After sitting on my swing dumbfounded for a few minutes, I realized I didn't feel so heavy anymore. It's not that I had completely forgotten about the weight of the letter in my pocket, but somehow, my heart felt lighter after the random encounter with the weirdo.
Sigh… I guess I'll just head back.
I got off the swing finally, and with lighter steps, I walked back to the campus.
I wasn't quite ready to make a scene entering the class during the middle of a lesson though.
So I waited just outside the classroom, knowing that I was pretty safe because tragically, I wasn't tall enough for anyone to see through the window between the classroom and the hallway.
The bell finally rang and my heart fluttered and stomach turned to the random beats, I slid the door open and walked into the classroom.
"Yejin is back!"
Someone spotted me straight away and yelled across the classroom, sending everyone into frenzy as they all rushed to me like moths to a flame.
"Are you OK?"
"What was wrong before?"
"Do you feel sick?"
"Should I take you to the school infirmary?"
The words I expected and feared floated around me and I felt dizzy, almost nauseous.
"I… I'm OK guys… Don't worry about me."
"But you suddenly ran out of classroom!"
"Yeah, we saw you run out of the campus too!"
Questions, exclamations, kind words, angry words - they were all same to me. The attention, all this attention… I couldn't deal with it, BUT-
Somehow I managed.
"Well… actually, guys…"
Everyone held their breaths, waiting for my next words.
"Te-he!"
"AAAAAWWWWWW!"
My toes cringed in my shoes again and I winced in my heart, but somehow my first ever Tehepero worked and everyone melted.
"Let's not trouble her now."
"She must have had her reasons."
"We are glad to see you are OK now."
The words of concerns became words of acceptance, no more questions asked, hair ruffled, pats on the back, a playful pull on my cheek.
With that, it was over and people dispersed, giving me some peace, and I made my way back to my seat. Haemi sitting behind me said nothing as our eyes met, just a comforting smile, warmly delivered. I nodded in appreciation.
When I took the phone out of my bag though, I realized I had over 300 messages and 30 missed calls.
Ouch.
This must be more than I've had in my entire 9 years of school life from Year 1 in primary school to the middle school graduation.
I scrolled down and it was all from my classmates.
Kind words.
They don't hurt too bad now.
What changed inside me…?
I didn't quite know, but I was able to finally stop being an ungrateful brat and appreciate the care that my friends showered me with.
It was only then that it occurred to me to look around the classroom with the curiosity - who exactly was it that put the letter in my desk this morning?
But well, if I could just read people like that I wouldn't have been such a social failure in the first place. No matter how hard I try to think, I simply couldn't figure out what anyone was feeling even when I had directly eye contacts. Nobody stood out as looking 'suspicious.'
My mind started racing. The guy said that we don't interact much in class, but everyone greets me and tries to talk to me when I'm around. I think I've had lunch with every single student in my class at least once, and I must have had at least a short conversation with everyone too.
So who could it be…?
But wait, what am I going to do at all even if I found out?
Go and say hi?
Just thinking about it made me blush for no reason.
Come on, it was NOT a love letter, but-
Oh no… he DID say 'I do also have to admit that I have feelings for you.'
Thinking about that again gave me tingles in my hazy head.
"Yejin-."
"…Oh?"
It was Sumi who brought me back.
"Are you feeling better now?"
I thought we were over that now… but oh well..
"Yeah… thank you."
"Great! Have you thought about what club to join?"
C…clubs?
"This Friday is the deadline for submitting the application form. Don't tell me you are going to be in go-home-club!"
"But I've always-"
"What are you interested in? Sports? Music? Arts? I'm sure you are good at everything!"
"I… I really am not…"
"It's OK! I'm sure every club will be happy to have you anyway!"
Sumi was way too enthusiastic.
"Do you want to go around and check out some different clubs to join after the classes are over?"
Go… going around with a… 'friend'… looking for clubs to join together…!!
Oh my god.
This is like everything I've watched in anime and dreamed of.
This is exactly kind of the 'normal school life' that I fantasized about.
Things turned out to be extreme, but… but this…
"Oh no! Why are you crying?!"
I was so overwhelmed I didn't realize that I started to shed tears.
"Thank you, Su…su…su…"
"Hehe, don't worry about it."
Sumi reached out her hand and ruffled my hair.
"Let's do that… yeah… we can go… look for… :hic:"
Not understanding what's going on, but seeing that I was feeling somewhat tender in the heart, Sumi came closer, sat on my desk and just patted by head.
"It's OK, Yejin. Well, I have no idea what you've been through, but I hope you're getting better. Everything will be OK."
Yeah…
Everything is going to be OK now.
Somehow.