Chapter Text
Jeonju, South Korea, 2001
Some western rock song blasted on Beomgyu's ears coming from his brand new Mp3. His backpack slung over one shoulder as he made his way to school.
Today was the official first day of senior year and it should've felt somehow sentimental. Something that you've grown so used to like school is now coming to an end must feel sad right? For Beomgyu the only thing he could feel was relief, look, before you assume anything he wasn't just some cold-hearted dude who hated everything and everyone but, school was never something he felt so thrilled or excited about. School for him always meant studying and studying until it's time to get up on the stage and get his diploma and it would all be over. The small town he never liked and that he thought the people in here were too 'close-minded', the school that he felt that 90% of the time he didn't fit in, the days that he seemed to drag himself through it, the constant feeling of just surviving and not living, it would all be gone in 9 months and that was comforting to think.
Unaware of his surroundings that were muffled by the guitar riff of the song he had spent one hour trying to download out of his shitty computer, he kept walking, seeing the school in the distance.
"Beomgyu?" A voice called out, now muffled by the song, but now seeming to get closer.
"Beomgyu!" The voice got louder now, he finally felt someone shake his left shoulder that almost threw him out of balance. He took one earbud out with more force then necessary, turning his head slightly around to see who was behind him and it wasn't so unexpected who it was.
The short brown haired boy, Kang Taehyun, his loyal best friend who he didn't even know why he was friends with in the first place, The boy just seemed to stick around wherever he went and Beomgyu just got used with it.
"I swear if you keep listening to songs that loud you're gonna go deaf!" Taehyun exclaimed as he now walked beside Beomgyu who just ignored that but reluctantly took off his earbuds shoving them and the Mp3 in a small pocket of his backpack.
They continued their way to the school in silence.
After walking what it seemed three to four minutes on their line of sight they were able to see the tall white pillars that above held a banner with the green and white school logo, 전주한일고등학교 - Jeonju Hanil High School, Below it had a long white banner with big letters,
“Welcome back students! Wish the best of luck to the last year of our class of 2002!”
Beomgyu and Taehyun walked through the opened gates, a crowd of students gathered behind them as all of them made their way to the building.
“So..first day of senior year huh? How do you feel?” Taehyun squirmed it out, awkwardly, ever since he became friends with Beomgyu he knew that he usually was the one to start conversations since Beomgyu didn’t talk much until 5 minutes into the conversation where he would let himself open up to Taehyun.
“It’s okay.” Beomgyu responded quietly holding one strap of his backpack, shifting from one foot to the other as they finally reached the entrance where they made their way to the homeroom where most people where already settling down into the seats.
The two boys took a seat together on the back as the teacher waited patiently until everyone was there so she could start the class.
Everybody seemed settled in their seats, the teacher was about to start the class when the wooden door slid open and he walked in.
Yeonjun, walked in with all his confidence, doing a quick bow to the teacher before he scanned around the classroom as his eyes landed on Beomgyu that was too unaware staring out the window before he looked away and sat down on a chair by the middle row.
Yeonjun was the captain of the soccer team for the 3rd year in a row and it was no surprise he was a very popular person, he was charismatic, charming, intelligent, good leadership skills, good at sports, he was the full pack, everyone wanted to be him or be with him, in any sense you any interpret. No matter the gender everybody just seemed so drawn to him, like he had an aura that people just seemed so attracted to.
And as if it couldn't get more cliché than that, Beomgyu was the complete opposite, sure he took good grades, but he was the kind of person that if even dared to open his mouth at a social gathering it would just be that image of everyone looking at him with a ‘are you deadass?’ face, he had friends…well, one, but that still counts! He was good at stuff, but the useless ones that almost no one cares about, like yeah cool he was into photography but anyone could just pick up a camera and take pictures right? And as for beomgyu he didn’t have that magnet aura that made everyone drawn to him, infact he seemed to have a repelled aura since no one just approached him like that or in any way infact.
(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)
The first week back was a blur to Beomgyu if he was being honest, it was the same old, meeting new teachers, subjects and people and surprisingly he made it until Friday. Passing by the soccer field where Yeonjun and his team were playing. Beomgyu walked by with his head low and earbuds on until he sensed or at least he saw a shadow over him, he looked up and there was Yeonjun in all his glory,
He had the short sleeves of his jersey rolled up showing the full length of his arms that now were way more defined then it was last year, definitely. Sweat dripping from his chin, his hair was messy and damp, his legs and specially his thighs looked strong and muscular, definitely more defined then last year, not that beomgyu noticed of course.
Yeonjun breathlessly spoke as he looked at Beomgyu up and down.
“Hey you, Beomgyu right?”
“Yeah, why?” Beomgyu asked uncertain as he felt eyes on him, he felt slightest uncomfortable about that.
“You, huh, forgot your notebook in class.” He jogged behind beomgyu reaching for his backpack that was thrown lazily at the dirty grass, he took out a black and white notebook handing it to beomgyu.
Beomgyu looked at the notebook and then back at Yeonjun with a indifferent expression before speaking
“How do you know it was mine?”
Yeonjun chuckled, looking up and down at Beomgyu once again like he lost something on his body and was trying to find it.
“Well I was expecting a thank you but, I found it in your desk.”
“How do you know where is my desk?”
“You ask too many questions, just be grateful, yeah?”
Yeonjun thrusted the notebook towards Beomgyu’s chest with a slight smile as his teammates yelled at him to get back to the field, Beomgyu took a small step back holding the notebook, watching Yeonjun get back on the field.
He shoved the notebook back on his backpack, zipping it and throwing it over one shoulder, walking past the school gates, he made his way home.
(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)
“So are you thinking of joining any clubs?”
Taehyun laid down on beomgyu’s bed as he ate the 15th sour rainbow stripes ever since he got to Beomgyu’s house.
“I don’t like school clubs.” Beomgyu voice came out quietly almost like a whisper, focusing on his feeding his tamagotchi.
“The photography club is looking for new members, maybe you should try it out, socialize a little.”
It was true that Beomgyu did enjoy photography, he just thought that it was one of the most beautiful forms of art, picturing landscapes, people, made him feel some kind of comfort, capturing the small moments before they’re gone. but, joining a club full of people he didn’t even know just to take pictures of school events? That’s a no no.
“I’m not doing that.”
“Why not?”
“Because no.”
“That’s not a reason.”
“Yes it is.”
“It’s not.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes!”
Beomgyu sat up on the bed with more force then necessary, crossing his arms in that bratty way he always did.
“I’m not joining that club and there’s no way you’re gonna talk me out of it!”
“Just give it a try.”
“Alright I guess.”
He laid back again as they quickly forgot about that subject as they went on about school subjects, games and stuff.
(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)
On Monday morning Beomgyu stood in front of the club nervously overthinking too much ways to open a door nonchalantly before he finally reached for it, sliding it open.
He was met with the radio room, a big table and at least 4 people sat in there with papers in their hands and they all looked up when Beomgyu entered great.
He gave a quick polite bow before sitting down on an empty chair avoiding eye contact.
A boy with black hair and squared glasses cleared his throat and put the papers on a small stack sitting beside him on the table.
“So it seems like everybody’s here, we can start the meeting.”
He talked for a few minutes about what we would be doing in the club like activities, schedules etc…
“We’ll met every Thursday after our last class and at tuesdays during lunch. We’ll also be in charge of recording school events and ceremonies.”
Beomgyu listened intensely, he hadn’t mutter a word since he entered the room.
“So now that everything’s explained how about we introduce ourselves? Starting with…you, what’s your name and what do you like to do?”
He pointed to beomgyu that with a sigh responded in a mutter
“My name is Choi Beomgyu and I like taking pictures.”
The boy gave a slight nod as he continued to point at people to introduce themselves.
“Na Yuna.”
“Huening Kai.”
“Yang Jungwon.”
“And you all know me I’m Park Joon the representative of this club, so be ready for our next meeting on Thursday right after our last class.”
Beomgyu grabbed his backpack sliding up one shoulder before walking away where he met Taehyun halfway through his way out of the school.
They didn’t talk much as they walked towards the bus stop.
Beomgyu sat by the window watching the sunset set earlier today, he closed his eyes and relaxed until his stop.