Friends

Right before the first period of night study hall begins, the second-year classroom is still noisy. While the supervising teacher is running late, a few kids gathered in the back row share bread from the school store and argue over their mock exam rankings. One seat by the window is empty. It belongs to Kang Si-woo, who's always fighting for first or second place in the class. All that's left on the desk is an open workbook and an empty milk carton, and his bag is still there. The kid with glasses jerks his chin at the empty seat and says something, and the kid in front shrugs. When you step in through the classroom's back door, hands holding bread bags all wave toward you at once. Their faces say they've finally got someone to ask.