Chapter 3: chapter 2: maybe you're not as bad as I thought

The hallway was alive with laughter and chaos as Gyuvin, Gunwook, and Junhyeon stacked desks and tried to see who could balance on top the longest without falling. It was a ridiculous spectacle that had already earned them disapproving glares from passing teachers.

"Bro, you're gonna break your neck," Gunwook warned as Gyuvin wobbled dangerously.

"Risk it for the legacy," Gyuvin grinned, arms flailing.

Junhyeon snorted. "What legacy? The dumbest trio in school?"

Suddenly, Gyuvin froze, his eyes catching a familiar pale figure walking past. His face lit up with excitement. "Ricky!" he shouted, nearly toppling off the desk.

Ricky turned around, amused, and walked over with a casual smile. "What are you guys even doing?" he asked, folding his arms. "Y'all are so unemployed."

Gyuvin laughed, hopping down from the desk. "It's called having fun."

"Looks more like a safety hazard," Ricky deadpanned.

The atmosphere between them had subtly shifted since the game. The lingering hostility was gone, replaced by a weird friendship. There were no more sharp insults—well, mostly.

They chatted casually for a few more minutes until the bell rang, signaling the next class.

"See you around," Ricky said, turning to leave.

Gyuvin grinned mischievously. "Later, Ricky." As they passed each other, Gyuvin patted Ricky on the back.

Unbeknownst to Ricky, a sticky note now clung to his jacket: Mr. Nonchalant.

But Gyuvin wasn't safe either. With a sly smirk, Ricky casually patted Gyuvin on the shoulder.

Gyuvin walked off proudly, not realizing a bright yellow note was stuck to his back: Careful, He Has Rabies.

They both parted ways sweetly, waving and casually yelling "Bye!" completely unaware that the hallway was now filled with amused students pointing at their backs.

Korean lessons were the bane of Ricky's existence. Everyone else in the room was fluent—it was their first language, after all—while Ricky struggled to keep up, his brain constantly tangling over grammar and idioms. To make matters worse, Miss Han was one of those teachers who believed in "tough love," which basically meant no help outside of lessons.

Great. Just great.

He slumped into his seat, only to notice a sheet of paper waiting for him on the desk. Miss Han, as if reading his mind, announced, "That's your test result."

Oh, right. They had a test last week. Ricky had completely erased it from his memory because it hadn't seemed worth remembering. He flipped the paper over and saw the grade: 10/50.

Fantastic.

Trying to salvage some dignity, he turned the paper face down so no one could see it. As if this day couldn't get any worse, Gyuvin burst through the door, slightly out of breath.

"Sorry, Miss Han, I'm late!" Gyuvin said.

Miss Han narrowed her eyes. "Gyuvin, you're always late. Sit down."

"Yes, ma'am," Gyuvin went to his seat right next to Ricky.

Gyuvin glanced at the paper in front of him. "Oh, is this the test?" He checked his grade. "A! Nice!"

Ricky clenched his jaw. Gyuvin was practically radiating joy, and it was annoying.

Gyuvin leaned over with a curious look. "Hey, what'd you get?"

"Not your business," Ricky muttered, turning the paper away.

Gyuvin grinned mischievously. "Come on, let me see."

"No."

"Yes."

They started tugging at the paper, their elbows jostling against desks. Ricky held on with all his strength, but Gyuvin was relentless. Finally, with one triumphant yank, Gyuvin snatched it away and stared at the number.

"Oh," he said softly.

Ricky braced himself. "And what?" he snapped, turning away.

But Gyuvin didn't gloat or tease. Instead, he furrowed his brows and began scanning Ricky's mistakes.

"You mixed up these conjugations," Gyuvin pointed out. "See, this should be '-습니다' instead of '-는다.' And this part—you're getting the sentence structure wrong."

"I don't need a lecture," Ricky grumbled.

"Too late," Gyuvin grinned, tapping the paper. "Look, I can explain it better than Miss Han, trust me." He grabbed Ricky's pen and jotted down a few examples, breaking down the grammar in a way that made more sense than Miss Han's entire lesson.

Surprisingly, Ricky found himself understanding it. "Oh... okay, that actually makes sense."

"See? I'm a genius," Gyuvin declared proudly.

"Don't push it."

As the bell rang and students began packing up, Gyuvin leaned closer. "Hey, I have an idea. How about I tutor you after school? I'll make you fluent in no time."

Ricky frowned. "No way. I don't wanna owe you anything."

Gyuvin rolled his eyes. "Owe me? Please. I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart."

"Yeah, right."

"Come on," Gyuvin insisted. "What do you have to lose? I mean, unless you enjoy getting a 10 out of 50."

Ricky gritted his teeth. The thought of spending extra time with Gyuvin sounded unbearable, but the thought of failing even harder was worse.

"Fine," he muttered. "But if you make this a big deal or try to be annoying, I'm out."

Gyuvin beamed. "Deal! This is gonna be so fun."

Ricky already regretted his decision. "I doubt that."

Ricky and Zhang Hao strolled down the school steps towards the exit after the lessons ended.

"Will you attend the eco club meeting?" Hao asked.

"Ah... well... I'm actually kinda busy today."

Hao raised an eyebrow. "Busy? Why?"

Before Ricky could answer, a familiar voice echoed across the courtyard.

"Hey! Let's go!" Gyuvin waved enthusiastically, jogging toward them with his usual over-the-top energy.

Hao blinked in confusion, his eyes darting between Ricky and Gyuvin. "What... is this?"

"It's just—" Ricky rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit flustered. "He's tutoring me."

"Wait, what?" Hao's jaw dropped, and then a mischievous grin spread across his face. "You? Studying? Before GTA 6 comes out? What's next—world peace?"

Ricky glared at him. "It's not that surprising."

"Well..." Hao smirked. "Good luck, Ricky."

Gyuvin patted Ricky on the shoulder with mock seriousness. "Don't worry, I'm the best tutor in the game."

Ricky sighed as Hao cackled. "This is already a mistake."

Ricky and Gyuvin walked side by side toward the bus stop, their shoes scuffing against the pavement. The air smelled faintly of spring, with a breeze rustling through the trees. Ricky shoved his hands into his pockets, eyes fixed ahead, while Gyuvin bounced along like he'd just won the lottery.

"So, uh, are you even good? Or just korean?" Ricky asked skeptically.

Gyuvin gasped in mock offense. "Excuse me? I'm basically a genius."

"Yeah, sure," Ricky deadpanned. "A genius at annoying people, maybe."

"That's also a skill," Gyuvin grinned.

They reached the bus stop just as the bus pulled up with a loud hiss. Gyuvin bounded up the steps first, waving his transit card with flair. Ricky followed, shaking his head at the dramatic display.

As they scanned for seats, Gyuvin pointed to an empty two-seater near the back. "There! Prime spot."

They flopped into the seats, the bus jerking forward as they settled in. Gyuvin sprawled comfortably, stretching his legs out like he owned the place. Ricky sat more rigidly, gazing out the window as the scenery blurred past.

They stepped into Gyuvin's house. Ricky had barely taken off his shoes when a blur of fur rocketed toward him.

"Eumpapa, hi!" Gyuvin laughed as ноу dog skidded to a stop in front of Ricky, tail wagging furiously.

The dog barked happily, clearly excited to see a new person.

"What kind of name is Eumpapa?" Ricky asked, trying to sound nonchalant while keeping a safe distance from the energetic furball.

"Cool, right?" Gyuvin grinned.

"No."

Gyuvin gasped in mock offense. "You take that back!"

Ricky crouched cautiously, giving the dog a hesitant pat. "I like cats better anyway."

Gyuvin tilted his head, smirking. "Makes sense. You're basically a cat yourself."

Ricky blinked. "What does that even mean?"

Laughing, Gyuvin led him to his room. Ricky took one look and immediately raised an eyebrow.

"Messy much?" he remarked, eyeing the scattered Pokémon cards, random posters, and a suspicious pile of clothes shoved against the wall.

"Welcome to my room," Gyuvin said with a dramatic bow. "Now, sit. Time to unlock your hidden Korean potential."

They sat cross-legged on the floor, textbooks sprawled around them. Gyuvin dove right into explaining sentence structures and conjugation rules, surprisingly patient as Ricky tried to keep up.

Ricky frowned at a particularly tricky exercise. "Wait, how is that right? It doesn't make sense."

"You're thinking too hard," Gyuvin said. "Just follow the pattern."

"I am following the pattern!" Ricky snapped, clearly frustrated.

Gyuvin leaned closer, studying Ricky's concentrated face. His brows were furrowed, lips slightly pouted in frustration.

"You look cute when you're confused," Gyuvin said suddenly.

Ricky's head whipped toward him. "What?"

Gyuvin smirked. "What?"

Ricky's face turned red. "Shut up."

"I'm just being honest."

"You're insufferable."

"And you're blushing."

"I'm not." Ricky said firmly.

Gyuvin grinned. "Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night."

Despite the flustered tension, the lesson continued. Gyuvin's explanations started making sense, and Ricky actually managed to answer a few questions correctly.

The lesson was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a key turning in the lock. Gyuvin shot up like a rocket, startling Ricky.

"It's Mom! Get up, let's greet her," Gyuvin said urgently.

"Why are you acting like the police just showed up?" Ricky muttered, standing reluctantly.

They stepped out of the room just as Gyuvin's mom entered, juggling several grocery bags. Gyuvin practically sprinted to her, taking the bags from her hands.

"Mom, you should've called me!" Gyuvin scolded, though his voice was warm.

"Oh, it's no big deal—oh!" she said, noticing Ricky. Her eyes lit up. "And who's this handsome young man?"

Ricky blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, I'm Ricky... nice to meet you."

"You're so pretty!" she beamed.

Gyuvin snorted. "Only on the outside."

Ricky's jaw dropped. "Hey—"

"Gyuvin! Don't say that!" his mom scolded, swatting at him.

Ricky smirked. "Listen to your mom."

Gyuvin rolled his eyes but grinned.

"You boys must be hungry," his mom said warmly. "Stay for dinner."

Ricky immediately shook his head, flustered. "Ah, no, I was just about to leave—"

"Nonsense," she cut him off. "You can't study on an empty stomach. Sit, sit."

"I—"

"Sit," she insisted with a motherly firmness that left no room for argument. Ricky gave Gyuvin a helpless look as they shuffled to the table.

The table was filled with steaming bowls of rice, colorful side dishes, and a hearty stew that smelled rich and inviting. Gyuvin's mom served the food with a warm smile, insisting that Ricky take extra servings despite his polite protests.

"Eat up, Ricky," she said cheerfully. "You look too thin. Gyuvin eats like a horse, and look at him—still lanky as ever."

"Mom," Gyuvin whined, stuffing his mouth with rice to avoid further embarrassment.

Ricky chuckled, his initial awkwardness fading as the atmosphere grew livelier. The conversation flowed naturally, filled with jokes and casual banter.

As the laughter died down, Gyuvin's mom turned to Ricky with a gentle smile. "So, Ricky, do your parents live here in Korea too?"

Ricky's shoulders tensed slightly, and the warmth in his expression dimmed. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Uh... no," he said awkwardly, keeping his eyes on his plate. "They're back in China."

"Well, you're always welcome here if you miss a home-cooked meal." Gyuvin's mom said.

Ricky looked up, surprised. "Thank you. That's really kind."

Gyuvin, trying to lighten the mood, nudged Ricky. "See? My mom likes you more than me already."

"Can you blame her?" Ricky quipped, earning a laugh from Gyuvin's mom.

As they finished eating, Ricky leaned back in his chair, feeling genuinely full and content. "That was amazing, Mrs. Kim. Thank you."

"You're welcome anytime, Ricky," she said warmly. "Just make sure Gyuvin actually tutors you and doesn't waste your time talking about Pokémon cards."

"Mom, seriously," Gyuvin grumbled.

As Ricky stood up from the table and wiped his hands with a napkin, he cleared his throat. "Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Kim. I should probably head home now."

Mrs. Kim, who was in the middle of gathering dishes, turned toward him with a look of disbelief. "Head home? At this hour? Ricky, it's way too late for that."

"I'll be fine," Ricky assured her politely. "It's not far."

"Nonsense," she said firmly, shaking her head. "You're staying the night. No discussion."

Ricky blinked, caught off guard. "I really don't want to impose—"

Gyuvin jumped in, grinning mischievously. "Yeah, Ricky, come on! Stay the night."

"I'm good, thanks," Ricky deadpanned, inching toward the door.

Mrs. Kim crossed her arms, her tone motherly but stern. "You'll make me worry if you leave now. And I don't want to be a worried woman, Ricky."

Ricky hesitated. His resolve was crumbling under the double pressure. "I don't even have a change of clothes—"

"I'll lend you something," Gyuvin interrupted, clearly enjoying this turn of events.

Ricky sighed, realizing he had no way out. "Okay, I'll stay."

Mrs. Kim beamed triumphantly. "That's settled then!"

Once they entered the room Gyuvin flopped onto his bed, stretching dramatically. "Man, I'm done with studying for today," he declared, letting out an exaggerated sigh.

Ricky blinked in surprise. "I thought we were gonna keep going?" he asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor near the table.

Gyuvin grinned lazily, propping himself up on his elbows. "Hey, tell me something about yourself."

Ricky frowned. "Out of nowhere?"

Gyuvin shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, I just realized I don't really know much about you. Like... why are you even here in Korea?"

Ricky hesitated but decided to answer. "My dad's job," he said simply. "We've moved around a lot—Shanghai, L.A., a bunch of other places. But now I'm here because I'm in high school, and it's not practical to move around anymore."

"And your family is in China, right?" Gyuvin said, leaning closer.

"Yeah," Ricky nodded. "I live with my aunt here."

Gyuvin's brows furrowed. "Is she cool?"

"Cool enough, I guess," Ricky said with a small laugh. "She's never really at home, though."

"Why?"

"She's busy... going on dates." Ricky paused before adding, "Tinder dates, to be exact."

Gyuvin choked on his laugh. "No way. Your aunt's living her best Tinder life?"

"Apparently," Ricky said dryly. "I walk into the kitchen, and there's always some bouquet on the counter from a guy I've never met."

There was a brief pause, and Gyuvin's tone softened. "Do you miss Shanghai?"

Ricky glanced at him suspiciously. "Is this an interrogation?"

Gyuvin raised his hands in defense. "Just curious."

Ricky exhaled, this time answering more seriously. "Yeah... I miss it. I'm probably gonna go back once the holidays start."

Gyuvin's expression turned thoughtful. "Must be nice to have a place that really feels like home."

Ricky tilted his head slightly. "What, you don't feel that way about Korea?"

"I guess I do," Gyuvin said. "But I've never left, so I wouldn't know what it's like to really miss it, you know?"

After both of them showered and got ready to sleep, the room settled into a quiet calm. As they sat on the bed in the dimly lit room, a comfortable silence lingered. Gyuvin absentmindedly played with the corner of the blanket while Ricky scrolled through his phone.

Out of nowhere, Gyuvin spoke up. "Hey, Ricky."

"Hm?" Ricky glanced at him.

"Thanks... for, you know, coming to the game that time. And for what you did after."

Ricky paused, then narrowed his eyes. "Are you about to cry or something?"

"No!" Gyuvin said defensively, laughing. "I'm just saying it meant a lot. You didn't have to—"

Before he could finish, a pillow smacked him right in the face.

"Ugh!" Gyuvin flailed dramatically. "What the—"

"You're being cringy," Ricky said flatly, though there was a playful glint in his eyes.

"Cringy? I'm pouring my heart out here!" Gyuvin protested, grabbing the pillow and retaliating with a wild swing.

Ricky ducked and laughed. "You're bad at this."

They wrestled with the pillows for a few chaotic seconds until Ricky eventually surrendered, out of breath.

Ricky chuckled, tossing the pillow aside. "You're exhausting."

Gyuvin grinned as he flopped back onto the bed. "And yet, you're still here. What does that say about you?"

Ricky shook his head but smiled. "Questionable life choices."

"Definitely," Gyuvin agreed, grinning wider.

The playful energy faded into a warm, quiet calm. They lay side by side, both staring up at the ceiling.

"You know, Ricky," Gyuvin said after a beat, "you're not as bad as I thought."

"Neither are you," Ricky admitted.

Gyuvin gasped dramatically. "Wow, was that... a compliment?"

"Don't push it," Ricky warned, smirking.

"Noted," Gyuvin laughed.