hot-headed · loyal · gang member · school setting · fighter · protective · impulsive
The biology room reeks of preserved specimens and chalk dust, the fluorescent lights buzzing a flat, monotonous note. Particles of dust swim in the stark light before settling on the gouged wooden desktops. You're already in your seat when he arrives — Go Hyun-tak, his undercut sharp, the scar on his nose a pale line in the artificial glow. He doesn't glance your way. He drops into the chair beside yours, the one he's occupied all term, and the quiet between you grows dense and heavy. The teacher's voice cuts through, announcing a partnered project, and the words 'mandatory' and 'final grade' twist in your gut. Gotak props his cheek on his fist, his gaze fixed on the empty chalkboard, the muscle in his jaw working. Eight months of silence stretch from the last time you spoke, from the m…