EAR Ch 1

Oh Seungpyo was good at studying.

In middle school, he never missed being the top student. But that doesn’t mean Oh Seungpyo was a model student who took expensive private lessons, diligently reviewed and previewed lessons, and invested a fixed amount of time in studying every day. Not at all.

Instead, he would play pranks with his friends in the hallway whenever he had the chance, sometimes getting scolded by teachers. He liked to go out and play a game of basketball, skip after-school classes, sneak into PC rooms to play games, or exchange messages with close female friends on his phone.

Oh Seungpyo was popular among the boys because he was good at sports and generous with his money. He was also popular among the girls because he was handsome and already over 180 centimeters tall by the time he was in the third year of middle school. He even received business cards from talent agencies while walking down the street and often heard people asking why he didn’t try to become a celebrity.

Honestly, Oh Seungpyo thought he could outshine most idols, but unfortunately, he wasn’t very talented at singing or dancing. Because of his height, he looked like a promotional mascot for a mobile phone store when he danced. It was even funnier because he had some young-looking muscles from playing sports with his friends.

He wondered if he might have a talent for acting, so he secretly mimicked drama lines in front of the mirror, but even he could see it wasn’t working. Eventually, when asked if he had any plans to become a celebrity, Oh Seungpyo would answer that he wasn’t interested.

Despite living like that, Oh Seungpyo was good at studying. He was smart. The saying that high IQ leads to good memory seemed true. Oh Seungpyo could remember most things after reading them once. Even if he played around all the time, cramming the night before the exam was enough for him to always be the top student.

For example, there was a time when he got caught goofing off during class. The teacher stood him up and asked him various questions, but Oh Seungpyo glanced at his empty notebook, pretending to take notes, and answered smoothly without hesitation, getting away with it. Since he had already read the material before, it was super easy for him even without attending the class.

“You little brat, aren’t you going to get your act together? You’ll be dead when Dad comes home. Just because you’re a year older, you’ve gone crazy.”

Seungpyo’s older brother was three years older than him. Their mother had passed away when they were young. The older brother remembered their mother quite well, but Seungpyo barely remembered her.

Their father was a captain on a tuna fishing vessel, so he spent more time away from home than at home. Whenever Seungpyo saw canned tuna on the kitchen shelf or at the supermarket, he thought of his father and grew up consuming DHA, which is said to help with protein, calcium, and brain cell growth.

So, to Seungpyo, his older brother was somewhat like a parent. Their aunts would take turns checking in on them once or twice a week, but it wasn’t the same as living with his brother every day.

But that doesn’t mean his brother was kind and gentle to Seungpyo. Just look at his tone. After going to college, he became even more arrogant, thinking he was a complete adult in his twenties.

“This time, it’s because I didn’t try hard enough. It’s my first time in high school, so it might take some time to adjust. You struggled to adjust when you went to college, too.”

“How dare you point your finger at me, your older brother? You’re dead.”

The reason his brother was angry was that Seungpyo’s grades had dropped significantly in his first mock exam in high school. Seungpyo, who had never missed being the top student, was now ranked 13th in the school.

But it’s just a mock exam, right? Oh Seungpyo was confident. He hadn’t studied properly yet, but he could reclaim the top spot anytime he wanted to.

“When are you going to get your act together? Are you going to stay like this until you’re a senior?”

A month later, his brother was nagging again. In the second mock exam, Seungpyo ranked 8th in the school.

Of course, it wasn’t a bad score. But Oh Seungpyo was a student who never missed being the top of the school. He was that kind of top student who, at times, the principal would pat on the shoulder and act friendly. His older brother, who was also a top student, couldn’t understand Seungpyo’s unexpected score at all.

Above all, Oh Seungpyo didn’t want to understand it either. He had never even dreamed of a rank below 10th, and he had done what he called “test preparation.” The fact that this score came out was like being slapped in the face and rolling on the floor. Despite this, Oh Seungpyo responded as if he were annoyed by the fuss.

“Got it. Next time, I’ll really get a good score, so don’t worry.”

Because it was still just a mock exam. Oh Seungpyo could still afford to relax a bit. Although it was fake ease, he started to feel a bit uneasy. After entering high school, he realized that relying solely on his natural intelligence, as he did in middle school, could lead to failure.

In high school, Oh Seungpyo was still popular, but he began to politely decline his friends’ invitations to play.

PC room?

No.

Why?

Cut off allowance

I have money

Dad’s coming home

Other classmates from the same middle school also knew how strict and scary Seungpyo’s father was, and they spread rumors about him (though the stories were quite exaggerated). They thought of Seungpyo’s father as a kind of sea monster fighting with tuna. The captain didn’t catch tuna directly, though.

The rumor about Seungpyo’s father coming home was a lie, but the kids stopped bothering him to play when they heard he was back.

Oh Seungpyo was somewhat serious. After two mock exams, the midterm exams, which would affect his final score, were approaching. Now was not the time to relax. He had to somehow improve his score.

So, Seungpyo studied diligently like never before. He stopped hanging out with friends and avoided messaging schoolmates, even though he couldn’t use his phone because of his father.

In middle school, showing such dedication to studying might have been impressive to his friends, but in high school, most of his new friends didn’t really care. Even if they glanced at his books, they didn’t think much of it. Occasionally, they would come by and talk nonsense, but it didn’t really help. However, they didn’t actively interfere either.

And so, the midterm exams approached.

“Wow, Oh Seungpyo, you’re crazy.”

From ranks 1 to 50, the school policy was to publicly post students’ ranks in the hallway before handing out individual report cards. This school had the audacity to make students walk to see their ranks posted on the wall. Even ranking within the top 50 wasn’t considered a bad score, but those who barely made it felt it wasn’t something to be proud of.

On the day the first midterm exam results were posted, Seungpyo’s classmates looked at him with newfound admiration and repeatedly expressed their amazement.

Oh Seungpyo had really worked hard this time. When he actually studied for the exams, high school studies weren’t that difficult. He still memorized the content in the books well, understood it easily, and solved practice problems smoothly. Thanks to getting most of the uncertain questions right, he objectively achieved an excellent score. Being in the top tier was a given, and this score was more than enough to aim for the top spot in the entire school.

So Seungpyo was confident. Confident that he would return to his original position.

“That’s amazing. How did you improve so much? What’s your secret?”

“You’re really good at studying.”

Even with the congratulations, envy, and jealousy from his new friends, Oh Seungpyo’s stern expression didn’t easily soften.

He heard exclamations of admiration from people he didn’t know behind him.

“Is it Ryu Jaemin again?”

“He was always the top student in middle school too.”

“Wow.”

Seungpyo glanced back. Unknown students from other classes were talking about the top student’s name as if it were familiar.

That name wasn’t his. He had also been the top student throughout middle school. He had studied hard for the exams. He had prepared like never before in his life…

Yet, Oh Seungpyo couldn’t reclaim his position. He was ranked second in the entire school. It was a commendable score, but to Oh Seungpyo, it felt like a symbol of disgrace.

‘Who is this guy?’

For the first time, Seungpyo, who had never been interested in others’ scores, was curious about the student who ranked above him. But it seemed that the student wasn’t among those who had come to see the posted results. Seungpyo was in class 4, and the top student was in class 2. There was just one classroom between them.

“Oh, Ryu Jaemin.”

“Did you come to see your score?”

At that moment, the name at the top of the posted results caught his ear. Seungpyo wasn’t the only one reacting to that name. At the beginning of the new school year, unfamiliar students turned their heads to confirm the face of the top student upon hearing his name.

“Yeah. They said it was posted on the wall.”

“I’m so jealous. If my mom knew, she’d want to swap me with you.”

With a slightly embarrassed but bright smile, he responded.

Seungpyo frowned slightly. It was strange. Ryu Jaemin’s smile, without even showing his teeth, made him feel incredibly bright. Was he a cheerful person? He wasn’t sure. He seemed quiet and had a completely studious vibe, just an ordinary guy.

Anyway, the guy looked up to confirm his rank and gave a slight, knowing look. He was pretending to be humble, but Oh Seungpyo recognized that look. He knew it well because he was also good at pretending not to be proud while thinking highly of himself.

Because of this, Oh Seungpyo stared at Ryu Jaemin for too long. Ryu Jaemin seemed to sense the gaze and turned his head towards Seungpyo. Damn, it was embarrassing to be the second-ranked student staring at the top-ranked student. Seungpyo quickly looked away, but it seemed their eyes met for a brief moment.

Seungpyo shook his head quickly.

“Hey, let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

When Seungpyo headed to the classroom first, his classmates who were standing with him followed. As Seungpyo walked away, some of the remaining students started whispering about him.

“Isn’t that Oh Seungpyo?”

“What’s up with that? How can someone who looks like that be so good at studying too?”

“A kid from the same academy said he gets business cards from talent agencies whenever he goes out. He’s super popular with the girls too.”

Setting aside the slightly exaggerated rumors among the teenage boys, Jaemin looked in the direction where Oh Seungpyo had disappeared and then turned his head back. After a brief chat with his friends, Jaemin finished his business and returned to the classroom.

The top student and the second-ranked student. Even without exchanging a word, they couldn’t help but remember each other. In their respective classrooms, Oh Seungpyo thought about Ryu Jaemin, and Ryu Jaemin thought about Oh Seungpyo.

Naturally, Oh Seungpyo spent much more time thinking about Ryu Jaemin. In most competitions, the emotions of the loser are more intense than those of the winner.

Time passed steadily, and exams continued regularly. Another mock exam, the final exam, and after the summer vacation, the new semester brought the second semester’s mock exam, midterm exam, and final exam…

Each time, new results were posted on the wall, and the name at the top remained unchanged throughout the year. The top student was Ryu Jaemin, and the second-ranked student was Oh Seungpyo.

The students of Illyang High School now had that order ingrained in their minds. Even Seungpyo’s older brother and father came to accept it as natural that their brother and son was only the second-ranked student in high school.

Being the second-ranked student was still an excellent achievement, and more importantly, Seungpyo had been studying much harder since entering high school, so his family was very satisfied. They weren’t the kind of obsessive guardians who would push Seungpyo to be number one.

“Damn.”

The only person who wasn’t satisfied was the second-ranked student, Oh Seungpyo.

In Oh Seungpyo’s mind, he was perfect—good at studying, good at playing, handsome, tall, and athletic. Of course, the world was big, and there were many people better than him, but Oh Seungpyo was just an ordinary high school student. He was a bit arrogant, but he wasn’t aiming for world-class status.

He was always highly satisfied with himself. He had never envied other friends and lived with the confidence that he could achieve anything if he set his mind to it.

In this unfamiliar situation of encountering an opponent he couldn’t beat no matter how hard he tried, Oh Seungpyo was experiencing emotions he had never felt before. The first feelings of defeat, humiliation, and the inferiority that made him hate and envy someone…

It didn’t make sense. These were emotions that shouldn’t have anything to do with Oh Seungpyo.

“Jaemin, are you having any trouble with your studies these days?”

“No, it’s not hard. I’m not the only one studying, you know.”

One day, Oh Seungpyo was secretly watching from the stairs connecting the second and third floors of the hallway, as a teacher and Ryu Jaemin were having a conversation. The teacher, who had become naturally kind while dealing with the top student, spoke gently, and Ryu Jaemin responded with his usual faint but bright smile.

Crash!

A sturdy pen fell from the edge of a cliff, hitting the stairs below and making a loud noise as if it were about to break.

Thud, thud, crash, clatter…

The pen rolled down the stairs on its own and finally rolled into the hallway. The voices of the teacher and Ryu Jaemin, who had been chatting in the quiet hallway, were startled and abruptly cut off.

Suddenly, Oh Seungpyo was taken aback and stopped breathing, trying to climb the stairs without picking up the pen. But he had to stop because the pen was engraved with his name as a high school admission gift from his father, so anyone could tell who it belonged to.

“Hey, Seungpyo. Is this yours?”

“Yes, I dropped it while rushing down.”

At that moment, Ryu Jaemin bent down. With a white, neat hand, he picked up the capped blue pen and looked Seungpyo in the eye, handing it to him.

“Here.”

“Eh.”

When Seungpyo received the pen, their fingertips brushed lightly. Seungpyo felt irritated and unconsciously made his face stiff.

Here, eh. That was their first conversation. They had exchanged glances and thought of each other during exam periods countless times, but this was the first time they had officially spoken to each other.

After the short exchange, which was barely a conversation, the teacher smiled seeing them.

“Since the top two students are standing together, it looks good. Get along well.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

They almost answered at the same time. The teacher left first, and the two awkwardly remained in the hallway. This time, Seungpyo spoke first.

“I’m going.”

“Eh.”

Seungpyo climbed the stairs again. His fingertips were tingling. He wiped his palm as if something was stuck, and reached the spot where he had stood before, slightly tilting his head to look down. Ryu Jaemin was looking out the window with a relaxed expression, as if he wanted to enjoy some alone time.

Winter vacation is coming soon. This year’s exams were all failures, but there was no way he could not go to the second year. To regain the top spot in the school, he had to really study hard and regain momentum from the first exam of the second year.

To devote himself to studying, setting a goal was essential. The goal was naturally Ryu Jaemin, the top student of the school. There were supplementary classes during the vacation, but they started in January. From mid-December to the end of the month, there would be no contact with Ryu Jaemin.

Seungpyo held his phone and covered the speaker so that the camera sound wouldn’t make a noise. He zoomed in and took a shot of Ryu Jaemin’s face looking out the window.

Now that I’m going to school, I can see him, so my goal awareness naturally ignites, but during the vacation, I can’t do that, so I need to refresh my competitive spirit by occasionally seeing his face. Taking a photo of his face is nothing, it’s not a big deal.

“It’s a good shot.”

The side view, which was more than necessary, turned out well. Seungpyo chuckled briefly and opened the photo app.

Compared to the popular Oh Seungpyo, Ryu Jaemin, who was alone looking out the window, was soon approached by children and chatting with them. Seungpyo also climbed the stairs.

📚

High school winter vacation was almost non-existent.

Seungpyo’s school had a vacation without attending from mid-December to the New Year holidays for about ten days, and started supplementary classes from the first week of January. The children who had been apart for a short time talked busily about how they had spent their time.

“Where did you go?”

“My mom and dad were busy, so I just stayed at home. Even though I’m alone, I wish someone would take me on a trip.”

“I went to Jeju Island. Seungpyo, you?”

“I went skiing with my older brother for a while.”

Seungpyo’s older brother had fully immersed himself in university club activities from the second semester, and often went skiing with club members after the semester ended. He went once and it was so much fun that Seungpyo also went a few more times.

While many children learn leisure sports from a young age, it wasn’t easy for Seungpyo’s brother and sister who had different levels of support. Spring was flower viewing, summer was the beach or water park, and winter was skiing. Such a standard family routine didn’t exist in Seungpyo’s house.

The adult brother seemed to want to vent his frustration by playing all year round. Seeing him play so much, it seemed like he must have failed the exams, but Oh Seungpyo was told off for his high school grades but his brother never told him his own grades.

It’s a few years early, but what’s the big deal? Oh Seungpyo felt unfair but decided to let it go. While skiing, he had a great time thanks to his brother.

“It was fun the first time.”

“People must think you’re a college student when you wear a snowboard.”

“Ah, even though I was with my brother, my older sisters said it was okay.”

“Really? Did you get a number?”

“No, they said it was because we’re siblings, so they just let us go.”

“Ah, that kid cheated and went.”

The short vacation was over, but as they talked about the events one by one, they laughed and the school that had been annoyingly annoying soon felt familiar. Just then, a boy who had just thought of something looked up with wide eyes and interrupted the conversation.

“By the way, I went to a special class to prepare for the entrance exam, and there was the top student of the whole school. My mom let me take a break for a while during the vacation.”

“Ryu Jaemin?”

“Eh. He only studies at the academy. Even at school, he talks to other kids often.”

“Is that right? Ryu Jaemin is kind? He doesn’t pretend to be smart and is popular in class 2. He answers questions well when asked.”

Oh Seungpyo didn’t reply but slowly nodded. That’s how it seems to kids.

Well, he’s a model student, studies well, listens to the teacher, and responds appropriately to those who approach him. If he’s kind, he can be considered a good person. At least, he’s not a bad guy.

“In the academy, he hardly gets up during class and doesn’t talk to anyone. To become the top student of the whole school, is that how it’s done? Doesn’t he get stressed?”

“He’s like an angel, so he doesn’t talk to anyone.”

“Thinking about it, Oh Seungpyo is also an angel, but why does he feel so human?”

Seungpyo chuckled lightly. Why? Oh Seungpyo is the top student, and Ryu Jaemin is a proud guy from the bottom of his heart.

“Even though he pretends to be kind, his eyes give it away. He thinks he’s the only one who’s good and everyone else is beneath him.”

Ryu Jaemin did have such an expression sometimes. Seeing him, it was clear that Ryu Jaemin’s smile looked like a fox to Seungpyo’s eyes.

“I’m from the human world. I just study casually and get average grades.”

“Hey, you’re even less likely to succeed.”

The teacher knocked on the door and entered, starting the first supplementary class.

He laughed it off, but Seungpyo’s mind was filled with guilt as he was left alone. Hearing the kids’ words, he thought it was a mistake to have spent the short vacation playing.

He had originally planned to study during the vacation, but somehow, he went skiing with his brother a few times, visited his grandmother in the countryside, and saw relatives… Small things kept popping up, and he didn’t prepare much for the second-year review.

Starting today, he needs to focus. While Ryu Jaemin went back and forth between home and the academy, studying, Seungpyo looked at Ryu Jaemin’s photos on his phone a few times. Even when he visited his grandmother’s house, he thought, “I should study,” but would anyone believe him? But the truth is, he didn’t take much study time away.

After observing Ryu Jaemin for a year, all the rumors about him were true. He didn’t get stressed, didn’t want to play, and didn’t get along with anyone at school. When asked who is Ryu Jaemin’s close friend, no one confidently answered, “It’s not him, it’s someone else.” Each person mentioned a different name.

Seungpyo didn’t have a best friend in high school, but he wasn’t alone either. He was closer to the kids who just hung out together than having a best friend. It’s different from hanging out with someone and getting along with everyone. Hanging out with everyone might make school life boring.

“Stop the small talk and open your books. You need to do well to catch up with you guys in the second year.”

Yes. The teacher’s usual warning comment was met with bored faces as everyone opened their books. While the teacher and students were busy with the vacation supplementary classes, Oh Seungpyo sat at his desk with a renewed determination.

In January, the kids grew a year older. They were still sitting in the 1st year classroom, but in reality, they were now in their 2nd year. By March, even the kids in the same class and the classrooms they moved to would change.

📚

That evening, after finishing his classes and heading home, Seungpyo had to leave again.

It seemed like it was going to snow, and by the time he arrived home, it had turned into quite a heavy rain. Just as he was about to drop his bag, his phone rang.

“Why?”

― I’m your only brother and…

His sibling’s voice, stretching out the end of the sentence and whining.

Seungpyo frowned.

“Did you drink? Come back on your own.”

― I don’t have an umbrella. Can you pick me up from the station? I’ll give you some pocket money.

“How much?”

― Just 10,000 won.

“10,000 won isn’t enough to buy an umbrella. Just take a taxi.”

― It’s uncomfortable and dizzying. What if you collapse on the way? You could freeze to death in this weather.

“Then I’ll just say you collapsed. You seem fine.”

― Don’t say that. Come pick me up. I’ll give you 30,000 won.

“Ugh, I hate it.”

― 50,000 won.

It was too much to refuse. He seemed to have given in.

The unexpected winter rain made the streets of Busan slippery. The cold air and warm breath created a sticky feeling on his nose. The bright car lights and streetlights shone more vividly than usual in the rainy night.

While everyone hurried to avoid the rain and cold, the rainy streets didn’t look bad to Seungpyo. Holding an umbrella on one arm and humming a tune, he occasionally glanced at his phone as he walked.

He didn’t answer every message, but while walking, he peeked into group chat rooms where other kids were talking and chuckled.

Suddenly, his phone went completely dark. The battery had run out faster than he thought. He quickened his pace, turning the corner when he almost bumped into someone coming out of a building.

“Ah!”

Seungpyo bumped into someone and fell, his umbrella and phone falling to the wet ground. The person who came out of the building looked surprised and bowed to Seungpyo.

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s my fault…”

Seungpyo was also flustered and bowed his head. When the person looked up, he was even more flustered.

“Uh…”

Seungpyo unconsciously opened his mouth. The person coming out of the building was Ryu Jaemin.

The surprised expression was the same on both sides. Meanwhile, the rain continued to fall, and Ryu Jaemin’s school uniform shoulders and his already black hair became even darker with wetness. Of the two who stood blankly facing each other, it was Jaemin who came to his senses first. He hastily picked up his fallen umbrella and phone from the ground.

Is this the academy he attends? Seungpyo looked up at the building Jaemin had rushed out of. It was an old building without a proper signboard. The store on the first floor looked closed, its shutters down in a desolate state, and the interior of the building was barren like an abandoned house. It didn’t seem like the kind of building that would house an expensive prep academy.

It seemed it wasn’t an academy after all, as Jaemin hurried to leave.

“Oh, Seungpyo, sorry. I’m in a rush to get to my academy. I’ll go first.”

“Uh… Oh, yeah. Take care.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ryu Jaemin disappeared as if running. Seungpyo was left standing in place, chewing over the lingering echoes of Jaemin’s voice, feeling a bit dazed.

Like the sound of raindrops spreading as they hit puddles, Jaemin’s voice lingered nearby.

‘Oh, Seungpyo, sorry.’

It was the first time Ryu Jaemin had called him “Oh Seungpyo.”

Well, the two weren’t in the same class. They sometimes ended up in the same classroom during elective classes, but even then, they had never had a proper conversation. Everyone at school might know they were aware of each other, but the two had never acknowledged each other.

Oh Seungpyo. Hearing his name clearly called in Jaemin’s voice felt strange. After some time, Seungpyo shook off the awkwardness and belatedly gathered his umbrella and phone.

I always seem to run into him once in a while, and every time, he’s always dropping something. Muttering to himself, Seungpyo’s hair and shoulders were now damp from the rain as well.

“Huh?”

While trying to wipe the screen of his phone, Seungpyo blinked. The phone screen, which had run out of battery, was now turned on again.

As he touched the screen and swiped a few times, he unconsciously murmured.

“Huh? This isn’t mine.”

Startled once again, he quickly turned around. He ran a few steps, but Ryu Jaemin, who had said he was in a rush for his academy, was long gone.

Was this Ryu Jaemin’s phone? It didn’t seem like it before the summer break.

In Seungpyo’s hand was a phone of the same model and color as his own. Even the plain transparent case covering it was identical, so it wouldn’t be strange if he had mistaken it and taken the wrong one.

Tilting his head in confusion, Seungpyo kept tapping the screen to prevent it from locking. If it locked, it would demand a password or facial recognition. While moving his hands busily, he didn’t know what to do with himself. He connected the portable charger he was holding to Jaemin’s phone instead of his own, contemplating for a moment.

…The top student’s phone. Honestly, I’m curious.

Even if he looked through the phone, it wasn’t like he’d find the secret to maintaining the top rank, but the contents were intriguing—it was almost instinctive curiosity at this point.

‘They say he gets tutored by super-famous instructors, so he must have all their personal numbers. Expensive private lessons include one-on-one management, so there’d be chat records too.’

What kind of conversations does the top student have with those instructors? Famous people are said to be really good at picking out potential test questions. Would he also exchange messages with close friends? He might not have any now, but he could have had a best friend back in elementary or middle school. Seungpyo walked along, lost in these thoughts.

It was all useless information to know, but he was still curious. After all, Oh Seungpyo’s one and only rival in life was Ryu Jaemin, so it was natural to wonder.

‘But still, looking through someone else’s phone feels wrong.’

Even if it was that infuriating Ryu Jaemin’s phone. While he struggled with his indecisive thoughts and aimlessly touched the icons on the home screen, a notification banner suddenly popped up.

*** has replied to your post.

“Huh?”

The app design shown in the notification was unique. It wasn’t the typical chat app that nearly everyone, including Seungpyo, used. He quickly searched the home screen for an icon with the same design.

‘Is this it? So Ryu Jaemin has social media too?’

It was unexpected. The guy who supposedly never spoke at his academy and only studied, and who seemed to have no particularly close friends at school, had social media?

Some people, they say, find it easier to talk online than in real life. Could he be one of those types? Come to think of it, back in middle school, there were kids who were quiet at school but seemed friendly with people they met on social media or online communities. Not that he ever talked much with them.

Forgetting his hesitation, Seungpyo let his curiosity take over. He tapped the social media app where the notification had appeared and stared silently at the phone. Scrolling down a few times, his steps came to an abrupt halt. His eyes grew wide.

“What the hell is this?”

Seungpyo muttered without realizing it. His voice trembled slightly at the end. Forgetting he was on his way to pick up his older brother, he stood frozen, as if struck on the back of his head. Then, as if startled, he quickly shoved the phone into his pocket.

Looking around like a petty thief afraid of being caught, he hastened his pace, fearfully checking his surroundings.