1st in class hides regression

“What have you guys been doing all day? Every teacher in my class today has been saying something. I was so embarrassed; I wanted to hide!” 

The teacher stomped her foot as she pointed at the floor.

 

She was angry, and I was dumbfounded.

 

She was a freshly minted college graduate who came to our school for the first time this year and immediately took over as homeroom teacher.

 

She’s less than ten years older than us, and she’s still full of mistakes.

 

When I asked her,

“Aren’t you going to work?”

, she shrugged her shoulders and said,

“The vice principal is doing this…”

.

 

Some of the boys openly disrespect their teachers because they don’t know more about the school’s workings than those of us who have been here for a year already.

 

Even that teacher looked like an adult to me before.

 

Now that I look at it again, she’s just a baby, a baby.

 

‘Do you stay at home after work and boil water chicken noodle soup to review for the infinite challenge?’

 

Anyway, my homeroom teacher, who is now a cranky adult woman seven years older than I am, pulled me out of the crowd of kids scurrying off to lunch and grabbed Eun-sung.

 “What the hell was wrong with you two today? What, did you get your sums together so you could get in trouble with me?” 

The homeroom teacher roared.

 “The teachers said a lot of mean things to me!” “Teacher, it’s not that, it’s Jung Eun-sung…!” 

I really didn’t want to do this!

 

I’m twenty-nine years old, and I’ve been raising my hand all day looking for you!

 

Some of the teachers I asked to scold Jung Eun-sung today are even younger than me.

 

What is this!

 “Jung Eun-sung started the fight!” “No, I was just trying to help the music teacher.” “Shut up, both of you. If you do it again, I’ll make you two stay together and clean up the mess.” “Oh. I’m jealous of Kang Dahye.” “Teacher, I want to be left alone with Eun-sung too!” 

The girl who had interrupted from the side shouted and turned away from the teacher’s glare.

 “Please cut me some slack, Teacher, we’ve got a lot of tardies in this class, and the head of the grade is keeping a close eye on us, and I’m going to get in trouble.” “Okay. I’m sorry.” “I’m sorry.” “Okay. Hurry up and go eat. We’re having stir-fried octopus today.” 

The homeroom teacher who warned me,

“If you’re late, there won’t be any broth left to stir-fry the rice,”

disappeared before I could say,

“Will there be seaweed powder?”

 

…My plan to live as a picture-perfect student… went awry from the first day.

 

I glared at Jung Eun-sung.

 

Feeling my gaze, he looked down at me.

 “What are you looking at?” “…….” 

Ignore him.

 

We have to go eat, there won’t be any stir-fried octopus left if we’re late.

 

I opened the door to the classroom where all the kids had already left.

 

At this time, the friend I was eating with…

 “Dahye!” 

My friend, who couldn’t enter the classroom because

<other classes were banned!!!!>

and was waiting outside, smiled broadly and reached out to me.

 “Han Jisoo!” 

I ran over and hugged my friend.

 “It’s Jisoo! Hehehe!” “Huh…? What’s wrong…?” 

* * *

 

It is indeed Jisoo, my friend Han Jisoo.

 

The same tears that I felt when I saw my younger mom in the morning instantly filled my eyes.

 

I snorted and squeezed her arm.

 

Han Jisoo.

 

My friend, seeing her again after 10 years.

 

The girl who was my best friend for 29 years of my life.

 

We were in the same class for all three years of middle school, and when we got to high school, we were in the same class for our freshman year.

 

We stayed close for six years, until I failed the SATs and we lost touch.

 

To be more precise, I unilaterally cut off contact.

 

I felt inferior.

 

I failed the SAT because I went to Hankuk University with the same score as usual. To the department I was aiming for.

 

Even after that, Jisoo never forgot me and contacted me repeatedly, but I ignored her and we lost touch after a year or so.

 

Whenever I was in trouble in my life, I thought of Jisoo, but I never thought to contact her again.

 

I didn’t care.

 

And I didn’t think I was doing well enough to try again.

 

I wish I hadn’t cut off contact in the first place, and I regretted it a lot.

 

So how could I not be happy to see her?

 

Seeing your friend’s face again.

 “Hehe…” “What’s wrong, did you get in trouble with your teacher?” “Han Jisoo. I’m going downstairs first.” 

Seo Jae-gyeom, who was with Jisoo until I came out, looked back and forth between me and Jung Eun-sung coming out of the classroom, then waved to Jisoo.

 “Enjoy your meal.” “You too, Seo Jae-gyeom.” 

Seo Jae-gyeom’s gaze briefly touched mine before he turned away, but I only saw Jisoo.

 “Are you sure everything is okay?” “Yeah. I’m just hungry.” “Come on, let’s go downstairs.” “Yeah.” “Let’s go wipe your runny nose.” “Am I ugly?” “Ugh. Totally.” “Hmm.” 

I left the giggling Jisoo behind and wiped my face with a crude tissue in the restroom.

 

I put my arm around Jisoo, who didn’t complain about wasting my precious lunch break.

 

My friend.

 “Hey, Jisoo, I was in your class this morning.” “Really?” “Yeah. But you weren’t there.” “Oh, you must have been there when I went to the cafeteria.” “I guess so.” “Why? Did you have something to talk about?” “Not really, I just wanted to see you.” “Come on, all of a sudden. Scary…” “Hehe. Will I be really good from now on?” 

Regression is a good thing.

 

You get to see your friends again.

 

This time, I’ll never lose touch and stay friends for a long, long time.

 

God, ancestors.

 

I don’t know who you are, but thank you for bringing me back. I’ll be a good girl from now on.

 

As I was fooling around with a tissue to wipe my face into Jisoo’s school uniform pocket, Jung Eun-sung suddenly appeared from behind and ran ahead of us.

 

Looking at the back of his head, Jisoo whispered,

“That’s Eun-sung Jung.” “Is that Jung Eun-sung?” “Yes.” “Are you close with him?” “No?!” 

What a rude thing to say!

 “He’s so weird!” “Really? I saw you two outside earlier and you looked like you were talking to each other.” “They were telling each other to fuck off.” “Really?” “Yeah. Me and him are not on speaking terms, because he’s an asshole.” “How can he be an asshole when he looks like that?” “That’s right. He’s the one who does the hard work.” “Why? What’s he like?” “I’ll tell you all about it over dinner.” 

Because I’m hungry.

 

I didn’t have to wait in line at the cafeteria because I was late because I was scolded by my teacher.

 

I tagged my student ID at the entrance and read the menu of the day on the sign.

 

-Brown rice

 

-Beef Muguk

 

-Stir-fried octopus

 

-Cheongpo Muk Kimmu Chim

 

-Pogi kimchi

 

-Red Bean Butter Walnut Cookie

 “Red bean butter walnut cookies?!” 

‘Are you crazy?!’

 “Yum.” 

Life can be so satisfying.

 

I was so excited to receive my meal.

 

The garnish for the stir-fried octopus was leeks instead of seaweed powder, but the kids didn’t get leeks, so there was a lot left over, so I got all of it.

 “Did you always like chives?” “I don’t think I used to like it… but I like it now. It’s good for my liver.” “Liver health…?” “Yeah. Let’s eat and then go for a lap around the gym. It’s important to manage your blood sugar after a meal.” “Uh huh…?” “It doesn’t really sink in when you’re a teenager. But you need to protect your health while you still have it.” 

So Jisoo takes the leeks, too, and piles them on her plate and turns around.

 

As she searches for a seat in the cafeteria, which is already full of students…

 “…What’s with the atmosphere?” 

It’s strangely quiet for so many people.

 

It’s like they’re giggling secretly, or watching under their breath.

 

My eyes looked around in confusion, but soon found the epicenter.

 

A short-haired girl was sitting alone at a table for eight in the center of the room, eating.

 

It was the only table in the center of the room that was empty.

 

Everyone was looking at her as if she was invisible, but on the other hand, I could feel that all the attention was focused on her.

 

The group sitting at the table right next to her giggled.

 

A high-pitched voice pierced my ears.

 “Wow. How do you eat alone?” “I don’t eat. Just starve.” “I’d just drop out of school.” “You have to have such a thick face to… with Jiri.” “Oh, I didn’t just do it with Jiri! I did it with Kooksa too… If you only talk about Jiri, we’ll feel bad for Do-yeon.” 

She’s still sitting there eating her meal, even though the whole conversation is aimed at her.

 

Oh…

 

How did I forget this?