~ Their Childhood (2) ~

Shin stumbled from the hard smack on his back.

"Bugs!" A chubby guy followed by three other guys walked past him.

Lea mumbled, "Jake...he already set his new target. Tsk! Eugene, we must help him."

Eugene clenched his fists but said nothing.

Shin sighed and went out of the class.

*DING DONG*

Recess was over. Teacher came and everyone settled in their seats with books opened.

Only Shin's place was empty and untouched.

Eugene frowned. Lea and Jade looked at each other, worried. 

Half an hour passed, and the class was about to end. The teacher started to take attendance.

At the end she asked for Shin, "Mrs. Jones informed me about a new transferee. Shin Ro, I will add your name now in the Attendance Copy."

She paused, waiting for an answer from Shin. But the silence made her frowned and looked around the class to spot the new face. 

She again called out his name, "Shin Ro! Please give your attendance."

The empty seat with a bag and closed books on the desk made her angry.

 She banged her desk and asked angrily, "Shin Ro! Wasn't he supposed to be in the? What an audacity to miss classes and on top of that, it is his first day in the school! Where is he?"

The classroom held pin drop silence.

 Someone from the last row said, "Mrs. Jones, he left the class as soon as the bell rang."

It was nothing but a disaster.

She slammed closed her Attendance Copy and ordered, "Jade, Jake, Eugene and Robert. Go and find him. Bring him to me, Scoot!"

Eugene really didn't wish to go , but he was the Class Monitor. He couldn't disobey his teacher.

They left at once.

They searched the whole floor, asked others they met on their way but no one know where that nuissance had dissapeared.

Only a girl from Senior Year said that she saw an Asian little boy asking the way to the washroom.

They all ran there but didn't find Shin. Jake and Robert decided to return to the class and report to the teacher. Eugene kept quiet, only his eyes searching everywhere.

Suddenly Jake shouted excitedly, "See, see! That bug is there. You guys wait here and keep an eye on him, okay? I will call Miss Brown right now."

He took off excitedly.

 Eugene pulled him back, "What are you planning to do now?"

Jake shook him off and smirked, "Nothing, just teaching him a lesson, for missing his classes."

He ran to call the teacher.

Puzzled, Eugene looked at Shin. Anyone could say from Shin's look that he was confused, frightened and in a mess. He was looking here and there to find something.

"... he's loitering in the playground, Miss Brown. We searched everywhere but couldn't find him because he cut his classes to play in the playground!"

Eugene turned his head to see Jake and Miss Brown coming their way and Jake exaggerating the situation to her.

Miss Brown looked furious. She looked out the window and shouted, "Shin Ro! Come here at once!"

Shin was startled and looked up at their way. He seemed like he was about to cry. He again looked here and there for something but trudged his way to the stairway.

Many students had also gathered there to see what was happening. 

School Headmistress, Mrs. Jones and few other teachers also came there hurriedly because of all the clamour, fuss and roister.

Miss Brown shook Shin by his shoulder and scolded, "What were you doing in the whole break? Why did you cut class to play in the playground?"

Everyone's attention was on him. Shin felt the glares on him from everywhere. He shivered.

Shin stammered, "T-teacher, I didn't c-cut my classes...I...I went out of the classroom to go to the Washroom...b-but I didn't know the way….I asked, but everyone avoided me and...few gave me wrong directions...a-and when I finally found it, I got lost and forgot m-my way to the classroom."

Tears rolled down his cheeks, "S-so I asked some Seniors students and...and they asked for my School Badge and Name Tag. I unpinned it and gave it to them...but they threw those at the playground, s-so I have to look for it...I am sorry, Teacher…"

"Huh, the audacity to lie on my face!" Miss Brown sneered.

Mrs. Jones came forward and interrupted them, "Miss Brown, you can see he isn't wearing the badges. I gave him those in the morning myself. Instead of scolding, we should handle the situation more smoothly."

She turned to other teachers and requested, "I deeply apologize for the fuss here. Please get back to your places, Ma'am," she took a deep breath and sternly said, "and students, please disperse to your classes."

Mrs. Jones requested the Headmistress, "Madam, can we head over to your office for further discussion?"

"Uh, Of course ! And I will call the security to check for the CCTV footage to get know what exactly happened."

Eugene clenched his fists. He remembered his old days when he was treated like that, when he was continuously humiliated. He glared at Jake but couldn't do anything because he didn't want to break the rules for any random new guy 

He quietly got back to his class.

The incident spread like fire and everyone was gossiping about it.

Jade told Lea everything.

Shin didn't come back to the class for the day. A staff member came to collect his things and left.

The school was over.

Eugene, Jade and Lea walk home together but they had to part ways at the Junction because they live in different residential areas.

They were all late to home that way. Lea and Jade started running as soon as they reached the junction.

Eugene also sped up his pace.

*CREAK CREAK*

The sound of rusted hinges from the playground made him turn his head without much thought.

He saw the new boy Shin sitting on the swing with his head lowered, swinging slowly. Eugene stopped. He recalled the time when he used to sit on the swing and cry. But the days are over. He thought he should not meddle in someone else's matters.

Eugene shrugged his shoulders and walked past him, clutching on a pair of School Badge and Name Tag.