(Ten)

                                         "Equal affection."

 

 

          Her heart beat was rapid as she followed her father down the hallway of her now, new school. There were no students in sight, the place was quiet and oddly familiar.  

          "Have I been here before?" She asked herself as her eyes wandered round the place. 

"Amber, fix yourself, we're almost at the headmaster's office." Her father pulled her from her thoughts with his husky thick voice. 

         "Yes, father." She nodded as she fixed her skirt and why the heck was she wearing that goddamn skirt?! Well, unlike her mother, her father was very pleased with the fact that his daughter liked wearing boys' cloths than girls' cloths. It's not her fault that they were more comfortable.

 

Their long walk soon came to an end and after some thinking, that hallway was indeed long. They stood in front of a big wooden door, it was a piece of art, literally- the door I mean. There was a painting printed on the whole door. -the painting was 'Starry night over the Rhone, to those who are curious. That painting was actually one of her favorites from the many masterpieces Van Gogh has offered to this world. 

     

    "Great, something to remind me of the life you stole.", she mumbled to herself, and true that; she really hated her father for suddenly taking her away from her former house, her former school, her friends, her hometown, and the freaking country she was born and raised in. It was not her fault that her father thought a girl no older than herself would make a great mistress. It was not her fault that he cheated on his wife, her dear loving mother. It was not her fault that the judge decided that the custody would go to her father...

"Did you say something?" Her father turned to her as he knocked on the door. But before she could answer, the door was opened widely, revealing a rather young man. If had to guess, she'd say he was no older than herself.

"Ah, you must be Mr. Liu! Please, come in, sir." The young man welcomed them into the room, he stood holding the door for them both. As she followed her father into the room, the young man smiled at her warmly, his eyes were shining.

"Welcome back, we've been waiting for you for so long." He whispered to her, and she nearly jumped away. Odd guy.

 

 

 

               Time passed, the young man and her father have been talking and discussing her profile and qualifications for this school. SM High. -Yes, that guy, who looks no older than herself, is in fact, the headmaster of this school. And her father doesn't seem to be as bewildered by that as her. Today was sure odd. After sitting in the far end of the room, on a couch, staring into space, she thought about tody. Wait. She can't remember how she got here in the first place. What?

"..mber, Amber!"

               "Yes?", she looked at her father,

"Mr. Minho was talking." Her father gave her a stern look, scolding the girl through his eyes.

               "I'm sorry, Sir. I wasn't paying attention."

"It's okay, dear." His smile as he spoke was filled with affection, "What I was saying is that you could go and tour around the school if you like, we don't want to bore you with our talk, now do we?" For some reason the headmaster was very familiar to her.

              "Oh.. Sure, I'll take my leave now." As she stood up and was ready to walk out of the room, he spoke yet again,

"Just a friendly reminder that you won't find many student around campus; it is spring break after all.", she nodded slowly and walked out of the room. 

 

 

 

              "A friendly reminder that I should've been having fun with my friend now." She grumpled to herself as took slow heavy steps down the hallway and into the min hall of this humongous school. "Why would a school even be this big?!", there was no one in sight. Since she entered the school with her father till now, she didn't see anyone. Not one single human soul. 

 

"Maybe it's not human souls that you seak to see.", a soft voice spoke suddenly and she fell back out of shock. A loud laugh followed her great fall.

The girl in front of her laughed loudly, "I'm so sorry!" She laughed again, "I didn't think you'd be this shocked."

She let out a sigh as she wiped the tears at the corner of her eyes, she reached her hand out to the girl on the floor. Amber stared at the girl blankly before getting up on her own, ignoring the hand extended to her help, the other girl smiled as she retreated her hand to her side.

         

         "Let's give it a try with you and see how you'd react.", Amber said to herself as she walked awat from the girl, not knowing that the latter was following her steps quietly. "Why am I even here? Oh, right. The fool couldn't control his hormones. Why does he even still have them? He's like, 70!"

 

"I believe he's only 52 years old." The girl spoke suddenly, causing Amber, yet again, to jump in shock. 

       

         "What the actual hell?!!", sent placed her hand over her chest, feeling her heart beat, "Why are you following me?!" She looked at the girl, bewildered. "And how the heck do you know my own father's age?"

"Common knowledge shared." The girl shrugged and Amber was even more confused, "Are going to let me introduce myself now?" The girl asked brightly.

         "No." Amber answered quickly as walked away.

"Why are you rude? You were never like that..."

Amber stopped in her tracks-I was never like that? "What do you mean?" She looked back at the girl.

"What do I mean?"

          "You said I was never like that. I've never met you before." 

"But that's you, not me."

          "What.. do you mean?"

"If you're going to break into a Justin Bieber song, please know that I absolutely hate him." Amber stared at the girl blankly.

           "Who are you?" Amber asked slowly, 

"Ah! About time, Yiyun. The name is Krystal Jung Soojung. You like calling me Gongju or princess, but I'm okay with Soojung for now. I am two years younger than you, but I attended advanced classes-your classes." She smiled brightly as she introduced herself. She made a sound that would represent a pop as she tapped her head, "Someone turned me into a genius."

            "I wonder who that would be..." 

"You, actually. But I know you don't remember that."

            "I don't know you, Soojeon."

 

"Jung." She pointed out with a smile, "Soojung. Krystal Jung Soojung. Remember it, Yiyun."

 

 

             "Only my family knows that name. How did you know it?", Amber was creeped out. I mean, if you were in her shoes, wouldn't you feel the same way? For godness sake a girl she never saw before just came up to her, knowing things about her only her family knew. 

 

"I wouldn't be a good... friend if I didn't your Chinese name, Amber.", Soojung's answered were confusing her, 

             " You're not my friend!" Amber screamed at the girl before running away. 

 

 

She wandered around the school, looking behind her every now and then to check if that Soojung girl was still chasing her; but to her relief and utmost guilt, Soojung was not following her. Maybe I was too rude to her. But Amber couldn't help but feeling the need to run away from that girl. As she was lost in her thoughts of the friendly creep, she didn't notice the two humans following her for quite the amount of time now. They were tiptoeing, hoping that the handsome girl in the checkered skirt won't notice them. But, Alas! Soon enough, Amber stopped in her track and turned around with a gloomy face, nearly chasing the souls out of the two others' bodies, 

 

           "Do they not teach you how to respect others privacies in the goddamn school?!" Her voice was raised a notch as she ruffled her hair in annoyance. 

 

"Yah! !" One of the girls shouted at her, "Shouldn't you be thankful we were looking for you to welcome you back?!", she slapped Amber forehead hard.

     

       "Ow! What the actual hell?!", She rubbed her forehead as gave the girl a narrow look, 

 

"I can't believe I abandoned my nap time for this head.", she looked at the slightly taller girl next to her then to Amber, 

     

   "Excuse me? Did you just call me a head?" Amber was feeling overwhelmed. What the heck is wrong with this wicked school? Are all students like that? At least Soojung was nicer...

 

"I didn't refer to you by your name, but you know.. If the shoes fit." The short girl replied snarkly.

"Jessica, calm down. She probably doesn't know us."

"That's even better, now I won't have to deal with this stupid headed Llama looking dinosaur."

          "Just.. Who are you people?! Wait. You know? I don't even care, just please, leave me alone."

 

"I'm Yuri, and this is Jessica." The tall girl ignored her request, "I apologize for the way she's behaving, she just isn't taking the fact the you don't remember her very well. You were the closest friend she's ever had after all." Yuri explained with a caring smile as she held Jessica's hand tightly.

 

           "I don't know you. I'm sorry but I don't know any of you. Leave me alone."

"Ah.. We're sorry. We'll leave you be now." Yuri seemed sad. She pulled Jessica with her and waled away, but before vanishing from her range of sight, Jessica turned around and gave her one last look, with teary eyes. "How can you forget..." She said. 

 

 

 

 

Amber stood still. That look was filled sadness, remorse even. How can I forget what?  

After her encounter with the three strangers, Amber decided to get out of the building and have a breath of fresh air in the school's garden. The school was prestigious, to say the least. The garden was filled with elegant flowers and roses, a variety of colors filled the garden. There was an old wooden bench, placed under a majestic oak tree that stood tall in the middle of the garden. With out hesitation, she walked to the bench and sat there, closing her eyes to take in the peaceful silence. 

"I'm sorry, but can I sit here?" She opened her eyes to see a girl with a kind smile looking down at her,

         

        "Sure." Amber smiled in return as she scooted over to the right, providing a comfortable space between her and the other girl. She didn't like making people uncomfortable, and she very must respected others privacies.

"You're new here, right?", the girl spoke,

         "I am. How did you know?"

"We don't have a new student often, nice to meet you, I'm Tiffany, and that midget playing with the flowers over there is Taeyeon."she pointed at the girl not so far away, then she turned to Amber with an adorable eye smile, 

         "Nice to meet you too, I'm Amber.", giving back an equally bright smile. Finally, a normal, sane student.

"Would it be weird if I told you that I know you?" ...sigh.

          

          "You surely won't be the first one to say that..", she looked at Tiffany with a troubled look, "I'm sorry. Really, I am. But I don't know you guys." 

"It's okay, Amber. Everything will come back to you soon." She patted Amber shoulder gently, "But please, don't ignore her. Her heart is broken, she's been waiting for too long." 

          "What? Who's heart is broken?" She was confused, 

"Just listen to me, Amber."Tiffany smiled again, somehow, Tiffany's aura gave her peace, Amber nodded, waiting for her to continue. 

"She was forced, she didn't have a choice. So, please, do not ignore her. She's been hurting for too long. She needs you now more that ever.", Amber didn't get a word, didn't understand who she was talking about, yet, she listened carefully.

 

"Ppany-ah, are you done?" Taeyeon walked closer to the both of them as Tiffany stood up, with her ever so bright smile. "Yes, Taetae. All done." She held Taeyeon's hand, "We can go now." They both turned around ready to leave before Taeyeon turned to Amber with a smile,

"It nice seeing you again, kid." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amber's thoughts were filled with all the weird happenings today, she was now in the basketball court, sitting on the ground, in the middle of the court. 

 "Dazed and confused?"

          "Yeah...", as she realized that was the voice of another person she looked up to see a girl wearing thick-rimmed glasses looking at her with straight face, "Hi." The girl greeted her, 

          "Wait. You know me and want to tell me something even though I won't understand it but I'll have to listen."

"No, I actually just came to say hi." The girl shrugged, "Tiffany was the only one able to make you listen." She looked at Amber for a while before speaking again, "Hi, Amber."

           "Hi, Seohyun."

"How did you know my name? Do you by any chance know me, Amber?" Seohyun smiled as she looked at Amber, and in return the girl's eyes widened. "See you around." She spoke before leaving the shocked girl sitting on the ground. 

 

**

I'm tired of this place, I hope people change

I need time, to replace what I gave away

And my hopes, they are high, I must keep them small

Though I try to resist, I still want all

I see swimming pools and living rooms and aeroplanes

I see a little house on the hill and children's name

I see quiet nights poured over ice and tanqueray

But everything is shattering and it's my mistake

Only fools fall for you, only fools fall

Only fools do what I do, only fools fall

The song was playing suddenly, and she listened to it, ignoring that her father was the who was calling. Since when did she like Troye Sivan, it wasn't the type of music she usually listens to. 

She actually like the song, oddly enough. Fools. It's a great song, actually. 

         "I should get up and leave this place." She said to herself, "it happened not to long ago, this must be a dream." She spoke yet again, 

 

She answered her phone, finally. "Meet me at the garden, we're leaving now." Her father said of the line, hanging up before she could speak, 

          "I guess I should leave now." 

 

 

A she reached the garden, her father was not in sight. She tried calling his phone but it was out of reach. "Did he leave or what?", she looked around the garden again, making sure that her father was nowhere to be found, before giving up on looking for him and deciding to go take a seat at the bench she and Tiffany shared a while ago. 

And to her surprise, Soojung was there. Sitting at the edge, holding a book in her hands. Amber walked slowly towards the girl, before taking a seat beside her.

        "I'm sorry." She said softly, Soojung looked at her confused,

"Why?"

        "I didn't remember you.. I'm sorry, Princess."

Soojung's eyes widened, "Y-You remember me?!"

        "Yeah..."

Without warning, she was pulledbinto a tight hug. With Soojung's arms wrapped tightly around her neck and face buried Dee in her chest. She returned the hug with the same intensity, smiling as she felt Soojung's tears wetting her shirt, "I'm so sorry, Amber." She sniffed, 

"I didn't live him, I swear. They forced me to do it." She tightened the hug even more, "I wanted to tell you but you suddenly disappeared." 

          "I'm sorry, Princess."

"I've been waiting for too long.. " 

          "I'm here now, Princess.", she said as she pulled away from the hug, holding the younger girl's fave gently, "I won't leave again."

"I'll make sure you won't." And with that, the small distance separating their face began to vanish, their lips were a breath away, waiting to finally be connected to what they've longed for, for so long...

           "I won't.", lips finally meeting...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-THUD- 

       

 

          "OW!", the one on the ground screamed in pain, "What the hell?!!"

"What?", the younger one, who used all her mightey force to push the one now on the ground spoke, "I tried waking you up but you didn't. Had to do that."

          "Wait.. I was.. Dreaming.", Amber looked at Krystal with confusion,

"Yeah. I heard that's a common thin people do when they fall asleep. God, you're stupid.", she kicked Amber before leaving the room.

 Amber touched her lips, remembering her dream. "Weird dream." She said as she placed her hand over her racing heartbeat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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