"Where the heck did he go!?" I look around, scanning the area. He catches my eye, hurrying to get on a city bus. I sprint after him, and just as he reaches the first step, I drop to the ground and grab his pant leg.

"What are you doing!?" he whispers harshly. People stare at us. "Don't leave me!" I cry, forcing out fake tears and yanking on his pants. He pulls them up and tries to kick me off, "Yah! You're making me look like a bad person!" he shouts, then looks around at the gathering crowd, "People are looking!"

"How could you DO THIS TO ME!?" I wail pressing my face into his calf. "What about our baby?" I lie, smiling on the inside. People gasp and look up at him. Oh the glory of society's view on teen pregnancy. "Yah! Stop it!" Niel tries to pull me off this time. 

"What are you doing to that poor girl!" an old woman shouts, waving her cane. 

"You did this to her! Be responsible!" A younger woman shouts, waving her purse. 

Niel bows and waves his arms, trying to explain it wasn't him. I just wail louder and wrap my arms around his leg. "I don't even have bus fare!" i screech, followed by a violent sob. "Ugh!" Niel groans and hops off the bus, the bus driver glares at him and shuts the door. Niel helps me to my feet, and I wrap my arms around him, still fake-crying my eyeballs out. 

He blushes a little from my hug, but not enough to cool off his anger. "Let's go, let's go," he says comfortingly, and walks me a ways down the street. When we stop he peels me off. I instantly stop crying and wipe my eyes. "How was that?" I ask, laughing at myself, "pretty good, huh?"

"What are you trying to make me into!" he growls. "A singer." I reply innocently.

"You already saw me! You know I can't sing!"

"I don't know you CAN'T sing, I know you don't sing....or won't, I suppose."

He puts his palm to his face, "Look, I just can't..okay?"

"I'm going to follow you until you do," I say bluntly.

He ignores me and starts walking down the street. I follow closely behind. I follow him down busy city streets to a hilly residential area, then down a narrow alleyway to a dirty old house. 

and I thought I was poor...I think, taking in the beaten down shack of a home. Niel bends down to get inside, he's too tall. I follow him quickly before he can shut the door. 

Stains of who knows what seem to drip from the walls. A heater is in the corner. There are bars on the window, and the whole house seems to be falling apart. "...You live here?" I ask, trying not to sound like the snobby rich girl I am most definitely not. 

"You see why I can't leave?" he says, taking up a broom and sweeping the floor a little. I squeal as a cockroach runs by my feet. 

"I need money, and I can't afford that school."

The couch looks iffy, so I just stand in my place, even leaning up against a wall in this house might makes the cieling fall in on me. "Your uncle is the principle, he would pay the tuition for you." 

"I don't want any help from him," Niel says bluntly, setting the broom against a wall, "or from you either."

I hear the thick metal door unlock and his mother comes inside. She's old and graying, even a little stout. "Niel-ah," his mother calls, then she sees me. 

"Ahn Daniel! I think this is the first time you've ever brought a girl here!" she smiles cheerfully, but it doesn't look too cheerful. The woman just looks tired and saggy. 

"Well," his mother looks at the meager bag of groceries in her arms and then at me, "Well, I only bought enough for two....but we can share."

"Omma..." Niel shakes his head.

"No that's fine! I'm not hungry anyway!" I say, trying to talk over my rumbling stomach. "Um, actually, Omoni, I have something to show you."

"Who are you calling Omoni! You aren't my wife!" Niel barks.

"Ahn Daniel! Don't yell!" his mother booms back. 

[omma=mom, omoni=mother(used for in laws, spouses, etc)]

At dinner, I hand his mom the papers and kirin brochure. "He has an opportunity to go to this wonderful school!"

"Isn't this the one oppa runs?" his mother says, she sees the principle's picture and taps it. "Oppa! There you are! Oh, it's been a long time."

[oppa=bigbrother(used by women and girls)]

"Niel," I ask, "When is your birthday?"

"August 16th.." he mumbles. 

"Then you're an oppa!" I lie, mine is actually in March. 

"Omoni," I whine, tugging on her shirt sleeve, "Won't you please let Niel-Oppa come to school with me? I'm sure the principle would let you stay in his house."

"Well," the mother looks at the papers, then at her son. She reaches over the table and pinches his cheeks, "Oh Adeul! Of course you can go to this school. I'm sure oppa won't mind us staying for a little while."

[adeul=son]

I smile, this is exactly what I wanted. I didn't think I'd be able to get it all done in one day. This pendant must be lucky. "Oh! I can't wait! I'll go pack my bags," his mother chimes and bustles to the other room. Niel stares at me, "I can't go."

"Why not!" I yell, then quiet my voice so his mother doesn't here.

"You'll find out soon enough." he mutters, and shoves anothe spoonful of rice into his mouth. Geez, like uncle like nephew. Both of them are always expecting me to know everything. 

---

I come back the next day to the run down house somewhere in Seoul. Niel helps his mother out the door and leads her down the alleyway. I help carry a bag or two, but Niel has got most of the load. 

Our bus to Kirin is really full. We let his mother sit down, and the two of us stand. "I'm doing this for my mom, not for you." Niel whispers. 

"I don't really care who you're doing it for honestly--" the bus runs over a speed bump and I lose my balance. Niel, still one hand on the hanging handle to steady himself, catches me. I'm pressed against his chest, his arm around my waist. He looks at me with a blank expression, and I stare back in shock. Our faces are no more than 3 inches away

I blink to clear my thoughts and push him off, grabbing my own loop handle. He making a click sound at me, "Tsk, watch where you fall."

The bus runs over another bump and I put my hand on his shoulder to steady myself. Niel purses his lips.

"Heheh." I shyly laugh.