chapter one

Hello, I'm Baek Sohee. Life is pretty hard on me. Everyday a new set of problems and obstacles are fired at me but now I've learned to somehow dodge it. Because of all those, I've become self-independent and strong though, sometimes I want to go back to the times when I was ignorant and carefree. The times When Everything Was Simple and Normal
 

"Sohee, I miss you!" Sohee's friend, Dara, welcomed her in the classroom with a big hug. She hugged her back and let go.

"I missed you,too." She responded with a smile. 

That day was a special day. It's the worst for some and the best for others..... It was the first day of school. Sohee is now in her graduating year of highschool and she is determined to become a valedictiorian and make her mom proud.

Sohee's POV

Yipee, it's the first day of school! That means new classroom, new teachers, new seatmates, and new friends. I can't help but let out a satisfied sigh, this is the best. 

"Hello CL. You've grown." I complimented my friend who was my classmate last year. She blushed in response and hit me in the arm. I just laughed and rubbed my slightly red arm.

Hmmm... Not that many new faces. It seems like most of my classmates from last year are still my classmates now. But why? I wanted to make new friends,too. 

Oh don't get me wrong. I love my classmates, it's just that I want to widen my circle of friends. I'm really dreaming, well considering that I'm not really good in interacting with strangers. 

I decided to scan the room for the new faces. Maybe when I have the courage and time, I'll introduce myself to them. Let's see.. 4 girls and 2 boys. That is the number of my soon-to-be new friends. Wow, assuming?!

Busy with my thoughts, I almost didn't see Minzy waving at me. She invited me to temporarily sit with her, Dara and CL which I accepted willingly. You see, in our school and maybe in all schools, we choose our own seats on the first week but then on the next week, the teacher gets to decide where our seat would be. 

.....

I had tons of fun having a nice chat with my friends and recalling our past year memories. It was not only us, the whole room was  filled with noise and chatters that is, until the teacher came in. There was an immediate silence as the whole class stood up and greeted the teacher who greeted us back. Funny how things start to change. It feels like it was only yesterday when all of us were pretty immature, talking like we were in the market even when the teacher was there.

"Good morning class. I'm Mrs. Choi Bom and I will be taking care of you from now on." She said with a warm smile. But seriously, she is married?! I mean, she looks like she could be one of my classmates.

"Question Mrs. Choi. How old are you?" A deep voice suddenly asked. Uh-oh Mr. Husky, one should not ask a married woman of her age.

*I wonder who that is?* I thought to myself as I turned to the direction of the voice. Then I felt my jaw literally drop.

*Chanyeol?! That chipmunk-voiced guy in eight grade?* Oh yeah, I forgot. That is the result of puberty.

"Well Chanyeol, I am turning thiry-six this year." She said with a confident smile. Wew, at least she didn't flip out  and throw the table at him for asking.

"Class, since this is our first day of school. Let's introduce ourselves!" She said with enthusiasm which is in great contrast with the students' reactions. We were all groaning.

*This is really gonna take a lot of time.* I thought and so I ped my backpack and grabbed a book, Stolen by Lucy Christopher, to read. 

*I knew this was coming. Good thing I brought this.* I thought with a grin. And so I spent that whole time reading the book, instead of listening to the introductions of my fellow classmates.

...

*What the heck?! What's with this ending?? Ugghh, I hate it.* I complained as I quietly sobbed and wiped the tears off my face but then more came out. The whole reading experience was amazing but why does the ending need to be so realistic? I wanted them to end up together. 

And so I sat there secretly crying my heart out from the dissapointment of the two main characters not ending up together. You know what's worst? They clearly loved each other. AND the guy was put in prison. I'm gonna cry again!  I also forgot tha--.

"Miss Sohee." Our teacher's voice made me snap my head back up to look at her. Seeing my tear-stained face, she tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Have you been crying?" She asked with concern. Then immediately, everyone's eyes were on me. I'm pretty sure they are deeply shocked. I mean, I who they never saw cry even in elementary school, is suddenly crying for whatever reason.

"Umm.. No Mrs. Choi, I actually cried because of the ending of the book I read." I said as I stood up and wiped the tears off my cheeks.

"So you're saying that you weren't listening at all?" With this, I laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of my neck from habit. I bowed in apology and quickly introduced myself before sitting down and letting the embarassment torture me.

*Oh god I wish I have a neuralyzer right now.* I wished.

...

"For many years I never saw you cry. I didn't think I would just because of a book you read." Minzy commented. Dara and CL just laughed at her comment.

"Just-- Stop." I said as I took a bite of my fried chicken. We are now in the canteen eating our lunch. 

"Then we should be expecting another unepexcted. Maybe this year she's gonna find herself a crush." Dara said with a hint of excitement in her eyes. I just hissed and took a big bite of my food.

"It's unbelievable how you never had a crush your entire life. You even think that Sehun is ugly." CL said which sent gasps from both Dara and Minzy. I chewed my food fast and swallowed it down as I began to speak.

"I said his looks are fine.I never said he was ugly and also, I don't believe in those love or crush things." I said as I cringed. They just sighed in disbelief and continued eating.

"If you fall in love, it doesn't mean that you'll end up the same with your parents." CL said in a low voice. I abruptly stopped eating my food and I felt the other members shoting her a look.

"I know. This has nothing to do with that." I said after I paused for a long moment. 

My parents used to constantly quarel when I was young. I never asked but based on what I heard when they quarelled, my mom had a suspicion that my father had another woman and eventually, another family. It came to the point where my father started hitting my mom. Especially when he came home drunk, he would punch my mom in the face or anywherer in particular with great force. I was five years old that time and all I could do was cry silently as I watched them fight from upstairs.

It was when I was 8 years old that I started to defend my mother whenever my dad abused her. I would use my body as a shield to cover her bruised one. And eventually, my father started hitting me too. It even got to the point where I needed to be confined in the hospital for a week or so. That was when my mom had enough. She filed a case against my father and asked for a divorce.

After a year of conflict, my father was in jail and they thankfully divorced. My mom is now the only one taking care of me and she is the most important person in my life. That's why I want to study hard and become a valedictorian. It's for her to be proud of me.

Oh well, let's cut the drama. That was a sad childhood memory and it's all in the past. I am happy, my bruises are healed and I've moved on.

.....

"Ok class. I'm your new Math teacher Ms.Kang." A teacher who was very tall, olive-skined and gorgeous introduced herself. I'm guessing that she is a newly graduate judging from how young she looks. I scanned the room and the guys were looking at her with great interest. I can't blame them, she is "gifted." I hope you know what I mean.

"We will be having our first lesson." She said with excitement.

*This is great! Our very first MATH lesson on the first day,yepee!* Just so you know, that is me being sarcasstic. Everyone grumbled in their seats as she started to write stuff on the board.

...

After almost an hour, she was finished discussing and she gave us a seatwork.

*Oh great! Nothing better than a seatwork in the first day of school.* That's me being sarcasstic again. And so I began answering it as fast as possible. After a few minutes, I was done.

"Finally." I said with a sigh. Then, I felt Minzy nudging me so I looked at her.

"Help me! Her teaching and I didn't get a thing she said." She sort-of begged. That's when I scanned the room and discovered that almost everyone had their eyebrows furrowed clearly having a hard time.

"Fine. Here's how you do it...." So I taught her. She began nodding her head in understanding and the next thing I knew, more of my classmates started to ask for help.

"Thanks Sohee. You are such a Math goddess." Baekhyun praised me. I just lightly smacked him in the head and gave an "oh stop it you" look. Sure my best subject is Math but I wasn't that great to be called goddess... or am I? 

....

Eventually, I was chosen as a coordinator in Math. That means I would be the teacher's sort-of assistant in our room. So I was instructed by the teacher to give some handouts to my classmates.

"Here you go, IU." I said with a smile  to my classmate as I gave her the handout with her name on it. I continued handing the stuff out when I read the name of the next paper.

"Wu Kris..hmm who's that?" I asked Suzy. It must be one of my new classmates. She then gave me the "you-got-be-kidding-me" look. So I tilted my head, not getting why.

"I can't believe you don't know him. With that handsome face, he is pretty known here in our school." She said as she facepalmed. I just laughed in response.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I'm not interested in boys right now." I said with a smile. She just shook her head in disbelief and pointed where his seat was. I then thanked her and walked towards this what's-his-name person.

"Make sure you remember his name. I recall that you're not good with remembering unfamiliar names." She said with a slightly raised voice so that I could hear her.

I then approached the guy whom Suzy pointed. He was comfortably reading the book The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan.

"Here's your handout." I said with a smile. He glanced at me for quite a while and took the paper from my hand. He placed it in his desk and gave me a smile.

"Thanks Sohee." He said.

*Woah, those are some braces young man.* I immediately thought after I saw him smiling with those neon green braces. I bit my lip, trying to fight off a laugh. I think he kind of sensed it cause he stopped smiling and proceeded into reading his book.

"Nice braces by the way." I said to him before I walked away to give the other handouts. Even though it's in contrast to what I think of his braces, I can't afford to leave a bad impression on my soon-to-be friend.

________________________________________---------________________________________________

"Sohee, I noticed that you are kind of getting troubled with the tasks I'm giving you." Ms. Kang told me in class. 

*Finally she noticed!* I thought in relief. It's just been the 4th day of school(Thursday) and she has given already lots of paperworks and assignments which I am in charge of. I guess she caught sight of my now existing eyebags.

"I admit that I'm finding some difficulty but I believe that I could manage." I said to her. But don't believe me, I'm just giving her some respect so that she won't feel that guilty.

"Okay then. I will assign another Math coordinator." She said as she scanned the room. I guess she found it difficult to choose so she scanned her class record.

"Eenie, Minie, --" She suddenly blurted out as she randomly pointed a finger at some of the names in her record.

"--- I choose you!" She finally said. Oh gosh I just hope that the person is responsible enough.

"Boy 2 of my class record, please stand up." She said and then the class turned their heads to a specific location. It is where braces guy was sitting. He then stood up.

"You and Sohee will be the coordinators in Math from now on." She said as she signaled us to come to her. When we were already in front of her, she made us shake hands. He smiled revealing his neon green braces again and I also smiled in return. Then for some reason, everyone squeeled "ayyeeee---". Hmmm, for some reason.

So that was the carefree me. The me who would never have expected to have come through such pain and trouble. Well, that’s how life is — with a turning point, an unexpected twist. There’s only one kind of happiness, but misfortune comes in all shapes and sizes. It’s like what someone said. Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story.