“Don’t forget you have your first day at the tutoring center. Do you remember how to get there?”

“Yes omma, you took me there a couple days ago. How could I already forget?”

“I’m just checking and don’t forget to pack-”

“-some extra snacks. Don’t worry, I already did. And I’ve got my water too.”

“Ah that’s my good girl.”

“OMMA! Am I not a good girl like unnie?”

“Aigoo, of course our Krystal is a good girl but you’re omma’s good little girl and Jessie is omma’s good big girl.”

“But omma! I’m a big girl too!” Krystal pouted.

“Big or little, you and your unnie will always be our baby girls,” their appa interrupted, reaching over to tweak the maknae’s nose and tug on Jessica’s braid. “Now finish your meal. Jessie you too. I’m just going to get ready and then we’ll get going.”

“Okay appa.”

10 minutes later Jessica walked out of the apartment building with her appa and into the car so he could drop her off at school on the way to the office.

Jessica went through the school day focusing on the lectures and assignments. At lunch she settled her food on the table she had chosen on her first day in the school. Munching on a carrot, her eyes focused on the book lying on the table. Her classmates weren’t mean to her like depicted in dramas where the school would gang up on the new girl, but neither were they openly friendly to her.

Two weeks ago

“Class we have a new student. Please welcome Jung Sooyeon.”

“Hello, my name is Jung Sooyeon. My English name is Jessica, I just moved here from America. Please look kindly on me.”

Light clapping echoed through the classroom as the teacher gestured toward a seat near the front by the windows.

At lunch she followed her classmates out the door and fell into the crowd heading toward the lunch room. Gripping her small tote bag carrying her food she looked around the large open room for a seat. Students happily greeted each other, sitting with friends and chatting away. Jessica recognized several students from her class and while they noticed her standing in the doorway, they just continued talking with each other.

Spotting a seat by the windows, Jessica quickly made her way over and politely greeting the two girls already sitting there, she took a seat and munched on her food. No one else joined them so the three sat at the large 8-person table, two whispering with each other and the other quietly eating her food. Finishing quickly Jessica left the lunch room and hurried back to the classroom. “Note to self, bring a book to lunch,” she thought.

For two weeks now, Sooyeon took the lunch period to devour some reading material. The other hours of the day focused on school and homework and starting at the tutoring center meant even less free time to read for pleasure. Each day she had been bringing a novel to read and having the time to herself meant she was almost done with her second book of the week. Several pages from the end, her reading was interrupted by the bell signaling the end of the period. Sighing she quickly shoved the book back into her tote with her lunch box and rushed back to the classroom.

The afternoon classes passed by in a blur and it was soon 4pm and Jessica was on her way to the tutoring center. Politely greeting the security guard in the lobby she came to a stop by the elevators beside a tall man. Based off his height she assumed he was an adult but a sideways glance revealed him to be a student, dressed in a school uniform and carrying a backpack. Feeling someone staring at him, the guy turned his gaze to the right. Dark serious eyes caught her own as Jessica’s face flushed red and her eyes flashed downwards to stare at her shoes.

A cough caused her to look back up again. She found the guy holding the elevator door open and gesturing for her to enter first. Inclining her head in thanks she stepped in ahead of him. She extended a pink gloved finger to press ‘6’ at the same time as a black gloved finger approached the same button. Eyes widening Jessica flushed even darker and quickly withdrew her hand from the button. Mumbling a soft sorry Jessica backed into the far corner of the elevator. The guy quickly pressed the button and moved to the back as more people crowded into the elevator, students based off their dress and schoolbags. Jessica kept her head down but peered through her bangs at the people around her.

When the elevator reached the 6th floor, the crowd filed out of the elevator, assumingly all going to for after school tutoring. Jessica followed the crowd out seeing the guy from before following behind her. Everyone seemed to know which rooms they had been assigned to as they all disappeared along the corridor. Jessica approached the secretary’s desk and giving her name and ID, was handed the course books and directed to her classroom.

Opening the door she saw eight tables arranged in two rows, each row going back four tables from the front of the room. Two students sat at each table except for the last table in the second row where only one guy sat. Seeing it as the last empty seat Jessica closed the door behind her and approached the table, her steps slowing as she recognized the guy from before in the elevator. His own eyes widened in recognition for a moment before reverting back to their nonchalant look.

“Umm...is this seat taken?” Jessica gestured at the chair beside the guy.

“No, you can sit here,” he replied even pulling out the chair to let her sit.

Murmuring her thanks, Jessica sat down and placed the course books out on the table. Neatly arranging her pens and highlighters next to her notebook, she checked the time. Finding there was still time before class starts, she took out her math homework and started working on the problems, hoping to finish most of it before going home so she could then focus on her science homework.

Quickly running through the homework and double checking calculations she smiled at her completed assignment. Looking around the room and seeing the other students quietly chatting amongst themselves, she recalled her seat mate.

Risking a glance to her right she saw his own course books and pens laid out on the desk in a similar manner to her own. He was focused on a book, the title of which Jessica could not clearly see. Looking back at her homework her curiosity about the book kept nagging at her. Always interested in books, they had provided company for her when her family had made continuous moves back and forth between the US and Seoul. Itching to know what he was reading, Jessica tried to catch a glimpse of the title. Getting a better look at the cover of the book, she gave up any attempt to keep her curiosity a secret from the reader when she noticed the language of the title.

“You can read Chinese?!?!”