POLAROID

Chapter Two - In Frame

Jun-Seo walks into the school's library as Naeun had texted him to meet there during the break. He finds her seated at a table with another girl. Naeun waves him over and then introduces her friend. "This is Lee Hana, she's in my class and on the Leading Programmes Committee here,"

The school has a committee for everything.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Jun-Seo-ah," Hana expresses warmly. "You too," Jun-Seo replies.

"Hana is also in the Creative Programme here, you might've heard a little bit about this at the assembly but the school runs these student programmes to prepare us for our future," Naeun explains. "It used to be that you have to be a Senior to take them but the school decided last year to open some programmes up to the other years. I'm in the Law Programme and Rin's in the Business one."

"So, w-what's this got to do with m-me?" Jun-Seo asks. "Well, Naeun mentioned to me that you like Photography and Art so I suggested that she tell you about the Creative Programme," Hana says.

"Luckily it's one of the programmes that they made available to your year," Naeun says placing a leaflet for the programme in front of the younger. Jun-Seo picks up the leaflet and scans through it. He had practically zoned out during most of the presentation the other day so all this is pretty much new to him, then again, hasn't this all been new to him? Although, he'd be lying if he said this didn't pique his interest.

"You don't have to make a choice right now, applications for joining programmes aren't due in 'till next week so you've got some time to think about it," Naeun says. Jun-Seo nods in response, a thought-filled look on his face.

Later that day, as Jun-Seo strolls down the hallway he is suddenly startled by an unnerving voice calling out to him. "Yah! Sophomore!" Jun-Seo looks up to see Jiro standing at the other end of the hallway, a menacing look on his face as he glares at the younger. Jun-Seo's fight or flight response is triggered instantly, and without a second thought, he swiftly turns on his heels and breaks into a sprint in the opposite direction.

"That little- after him!" Jiro yells chasing after the younger, followed by his friends. The group weaves through the main school building and onto the sports field. Despite Jun-Seo's attempt to shake them off, they persist, their footsteps echoing through the corridors of yet another building. Desperate for a hiding spot, the younger's eyes fall upon a door marked 'Practice Room', and without hesitating, he rushes in, unaware that the room is currently occupied.

He stumbles in startling a Senior who is seated at a piano, staring back at Jun-Seo with wide eyes. "S-S-Sorry, I-I-" Jun-Seo stammers, the words caught in his throat, before a sudden commotion of approaching footsteps sends a jolt of panic through him. Reacting swiftly, he dashes for the nearest closet and pulls the door closed behind him, the click resonating loudly in the tense silence of the room. Meanwhile, the Senior is left bewildered, trying to make sense of the abrupt turn of events until Jiro and his friends show up which pretty much clears things up.

"What the hell are you guys doing? Can't you see this room is occupied?" The Senior snaps, gesturing at the sign both Jiro and Jun-Seo had missed, his tone filled with annoyance at the unexpected intrusion. "Sorry hyung, we're just looking for someone," Jiro says, faking politeness to the upperclassman. "You didn't happen to see a Sophomore with dirty brown hair, wearing a weirdly oversized jumper, stammers a lot?"

Jun-Seo holds his breath, feeling the weight of anticipation, his heart pounding wildly in his chest, as he fervently prays that the Senior will help him.

"I think I saw someone like that,"

Jun-Seo's heart plummets like a weight, his muscles tensing involuntarily, and his breaths coming in short, shallow bursts as a wave of panic washes over him at the realisation that the Senior is about to give him up.