1st in class hides regression

When he woke up this morning, Eun-sung felt like he had just woken up from a long sleep.

 “I only got two hours of sleep.” 

He’d been locked in the practice room until 3 a.m. for his end-of-month evaluation feedback.

 

He should be tired after sleeping so little, but he feels strangely alert and excited.

 

Eun-sung looks at his watch and realizes he still has 17 minutes until his alarm goes off.

 

Normally, he would have pulled the covers up and rolled over to catch up on his sleep.

 

But strangely, today he couldn’t wait to get to school.

 

He wanted to go check it out.

 

Check on what?

 

He don’t know.

 “You’re up early.” “Uh.” “What’s for breakfast?” “No thanks. Do you want me to make it?” “I already ate.” 

Even as he washed up, dried his hair, and put on the school uniform he’d hung on the hanger the day before, his heart was pounding.

 

An inexplicable feeling of excitement.

 “Are you leaving already?” “Uh.” 

Eun-sung finally left his house 20 minutes earlier than usual.

 [This stop is in front of Gogo High School. The next stop is at Jungjung Middle School…] 

After three days of walking to school, the route was nothing special.

 

The familiar trees, the familiar apartment complexes, the familiar convenience stores and cafes, and the math academy.

 

Just as his excitement was about to subside.

 “Ah.” 

In his rush to get out, he realized he didn’t drink his milk.

 

Mo, a fifth-year Top Idol senior who often stops by the basement practice room whenever he has time during his busy activities to gather the male trainees and give them unsolicited advice.

 

“Don’t regret it later, take action in advance. Set a time to stretch three times a day, drink two liters of milk a day, and go to bed early!”

 

He was talking about…

 

It was the only advice he gave him that he would listen to.

 

Eun-sung, who was already six centimeters taller than him, couldn’t relate to his desperation, but he agreed that he needed to get a lot taller.

 

So he hoarded white milk at home and drank it from time to time.

 

Even if he didn’t filter his breakfast, he always drank a 500 ml carton of milk, but today he was in a hurry and forgot.

 “…….” 

Currently, Eun-sung is 179.7 centimeters tall.

 

Just 0.3 centimeters taller would change the front seat, but it’s not easy.

 

Eun-sung’s ambiguous height bothered him deeply, so he glanced at his watch and stopped by the canteen.

 “Handsome student, what can I get you?” “Milk, please.” “Milk or chocolate milk?” “Nope. White milk.” “I only have small white milk…” “I’ll have five, please.” 

The stall owner looked at Eun-sung curiously as he lined up the milk like yogurt and gulped down each carton.

 “Your hands are so big. The milk is cute in your hands.” “Yeah.” 

He folded up the five small, empty milk cartons and tossed them into the recycling bin before turning to leave.

 “Oh, by the way, I think Seo Jae-gyeom is really handsome.” “Uh, the most handsome guy in our school.” “What are you talking about? He’s the most handsome boy I know.” 

…Is there anyone in this school more handsome than him?

 

Eun-sung stopped in hia tracks.

 

He turned around and saw four girls sitting at a long table in the cafeteria attached to the canteen.

 

One of them, a girl with long, flowing hair, caught his eye.

 

He’s seen her around a lot.

 

Eun-sung narrowed his eyes.

 

While Eun-sung stared at the girl with the long hair, who was talking on the phone without joining the conversation, the rest of the girls, who hadn’t noticed Eun-sung’s presence, continued their conversation.

 “Kang Dahye likes Seo Jae-gyeom.” “Me?! Really?!” “Didn’t you know? It’s so obvious.” 

Girl 1 scoffs at how she could not know that.

 “Wow… But didn’t Seo Jae-gyeom like Jisoo?” 

Girl 3 exclaims in frustration next to Girl 2 who opens her mouth.

 “No. Who is Kang Dahye, am I the only one who doesn’t know?” “That white-faced, skinny girl in class 2. First in the whole school.” “She’s the top of the class?” “The homeroom teacher told me last time… She only got one question wrong in the entire year last year.” “I didn’t hear that.” “Is that how you know you’re not studying?” “Do you want to look it up?” “But she likes Seo Jae-gyeom?” “They don’t look good together.” “Well, she can like him.” 

Despite her words, Girl 1’s face was filled with laughter. It was as if she was dying to mock Kang Dahye for liking Seo Jae-gyeom.

 

Girl 2 asked again.

 “But Seo Jae-gyeom likes Jisoo. Isn’t Kang Dahye close to Jisoo?” “Yes. That’s why Seo Jae-gyeom doesn’t like her.” “Did Seo Jae-gyeom say that himself? He doesn’t like Kang Dahye?” “He didn’t say anything, but it’s obvious from the side.” 

It’s obvious, Girl 1 said flatly. Girl 3 chimed in.

 “Wow, but she has no self-respect. I would never know if a girl I liked liked my friend.” “It’s not pride, it’s cluelessness.” “Well, that’s just the way they are. They’re all about studying.” “Yeah. They don’t seem to have much sense.” “Still, she’s brave. She’s even showing that she likes it.” “She’s not showing off. I’m sure it’s annoying.” “Don’t you think he’s doing it on purpose?” “To keep Jisoo from going to the library?” “Oh, the big picture?” “Shivers.” 

The conversation stops to eat bread as they shiver amongst themselves.

 

It was Girl 1 who started the conversation again.

 

The topic was Kang Dahye again.

 “Her bag has a spring? I thought she was a kid.” “My friend went to the same school as her in elementary and middle school, and she’s had the same bag since sixth grade.” “Really? Doesn’t it have any holes in it? Change it.” “Leave it. Maybe she doesn’t have any money.” “Stop it, all of you.” 

At that point, the girl who had stopped talking on the phone glared at them.

 

The rest of the girls were mesmerized by the look on her face. She said,

 “You’re talking too much. You obviously know that Dahye and I are close, so why are you insulting her in front of me?” “No, it’s not that, we’re…” “Jisoo, you and Seo Jae-gyeom seem to be doing well together, but I don’t think he’s….” “Why are you judging that? I’m not interested in Seo Jae-gyeom.” 

Suddenly, Eun-sung remembered.

 

That’s Jisoo, the girl who came to their class yesterday at lunch and was waiting for her friend.

 

It’s Kang Dahye.

 “Our class.” 

He remembered his homeroom teacher introducing him to Kang Dahye, saying that she had been the top student since she entered the school, and that if he didn’t understand something, He should ask her.

 “She seemed so smart back then.” 

‘Why am I listening to that shit behind my back?’

 

Sighing, Eun-sung threw the milk carton into the trash can.

 

The girls turned around in surprise, but Eun-sung was already on his way out of the cafeteria.

 

‘No sense, no pride. Carrying a bag like an elementary school student.’

 

It’s so easy to verbally assault a person.

 

Honestly, it’s none of Eun-sung’s business whether Kang Dahye is being verbally assaulted or not. The words he heard kept replaying in his head.

 

As he’s thinking about it, he enters the hallway on the fourth floor where the second grade classroom is located.

 “Ack!” 

A cell phone rolled to Eun-sung’s feet.

 

It was an old model that looked like it had been around for years. She picked up the phone, which had scratches all over it.

 “…A crush playlist?” 

There were 98 songs on it.

 

Eun-sung looked up and saw Kang Dahye, her face flushed red and tears welling up in her eyes.

 

An instant irritation flashed through him.

 

He doesn’t know why.

 

‘Why do you cry every time I see you?’

 

Eun-sung opened his mouth, not knowing why he thought that.

 

* * *

 “Really? Dahye knows a lot of good songs? I’m surprised.” “No, I don’t know, I don’t know!” “No, I saw her. She was having a famous song party by herself.” “Really? Dahye, don’t throw a party by yourself, invite us.” “What?!” “Then let Dahye decide the song until the performance evaluation.” 

Ignoring my waving hands in the air, the teacher turned to the piano keys.

 

I whirled around to look at Jung Eun-sung.

 

-Are you crazy?

 

I tore up my notes and handed the shredded note to my friend in the back.

 “Give this to Eun-sung Jung.” 

I watched the note being delivered to Jung Eun-sung.

 

After receiving the note, Jung Eun-sung flipped the roughly folded note in half back and forth.

 

He flicked it back and tossed it into the trash.

 “…….” “…….” “Teacher. Kang Dahye is calling me.” “Dahye, the teacher is here. No matter how good-looking Eun-sung is, you have to look ahead in class, right?” “…….” 

At that moment, I didn’t remember the frustration of forgetting everything I learned in high school, or the embarrassment of my teenage emotional playlist.

 

All I could think about was the burning vengeance I had for Jung Eun-sung…!

 

Never mind that Seo Jae-gyeom, who had chilled me a few hours ago, was looking at me and Jung Eun-sung alternately with covetous eyes.

 “We’ll see.” 

It’s war.

 

Next lesson.

 “Who wants to come out and do the exercises?” “Teacher. Eun-sung Jung wants to solve it.” 

Next lesson.

 “Okay, who wants to read the next paragraph?” “Teacher. Kang Dahye wants to read it.” “Who wants to carry this to the staff room after break?” “Teacher. Jung Eun-sung raised his hand, I saw him.” “Teacher. I think Kang Dahye is on her cell phone.” “Teacher. Eunsung Jung is not studying, she is drawing.” “Teacher, Kang Dahye is on…” “Teacher, Eunsung Jung is on…” “Kang Dahye, Jung Eun-sung!” 

Finally, at lunchtime, the teacher, who was red-faced and rushing into the classroom, came out and called for them.