“Kim Sungjoon!!!!”

I stuffed a piece of bread in my mouth as I ran out of my home to the subway station, my mum still screaming at an audible volume complaining how I should start waking up earlier as a third year student.

Yes, I was in my final year at Jin Young High School and should have had my life together. But I was still running late without having a proper breakfast, let alone knew what exactly I wanted to study in university. It was not like my grades are horrible – they were fine. Maybe not Seoul National University level but I could still probably get into less competitive courses in Korea Univeristy and Yonsei. I just didn’t know what courses I should be applying for.

“Have you considered being a sports teacher?”

I rolled by eyes at the suggestion made by Jackson. He’s one of my best friends and my classmate. His whole family are athletes – his father and mother were both national level in fencing and gymnastics respectively. Now retired, they’re coaches at various levels, with their talented sons as living examples of their success. Hence, it was pretty normal for Jackson to think of sports as the go to option in the future.

While I was on the basketball team, it’s not like I was as good as Jackson was at fencing. I doubt I could make a living out of it.

Jungyeon seemed to notice the unfeasibility of Jackson’s suggestion.

“You still have a whole school year to think about it. Don’t worry, you’ll work something out. My unnie didn’t even decide on acting until the very last minute and she’s having a great time.”

Jungyeon used to live in the same area as me before she moved away last year so she’s basically my childhood friend. She’s my bro and she’s always got my back. But what she said was true. Seungyeon noona almost wanted to become an actress out of the blue. I always thought she wanted to be a singer. But she did seem to be enjoying it right now. Maybe Jungyeon was right…I did have plenty of time.

“OH. MY. GOD!!!!” The voice of Jimin rang in the hallways as she ran into our classroom.

“No second years here!” shouted Jackson teasingly.

Jimin punched him on his shoulder. “Shut up, you are always in our classrooms too. Look I’m not here to deal with you, Wang Jackson.”

“What’s all this about?” I asked Jimin before she and Jackson started an endless cycle of bickering.

“Im Nayeon,” Jimin turned to me, “That sunbae’s retaking Year 3!”

Im Nayeon.

She was a year above us. Popular, beautiful, with a goddess like air that makes her feel unreachable and untouchable. Sometimes when she walked down the hallways, it felt like the crowds parted like the red sea before her. She was like the “Ice Princess” of Jin Young High School.

But I didn’t think she was really like that. I remembered seeing her derping out with a little girl at an arcade during my first year and how she looked so happy getting a Squirtle stuff toy at the machines, laughing at how she resembled the toy. That was kind of cute.

From then on, I sort of noticed her. When she walked by the hallways or was with her friends in the canteen. My friends teased me about my little crush and laughed that I should not be aiming so high. She’s already unattainable plus, she’s a sunbae. And the fact I never said anything about it for two year meant everything was too late. But now there’s one more year.

“WAEEEEEEE????”

My train of thought was broken by Jungyeon who did nothing to hide her confusion. “I thought she had good grades.”

This seemed to be some sudden, unexpected news for the teaching staff too, as the teachers seem to be altering class lists.

“Well apparently she got sick and messed up her college entrance exams,” Jimin said, sounding confident in her sources, “She could have just gone tutoring this year but she apparently preferred learning in a school environment.”

“What other ‘apparently’ things do you know?” Jackson interrupted, earning another punch from Jimin.

“Apparently she is also going to be….”

A girl with wavy, jet black hair stepped in.

“….in your class.”

She walked over and checked the seating plan that the teacher just changed before making her way towards our circle. She pulled the chair beside me and sat down.

“Annyeong. I’m Im Nayeon.”