“Hey you promised us yesterday!” Donghyuk snapped; feeling unfairly treated.

It was just my second day at school but the three boys from the previous day already decided to give me another round of annoyance by bugging me about my promise to eat with them during lunch. I strongly opposed the idea planted on their heads. However I didn’t precisely said yes to their invitation, they misunderstood my action as approval. While the only thing I did was just raised my thumb up which I did to shut them up. So I couldn’t be blamed. I can’t be asked to keep the promise I didn’t make.

I firmly shook my head, being persistent. “I can’t! My sister, remember?” I tried to use the lame sister excuse again. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to eat together with them, but it just there was something that kept telling me to not go. It was sort of woman instinct and I couldn’t simply ignore it.

This time, the Junhoe guy spoke up in the same irritating tone, “Can’t you say no to your sister?”

“And what kind of authority do you have to make me say no to my sister?” Those words almost slipped out from my mouth but luckily I still had enough self-control and chose nicer words instead.

“Tomorrow. I promise,” I pledged, hoping they’d leave me alone after this. Chanwoo pouted and looked at me skeptically; he didn’t look convinced. I forced a smile, trying my best to look as persuasive as possible. After few seconds, Junhoe sighed and said, “You better keep your promise this time.”

I responded with eager nods. Junhoe was the first to turn around and the other two soon followed. All the three of them then walked away; going out off the class. I breathed in relief once they were gone. Finally, some peace.

I couldn’t comprehend the reason why they were being so determined to get me with them during lunch break. It was impossible to be just a mere friendly invitation. There had to be some motive, some sort of force to made them did they way they did. I had the feeling they were being demanded by something, or possibly someone.

Shrugging it off, I went outside for the cafeteria.

“Is this seat taken?” Ignoring my nervousness, I asked the girl who was busying herself with the food in front of her.

She had short hair, just ended around above her shoulders. She wasn’t skinny, but I wouldn’t call her fat either. She was somewhere between the two adjectives and I couldn’t find the perfect word to describe. I dared myself to talk to her since the cafeteria was so packed up and I noticed she was the only one alone. To my relief, she wore the same shade of tie with mine.

Having my sandwich on my left hand and a carton of banana milk on the other, I waited for the girl to respond. She then looked up, swallowing before answered expressionlessly, “Yes.” Disappointed, I nodded awkwardly, lifting my legs to leave the place.

“By you,” she added kindly before I could twist my body around. Upon hearing that, I smiled at her and beamed lightly.

“Thanks,” I muttered gratefully, taking my seat. The girl before me paused eating to return my smile.

“The famous Han Yeonjoo, I suppose?” she said with a hint of joke in her voice. Her smile grew wider as I took a notice of her eyes that started to disappear.

I laughed lightly, shaking my head. “Wrong person. I’m not the famous Han Yeonjoo. I’m just Han Yeonjoo,” I replied with a small smile. She took another spoon from her bowl.

She hummed a bit. “You’re just being modest,” commented her.

“I’m not,” I denied. “In fact I was being mean seconds ago.” The girl chortled, covering . She extended her hand out to me and said, “I’m Kang Gaeun.” I took her hand rather delightfully and she gave it light shake.

We then engrossed into enjoyable conversation. I figured out that her class was next to mine and that she heard a lot about me already; being just in the next door. I was pleased by the fact she didn’t brought anything related to the cheap gossips around the school regarding me recently. She didn’t ask anything that possibly intrudes my private life such as about my last name, or my relation with Nayeon. She didn’t even ask for confirmation about the speculation which stated that I was unwanted child so my father prohibited me to use his last name. (I really amazed by how the students were so creative coming up with ridiculous idea like that)

Gaeun was being extremely good friend, a very pleasant companion. We got to know each other’s hobbies and favorites by then.

“What was your favorite book?” I asked vigorously at her as if I’d just found my soulmate. It was hard to find someone who liked to read and now here I was meeting a new friend that book was all she knew and unpredictably shared common interest in the genre with me.

She shook her head in absolute refuse. “No, don’t make me choose because I cannot do that. Her books are all amazing it’s hard to pick favorite.” She explained. I nodded in agreement eagerly, too eager in fact. She was indeed destined to be my friend in this school.

“Sadly, that’s true. She is really amazing.” I commented, taking the last bite of my sandwich.

Gaeun gulped some water from her bottle and said, “Not all teens admire Agatha Christie, in fact teenagers barely know her. I thought you were just another girl that lives only for make-ups and gossips,” she asserted. “I totally didn’t expect you to like her the way I do,” added her in clear astonishment.

I only smiled. “I came here with ‘no one will like Agatha’ enchanted in my mind.”

We talked some more like a mad fangirls. She informed me things like how she was so thrilled up with the book ‘And Then There Were None’, how she totally didn’t see it coming, and also how she should have noticed details while reading her books. We totally took no notice of the time and it was like only two minutes passed when the bell rang.

Having the class just next to each other, we walked together in the hallway; sharing some of our innumerable favorite moments from the book.

“Catch you around Gaeun,” I bid her goodbye which she replied happily before walking to my own class.

“Liar,” I heard someone hissed right when I entered the class. I turned around to see and the only possible option for who had hissed was only Goo Junhoe; since the class was still considerably empty and the voiced matched his.

Our eyes met for a moment but I quickly averted them elsewhere. I was sure he was hissing at me but as long as I remember, I didn’t do anything that it was reasonable for him to say so. Shrugging, I walked to my seat; still in the same very front line from yesterday.

---

“My second day was just the same as the first, Dad,” I let him know. “But it was better I assume,” I confessed. It was true. Aside from the annoying disturbance by the three young boys, I got to meet Gaeun, a new fun friend.

Nayeon, who sat across from me, nodded her head while taking some water down to . “You know what Dad? Yeonjoo got herself a friend,” informed her to my father. Dad asked me for confirmation and I nodded; giving him a smile.

“What’s the name?” he asked, had another spoon from his plate. “Kang Gaeun it is.”

“She is really good friend, I can say,” I added. “She also likes to read!” I exclaimed, a little bit too eager.

I then recounted how our conversation went that afternoon, how she –to my surprise- had her interest on Agatha Christie, how her class was just next door and how I liked her company. My dad listened to everything indulgently. He didn’t cut me off and even gave positive reactions. One point I liked about my father; he is a good listener.

“Invite her for sleepover next weekend,” Dad suggested after I’d done with my story which I replied with a ‘of course if she doesn’t mind’. I liked the idea of her coming for some sleepover; we could talk about Agatha’s books for hours!

I heard Nayeon cleared a bit before spoke, “These days, there’s also some rumors regarding us, Dad.”

I immediately looked up from my plate, surprised at her sudden words. Nayeon had already been a very innocent girl. She says everything she heard. She hides nothing and she expresses her emotion well. She is also very truthful. She even sometimes spill out things that were better to be keep hidden. It isn’t like she can’t keep secret; she keeps them if she is told to do so. But she doesn’t really know if something is necessary to be told or not. Like this time, I definitely thought she didn’t need to tell Dad that.

Dad ears perked up in curiosity, “Nasty ones?” Nayeon nodded her head as the response. “Tell me more about it,” he urged.

Nayeon began to tell about the rumors. First, she informed about the rumor that spread during my first day; that students being suspicious about me not being Nayeon’s biological sister because we looked kind of different. The rumor I was adopted. Then she told Dad about the recent rumor, which was the suspicion about me being an unwanted child; speculating about the different last names I and Nayeon used.

Dad didn’t say anything but looked at me worriedly. I waved my hands off, “It’s nothing Dad”. As his expression remained, I added, “Really. It bothers me nothing. It’s just rumors anyway.”

Nayeon shook her head disapprovingly, “But they got the wrong point about you” she pointed out. “Why don’t you try to clarify it?”

“Why should I? I’ll just let them think what they want to think about me.” I said, scooping down the last spoon of my food. Gulping down some water, I added mildly “Clarification won’t do anything. They’ll still make up other gossips anyway.”

After hearing my assertion, my dad smiled; conveying his proud feeling of me. “You are much like your mother.”

If there is any compliment that I liked to hear the best, it’d be the phrase that I resembled my mother. Be it in appearance or mindset or characters, or anything. My mother is my role model and of course I’d be overjoyed hearing that I was junior version of her.

“If I were you I’d busying myself here and there clearing things up,” Nayeon uttered. She stood up to clear the table. “I absolutely need to learn from you Yeonjoo,” she said again, smiling like a proud sister.

Yeah, rumors will be just rumors. But I didn’t predict another round of malicious rumor would take place so soon.

---

I think this is too short, don't you think so?
I appreciate your comments a lot so tell me what do you think. 
I'd also like to hear about any advice or critism so I can improve.
Share your thoughts with me :) Tell me if you think the progress is too slow or too fast, if my writing is too short for a chapter, or anything.
I'll try my best to get better^^
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed~

(Congratulations to the boys for their 4th rookie award! <3)