staring at me with a mixture of pity and disdain. It reminds me of how small and insignificant I felt when I first transferred here.
Eunchae places a hand on my shoulder, and when I turn to look at her, I see the concern in her eyes. "Are you hurt?"
I'm about to respond when Ms Kim interrupts me, barking out my name. "Nagasaki Kazu, outside, right now!"
Her face is etched with frustration as she stares at me from the front of the class. I can feel the intensity of her gaze, and if I don't leave soon, she might explode. I swallow nothing and quickly leave the classroom and shut the door behind me. I step to the side and lean against the wall, trying to catch my breath and settle my nerves.
From where I'm standing, I can see half of the courtyard through the window. Even with the windows closed, I can hear the wind howling, sounding like a mournful wail. Outside, the trees aren't dancing gracefully like it's described in the poems or stories or whatever, but rather fighting to maintain their footing, as if they're battling an invisible foe.
The sound of footsteps echoes through the quiet hallway, jolting me out of my thoughts. I turn my head to the staircase where the sound is coming from. My heart races when I see Jaeyun's figure walking towards me. Upon seeing me, he halts in his steps, and his piercing gaze meets mine. My mind blanks and I hold my breath, waiting, expecting. Except, there was no vision, no pain, no nothing this time. This morning must have been a one-time thing, a fluke.
I'm not sure where I found the courage, but I held his gaze, refusing to look away. Something stirred inside me, a warmth spread through my chest, and I felt a magnetic pull towards him. Every fibre of my being wanted to walk towards him, to be near him, to do anything to be close to him.
A wave of confusion washes over me. What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? I have a boyfriend.
My palms are sweaty, and my heart pounds in my chest. I'm waiting for something to happen, something to break the tension that's building between us –
The classroom door opens, and Ms Kim walks out. Her eyes are calmer than before, but her voice is serious. "Kazu, my patience is wearing thin. How many times has this happened? I've warned you before, but it keeps happening." I know I should be paying attention, but my eyes drift to the classroom next door. Jaeyun enters, and he doesn't look my way. I hear the word "detention" come out of Ms Kim's mouth, but my mind is fixated on the closed door.
What are you doing to me, Sim Jaeyun?
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