I'm a sorry er and this happens all the time

I found out that everybody talks

Everybody talks, everybody talks

 

[Your POV]

One evening, after I have done with my registration to Seoul University College and unpacking my stuffs in my new bedroom (which is quite nice and makes me feel like I’m in my old bedroom), I decide to take a walk around the park in the neighborhood. Well, it is my chance to get used to the new surroundings.

As I walk along the tracks in the park, I think of my friends in Malaysia and how I miss them so much. It is true that sometimes their behaviors could get to my nerves, but it is one of the things that made my life so fun and full of events before. At the same time, I wonder if I’d ever meet such good friends here. Heck, I even wonder if they can accept me; I know all too well that I’m just a foreigner stuck in the middle of a society full of total strangers.

Then, I see a girl trying to jump underneath a huge tree as if she wants to reach at something on it. As I go closer, I notice there is a cat on the tree branch. I guess the girl tries to get the cat down.

"Can I help you, miss?” I approach the girl; she is probably around the same age as me or just a bit older.

“Oh, my cat is stuck on that branch! I couldn’t get her down. Just relax there, Mr. Coco. Don’t move; do not move or you’ll fall…”

Without wasting more time, I try to climb on the tree to get the kitty. After a while, I finally get it and bring it down to its owner.

“Thank you so much! Without your help, Mr. Coco probably would be on that tree forever. Once again, thank you, err…?”

“Song Ara” Wow, that is actually the first time I introduce myself with that Korean name.

“Oh, thank you Ara. By the way, are you new in this neighborhood?”

“Yes, I live in that house.” You pointed at your house which is not quite far from the spot where both of you are standing.

“Hey, I live beside that house! So, it means we are neighbours! Hi, my name is Kim Minha.” She extends a hand to greet me. Seeing how nice she is, I shake her hand.

"If you live in that house, so you are probably Uncle Song’s adopted daughter, aren’t you?” I nodded at her question.

“Wow, you’re so adorable! I’d never imagine a Malaysian girl could be this cute.” She smiles at me and pinches my cheek. I am startled at her reactions because that is the first time someone actually pinches my cheek. Well, I don’t even understand why she did that; I don’t even have quite much baby fat on my face to begin with. Nevertheless, I just let her do that.

“How old are you and where are you going to study?” She continues her questions.

“I’m 18 this year and I will study at Seoul University College” She smiles again as she says: “Oh my goodness, I also study there and it is my second semester in first year for the next term. I guess I am older than you, so you could just call me Minha eonni, if it’s alright for you?” I smile at her words that seal the beginning of our friendship.

Later on, we continue to chat about every possible topic; from the college and places of interest in town to our family background. I learn that Minha is also the only daughter in her family. So, it makes two of us then.

As I go back to my new house, I just realize one thing.

I actually make a new friend, and it is the first gal pal I ever have in my life. I eventually smile at that thought and that night is the first time I sleep soundly, without a single teardrop on my pillow.

 

[The next day in the college…]

I go into the college gate only to find a lot of students that look stylish and for some, deviant. I am quite lost for a while – what with the judgmental stares from most of the students and all – when I hear someone calling me.

“Hey there Ara, I’m right here!” I turn around to see Minha going towards me.

“You’re lost, aren’t you?” She asked with the caring look in her twinkling brown eyes. I nod and she pulls me to somewhere inside the building.

“As a new student, you need to meet the principal first.” She practically drags me, when I bump into someone.

“Ouch, my head!” Minha and I are a bit blank for a moment before I realize I have to apologize to him.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t watch my way. Is your head hurt? Are you somehow bleeding?” I am worried that the ‘accident’ would somehow taint everyone’s first impression about me.

“No, it’s okay. I’m actually quite fine…” He suddenly stops talking when he looks up to me. I wonder if he is really okay as he stares at me.

“Are you sure you okay?” I did not get to hear what he says as Minha hurriedly drags me to the principal’s office: “We should be hurrying Ara, it’s almost time for class!”

 

[Narrator’s POV]

Sandeul was still sitting there, wondering about the girl that bumped into him just now.

*Who is that girl? She doesn’t look familiar, she must be a newbie. She looks different and yet she’s…pretty*

“Hyung! What are you doing there, sitting on the floor?” All of Sandeul’s thoughts about the mysterious girl were ended by Gongchan’s voice.

“Hey, you fool! Are you committing a suicide or what?” Baro snarled at him as they walked away from the crowd of screaming female students trying to touch and get their attentions.

“Huh? What happened?” Sandeul was still blank about his surroundings.

“Aigoo, you almost got your clothes to be ripped by the fans and you still unaware of what had happened? You’re quite something, Lee Junghwan…” Baro sighed at his blur same-age friend.

“Oh, Sandeul hyung…” Gongchan just sighed at his clumsiness. “Come on; let us go to the Principal Cha’s office.”

 

[In the principal’s office…]

The situation in here is so deafeningly silent. I have to meet the Principal alone as Minha has to go to her class before it begins. I feel a bit guilty towards her because she might be late to her class just to direct me to the principal’s office. However, we did promise to one another to meet up at the cafeteria during lunch time.

“I’m glad you choose Seoul University College as your place to pursue your tertiary education. Based on your results, I could expect something amazing from you, Miss Arabella Song.”  Principal Cha says to me. He looks strict in his dark suits and spacious, organized office. Yet the way he talks is quite friendly. I bet he is the sporting kind of teacher.

“Mr. Cha, you could just call me Song Ara.” I kind of prefer that name rather than my English name.

“Ah, I see…” Before he could finish his words, Mr. Cha is interrupted by the sound of people barging into his rooms. It appears that three boys are walking towards the principal.

“Abeoji, Gongchannie wants to see you.” One of them speaks up to him. The boy is wearing a cap full of pattern of graffiti. I could tell that his behavior is quite same with Farris’. I bet he thinks he could do anything in the school as he is the principal’s son. He gets this aura of a bad boy, if you know what I mean…

“Sunwoo, can’t you see that I’m busy here?!” Principal Cha is quite enraged of his son’s interruption. As I look at the boys, I realize that one of them seems familiar to me. But then, I could not put my finger on it of where have I seen him.

“I’m sorry.” Clearly the ‘bad boy’ does not sincerely apologize to the principal, but then he suddenly looks at my way. The look of defiance on his face fades as his eyes get wider. I am quite confused with that kind of reaction, plus his two friends are also looking at me. It is an uncomfortable moment before Principal Cha breaks the silence.

“As you all clearly see, I’m meeting a new student here. Miss Song Ara, meet my son, Sunwoo…”

“Just call me Baro!”

“Grr… And these are his friends, Gong Chanshik and Lee Junghwan.”

“Hello, I’m Gong Chanshik. Just call me Gongchan. You can call him Sandeul though.” One of the guys, the tall one with black hair, greets me, whereas the brown-haired one, the one that actually I bumped into this morning, shyly nods his head.

“Oh, for your information, Gongchan is in the same class as you.” The principal added. Gongchan gives me an assuring smile and said, “I hope we could work well together in the class. If you have any questions, do ask me.” Seeing such a warm and welcoming smile, I return the gesture.

“Well, seeing that you have known some of the students here, I hope you could enjoy your studies in this college. You may take a copy of your class timetable from the clerks outside. Sunwoo, Chanshik and Junghwan, you should give a brief tour on our college to Miss Song Ara to get her familiarize with the surroundings.” I could sense the excitement from the three guys, trying to know a newbie before everyone else.

“Hyung, should we use the normal route or the other one?”  Gongchan asks the other two. Baro frowns at Gongchan’s question.

“Are you kidding me? Of course we will use the other one! I don’t want to risk my life being attacked by a group of fanatic girls just like someone we know…” Baro says that while looked at the brown-haired guy. From what I see, he looks embarrassed and I could see his cheeks are blushing. Though I have never seen any one of the human male species blushing, but I have to admit that he looks cute while blushing!

“Aigoo, Sandeul hyung is blushing!” Gongchan exclaimed while pinching his cheeks. I frown as I hear his nickname.

“Sandeul?” I ask Baro and Gongchan. Both of them just smile at my question.

 “He prefers to be called Sandeul rather than Junghwan. He said that that Junghwan is not really suitable though…” Baro replies me. I am quite confused. It is not suitable for what?

“What Baro hyung means is that Sandeul hyung prefers to be called as such that it is suitable with his bubbly and vibrant self. But I don’t really know what is wrong with him today… He seems to be quiet…” All of our eyes focus on Sandeul. I could tell that he is annoyed thus saying, “I’m not really well, I have headache today. Stop looking at me like that!” He pouts and stumped his way ahead of us. All of us could only laugh at his sulking yet cute attitudes.

Through the whole day, the three bring me to almost every area of the college. I am quite surprised when we have to go through many passages just to avoid the students. I still wonder why they would not meet the others although they are also the members of the college students. Well, they do not even tell me, so I just keep quiet about it.

The whole so-called ‘brief’ tour finishes around the afternoon. I know that I am so late because I could see Minha’s bored face in the cafeteria.

“Ara-yah, where have you been? I thought you were lost in the academic blocks.” She immediately asks me as I sit in front of her. I apologize for my lateness as I could see that she have not eaten her lunch box yet to wait for me.

“I’m so sorry, eonni. I just finished a tour around the school with the principal’s son.” Suddenly, she grabs my hand which is about to unwrap the cheese hamburger that I bought just now while her eyes get wider.

“Do not tell me you just met Cha Baro?” Her voice gets softer, as if it is a whisper; her eyes keep looking from left to right as she asks me. I could not help but to nod while putting my innocent face. (Well, it’s not really my innocent face, but it’s just that I don’t get it of why she would act so dramatically about me meeting Baro though…)

“You are so lucky, Ara! Don’t you know that he is one of the most popular students in this college?” I just frown at her statement and continue to listen to her as we finish our lunch and walk our way home.

From what Minha tells me, I learn that Baro is known for his lack of discipline and ‘bad boy’ attitude. Rumor has it that he only gets to enter the college because of his father’s position.

Meanwhile, I also learn that Sandeul is actually Baro’s cousin. Most students claim that he has the most beautiful voice and the greatest sense of fashion among the male students in the college. But it couldn’t be denied that he inherits his fashion tastes from his mother, which is one of the famous fashion designers in Korea and the world alike.

Whereas for Gongchan, Minha tells me that he is one of the most intelligent students in the college. Added to the fact that he is the head prefect and also the son of one of Principal Cha’s close friends, it makes him as influential as his older best friends.

Besides the three adorable guys that I met this morning, Minha also mention about the other two individuals that is as popular as them.

One of them is Jinyoung, considered as the ‘flower boy’ in the college. His singing skills are not bad as well; plus he is said to be one of the wealthiest students in the college.

The other one is Shinwoo, dubbed as the idol of the college. His reputation boasts of his great skills in singing, rapping and dancing. All of these get him to claim the throne of being the President of the college Music Club…

Together, they form a boy band named as ‘B1A4’, which presence gets all the girls in the college to go insane wherever they go. That is one of the reasons of why they seldom showed up in college.

*Ah, so that is why they avoid the crowd this morning…* I think back about the tour this morning.

“I’m so happy that you have a chance to meet them!” Minha beams at me, making me smile. “But there’s just one thing though…”

“What is it, Minha eonni?”

“Be careful when you do hang out with them because some of the fans would cross the line and hurt you if they find out about your friendship. Just beware, okay Ara?” I’m so touched by her concern that I hug her and thank her for her sincere advice.

I go through the days hanging out with Minha, Baro, Gongchan and Sandeul. Despite the display of a ‘bad boy’ image, Baro proves to be a cute boy when it comes to aegyo. I sometimes give in to his requests when he is in his aegyo mode! Meanwhile, I realize that Gongchan is indeed the smart boy. Plus, his mature yet easy going ways beat his hyungs in every level. Whereas for Sandeul, I begin to see some parts of his lively side, but then I notice that he seldom make an eye contact to me. I thought, maybe he just need to get used to my presence though. However, I haven’t got the chance to meet Jinyoung and Shinwoo. According to Gongchan, Jinyoung is still in his family trip to Okinawa, while Shinwoo needs to rest due to a nasty flu added to fatigue. I probably could meet them a week later. Well, you can say that I’m looking forward to it…

But then, as two weeks goes by, my friendship with Minha and B1A4 gets closer, but so does the hands of the fan girls that keeps bullying and insulting me. Every day, someone would scribble some demoralizing words on my locker, tearing some of the pages from my books, breaking my chair and table and such. Most of them would whisper behind my back about how I seduce the B1A4 and no one would get close to me except Minha. Though there are some who pity me, but they are afraid that if they are on my side, they would get the same treatment like me.

Despite those entire silent bullying, I still keep it as a secret from the boys. I think that I could handle it without their help, but one incident on a particular day proves me wrong.

On that fateful day, as Minha and I walk on the corridor together, a group of stylish yet arrogant-looking girls walk towards me and suddenly hold me against one of the lockers.

“Just two weeks in the college and you think you’re important enough to mingle with the boys, don’t you?” The girl who holds me snaps.

“What are you talking about? I don’t understand…”

“Huh! Acting all innocent after seducing Gongchan oppa, eh?” One of the girls exclaims. Oh, I get it… They’re mad about me with the boys, right?

“Gongchan and I are just friends, nothing more!” I try to explain but suddenly my face is punched. Oh, seriously… I didn’t see it coming…

“You think you’re good enough to even talk to them? Stay away from them! You are nothing but a filthy !” They start to punch me hard. I try to block them, but it just too many of them; I am totally outnumbered. Some of the students even join in the fight, while the others just become the audience of the scene. Minha tries to stop it, but she also gets punched as well.

I can’t take it anymore… I try hard not to fight back, but I just couldn’t hold back the ball of fury I had inside. Without my realization, I punch back and the girl who leads the fight falls on the floor. Everyone just stare in horror as the girl’s face turns from plain jealousy to raw anger.

“How dare you!” She gets up to fight back, but I simply push her back to the ground.

“If you think I’m not better than you, then why are they not even show up to hang out with you in public?” Every essence of anger seeps through my words. I hate it when I get beaten just because of a friendship with some popular and attractive boys. Just then, a voice shouts at us…

“Stop it! Everyone, stop fighting!” I could hear Gongchan’s shouts. Everyone immediately freeze on the spot. This is one of the rarest moments when B1A4 appears on the college corridors.

“Oppa, long time no see!” Some kind of annoying cutesy voices can be heard as some of the banshees that attack me just now turns into fake sweet girls in front of Baro, Gongchan and Sandeul.

“Stop it! I’m so sick looking at you hypocrites. Reflect yourselves first before you try to teach someone a lesson. Prefects, send them to the principal!” He assertively orders the prefects. The girls beg to not being brought to the principal, but Gongchan is not looking back at them. I could even see Baro’s lips curls in disgust as he witnesses the horrible scene. Sandeul is so shocked when he looks at me that he immediately rushes towards my way and helps Minha and me to get up.  

“Listen, everyone! Just because Ara hangs out with us, does not mean that she seduces us or any nonsensical things that you thought. In fact, we are the ones who offer our friendship to her!” Gongchan vocally explains to the crowd. I could hear the crowd whispering whatnots before Gongchan continues.

“You as the students of the prestigious Seoul University College should have respected the foreign students who are studying here, not treating them like they are a bunch of fools. Shame on you for what you did!” Pin-drop silence in the corridors as Gongchan scolds the crowd. “If I ever heard of any reports regarding fights between some of the crowds here and the foreign students, I myself would brought you to the principal without any hesitation. Understood?”

All the students there nod their heads and disperse from the scene as swiftly as they could. It must be scary to be scolded by the handsome head prefect who seldom displays his anger openly.

As I get up, Baro says that my lips are bleeding. I didn’t realize it but when I touch it, it hurts so much that I groan loudly.

“Oh, we need to bring them to the clinic!” Sandeul exclaims in panic at Baro and Gongchan.

“Hyung can bring them first; I need to go to the principal’s office to settle everything.” With that, Gongchan hurries away. Baro and Sandeul help Minha and me to get up, but then Sandeul suddenly carries me in bride style.

“Sandeul sunbae, just what do you think you’re doing?” I ask him. I don’t really trust anyone to carry me safely because I can be considered as a bit heavier than anyone could have expected.

“Ara-yah, this way is much faster than helping you limping for half an hour to the clinic. Now shush and let me carry you, trust me.” He winks at me as he speaks, so I have no choice but to let him to do so. Besides, my legs are bruising at some parts because of the kicking by some of the maniacs just now.

After being treated and everything, all of us thank the nurses in the clinic and make our ways to our classrooms to fetch our bags. It is so nice of Baro and Sandeul to help carrying Minha’s and my bags. I feel so lucky to have such gentlemen as my friends…

As we walk out of the college, most students are looking at us. Minha is very embarrassed as some of the boys look at her wounded forehead, so I try to comfort her by holding her hand. She looks up at me, looking a bit confused as she knows that I’m not the type of person who would comfort others.

“Minha eonni, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault that you got beaten up for no reasons…”

“No, it’s okay Ara. I would not leave you alone, even if you’re attacked by those crazy chicks.” I just laugh at her annoyed expression. I’m so relieved that Minha is still by my side; I couldn’t help but to smile.

Just when we start to have a decent conversation, a black Ferrari parks exactly in front of us and the driver gets out of the car.

All of the girls there just scream when they look at him, whereas for me, I am so shocked by the sight of him.

It is because the person is none other than the person who I despise the most.

It’s him, my ‘beloved’ stepbrother. Song Joongki…

…and he is walking towards me.

Everyone including Baro and Sandeul are quite startled when they see that one of the eligible bachelors in Korea is talking to not just anyone, but to me, the new student who has just been beaten by the crazy fan girls of B1A4.

I know that he is going to stay in Japan for a few weeks, but I never expected to see him this soon.

By the way, do you know what’s the first sentence that ert says to me?

“It’s quite a bruise on your cheeks; it’s ruining your face. Tsk, tsk, tsk…”

“Just what do you want?” I don’t really care if he is older than me; I just lose all my respect to him since that fateful night.

“Abeoji asks me to fetch both of you.” With those words, he walks back to the sleek, shiny black Ferrari.

When I look back at Sandeul and Baro, their jaws literally drops. But it’s not just their jaws, but eventually everyone’s as they look at my way.

“Ara, how do you happen to know him?” Baro asks me.

“Well, it’s…” “Hurry up! I’m not your chauffeur to wait for you all the time.” Joongki cuts it my answer.

“Okay, I will explain it all later. Bye, guys…” I hurriedly get into the luxurious car and we immediately take off from the spot.

 

[At home…]

“Bella, what happened?!” Mama is surprised to see me with bruises and bandaged wounds all over my limbs.

“Nothing, it’s just a small fight” I reply but clearly it does not satisfy Mama’s curiosity.

In turn, Joongki explains everything that has happened to me. “What?! Is it true, Bella?” I could not do anything but to nod because it is true, right?

“This is so unfair; we should sue the gangsters and also the college!” Mama’s anger catches Joongki and me off guard. We never think that Mama would seriously want to sue them. I mean, it is bad enough that they have been sent to meet the principal. What’s with the summons and all?

“Mama, you don’t have to be so dramatic…” I try to calm her down before Papa comes in and checks me all over.

“Hmm, looks like she’s been treated properly.”

“You know about this?” Papa looks at her dearly and smiles. “The principal called me earlier about this. That’s why I asked Joongki to fetch them.”

I don’t know why, but it seems that Papa is a bit wiser and more collected in handling this kind of situation than Mama. Thinking about that, I smile and thank him for being caring.

“Don’t mention it. You should rest though. I know it is tough facing many opponents in a fight.” I nod and go upstairs to my bedroom. But then, I notice that Joongki was not around when Papa came in. Maybe he still upset over the marriage, or maybe he is quite stressed out because of his project in Japan. Anyway, I’m so glad that I could rest for the rest of the week. Same goes to Minha. Thinking about having sick leaves together, we just laugh at ourselves. What an excuse to have some free days without classes…

 

[A week later…]

I want to walk to college with Minha, but both of our parents are being cautious that both of us are sent by our chauffeurs. Oh well then…

As I arrive at the college’s gate simultaneously with Minha, most of the students suddenly look at our ways and whisper.

“What’s wrong with them, eonni?” I wonder of their strange behavior.

“I have no clue, Ara-yah. As you can see, this college is as crazy as it looks,” Minha is referring to the mural painting (which I rather call as graffiti) on the building walls. Of course, I know exactly who did that… :)

As we make our way to our lockers, we see some of the girls are waiting in front of it. Huh… Please don’t tell me that they are seeking revenge and whatnots because of that day…

All of the sudden, they rush towards us. I am thinking about running away when suddenly one of them grabs my hands. “I’m sorry, Song Ara.”

Huh? Am I listening correctly? Am I hearing them actually apologizing? Even Minha is quite startled with what she hears from them.

“We’re sorry that we’re mean to you.” As I am sometimes a forgiving person, I just smile and say that it’s okay.

“Can we be friends? I’m Kang Iseul.” She extends one hand towards me. I am about to shake her hand when suddenly someone comes up and grabs my hand.

“Do you think you could get it over easily? Think again, woman.” With that, he pulls Minha and me out of the corridors into some kind of secret passages that somewhat are familiar to me. When I look up, I realize that the person who drags us out from there is actually Baro.  

“Baro sunbae, why do you do that?” I am quite puzzled by his actions.

He stops and looks at me. “Why don’t you tell us that you are Mr. Song Junsik’s stepdaughter and Song Joongki’s stepsister?” I wince at the word ‘stepsister’. “I don’t really consider Joongki as my stepbrother.”

“Well, you should have told us. You too, Minha. You should have told us that you are Kim Soohyun’s cousin?” Both of us look at each other’s faces before facing Baro.

“Well, I don’t think it is necessary for anyone to know who my relatives are.” I bluntly reply while Minha nod her head, saying that she also thought the same thing. Baro face palms before looking at us.

“Don’t you realize that the girls just now only approach you because both of you are related to two of the eligible bachelors in here?” Both of us just shake our heads.

“Oh dear… All right, the three of us have decided to allow you two to use these passages every day, just in case another fight would surface between you two and the students. Heol… I never thought that girls could be that violent.” He loudly thinks to himself as he leads us to a room at the corner of the passage. As we enter the room, I notice that this is not an ordinary classroom; it’s like a secret lair or something. In that single room, there are several spots for studying, drinking, playing video games and whatsoever. In short, it is like a secondary house.

Now that I think of it, I realize that the room is actually B1A4’s secret hideout.

It’s not that they do not come to college; it’s just that they DO come, but they do not show their presence in front of the people.

“So, here’s our secret hideout, as you can see… Oh, Jinyoung hyung! When did you return from Okinawa?”  Baro exclaims at a figure that is sitting on the couch tending to his Galaxy tab.

“Yesterday.” Just by listening to his reply, I can be sure that this guy is a person of few words. Moments later, Sandeul and Gongchan come into the room.

“Minha noona, Ara, you’ve come! Oh, you have met Jinyoung hyung…” Gongchan mumbles.

“Is this the ones that you guys talked about that day?” Jinyoung finally stands up and walks towards both of us. As he approaches us, I could feel his stare, which somewhat full of judgments. I don’t know what is it, but it feels as if there is this some kind of strange aura about him, but I couldn’t put my fingers on it.

“Hello, I’m Jung Jinyoung,” He half smiled at us with the same kind of stare. Despite his attempt to get friendly, I just feel that there is something about him. Just trying to face this guy makes me feel uncomfortable. It might be ridiculous, but does he…like…hate me?

Fortunately, Baro, Sandeul and Gongchan loosen the awkward situation just now by inviting us to study with them. We continue to study together in the room, except that Jinyoung is not around.

“Never mind, Jinyoung hyung always like that. He always wanted to be alone all the time,” Baro reassures me when I ask about this behavior of Jinyoung’s. Well, I am still not quite satisfied with his answer; what with Jinyoung’s stare at me whenever I walk past him and all…