Three years ago...

I was just entering the school building main hall. Suddenly I was tripping over my loose shoelaces.

BADUM! My knees smashed to the floor, luckily I was able to stretch my hands preventing I face-plant myself on the first day of school.

Something was sliding off my chest onto the floor across the hall. It’s tiny, red and now was in front of someone’s shoe. Geez, I hope that person wouldn’t step on it by mistake. I lift myself up to stand only to find a girl, tall girl, was standing in front of me.

“You drop this.” She said. As I look up while my hands roaming put myself in order, I noticed the girl’s hair is silky smooth straight falling down from the top of her diamond shaped face. That girl has feminine defined cheekbones, pointed nose, and angled jaw line. Her face has her own maturity to it, not that it’s like older woman but it has grace all over it. Her limbs are so lean and long, somewhat giving a fragile vibe to it.

I unconsciously reached out my hands to grab what’s on her hand. It’s my small strawberry brooch that my grandma gave it to me for my birthday. I couldn’t help to look at her long and pretty hands at the process.

“Th-Thank you,” I put my head down, mortified.

“Are you new here? You wear different uniform than us.” She asked.

“Uhm, yes. I just transferred.”

“Well, okay. Have a nice day then.”

“Wa-wa-wait! Please.” I stop her turning around halfway. Recalling that I have no idea where is the location of the room I’m headed, I still need her assistance.

“Yes?” I finally was able to look at her face, her gorgeous face. It may sound a bit over-exaggerated, but I have never seen anyone with that face characteristic. She’s glowing yet not bright, she has this subtle smile that just radiates into me, inside of me.

“Uhm, I need to find Mr. Park in the teacher’s room. Can you point me the direction, please?”

“I actually need to meet a teacher; we’re heading to the same place. Come, come.” She tilted her head for me to follow her.

We’re walking side by side. She’s taller than me like around 10cm or so. I’m not quite sure since when I saw her, my inferiority complex turned for worse so I felt even shorter than I already was. Her stride is larger than mine, so I need to speed up my walk just to make our walk even.

“Hey, I’m Chaeyoung. Son Chaeyoung.” Now I was the one that reached out my hands. I wonder what would it feels like to shake her hands.

“Oh yeah.” She grabbed my hands gently, “Call me Tzuyu. Chou Tzuyu.”

“Okay, Tzuyu”

“Where are you from, Chaeyoung?”

“I used to live with my grandparents in the rural area with my brother. Now we’re moving back in with my parents near here.”

“Ooh, nice.” She said that with a slight smile while smiling and nodding to the people we meet in the hall way.

When we enter the teacher’s room, Tzuyu pointed out at a man with buzz cut and a glasses. “That’s Mr. Park. See you later, Chaeyoung”

“Thank you very much, Tzuyu. I appreciate it.” She nodded a little and left heading to another teacher’s desk.

I still got a glimpse of her while walking towards Mr. Park’s desk.

Wow, she is breathtakingly beautiful.

-MC-

Little did I know, my hands were sweating a lot because now I will enter my new class. What if they don’t like me? What if I get bullied? What if I can’t follow through the lesson? What if I’m gonna rank at the bottom? What If I won’t have any friend? And moreover now I need to speak in front of them all. I need to look my best. I thought in my head.

I put myself in order, tidied myself up while walking behind Mr. Park who will be my homeroom teacher and now is showing me my class for this year. I straighten the crease on my skirt.

“Chaeyoung, you can pick up your school uniform tomorrow at my desk. So for today, you just have to wear your old one, okay?” Mr. Park turned his head while still walking.

In between my speedy pace to match his march, I nodded. “It’s okay, sir. I don’t mind.”

We arrived, he opened the door to the classroom 9-B, my new classroom.

“So, guys. Today, we have an addition to our great class. Meet her.” He gave me hand signals to enter the classroom. My hands grasped my skirt tighter in nervous. I hope I don’t faint. My palms were wet from all the cold sweat and I still need to order my brain to smile in the midst of this chaos.

“H-Hi everyone. My name is Chaeyoung. I moved from the rural.” my eyes wandered randomly at the students that were organized seated.

“Hiiiiiii, Chaeyoung.” Most of them said it with loud voice, some even wave their hands at me which I replied by lifting my right hands at them.

I froze when I see a familiar face in the crowd. Our eyes met when I unknowingly said, “nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Chaeyoung.” All of them replied.

“Okay, you guys may know and ask more about her at the lunch break. For now let’s start our Math class.” Mr Park put his hand on my shoulder. “Now Chaeyoung, you can sit beside Anna, there.” He pointed at the empty desk, second row from the window. A girl, whom I supposed name Anna who sat at the desk beside the window waved at me.

“Now, let’s start our Math class. Pull out your book.” Mr. Park shouted to the class while opening his own book.

I walked to the empty desk, put down my bag on the floor inclining to the desk. I sat down. I got my note book and pencil case out then I realized Mr. Park used different Math book that my old school use.

“Open page 76, everyone.”

The desk on my left suddenly slide closer to me.

“We can share.”

There she is, the familiar face that somehow ease my nerve and now being a hero again today. I look to my left and saw that gorgeous face again.

“T-thank you.” I whispered to her.

“I know I told you ‘see you later’ before, but I didn’t think it would be this soon. Haha.” She whispered to me while putting on a smile.

Nice to meet you, Chou