Siwoo despised foolish people. In his view, all evil came from human stupidity – a stupidity that didn’t necessarily mean a lack of education or knowledge, but rather a learned behaviour that prevented people from seeing beyond their own world. If someone or something differed from the social norms that had been drilled into them, they feared it, and they masked that fear with aggression. Siwoo believed that these people – the majority – were terrified of the idea that there were things in the universe beyond their comprehension (such as the existence of a higher, influencing force). Instead of confronting this fear, they outright denied it, choosing instead to worship only the material and simplistic, ingrained ideas (like nationalism or the reverence for tradition). In the worst cases, they didn’t even reach that level; they just lived their pitiful little lives without ever stopping to think about what was truly happening around them, or even who they really were. They only cared about their own interests, their shallow existence – then they died. A louse. That’s what Dostoevsky called such people in Crime and Punishment.

Now, as Siwoo listened to the laughter of these very louse while staring at the empty space where Junho had stood, his blood began to boil. Forcing calmness upon himself, he slowly stood up and deliberately walked toward the guy who had just uttered those disgusting words. He stopped so close to the unknown boy, who bore an arrogant expression, that he could have headbutted him at any moment. The boy was slightly taller than him, but that didn’t bother Siwoo in the slightest. Silently, with an unwavering gaze, he stared at the loudmouthed individual. He didn’t speak. One minute passed. Then two. He simply stood there, savouring the sight as the other’s face flinched first in confusion, then in increasing anger. The room fell silent, all eyes fixated on them. The tension was hard.

Just as the unknown boy, seething with rage, was about to open his mouth to spit out some retort, Siwoo licked his lips and then smiled.

“Well, what’s wrong? Getting impatient?” he chuckled, staring into the other’s twitching eyes.

“What the fuck do you want? You’re standing here like some goddamn psycho!” The guy practically shouted. Siwoo was thoroughly enjoying the situation.

“I was just wondering,” he began evenly, “whether I heard you correctly just now. Because if I did, I have to conclude that you refer quite freely other people as toys.” At that, he furrowed his brows slightly, as if he were thinking deeply. “I wonder, if I'd treated you like one, like a basketball, would you bounce if I'd punched you?"

The tall boy let out a forced, awkward laugh. “Looks like the new kid is trying to act tough,” he said loudly, turning to his friends, then glanced back at Siwoo, who was still staring at him with piercing eyes. “I’m older than you, you little shit. Think before you speak, because one day, you might not have a tongue left to spit such disrespectful words.”

Siwoo snorted with laughter as if he had just heard the funniest joke of the century. “You think I’m joking? Please, don’t delude yourself. This place isn’t my home; your idiotic rules don’t apply to me, just as I couldn’t care less about your dumbass hierarchy. I get it – you’re all trapped in this disgusting, testosterone-filled school, unable to properly satisfy your sexual urges – but do me a favour and swallow back the filth about to spill from your mouth. Unlike you, I don’t throw words around carelessly; when I say something, I mean it. You’d be wise not to take my warning lightly.”

“Should I take that as a threat?” The other guy’s eyebrows nearly hit the ceiling.

“Where I come from, we don’t make threats,” Siwoo shrugged confidently. “I don’t threaten. I act.”

“Well then, come on, act! Here’s your chance!”

Siwoo curled his lips into a sarcastic smirk. “Oh, I’d love to, believe me. But getting expelled or thrown in jail doesn’t exactly appeal to me. However, don’t worry – if I see you on the street, I’ll catch you in a second. You won’t even have time to scream.”

He saw the other boy’s face turn red again, practically bursting with pent-up anger, but he simply shoved his hands into his pockets and strolled out of the cafeteria, laughing, without waiting to hear what his opponent would yell after him. He was proud of himself – he had long since learned how to handle a louse, and it seemed he had perfected the method. Every word he had said was an exaggeration or a lie, but he knew the others had taken the bait. He could feel the shock and fear radiating from his opponent and from the "audience" as well. Small, pathetic, foolish.

He had no idea where Junho had gone, but he was determined to find him. His heart had nearly shattered watching the boy run away with tear-filled eyes, especially after how well they had been getting along before. Siwoo had been overjoyed to talk to that beautiful angel again, but he was equally furious that those idiots had ruined the moment. Huffing in frustration, he stormed through the school hallways, hoping Junho was nearby. Since classes were still in session, it was unlikely he had gone far. Siwoo peeked into several rooms, searched three floors, and was about to give up when a thought struck him. He bolted down to the ground floor with astonishing speed.

He had a hunch: Junho was in the library.

Though he wasn’t in a quite visible spot, Siwoo still managed to find him – curled up between two bookshelves, knees pressed to his chest, twirling his silver, flower-adorned headband in his hand.

“Are you okay?” Siwoo asked in the gentlest tone possible, stopping beside him with a concerned gaze.