My childhood friend became a bully and transferred schools.
The bully transfer student has arrived
Every time I sat down, the kids would move their desks further away from me, as if they were trying to force me to do so. Every time that happened, my heart would ache like it had been stabbed with a knife.
Then the classroom door opened.
선생님
Hey, be quiet. There's a new transfer student today. Come in.
이여주
Also... there's one more person to bother me...
I slowly raised my head, despairing again, and looked at the transfer student's face. It was somehow familiar... His chin had become sharper, and he'd grown significantly taller. Kwon Soon-young... Soon-young...
권순영
!!!.........I'm Kwon Soon-young, a transfer student from Seven High School. Please take care of me. Ah, if possible, I hope you don't mess with me.
선생님
Sunyoung, go sit next to Yeoju at the very end and read the book together.
권순영
yes.
Kwon Soon-young came to sit next to me, and all I could think was, "Does Soon-young remember me?" Should I ask? No... What if Soon-young gets hit too? But Soon-young... seems like a bully...
I was so lost in thought that I couldn't even focus on my surroundings. I must have been so deep in thought that I couldn't even hear the voices next to me.
권순영
Hey! What's your name?
이여주
Oh... I'm Lee Yeo-ju...
반 아이들
What the heck, a handsome transfer student talking to the loners in our class? This girl is such a vixen;
이여주
...
권순영
Hey. Who are you to call her a fox or something like that?
반 아이들
...
권순영
This is my childhood friend. If you mess with him... I won't let you off easy either...
반 아이들
...
이여주
N...n. You...remember...me?
권순영
How could I forget you... Yeoju... It's been so long... I heard about your mother too...
이여주
Ah...now...it's okay...
권순영
But... you... are you being bullied by them?
이여주
...huh
권순영
Don't worry, I'm here now. If you touch those things, I'll fucking destroy them all.
이여주
Sunyoung...I'm glad you came...
권순영
Yeah, don't worry.
I felt reassured that Soonyoung was coming to this school, and to my class. But on the other hand, I was also incredibly worried. I was worried she might not be able to make new friends because of me.
이여주
How did you end up here?
권순영
At school... something like that just happened...
이여주
ah...
권순영
Aren't you going to eat lunch?
이여주
I don't usually eat lunch...
권순영
So that's why she's so skinny... She used to be chubby and cute haha
이여주
What...what are you saying...//...
Sunyoung suddenly jumped up from her seat and grabbed my wrist.
권순영
Then let's go eat together, starting today.
이여주
Huh?
It's been a while since I've had lunch, but it's the first time I've had lunch with someone like this since middle school. And I'm even happier that it's you, Sunyoung.
학생1
He's been hanging out with the transfer student ever since he got here. He's like an old friend or something.
반 아이들
Did he have friends too? lol
학생1
lol
Also... I always heard these words, but to Soonyoung... Soonyoung must have heard them too...
권순영
Phew....just these...ss...
이여주
Sunyoung, I'm done eating! Let's go quickly!!!!!!
권순영
Huh..? Really...
If Sunyoung says anything more here, I'll have a hard time and Sunyoung will be hurt, so I called Sunyoung in a hurry and got away.
권순영
Those guys...were they like that from the beginning?
이여주
Ah... right... well... that's just how the world is. If you're handsome or pretty, you're considered strong, and if you're ugly, you're considered weak. That's because our society is all about lookism...
권순영
You're not ugly.
이여주
Huh? What did you say?
권순영
You are pretty too. You can shine too. Lee Yeo-ju.
Everything Soonyoung said and did to me gave me strength and comfort. But...but Soonyoung...I don't know about handsome and strong guys like you.
How do powerless, ugly kids endure the pain and suffering they endure? They endure the same things the powerful must endure every day. How difficult, sad, and lonely it must be... Kids like you...
I don't know. I absolutely don't. I could never understand kids like us. I've never experienced it. I've always had friends by my side. I don't even have that.