Sehun- "Before I Knew It, It's All Memories"
Secrets Of A Heartless Fairy
January 22nd, 2003
((Sehun))
“Class, today we have a new student,” the teacher said, while the whole 3rd grade class ignored her comment.
I was one of those typical nine-year-olds, quietly sleeping with my head against my desk, waiting to either be scrolled to pay attention to the lecture, or be ignored by the teachers that had already lost hope on imparting their knowledge of the world on me at 8:00 ‘o clock in the morning.
“Anneyonghaseyo, my name is Exi.”
“You’re supposed to say your last name, too.”
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. You can try again, go on.”
Slowly but surely the noise level in the classroom had gotten louder at louder as the conversation developed. I opened my eyes and looked up from my desk. I mean, why was there so much commotion so early in the morning? And as soon as I did, I saw why: a small girl in front of the class was bowing 90 degrees, her straight long hair falling almost to the ground.
“Anneyonghaseyo, my name is Kwon Exi. I’ll be joining this class from today onwards. Please treat me kindly,” the girl nonchalantly greeted as she straightened her body, a bored expression on her face.
You know how the stereotypical transfer student is usually shy and tries really hard to fit in on his/her first day? Well, the aura that this girl was giving was something completely different to that: it was more like she genuinely didn’t care if she made friends here or not, and somehow it intrigued me till no end..
“Good job! Now, let’s see… Looks like the only seat available is the one all the way in the back next. Is that okay?”
The girl nodded in agreement and picked up her brand new backpack as she lazily made her way across the classroom. My eyes followed her every movement, not failing to notice how her body seemed to move flawlessly to a rhythm that no one could hear, her every step perfectly matching the silent harmony with utmost grace. What was even more amazing was that she seemed to be doing all of this effortlessly.
Before I noticed, Exi had walked over to the seat that had forever been empty: the seat right next to mine. She looked at me and blinked, almost as if she was showing that she acknowledged my existence. Then she bowed her head a little and promptly sat in the chair next to mine.
For the next couple of days, the girl didn’t pay any special attention to anyone, not even me, her desk partner. On the first day, a group of popular girls tried to talk to her but got royally ignored for a notebook Exi was scribbling on. The next day wasn’t that different: at lunchtime, some guys tried to ask her to the cafeteria to eat with them, but Exi simply took out her packed lunch and started to eat over our shared desk. The day after, some nerds asked her for after-school help about a recent lecture, but got totally screwed over as Exi simply passed them on her out of the school’s grounds.
By the end of the week, it was evident that Exi wanted to be left alone and everyone seemed to have understood the message loud and clear.
Well, everyone except me, of course.
I was simply too curious about this mysterious girl, who always seemed avoid human contact, to leave her alone. I started to observe her, not in the creepy way, just noticing her actions. She intrigued me, yes; but as time passed by, I started to realize that she acted the way she did because of how fragile she really was…
Still, it wasn't until we had a History project where we were paired up that I actually had the courage to talk to her.
“So when do you want to meet up?” I asked her as class ended.
Exi tilted her head at me with her usual cold expression and then proceeded to take her headphones out of her backpack as she walked outside the classroom, almost like I hadn’t said anything to her at all. I quickly followed her and snatched her headphones away from her before she got to the door.
“I’ll give them back once you agree to work on this project with me!” I declared.
“…Fine…”
“Good! Then, let’s see… the project is due on Wednesday. I have plans on Monday and I don’t want to work on it over the weekend, so what about on-”
“No! Not on Tuesday,” she said sternly while looking directly into my eyes. Truthfully I was shocked at her reaction; after all, it was the first time Exi had directed more than two words at me.
“O-kay… Well, I guess we can do it today. I mean, the library is still open, so I guess there’s no problem,” I concluded and Exi nodded in agreement as we began to walk towards said destination.
“So how come you’re always so quiet?” I asked, giving her back her precious headphones. She nodded a thanks and continued to ignore me. “Come on, we’re partners now. You’re gonna have to talk to me to get this project over with anyways.”
Exi looked at me and shrugged in response. I could already tell that she was going to keep trying to ignore me as much as she could, even if we had to work together; but I also wasn’t the type to give up so easily.
“Can you at least tell me something you like?”
“…bubble tea…” she whispered.
I immediately perked up at her response and smiled at her. I bet it was the first time she had held a conversation with someone inside this school that didn’t involve academic stuff. Heck, she had even told me something she liked!!
“Then, how about once we’re done here, we go grab some bubble tea as a reward, huh? I’ll buy,” I casually asked (well, as ‘casually’ as a nine year old receiving an allowance from his parents could muster up).
Exi pondered over it for a while, and a part of me really thought she would refuse; but right before we entered the library she whispered an ‘okay’ to me, giving me two thumps up. You would expect her to smile or something, but she still had her usual bored face on as she accepted my invitation. Yet none of that mattered because I now had an excuse to get close to her.
Well, it might’ve started out as an excuse, but pretty soon the Friday-after-school-bubble-teas became the foundation of our friendship. Even on summer vacations, we still meet on Fridays to drink bubble tea together at the same shop. As the years passed it became an unbreakable tradition; even after Exi became an SM trainee two years later, our weekly outings didn’t stop. I got to know her well and pretty soon I started considering her my best friend.
There was always just one thing that I never had the courage to ask her: why did she always disappear on Tuesdays?
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