~ Chapter Two ~

Donghae and I spent the whole flight time talking about the times we had at EverLasting Springs. In the first year of high school, an afterschool program was founded by the Student President; Leeteuk. This program was named “O.V.E.R” (Obey the Voice of Each Rhythm) and it was a group of special talent. Thirteen students were selected over the course of two weeks of talent scouting. Donghae was one of the thirteen that was selected. I myself wanted to try out…but my hopes were lost when Student President Leeteuk announced that he’d only be accepting male students. Everyone in the school anticipated the list of thirteen names to be stapled onto the student notice board. The names had finally come out and the O.V.E.R program was then nicknamed “The Pin Up Boy Program” by all the students in the school. For the guys, it was out of jealousy because all the girl students simply adored the chosen thirteen. The first name on the list was of course President Leeteuk. Leeteuk was the oldest student in the program and a naturally born leader. He had been sitting in the seat of Student President for more years than any other past pupil. When re-elections for Student President arrived at the beginning of the school year, there was no doubt who would receive the most votes, no other but Leader Teuk! He was always loved by everyone.

The second name on the list was Heechul, Kim Heechul. Everyone was very surprised that he had been chosen…he had a cool and mysterious aura about him. He had been in my class one year and he would always cause trouble. When the teacher was in the middle of the lecture he would casually place his feet up onto the desk and yawn loudly. This, of course, disrupted the whole class. The teacher could do nothing but send him to the Principals office, the troublesome Kim Heechul. Some students feared Heechul because he would always pick on the first years and demand their lunch money but strange enough…the same students would find the same amount of money in their lockers the following day. Heechul’s a strange bully huh ^^?

The third student to be accepted into The Pin Up Boy Program was the Chinese international student; Hangeng. He was an aspiring dancer, no wonder he got into Leeteuk’s program! I remember I used to watch him afterschool because I was fascinated by this foreign student. Hangeng would take the long way home to his parents’ dumpling shop, making his way past all the dance studios on the main street. Something inside the studio would catch his eye and he’d squat outside and peer through the window, watching with fascination, for several minutes. I still hope he becomes a professional dancer someday.

The next name on the list was Yesung. He was the comedian of the school and everyone liked to be around him. Every lunch break he would stand up on the lunch tables and put on a show, everyone in the cafeteria would crowd around him and bursts of laughter rang throughout the building. Everyone remembers the time Yesung pranked Mr. Bae into thinking the ESI (Educational Standard Inspectors) were coming by imitating their voices. Mr. Bae became completely paranoid and rushed out of the classroom leaving the whole class in a frenzy of laughter!

The next two names on the list were the two Judo champions of the school; Kangin and Shindong. No matter who their opponent was, a win was assured. I vividly remember the long anticipated match of the century; “Kangin vs. Shindong Showdown”. The whole school took bets (there was a rumor that even the staff were betting too). Disappointingly, there was no clear winner in the end…all bets went down the drain and nobody gained or lost anything.

The seventh student chosen to be in the program was the Aegyo King Lee Sungmin. Girls used to swoon over him as his played soothing pieces on the piano in the assembly hall. Of course, no girl could get their hands on Sungmin. Sungmin was a boy of great academic success and his family strongly disapproved of girl-boy relationships during education. Sungmin was already labeled “untouchable” and girls couldn’t do anything about it.

The eighth name was Eunhyuk and he happened to be my closest friend in high school. I went with Eunhyuk to the audition and gave him support on the sidelines. He had practiced his dance routine really hard in preparation for the day. Eunhyuk was self taught and he wasn’t bad at all, I was glad he got into O.V.E.R ^^. The most hilarious time we had at high school was when a rumor spread around the entire school that Eunhyuk and DONGHAE were the school’s first open same- relationship! Their couple name was EunHae and they were really close friends. Yes, I admit, I nearly fell for it too but luckily things cleared up at the end when both sides admitted they were definitely straight. I question that sometimes…I believe the EunHae couple still exists! Thinking about Eunhyuk makes me regret not keeping in contact…we really did have a strong friendship.

Donghae’s name was ninth on the list because the list went in order of birthdate. At high school I spent most of my time in the library revising notes and doing research for class projects. Every time I made my way to my locker from the library I would walk past the dance room on the eastern side of the school. I would peer inside and see Donghae standing in front of the mirror perfecting certain dance moves. He had a really serious and focused look on his face; I was inspired by his persistence. One day I walked past again and I saw Eunhyuk in the dance room with Donghae, I think they were doing the “y y dance” if that’s what you call it? I giggled to myself and I believed further that the EunHae couple still existed ^^. On the same day afterschool I walked home with Eunhyuk and I questioned him non-stop about the incident in the dance room earlier on in the day. All he did was deny everything and said he hadn’t seen Donghae once since yesterday. Sure sure Eunhyuk, I believe you.

The next name on the list was Choi Siwon and he was indeed the bachelor of the school. Siwon was the most datable student in the school; this was even confirmed by a poll set up anonymously online with Siwon winning by 500 votes. Most people referred to Siwon as the “datable version of Sungmin” because Siwon was frequently open to relationships and his parents were wealthy and wanted their son to marry young. The jealous and annoyed guys at the school would call Siwon a “player” but in my opinion I don’t think that’s the right term for this bachelor. Siwon was not your typical popular guy; he rejected ALL the popular girls at school. However he dated the good natured and intelligent girls, regardless of their physical features. Sadly Siwon’s relationships didn’t last long and most often it was the girl who ended the relationship, I really pity that boy >_

The eleventh student to be selected was Kim Ryeowook. He was the chubby boy who was always found in the cafeteria. Nobody knew why President Leeteuk chose Ryeowook…he didn’t even audition… but I guess Leeteuk saw potential? I remember in the first year of high school Ryeowook had an open crush on me, which meant the whole school knew. I didn’t mind Ryeowook’s crush but I saw us as being good friends, nothing more. This crush lasted right up until the next year when I left EverLasting Springs. I remember on my last day at the school, Ryeowook came to speak to me for the first time in the two years he’d liked me. He said “I know you don’t like me. It’s because I’m fat. For you I will do anything. The next time we meet, I will no longer be this way.” I wanted to tell him he was wrong to think that but he had already run away before I could say anything. If only I could really meet him again…then I could tell him what I really thought about him.

The twelfth student chosen was Kim Kibum, I really can’t forget about him! He had always been in the same class as me and we talked a lot to each other. He was a hard working student and he always tried his best but, of course, he was could never top Sungmin. I really felt sorry for Kibum, so much that at one point I developed feelings for him for a week or so! But that was the past…I remember Kibum was always really serious and it was a gift to see him smile! I always bugged him to smile for me but it never worked. Finally on my 17th birthday Kibum smiled for me ^^ that was one gift I could never forget.

The final name on the list was Cho Kyuhyun. He was quite a shy person I remember but I had never gotten the chance to talk to him properly. I knew Leeteuk selected Kyuhyun because he had a really sweet voice, I know because Kyuhyun also sang at the same Christmas showcase as me. The other thing I knew about Kyuhyun was that he won the school’s annual Math Olympics, he was amazing! Numbers just came flying out of his head! Kyuhyun was the school’s best Math scholar, gaining 100% in every assessment and examination.

By the end of the first year, the O.V.E.R program became a success and it brought the best talents out of everyone. Leeteuk decided that O.V.E.R was no longer going to accept new students because the thirteen had become a really close group, so it transformed into a permanent school musical talent group. When I left Korea O.V.E.R were still going strong, I wonder what happened to them…