"Sehwa, wait here for a moment."
Seungmin stopped abruptly before entering his classroom and halted Sehwa, who was about to follow him inside.
It was only right for the homeroom teacher to introduce the transfer student first.
Sehwa, glancing back for a moment, wore a cold expression, as if lost in thought, before suddenly letting out a small chuckle.
Feeling an inexplicable chill, Seungmin opened the door with tense movements.
*—Screech.*
"Ahem, ahem."
Clearing his throat as he entered, Seungmin stood at the podium and addressed the students at the back, who were still chatting despite the teacher's arrival.
"Hyemin, can you keep it down?"
"Idiot. So, why did you use the blinker there…"
"Hyemin?"
"Oh, yes, go ahead!"
*Sigh.*
It was always like this. There wasn't a shred of respect for the teacher from these students.
"Alright… I'd like to introduce a new friend. he's from Russia…"
"Whoa, damn! A Russian ! We already know it's a guy! Just the face!"
"Teacher! Bring him in quick!"
The audacity of their attitude while the teacher was still speaking. Seungmin felt anger rising but barely suppressed it.
There was no point in picking a fight with them. Their parents were intimidating too.
"…he might not be fluent yet. he might not be fully adjusted to Korea, so please be friendly. Sehwa, come in."
Seungmin called out to Sehwa, who was rubbing their neck outside the door. Sehwa stepped beside Seungmin without hesitation.
The classroom fell silent, as quiet as a library, not even the sound of an ant crawling. If only it were always like this.
(Even I, as a guy, would feel jealous looking at him. No wonder these kids are losing their minds.)
While the students were entranced by Sehwa's appearance, Seungmin decided to wrap things up quickly.
"Sehwa, would you like to introduce yourself?"
"Hello. I'm Ryu Sehwa."
"…That's it?"
"Yes."
Not an ordinary personality. Their character matched their striking appearance perfectly. The students, caught off guard, stared at Sehwa.
Feeling a bit flustered, Seungmin continued the introduction on their behalf.
"Sehwa is from Russia, but his parents have different nationalities. his mother is Russian, and his father is Korean.
They haven't been in Korea long, so take good care of them. Alright, that's the introduction. Sehwa, would you like to take a seat over there?"
Seungmin pointed to a seat at the back.
Sehwa looked at where his finger was pointing.
It was a spot right by an open window, sunlight pouring in. It seemed like a place that would make you drowsy.
The two-person desk was currently empty, but a bag hanging on the side indicated it had a partner.
Sehwa, still with bandages wrapped around their fingers, brushed their hair back and casually walked between the desks where the other students sat.
The students' heads turned in unison, following Sehwa's every step. It was an eerie sight.
After confirming that Sehwa had taken their seat, Seungmin seized the rare quiet moment in the classroom and picked up a whiteboard marker.
"Alright, let's start the lesson. Last time, we left off at…"
---
Honestly, the class didn't have high expectations. The arrival of a rare transfer student simply sparked curiosity in their mundane school lives.
Among them were Jung Hyemin and Lee Suyoung. They'd jokingly said they'd "have their way" with any new male transfer student, but really, there were plenty of "easy" guys around. They didn't even know if the new guy would be attractive.
So, they were just fooling around, chatting even when the teacher came in. But when Sehwa stood next to the teacher, they didn't just keep quiet they couldn't speak.
"Hey… Suyoung, you seeing this?"
"Yeah… damn, what the hell? Hyemin, don't touch him. He's mine."
"Shut up, idiot. Didn't I let you have that one guy last time we were drinking?"
"That guy and this guy are not the same, dumbass! And that guy's body was trash when we got him naked. Only his face was decent."
They saw potential. The guy called Sehwa was one of them. If they played their cards right, they could get him to hang out, maybe even drink with them.
Dressed in an open-buttoned shirt and slim pants, with long, straight legs, he looked like the typical "bad boy" high schooler that losers fantasized about.
He wasn't some common "easy" guy but someone who seemed untouchable, exuding an air of arrogance. Most importantly, he was gorgeous.
Whoever managed to "take him down" would have bragging rights for life.
As they bickered, Sehwa lazily brushed back their bangs with a bored expression, and the girls stopped arguing to stare.
"Damn… I'm speechless."
"But why's he wearing those arm sleeves? For style?"
"No idea, but damn, he's stunning. I've never seen a guy with a tattoo on his face before."
"Looks like a signal. Like, 'I'm up for fun~ Come get me~'"
"Crazy bitch. Ugh, I'm suddenly so turned on. Bet he's great in bed. Probably been with tons of Russian girls, right?"
Even as they joked casually, they were secretly thrilled, imagining pinning down this black-haired "Russian stud" and making him moan beneath them.
Hyemin, subtly adjusting her slightly damp underwear, suddenly remembered something and asked Suyoung.
"Hey, where's Mina right now?"
"She went to the nurse's office earlier, said she was on her period."
"She went to the nurse's office for her period? What a weirdo."
Going to the nurse's office for something as trivial as period cramps was unthinkable for these girls.
No wonder her vibe seemed so "lesbian," Hyemin thought, smirking mockingly.
"By the way, I'm so jealous. His seat is right next to Mina's."
Suyoung glanced over at Sehwa's seat.
"Life sucks… Some of us have to chase guys all the time, and she just gets to sit there and—"
"So what? She's a lesbian. Even if a guy stripped naked in front of her, she'd just be like, 'Whatever.'"
The two stared at Sehwa, lost in their own thoughts.
---
*It's brutal.*
That was my first impression upon entering this classroom.
I expected some attention, but not this much.
Even though I carefully covered my tattoos, my standout appearance was clearly the issue.
Especially those two girls at the back. With tattoos on their arms and bleached blonde hair, they were blatantly staring at my chest and legs while pretending not to.
(Crazy bitches, tone it down a bit.)
Seeing those girls with the lustful eyes of guys reminded me of the past.
What was I like in my previous life? Oh, right, probably around high school, full of energy.
Back when I was obsessed with sports and didn't care about girls, even I would sometimes feel a spark when I saw those "bad girl" types in short skirts.
The guys around me went crazy over them. They'd say they'd kill to touch their thighs or chests. It was always one or the other.
(But I'm not even showing skin, so why are they acting like this…?)
Still, it was clear I'd become the object of their desire. I scanned the classroom.
Most of the guys had their shirts buttoned up tightly, except for a few with makeup on. Their pants were looser than mine.
I realized what my outfit translated to in their eyes.
(What the hell? All I did was wear a T-shirt underneath…)
That said, I had no intention of playing the "proper male student." Wear layers in this heat? I'd rather go sleeveless. I didn't care if they saw me as "easy."
(Still, it's giving me chills.)
Their sticky gazes made my skin crawl. I hoped I wasn't like that back then.
While inwardly grappling with the shift from predator to prey, I kept up a facade of indifference.
I decided to just watch out for those gangster-like girls and took my seat.
At least one thing worked out: that high schooler wasn't here. The silver-haired girl, also a Russian-Korean mix, who was the only one to ever create a dark chapter in my history.
I glanced around at the students, all with black or dyed blonde hair. Good, she wasn't here.
But for some reason, the empty seat next to me bothered me. The bag hanging there meant someone was assigned to it.
I felt uneasy for no clear reason. (Why am I so on edge?)
For now, I ignored it and listened to the teacher's lesson, though I didn't understand a word.
A transfer student couldn't just sleep through the homeroom teacher's class on their first day.
When the lesson ended and the teacher left, I made up my mind.
(I should explore the school. Staying here will drive me crazy.)
It was as if they'd planned it every time one student looked at me and turned away, another would stare. It happened so many times I lost count.
My decision: get out of this classroom.
As I stood up, the two girls who'd been watching me earlier approached, stopping the others with a glance.
"Hey, I'm Hyemin. Jung Hyemin."
"I'm Lee Suyoung."
Surprisingly, despite their predatory glares at the others, they smiled gently and offered handshakes.
I glanced at them. Their tops were low-cut, revealing cleavage, and their skin was covered in tattoos. Their skirts were as short as that silver-haired girl's, though she didn't have tattoos.
They seemed like the "wild" type, but I decided to respond to kindness with kindness. Smiling lightly, I shook Hyemin's hand.
"Ryu Sehwa."
"Oh! Me too, I'm Suyoung!"
Suyoung, not expecting me to shake her hand too, looked flustered, while Hyemin's eyes widened as she extended her hand. I shook it as well.
Suyoung, suddenly excited, spoke up.
"Sehwa, wanna hit the school store with us? I'll buy you something tasty."
"Yeah, right, and then you'll pester him. Sehwa, right? Want me to show you around the school?"
Their bickering was kind of amusing.
"I'm good, thanks. But who sits next to me?"
I pointed at the empty desk. Hyemin's expression darkened, and she muttered quietly.
"Dammit… Mina again?"
*Tch.*
I didn't know who Mina was, but it sounded like someone they bullied.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, I looked at their grim faces when the back door suddenly swung open.
"Hey! Just got back from the nurse's office. Nothing happened, right?"
As the door screeched open, my eyes instinctively closed.
(Life is… interesting.)
________________________________________
Translated by Reversalmanhwa.web.id
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