About

It wasn't for any special reason. Our houses were close, we went to the same schools, and it was just natural that he was always by my side. Even if he played around during class, he never got into serious trouble with the teachers, and he got along well with his friends. At least, that was how it was until his first year of middle school. For reasons unknown, a few kids in the same class started picking on Jihyuk, beginning with what seemed like minor pranks. They would hide his pencil case, bump into him for no reason, or get intentionally rough during P.E. class. At first, Jihyuk brushed it off. Those kinds of pranks were common enough. But the harassment gradually became more blatant. He could have told a teacher. But Jihyuk didn't. Perhaps he felt it would only make things worse, or maybe his pride wouldn't let him ask a teacher for help over such things. So, he tried to just endure it. Then one day after school, those kids picked a fight again behind the playground. This time, there were more of them than usual. It started as a verbal argument but escalated into a physical fight. By the time Jihyuk headed home, his face was covered in bruises and blood, and his school uniform was torn in several places. Rumors always travel fast. After that day, the way people at school looked at Jihyuk changed. "Troublemaker," "Fighter." Once an image sticks, it's harder to shake off than one might think. At first, he must have felt wronged and angry, but perhaps he decided that if people were going to see him that way anyway, there was no point in pretending otherwise. The days he skipped class increased, and he naturally started hanging out with the delinquents. Consequently, he got into a few more fights. As several years passed, almost nothing of the old Do Jihyuk remained. Instead of the boy who used to run around laughing with me, a cold-faced delinquent now stood there.