04.
Little by Little - because you stay -
JUNG.eunji
"Eunji!" my classmate, Chorong, calls me out loud from the second floor. She waves to me and shouts again, "Come on! We can't start without you!"
I flash her a smile and wave back at her, a sign that I can hear her. I rush to where she is in minutes, knowing that I'm late already for my club activity.
However I try my best to watch where I'm going since I don't want to repeat my mistake again. Yesterday someone just scolded me because I bumped onto him and caused my drink to spill on him.
It's because I was too excited after knowing that my painting would be included for our art festival next month. I didn't see what's in front on me so...
I can't help but to think that the person is really cold. He didn't even let me apologize first. He just walked away as if I was invinsible.
"Ah, your painting is really beautiful," Chorong compliments my half done painting sincerely. "I think you've chosen a wrong department, Eunji! You're definitely incredible in painting!"
I chuckle and continue to put the color to the sky on canvas. It's a painting of sunset. It's simple but I really like it somehow.
"Listen, listen!" Bomi, the vice-president of painting club, suddenly announces with a wide smile. "My mother will come to our art festival! Can you believe it?"
"Really?" the others approach her and smile happily for her. "Your mother is really busy with her modelling agency, right? What a great mother she is!"
While the others congratulate her for the happy news, I just smile bitterly from my seat. Bomi looks really happy and I think it's indeed a great news.
Bomi's mother works as a CEO of famous modelling agency. She is really busy, making her to go overseas for almost every week.
No wonder if Bomi is happy because she has promised to come for our art festival.
I just wish my mother will be there for me too.
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I didn't have a beautiful childhood memories like other children. In fact I didn't really remember my childhood days.
I remembered my mother's back when she was cooking in the kitchen for our family. My brother was the one who always accompanied me to play. He was also the one who read the book for me every night.
At first I didn't understand why it's not my mother who read it for me. I always worried if she hated me.
"A mother will never hate her own child, understand?" my father once told me, patting my head gently. "Don't think too much, Eunji."
I was still eleven years old when the tragedy happened. All I remembered was the shattered mirror, people cursing with anger, and my mother cried.
I didn't dare to come out from my room. I used my blanket to cover my head, too afraid to move even just for an inch. Then I fell asleep even before I realized it.
The next morning when I opened my eyes, my brother was already sitting right next to me. He asked me if I had a sweet dream but I didn't answer him.
I rushed out from my room and found my father was sitting in front of the television like what he always did every morning. He was reading the newspaper when I came to his side.
"Appa, where is Omma?" I tugged my father's sleeve to get his attention. "What happened last night, Appa?"
He turned to me with a sad but gentle smile before patting my head, "I'm sorry, Eunji, but Omma is not with us anymore. I'm so sorry."
That's the last time I ever talked about her with my father.
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"Have you heard about it, Eunji?" Chorong suddenly asks when I am checking my painting for the last time. "About the new student who moved from London."
"What about the new student?" I retort back, putting the white cloth to cover my painting. I grab my bag and look at her, "Since when did you pay attention for new student?"
"It's not the new student who drew attention actually," she opens the door for me. "It's because he was seen with Jung Aerin this morning."
I stop whatever I'm doing and stare at her with wide eyes, "Jung Aerin?"
"Unbelievable, isn't it?" she nods in agreement of my reaction. She continues to work as she continues, "They are in the same class for Korean History this morning and they actually talked."
"Rumor said that they are related. Ah, right!" Chorong clasps her hands. "His family name is also Jung! Do you know someone named Jung Jinyoung, Eunji?"
I frown and think about the unfamiliar name before I shake my head, "No. I don't think I know anyone with that name."
Chorong pouts, looking disappointed because there is nothing I can do to make her feel more excited, "I wonder how the new student looks like. Does he remind us of Aerin?"
She tilts her head, touching her lips with her index finger, "I think he is the complete opposite. They said that he is scary."
"Scary?" I raise my eyebrow upon the word. Now I'm really curious about what this Jung Jinyoung looks like. Is he tall and big? Does he have tattoo? Does he glare at whoever looks at him?
Chorong links her arm with mine, "Why don't we go and find him tomorrow?"
"Sure," I nod and walk along with Chorong, heading to where the bus stop is. "Our mission for tomorrow is to find Jung Jinyoung!"
I wonder if I will see him with Jung Aerin tomorrow when we find him.
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