The Photography Club room felt quieter than usual, even with students yelling club names in the hallway. Ji-hun walked in first with Yoo Hae-sol right behind him, the first friend he had made at this school. 

He was pretty excited. The photography club felt like the first real step toward what he wanted to do later. He wanted to become a photographer, just like his parents. He was already thinking about the talent exam, and he saw every hour he would spend in this club as part of a long, serious preparation for college. He was an ambitious and patient kid. He liked structure and plans. There was no real reason to think he would not succeed later on.

A boy stood by the window with his back to them. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and he looked like someone who liked the quiet. He turned around, and Ji-hun got a better look at him as the door closed behind them.

"You're here to join the club, I guess?" the boy said. "I'm Shin Ho-jin. Club leader."

Ji-hun felt it hit him all at once, a cold rush up his spine. He could not think of anything more discouraging. For a second, it felt unreal, like he had stepped into a bad dream. Then he wondered if this was some kind of joke. When he finally snapped out of it, he leaned toward Hae-sol. 

"I should switch clubs."

Hae-sol frowned. "Why?"

Ji-hun didn't answer right away. He was already looking past him.

"I don't get along with that guy," he whispered.

"How do you even know him?" Hae-sol whispered back. "Isn't he a high school student?"

"Hey," Ho-jin said.

They looked over. Ho-jin stood there with his hands in his pockets.

"Either sign up or get out," he said.

Ji-hun definitely did not want to deal with this high school kid. All the excitement he had felt was gone. 

"See you in class," he said to Hae-sol and walked out.

Ho-jin smiled like he had expected it, then turned back to Hae-sol.

"Welcome. I hope you’re not grumpy like your friend." He handed him a signup sheet. "Fill this out."

Hae-sol nodded and signed it. He did not like the club president at all, but he really wanted to get into the club. That meant he did not have many options. He wanted to stay anyway.

"Thank you, sunbae," he said. He bowed, forced a smile, and then left.

Once Ho-jin was alone, he found himself thinking about Ji-hun in the locker room and the way he had looked back then, and it made him smile.

"I don't scare easy," he said to himself and chuckled. Copying the kid's tone had amused him, but the door opening pulled his attention right away, and he looked up when he saw that little boy standing there again.

"Can I get a signup sheet?" he said. "I decided to join."

Ho-jin stepped closer. 

"You sure? Heard this club has bullies."

"I can handle it," Ji-hun said.

Ho-jin smiled. "Good for you."

—

It was already dark outside when Ji-hun zipped the camera safely into his bag.

He set it on the edge of his desk next to his notebooks and pencils. The room was small but clean, with just one shelf for books and his school uniform hanging neatly by the door. It was not fancy at all, but it felt comfortable in a simple way, quiet and put together enough to feel like his own space.

He switched off the light and got into bed, pulling the thin blanket up to his chest. Moonlight came in through the window, casting silver streaks across the floor.

His eyes drifted toward the moonlit window, but his thoughts were already somewhere else.

Shin Ho-jin.

That name immediately made him tense. 

Why did it have to be him? Of all people, why was he the club leader? I promised my dad I would stay in the photography club until I got into college. 

Ji-hun sighed and pressed his forehead into his pillow.

He thought the guy was annoying and arrogant, always walking around with that smirk on his face.

He squeezed his eyes shut tight, hoping to shake the image from his head. It didn't help. It stayed there, vivid and irritating, refusing to fade.

—

It was Tuesday morning, the third day of school, and the courtyard was just starting to fill before the first period.

Ho-jin stood near the low brick wall at the edge of the lot, a cigarette pinched between his fingers. He was surrounded by four other students, two boys and two girls, laughing and chatting like they had nothing in the world to care about.

He was still laughing when he noticed movement down the path. Moon Ji-hun was walking alone toward the main building. His shoulders were set, his uniform neat and buttoned all the way up. There was not a single wrinkle on it. His shoes looked freshly polished, and his hair was parted cleanly, like he had checked it more than once.

Something about that spotless, too-perfect appearance made Ho-jin's grin linger a little longer. Ji-hun spotted him, and his face changed right away, his nose wrinkling in disgust like he had just seen something rotten.

Their eyes met and neither of them looked away.

Ho-jin took a long drag from his cigarette, exhaled slowly, then called out across the space between them.

"What? You planning to report me for smoking?"

Ji-hun stopped and answered without raising his voice.

"If I need to, I will. People like you only listen when there are consequences."

Ho-jin laughed. He was clearly enjoying it.

"Do you talk to everyone like that? No respect for your seniors?"

"I'm plenty respectful," Ji-hun said. "but I don't think you deserve it."

He turned and kept walking, not bothering to wait for a reaction. The group around Ho-jin moved a little. One of the boys looked after Ji-hun and chuckled.

"What's his deal? Kid talks to you like he owns the place."

Another leaned in. 

"Want us to pull him aside to teach him a little lesson?"

Ho-jin turned to him immediately.

"What? No? Fuck..."

He flicked ash off the end of his cigarette without taking his eyes off Ji-hun's retreating figure.

"He's just a kid."