Lifeless to Full of Life Again

The Start of a Life 1

A teenage boy with wavy black hair and sapphire blue eyes sat in Class 3-4 of Byuksan Middle School. A couple students were fighting amongst themselves, but the boy was one of the few who didn't care. Instead, he was laser focused on his drawing.

"Hmm," The red haired boy next to him said. "The whole class is going crazy around him and yet he's locked in textbooks, practice problems, practical knowledge books, and even literature. What is this kid's deal?"

"You and I are calm and ignoring the fight too," The black haired boy, Dara, said. "He probably doesn't find it entertaining so he doesn't watch it. Besides, fights like this happen all the time,"

"But this kid's different," Stephen told him. "Look at his fingers. They're bandaged. He's been at it to the point that his fingers blistered. Despite how he looks, he's reckless,"

"It's not that reckless," Dara rolled his eyes. "Since you're so intrigued by him, go and ask him out on a date,"

"Who asks strangers out on a date?" Stephen laughed. "He and I haven't even spoken. I just keep coincidentally running into him ever since freshman year at the podium. I'm always placing in various events and him, Gray Yeon, is always placing for his excellent grades,"

"Online dating and dating apps,"

"Huh?" Stephen was confused by what Dara was talking about.

"You asked who asks strangers out on a date," Dara pointed out. "That's my answer. People who use online dating and dating apps hook up with complete strangers that they've never even seen in person," He held up his art book. "So, how's my drawing?"

'It's absolute crap,' Stephen couldn't immediately answer. 'But he worked so hard on it,' "You're improving,"

"I'm gonna go and say hi," Stephen stood up.

"Can I be your best man at the wedding?"

"Dara, you can't just randomly ship me and Gray," Stephen sweat-dropped as he walked over to Gray's desk.

'Tell that to the fandom,'

XXX

"You placed first in the monthly exam class ranking?" Dara questioned when he saw the results. "I am surprised that you beat Gray,"

"How could you have no faith in your friend?" Stephen faked being hurt. "So Gray, how's that? I told you so, hahaha," He held up two fingers. "Peace sign of victory,"

Gray stared at him. 'What a weirdo,'

"He can get first place whenever he wants," Dara shrugged. "There's just no prize money so he doesn't bother with it,"

"I thought you were surprised that he beat me?" Gray asked.

"I was just joking," Dara chuckled. "He wins any academic competition out there with prize money and uses it to pay for the class expenses,"

"Won't it impact his chances of getting into a good high school?" Gray pointed out.

"Gray, the whole world doesn't revolve only around school," Stephen grinned. "Hey, you wanna play some soccer with us during lunch?"

XXX

Gray, not having anything else to do except study, hung out with Stephen Ahn and Dara Na. In Gray's eyes, Stephen saw school as nothing but a playground. At least Dara was actually trying, although he stayed mostly in fifth to tenth place.

Stephen and Dara often went to Gray's house to play Takkan. "Hey Gray, wait a second!" Stephen frantically pushed at the buttons. "My uppercut isn't working. My controller's bugging out! I'm caught in a random loop!"

'Uppercut, dodge, juggle, one-two,' Gray thought as he played calmly.

"Wait, Gray. Wait, wait, wait!"

'Upper again, link, shield cancel, link cancel, rage uppercut,'

"Gah! Hechihai on random is broken, man! W-Wait? Oh no! Oh no!"

'Double EWGF, one-two, knee, bottom swipe. Right, N, Down, Diagonal Down-Right, RK...Finisher, Electric Wind God Fist,'

"This is no fair, Gray!" Stephen cried in defeat. "Hechihai's combos are just too much! Also, you know all the moves. So what's the point of random anyway? How do you know all the combos too!?"

Gray held up a thick manual. "I read this and memorized it all,"

"You psycho! You think the game manual is a school textbook too!?"

"Even I think that's a bit much, Gray Bear," Dara sweat-dropped. 'Why is the Takkan 7 manual as thick as a textbook anyway?' "But Fen Fox, that's not cheating. You could always read the manual too to make it fair,"

"No normal person would want to read that entire thing willingly!" Stephen shouted and thrusted the controller at him. "I want to see you win against him!"

"Okay," Dara grabbed the control and chose a random character.

Dara still lost to Gray, but at least he lasted much longer than Stephen. "So, what should we order? Chinese?"

"Yeah," Stephen nodded, upset that he was the worst player out of the trio.

XXX

"Hey Gray, Dara!" Stephen held up a giant mattress pin. "Check this out. Ta da, it's a pin for mattress sheets I snagged. Just clip this on and the pants don't drop even without a belt,"

"That's silly," Gray commented.

"Just get a belt like a normal person or pants that actually fit," Dara shrugged. "Belts make for a good weapon. They're long range and can be used as a whip. The metal buckle can draw blood,"

"You're so violent!" Stephen said.

"Stephen," Gray asked. "What are you trying to do? You donated all your prize money and got all kinds of support form the district program. I just don't understand. What are you gaining out of all this?"

"It makes everyone happy and that makes me happy," Stephen claimed. "So I guess it's some kind of self-satisfaction? Whatever it is though, Gray, I can tell you all about it. For some reason, I feel like you're the one who could understand me, all of me, for who I am,"

"And you lovebirds forgot that I'm also here," Dara stood up and began to leave. 'Seriously, that sounds like a love confession to Gray Bear,'

"L-Lovebirds!?"

XXX

"I guess you'll be competing in the upcoming olympiad?" Stephen asked.

"Well, if nothing else comes up," Gray answered. "Why aren't you two signing up?"

"There's no prize money," Stephen replied.

"I get stressed enough over normal classwork," Dara pointed out. "I can never get second place in class. What makes you think I can place in the olympiad? You know, you're lucky you're in the middle school division. If you were in the high school division, my brother would beat you,"

"Your brother?" Gray inquired. "What's he like?"

"He's really smart and really strong," Dara described. "He's done so much for me and honestly, sometimes I think I'm just a burden to him. Ever since we were kids and ran away from home, he's always made sure that I ate before him, even if there was only enough food for one person. He'd always protect me from other street urchins,"

"You live on the streets?" Stephen questioned with concern.

"Not anymore," Dara quickly told them. "We now live with my brother's friend and his parents. They're really nice," 'I've accidentally revealed too much. I don't want anyone to worry,'

Stephen noticed a student sitting all alone. "Let's sit over there," Stephen suggested and they approached the lonely student. "Why do you always sit alone? Let's eat together,"