It was a cold day, but it didn’t stop her from going to visit her mom. It’s been tough. These last few days the bullying has gotten worse than the first couple weeks of school. Students went from simple pushing and shoving to taking advantage of her, people who she thought were her friends weren’t and betrayed her, most importantly, Minwoo still doesn’t recognize her. It’s been 4 months. She was beginning to believe that he’s forgotten her. She was beginning to believe that at girl like her doesn’t belong in this school. She was not special. She was not beautiful. She did not have any money. She was trash compared to the students at that school.  

Nearly dragging her feet to where her mom rested, she weakly took small steps limping. Tears were streaming down her cheek drawing lines on her small powdered face. What made it even worse was that everyone out in the streets was staring at her weirdly.

She thought must have looked pathetic. A girl balling her eyes out with flour all over her face and hair; she thought she was truly pathetic.

Finally, reaching her destination with shaky hands she pushes a large black arch gate open. Continuing on limping inside she wipes her tears smudging the flour all over her face. She didn’t care. She was no longer out in public. No, she was now somewhere quiet. She is where her mom is resting. She is where the many diminished watched over her.

When she finally reaches her mom, her weak legs give up and she falls onto her knees on the soft grass and hugs a large stone that stood in front of her. 

“Umma,” she cried out sobbing some more.  “I miss you so much,” she whimpered. 

Today wasn’t the day for her. None of the days were good. She thought she could be strong, but after so many days she broke down and now here she was crying in front of her mother’s grave.  

She couldn’t go on smiling anymore. There was nothing to smile about. Every day, an artificial smile plasters her face and it has not done any good for her. Instead, it made people hate her even more.

“I can’t do it anymore,” she says weakly finally no longer crying. Untangling her arms away from her mother’s grave, she uses the back of her hand to wipe her tears away, and stands up.

Quick and briefly, she bows in front of her mom’s engrave stone. “I’m sorry.” Immediately after her apology, the clouds in the sky clear up and the sun was no longer hiding behind the bundle of puffy cotton. The beam of sunlight shines down on her and she feels warmth all around her.

It had to be. It had to be her mom. She knew that warmth. It was her mom’s love.

This was a sign from her mom. This was a sign that she shouldn’t give up; that there was hope if she kept smiling. Maybe there is a chance that the world would smile back at her…or at least one person.   

“Thanks mom,” she manages to smile and bows once more before heading back to school.

***********

Room A2: It was loud and rowdy. Boys were laughing, fooling around, throwing paper airplanes everywhere, and blasting their music loudly. It didn’t matter, the teacher wasn’t there.  While everybody was busy socializing, one boy kept his priorities on education and sat there like an outcast studying.     

“Wahh, jin-ja? Someone actually placed a flour bomb in her locker?” Immediately the boys glances up away from his book.

“Whoever it was, I admire that person for doing it,” A boy laughed. Was this student taking about who he thought he was talking about?

“Did you see the look on her face? She ran outside the school crying!” Boys hollered and pretend to imitate the girl he mentioned was crying. The outcast boy gripped onto his book angrily. How could someone laugh at ones pain? He thought.

“BWAHAHAHA,” other boys laughed out loud at the boy imitating the girl.

“She deserved it. The nerve a poor girl has to come into this school and taint our campus,” a guy scoffed.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” The studious boy shouted slamming his book down on the table. Everyone became silent for awhile, shocked by the quiet boy’s sudden outburst.

“Hey, what wrong with you Minwoo?” A boy sitting to the left of him asked elbowing him.

“You guys are being too loud. I can’t even think straight,” he calmly says to the boys.

“Ahh, come on, lighten up. The teacher isn’t here. There’s no reason to act like a good student.”

“Shut up Youngmin.”

“Ohh, feisty.” Yougmin’s look alike joked.  

“Why are you guys acting like jerks? Picking on a girl; you know how much you’ve just lowered yourselves?” Minwoo said calmly picking back up his book again.

“Aish this guy,” A whole bunch of people called out and began talking loudly again. 

“Just because he’s the flower boy of this school doesn’t mean that he can talk like that to anyone.”  

“He’s just being what nature attends him to be,” one guy joked.  Immediately the door to the classroom opens and the teacher walks in with a ruler in his hand.

“Y-yah, just because the teacher is not here yet doesn’t mean it’s recess time,” he shouts smacking his ruler on the black board. Students shut their mouths and scrambled back to their seats quickly to avoid the teacher from screaming anymore. “Aish you little punks,” he murmurs. “Yah, open your book to 254. Palli. ”

*Lunch time

Walking back into the school she plasters a big bright smile skipping her way through the halls confidently.

“Aigoo, what the heck is with her? I thought she would never come back again?” A group of girls scoffed giving her dirty looks.

“How pathetic. She still has flour all over her face.”

“Why is she happy? Has she gone mad?”  Ignore it. She thought. Ignore it and only think positively. Umma is watching over.  Reaching to the cafeteria she waits in line to get her lunch and gets cut by a couple of people. She ignores it though and continues smiling, even giggling a bit at the thought of her mom being there for her.

“Can I have the steak hamburger please ajumma,” she asks politely still smiling.

“Aigoo, what happen to you?” The lady asks with concern.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just got some flour on my face.”

“Some? It looks like someone dumped a whole bag on you. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Kamsamnida,” she bowed politely skipping over to a group of girls. It won’t hurt trying to make new friends right? “Is this seat taken?”

“Why yes it is,” the girl said placing her backpack on the empty seat.

“Oh…Okay,” She said frowning a little bit. The girls laughed at her and she left immediately afterwards to find others to sit with.  “Is this seat taken?”

“Yes.”

“Is this seat taken?”

“Get lost Miss. Poverty.”

“Is this seat taken?”

“Why don’t you sit over there (*point to seat) by the trash can. You can fine something in common with that trashcan,” the girls in that group laughed.  

It seemed impossible to sit with anyone. Especially since no one liked her.  Might as well go somewhere where there is no one and eat, rather than sitting in the cafeteria for others to lower her self-esteem. 

Giving out a sigh, she walks outside the cafeteria with her tray and fines herself walking through an unknown door she randomly opens. She found herself inside an unknown place that looked like a garden. There were roses at the front entrance that lead to a little patio area.

“Wahh,” she was amazed. Why haven’t she ever known about this place?  

“Who’s there?” Someone called out.

She froze and stood still. Should she run and leave? She could hear footsteps. They were getting closer.  Quickly she looks down and turns her heels around ready to head out the door.

“Stop,” A male voice called out and she felt a hand reach grab onto her wrist preventing her from leaving.

“Can you let go of me? I’ll be leaving,” she said softly still keeping her face hidden.  Without warning the boy pulled onto her wrist and turned her around.  She gasped when she saw who it was. “ Minwoo?....I mean Sunbae?”

“Why are you here?” He asks still gripping onto her arm. 

“I was just looking for a place to eat alone,” she says shyly covering with one hand and looking down at her feet. “Mianhae. Sorry for bothering you. I’ll be leaving,” she said quickly trying to leave.

“No,” Minwoo says gripping onto her wrist once more.  “Stay. It’s fine.”

******

Awkwardly she cuts off a piece of her steak and takes a small bite, too afraid to chew loudly since he was sitting across from her on the benches by the rose arches.

“I heard about what happen to you. Are you okay?” That made her stop eating and she puts down her fork.  Cautiously, she looks up at him even daring to look into his eyes and puts on a small smile.

“I’m fine.” He knew she was lying. She looked awful. Her big Bambi like eyes were red and puffy and he could see the streaks of tear smudged and marked into her floured covered face. 

“Here,” taking a handkerchief out of his pocket, he reaches over to her and wipes the flour off her face.  Her face became bright pink at the contact and it got worse when he scooted closer to her.

He was looking in her eyes now.  His eyes, sweet, caring, warm….just like her mom. He hasn’t changed a bit. Do you know who I am? Minwoo Oppa, look deep into my eyes. I recognize you. Can you recognize me?

“I’m sorry to ask, but have we met before?”

Finally was able to write a chapter. I hate writers block..... Well, what do you think of this chapter? Comment. Subscribe. :)