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Chapter 168: Joy (5)

“How about a treat from the snack bar?"

“Oh, sure. That\'s easy. Let\'s go for it."

“You\'ve got my vote!"

Goh Yoo-Joon\'s mingling talent always left me in awe. How could someone be so naturally good at making friends? Even before the first period came to a close, Goh Yoo-Joon was already chatting away with Yoo Joon-Hwan and Jeong Hee-Su behind us. Their conversation flowed as if they\'d been buddies for years.

Compared to his easy banter, I was merely turning around because he did, and I hardly managed to exchange more than a glance with the two. Though I knew this was the prime time to forge connections with others, especially with the camera rolling. I found it notably harder to gel with peers my age, specifically those from outside our industry.

“Shall we check out the canteen later? I\'m curious about what they\'ve got."

“Sounds good to me."

“Count me in."

“Umm...” Somehow, even chiming in with a simple response seemed so challenging to me. Eventually, I found myself merely smiling and observing their lively exchange.

Goh Yoo-Joon noticed my silence and nudged me. “Why so quiet over there? Let\'s head over and grab something. We skipped breakfast.”

“Uh, yeah. Maybe in a bit..." At that moment, my eyes met with Joon-Hwan and Hee-Su\'s. Hee-Su sat closest to me, so our gaze held for a few seconds before he awkwardly averted his eyes with a shy smile. It seemed I needed to put in more effort to bridge the gap between us.

“What\'s on the schedule for the next class?" Goh Yoo-Joon\'s casual comment seemed to dissipate any lingering awkwardness.

“English class is up next," Joon-Hwan informed us. Thankfully, Memory High\'s curriculum wasn\'t centered around conventional subjects but rather on providing an enriching experience through educational activities like language arts, English, Korean history, physical education, music, career planning, and special projects. It was distinctly different from the public schools.

Goh Yoo-Joon made a face at the mention of English class. Just then, I noticed Jeong Hee-Su\'s gaze drifting back to me and lingered a bit longer this time, but I chose to not start a conversation for now. I decided to wait until our trip to the canteen to initiate it.

The classroom was somewhat subdued during the introduction period. However, as soon as the bell signaled the end of the class rang, the class came alive with chatter as students eagerly engaged with their new classmates.

“Are you going to the canteen now?"

“No, let\'s wait until after the second period. I want to get a feel for things first."

“Alright."

I turned back to face the front and pulled out the English class materials, which looked more like printed handouts.

“I need to go to the washroom."

“Me too. All that nervousness is catching up with me."

Hee-Su and Joon-Hwan laughed and made their way out, leaving Goh Yoo-Joon and me behind.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Goh Yoo-Joon chuckled and elbowed me gently. “You are still very awkward, right?”

“Pretty much." My honest admission earned a chuckle from Goh Yoo-Joon, and I shot him a playful glare in response. “Just wait until we get to the snack bar. I will get closer to them there."

“I\'m rooting for you. Hee-Su seemed keen on getting to know you better."

“Is that so?" I pondered and recalled the fleeting moments our eyes had met. Was that what his lingering looks were about?

As I started to plot out how to approach them later at the canteen, Goh Yoo-Joon stretched and yawned. “I am so tired.”

“Don\'t start snoozing on us now, especially not on the first day. You wouldn\'t want to get on the teacher\'s bad side."

“Like it\'s that easy? Why did you oversleep this morning then? Starting off on the wrong foot with the teacher isn\'t a good look."

“It\'s not like I did it on purpose."

Our banter was cut short by a new voice coming from right beside me. “It looks like you are both pretty worn out, huh?"

Startled, I spun around and noticed On Ki-Hoon smiling at us with a friendly ease. “Hey, we haven\'t properly introduced ourselves. I\'m Ki-Hoon."

“Oh, hi there."

“Um... yeah, hello."

Actor On Ki-Hoon was the new face in the industry, gradually making appearances in various TV shows in supporting roles, yet he had not yet become a favored choice for significant screen time by directors. Nevertheless, his presence exuded that of a supportive lead, as if he would always be there to lend a helping hand to the female protagonist. This demeanor was reflected in his overall gentle demeanor and voice.

On Ki-Hoon sat at Hee-Su’s seat without hesitation and asked, “Did you work yesterday as well?”

“Nah, we were just prepping for our upcoming album,” replied Goh Yoo-Joon.

“Oh, really? I caught your end-of-year performance. It was quite the spectacle, even topping the real-time search rankings. It was definitely impressive.”

“It\'s all thanks to our fans, truly. I\'ve seen some of your work too, stumbled upon a few clips on UTube."

“Yeah, they featured me because I played the role of the protagonist’s younger brother.”

Goh Yoo-Joon navigated the conversation with the ease of an experienced socialite. However, I couldn\'t get used to the sudden closeness, so my gaze inadvertently fixed on Ki-Hoon\'s fingers.

As if sensing my discomfort, Ki-Hoon met my eyes with a soft gaze and a reassuring smile, asking, “What\'s the matter, Hyun-Woo?"

“Oh, it\'s nothing... Just, I\'ve seen your work on UTube as well."

“Really? That\'s kind of you to say."

As I joined in the conversation, I subtly shifted my gaze and noticed something odd. ‘Hmm?’ Students seated nearby, particularly those closer to Ki-Hoon, cast peculiar glances our way, and they were somewhat tinged with skepticism.

My puzzled look seemed to ask “what\'s wrong?” caused them to quickly avert their eyes. They simply dismissed it with a shake of their heads.

‘Uh.. what is going on?’

“Anyway, being in the same field, we are bound to get along. Let\'s be friends."

Goh Yoo-Joon hesitated momentarily before breaking into a grin and nodding in agreement. “Sure. Let\'s get to know each other better. Well, looks like it\'s about time for the next class."

Ki-Hoon stood up and made his way back to his seat. Meanwhile, Goh Yoo-Joon nonchalantly pulled out his English textbook, looking indifferent to the surrounding cameras. However, having been friends with Goh Yoo-Joon for years, I could tell there was something about Ki-Hoon he wasn\'t too keen on. It seemed like a topic to be discussed after the filming wrapped up.

***

The cameras were cleverly hidden, and the production team was monitoring from afar. As a result, it felt almost like a regular school day, devoid of the usual filming pressures. The candid reactions of our classmates spoke volumes about the relaxed atmosphere on set.

“So the public schools usually go over textbooks, but...”

As the English teacher started her presentation, it echoed the typical first-day school introductions, setting an educational yet informal tone. Despite the diverse backgrounds of the students and their shared longing for a taste of school life, enthusiasm seemed to dwindle at the prospect of an English lesson, as no one appeared to be present for purely academic reasons. My overwhelming desire at that moment was simply to stay awake.

Goh Yoo-Joon had succumbed to sleep with his head resting on the desk. The teacher\'s words were intended to educate us, but they also lulled us further into sleepiness after a night of minimal rest. Hence, I nudged Goh Yoo-Joon, urging him to wake up.

“Ah... Uh..." He stirred and propped himself up momentarily while widening his eyes, only to drift off once again.

“Ah, shoot...”

I roused him once more, and Goh Yoo-Joon leaned against his chair, struggling to maintain focus on the class.

Suppressing the urge to succumb to sleep like Goh Yoo-Joon, I was startled when a sudden touch on my shoulder jolted me awake. I turned and found Jeong Hee-Su offering a friendly gesture, signaling me to focus on the lesson. Grateful for his thoughtfulness, I smiled and gently tapped his hand in appreciation as the second period came to an end.

***

Jeong Hee-Su shared a moment of camaraderie with Hyun-Woo and then exchanged a satisfied glance with Yoon-Hwan. Both of them had initially thought that Hyun-Woo was hard to befriend, especially since he remained quiet and observant during the first period.

Given Chronos\'s widespread popularity, both of them were familiar with the group\'s performances. Hyun-Woo\'s distinctive blonde hair made him easily recognizable, even to casual fans, and he was not only good-looking but also incredibly good at performing on the stage. Even those unaware of Chronos could tell that Hyun-Woo was the most popular member in the group by the fans’ reactions.

Before coming here, Jeong Hee-Su and Yoo Joon-Hwan didn’t know Suh Hyun-Woo by name. However, they recognized his face and his performance. In contrast to Goh Yoo-Joon\'s approachable demeanor, they found Hyun-Woo somewhat intimidating. His reserved appearance and his spare contributions to the conversation, responding only to Goh Yoo-Joon, made him seem somewhat distant.

However, the moment Hyun-Woo tapped Hee-Su’s hand in thanks, their perception of him changed completely. Hyun-Woo was just as kind-hearted as Goh Yoo-Joon, but he was just more reserved in showing it.

As Hee-Su pulled his hand away from Hyun-Woo’s shoulder, the bell signaling the end of the second period rang. Both Goh Yoo-Joon and Hyun-Woo barely held on and flopped forward onto their desks, falling asleep immediately. Their unintended nap pushed back any plans for visiting the canteen.

The third period commenced with their history teacher’s engaging presentation. Although it was technically a class, the session was crafted more for entertainment, aiming to be engaging and informative for the audience.

With a resolve not to doze off again, both members of Chronos focused intently on the lesson.

As time slowly passed, it was suddenly the fourth period—the time for the class president elections.