It is 6 in the morning when Sowon’s alarm clock rang, she made all her efforts to not go back to sleep and get made it to the bathroom. She washed her face with ice cold water to shake herself of her tiredness and did her usual routine. She knew her mums high expectations of her and sighed as her eyes drew herself to the homework and coaching timetable printed on the fridge. Sowon opened up her fridge and got out some freezed buns and heated them. After she finished eating, she packed her equipment and walked to the front door when she saw the note left by her mother.

Sowon, 

omma wishes you good grades at Autumn Hill. You have been selected by one of the best high schools here. Don’t let omma and appa down. We all know our daughter will be great. You have math tutoring straight after school for 2 hours. Remember to do homework well and receive good comments with the teachers

omma

Sowon finished reading it and left the house. She saw two girls wearing her uniform skipping to buy ice cream from the nearby store, she ignored them and walked on. Then the two girls chased each other and was soon in front of Sowon, who heard them planning for a amusement park on the weekend. Sowon sighed, her mother never lets her to go play with friends. To her mother, everything comes after study. Sowon kicks a rock while trodding towards school.

She arrived 20 minutes early but has found students from all years already there, either a year 7 who looks either nervous or excited or a year 8-12, chatting with their friends. Sowon didn’t know where to go, she saw the two girls she saw already their and soon find out that they are in 7th grade, same as her. A bell rang straight on time and all the old students headed of to their assigned timetables while the year 7s walked to the mini theatre and is greeted by the principal: Ms Kim and some fellow teachers.

“Now young year sevens, welcome to Autumnhill. This is one of the top rated schools all around Korea and we are all really glad to have you all here. We all have lunch at noon and afterwards we are all going to head back here for a more formal welcome. Since you guys have already been seated, please take the piece of paper attached on one of the legs on the chairs. This will be your timetable and class for the rest of the year. The timetable is quite self-explainable and if the first column on the first row, which is this time right now is covered with a green color, please follow the teacher on the right. If it is colored blue, I am going to be your first teacher. If it is covered in red, you can go to the teacher that is standing in the back. All the students will receive a planner from your teachers and this the teacher is going to be your teacher for the rest of your years in Autumnhill. Without more chatter, lets go.” The teacher in the glasses ordered and I am sorted into the green color. I walked over to the woman with shoulder length high brown hair. Her eyes seemed to glare at every each of us strictly. She soon introduced her as Miss Lee and we followed her towards our classroom...