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After Daniel Park's mother got a glimpse of

what her son's everyday life at school was like, she had caved and allowed her beloved child to change schools.

Daniel was ecs-fucking-static.

Now as he sat on the bus to his new home, munching on the probably expired hard boiled egg he had bought from a sketchy snack store, he thought of what his new life would be like.

'It's a low level vocational school... But anywhere is better than here.' He thought, definitely not lowering his standards.

'I'll make lots of friends this time.' He thought confidently, crossing his arms over his chest, not noticing other passengers shifting uncomfortably at the sight of his smug expression.

Daniel had clearly remembered saying 'I don't mind a mountain neighborhood!'

Now Daniel found himself standing at the bottom of a hill, looking up a crummy street that was his new neighborhood.

'So this is it..' He thought.

Then his face lit up into a bright smile.

'I don't mind an old shack! I'm happy!'

'Hello neighbor lady!' He thought looking at the woman, who was far past her prime, and giving Daniel a dirty look.

'Hello! Make love all day!' He thought after catching two dogs going at it in the middle of the sidewalk.

'The uphill is tasteful.' He convinces himself.

"Here, no one knows me." He said as he looked at the skyline which was blocked by buildings.

'I've gotta be reborn.' Daniel decided. 'Like a larva that waits seven years to be born a cicada.' He thought as he visualized the bug.

'I will change!'

Even if the neighborhood wasn't all too great, at last Daniel didn't have to deal with the hell he used to.

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A shop's door bell jingled as it opened, alerting the young stylist with dyed hair that a customer had entered.

"Welcome." He droned as he cleaned off his scissors. "You've come for a cut?" He asked, looking up from his cleaning and to the nervous customer.

"Um... Yeah. Cu.. Cu.. Cut... Yes." Daniel stuttered, looking anywhere but the stylist and gulped.

"Have a seat here~" the stylist chirped, using his hands to gesture towards the darkest seat in the corner.

'Ah, it's a great spot~" Daniel thought, still on his happy/delusional streak.

"Shall I give you the two block style?" The hair dresser asked as Daniel clumsily took his seat in the dark.

"What's that?" Daniel wondered aloud after he finally settled himself, slightly out of breath from the struggle of getting his body on the high chair.

"The sides and lower back of hair is shaved. Lots of celebrities have it." The young man explained.

"Uh.. sure. Okay, let's go with that." Daniel decided, unable to keep the borderline creepy smile off of his face as he thought about how he might look like a celebrity with his new 'do.

The stylist zoned out for a second, 'It's seems like he has a long story...' He thought as he looked at the smirking Daniel.

When he snapped out of it, he pushed his hat down over eyes and gave a confident smile.

'Okay... I'm gonna do my best!' He thought he thought, optimism shining through.

As the stylist got to work, he made small talk with Daniel.

"Sir, why don't you take your glasses off?" He asked.

"Um.. my eyes aren't so good..." Daniel shyly mumbled.

"You have great eyes, you should wear lenses." The man complimented.

After a while, the stylist was finally finished chopping away at Daniel's bowl cut.

"All done." The stylist announced proudly.

Women around the shop were staring at Daniel with dropped jaws, whispering things like 'wow' and 'holy...'. They were too shocked to even finish their sentences.

'Everything is fuzzy without glasses...' Daniel thought as he looked in the mirror. 'Is this really me? Do I look cool?'He wondered.

The stylist grinned at Daniel's star struck expression. "I did my best, I hope you like it." He said humbly.

The women in the store were glaring at the stylist, who had seemingly turned Daniel into a Kim Jong-un lookalike.

"You might feel awkward at first." The stylist explained nervously, not even looking at Daniel. He was probably gonna lose customers because of this...

Next thing you know, Daniel is walking down the street, chuckling at all of the people whispering about him.

'Awesome!' He thought. 'I feel their eyes on me! This is the first time I've felt this!'

"Mom, North Korea-" Some random girl nervously began, But she was quickly shushed.

'Thrilling!' Daniel thought, listening to the many whispers about him. 'Hoo hoo, stop talking about me.' He thought smugly, a euphoric blush on his face.

When the boy finally caught his reflection, he stopped to stare.

'Do I really look different?' He wondered, leaning closer to the shop window to get a better look.

'I look a little tougher.' He thought, a smile stretching his blushing, chubby cheeks

Then his smile dropped, and he scrunched his face to look as intimidating as possible, even going as far as putting his fists up in a defensive position.

'Wanna fight with me?' He challenged his imaginary foe. 'You wanna die?'

Daniel held back a smile, making sure he kept his 'intimidating' face on. 'Wow, I look like I can fight.'

'Come here.' He continued, 'Hey punk, you know who I am? I really do look tough!'

'Lower your ey-' he stopped his inner monologue when he felt yet an intense stare that wasn't coming from his reflection.

He turned around and saw a cute girl in a yellow shirt staring at him.

Daniel's face suddenly became a tomato.

'Did she see everything?' Daniel wondered, nervous that his intimidating display from before had disturbed the girl. 'Don't be scared. I'm a cicada now.'

'Just let it go like a man. This is nothing.' Daniel internally hyped himself up.

The girl tilted her head, her twin braids swaying with the movement.

'Is he like... stupid?' She wondered.

Daniel did what he thought was best, and flashed a manly smile.

The confused look on the girl's face morphed into one of horror.

'Is she shy?' Daniel thought looking at the girl's unnerved expression.

"Mira." A masculine voice suddenly called out.

A tall teen wearing brand name sports apparel made his way through the crowd.

"You waited long?" He asked.

"Oh, Zack." The girl, who Daniel has discovered was named Mira, still looking rather uncomfortable.

'Boy... Boyfriend?' Daniel thought as he broke out into a nervous sweat.

"Who's this guy? You know him?" Zack, the new foe, asked as he turned his SnapBack backwards on his head, as if his exposed forehead made him more intimidating.

"Nah... Lets just go." Mira forced a smile as she moved to cling to Zack's arm.

"Just a second." Zack said, side eyeing Daniel. "Why's he smiling at you?"

"It's nothing, not this time again." Mira sighed.

"Nothing?! Let me go for a sec." Zack demanded.

Daniel's heart was thumping out of his chest, readying his body to either fight or flee from the trouble he knew was about to come.

"Hey! How old are you?" Zack asked as he began to stride towards Daniel after he had broken from Mira's hold, much to her displeasure.

"Seven- Seventeen." Daniel stuttered.

"Same age! Hah." Zack laughed.

Daniel shuddered. Damn, this guy was scary.

"Come on! Let's go!" Mira snapped, grabbing onto Zack's arm.

"Fine..." The intimidating boy mumbled as he let Mira drag him off. "You are damn luck today, pal." He growled as he walked away.

"Don't be like that in public." Mira scolded.

"I won't forget your face." Zack continued.

As the two teens walked off, Mira turned to give Daniel one more apologetic smile and nod.

Once they were out of sight, Daniel deflated with relief.

'Ah, I survived.' He thought with a sigh, 'Sympathy always comes from girls in this life.'

But after a few seconds of using his common sense, he had a breakthrough.

'Hold on!' He thought. 'But I'm a new man.' He remembered, his spirit cicadas were chirping away.

'Yeah! She smiled at me! She was interested in me!' Daniel thought as his distorted memory showed Mira throwing him a flirty wink as she walked away, not a half assed smile that was more of a grimace.

'He was just pretending to be tough in front of her!!' Daniel convinced himself, his memory turning Zack's intimidating glare directed at him to a nervous look.

'If I step back now, I can't change one bit!' Daniel thought, his eyes glowing as he clenched his chubby fist with determination.

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Zack and Mira has made it down to the end of the road, waiting at a stop light to cross the street to continue their date.

Without anymore interruptions.

Zack was trying to nudge his hand with Mira's, doing his best to send signals, and just when Mira was about to respond-

"HEY!"

They both jumped, and turned to face a panting Daniel, who was hunched over, resting his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

"Haha... found ya." Daniel huffed.

"Let's try and clear up the misunderstanding, shall we?" Daniel said with a confident smile, wiping a hand over his sweaty forehead in a failed attempt to look cool.

"How about the three of us having coffee?" Daniel suggested.

Both of the teens in front of Daniel blanked, Mira was shuffling to stand behind Zack.

Then Zack's lips twitched into a smirk, and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Should we?" He asked Mira, looking Daniel up and down.

Daniel let a smile stretch his lips, a happy blush on his cheeks, 'it's working!' He thought excitedly.

He didn't notice Mira trying to grab Zack's arm, hissing at Zack to stop.

The taller boy shook off her grip.

"Let go, I won't touch him." Zack promised.

"The three of us? Coffee?" Zack repeater, standing closer to Daniel.

"Y-Yeah!" Daniel confirmed, internally admiring how tall Zack was.

Then Daniel's vision was spinning, and a fist was landed on his cheek.

"Piss off." Zack growled.

The bystanders became an audience.

"Ohhh!" Somebody cheered.

"Fight!" Another chanted.

Now Daniel was on the ground, Zack was looming over him, cracking his knuckles.

"I told you not to show yourself again." Zack said.

"Oh wow." The crowd continued.

"What's going on?" Somebody Asked.

"Zack, stop!" Mira shouted from somewhere within the growing audience.

Daniel was shaking with fear when Zack grabbed a fistful of his newly cut hair.

"Oh my god!" Somebody shrieked.

"Call the police!" A bystander cried.

"Take this." Zack spat, readying his fist to throw another punch.

Daniel looked away from Zack, and to the group of faceless people, snickering as they recorded Daniel getting beaten instead of stepping in.