Chapter 3

 

Change of Seasons

 

“'Cause our love ain't easy
It changes with seasons…

…Where we going I don't know
So baby won't you let it go?

…Don't you worry
Won't you let it go
Baby don't worry
So baby won't you let it go?”
 

-Sweet Thing
 

 

 

I held on to my Rilakkuma bear tightly like I always do whenever I was scared of the dark, staying rooted on my seat.   The car has stopped moments ago but I don’t think I can move.  I feel like I’ve been frozen, like the princess in the story who turned to ice because of this bad witch who was jealous of her… I’ll tell you all about it later because the door of the car is starting to open again to reveal—

 

“Jingyo…” he looks at me worriedly, entering the car once again and closing it behind him, ing the overcoat of his black suit so he could sit properly.   I guess oppa really prepared for this, he even has a new hair style today and wore the tie that appa and omma gave him for his birthday.   I was the one that chose that red tie.

 

“Princess, it’s time for you to go to class.   Is something wrong?” he asked me and I shook my head, looking down on to my clean red and white school uniform, perfect together with my polished school shoes.

 

“Are you nervous?”I looked up at him again, wondering if Jingyo oppa does have powers to read my mind.  He does it all the time and as much as I want to read his mind I can’t seem to figure how to do it.   Could oppa really be a psychic?   That’s what they are called right? Those who can read minds and move things without touching them, psychic!

 

Oppa is right, I am nervous.   It’s my first day in school, you see.   After asking my parents countless times if I could go to that place called school, that place where Jingyo oppa and Dara and Youngbae go to, they finally agreed!  At first I was so happy that I kept thinking and thinking of what to bring.   I even feel like a grown-up.  Hehe.   I didn’t even sleep much last night thinking of the things that I will do in school but now that I am here my legs seem to be weak and even my tummy isn’t that well.  

 

No! It’s not like what I feel when I want to go to the bathroom!  It’s something else…

 

“Don’t be nervous.  If anything happens to you oppa is right here.   You remember what I taught you, right?” oppa asks me while he puts both his balled up fists in front of his face.   I remember him doing that stance whenever he talks about the monsters in my story books.

 

“If a boy tries to hurt you, you dodge left and right to avoid the attack while covering the sides of your face and if he is bigger than you the best way to defeat him is through his weakness.     Now you have to know Chae-roo, every boy has a weakness, a weak spot, remember that!  You wait for the right opportunity, find an opening and that’s when you kick him really hard in between his—“a coughing sound came from the front of the car and it was Jang gun driver ahjusshi, he was looking at Jingyo oppa weirdly and then nodding his head towards me.  Jingyo oppa looked back at him then at me and that’s just how it was.   I stared at them staring at each other and then stare at them staring at me.  It’s like we were doing mental alien language that I couldn’t understand.  Probably something grown-ups only know.

 

“Kick him where, oppa?” I asked.   I really want to know what every boy’s weakness is but oppa just cleared his throat.   It’s like Jang gun ahjusshi’s cough got to him.  Do you get that when you are doing mental language?  It’s a good thing I ate vitamins today.

 

“On the foot,” he answered me before clearing his throat again.   I think I should give oppa vitamins later.

 

“But it’s best that you should call me to do that for you, princess… so you won’t be tired,” I nod at him but still,I felt nervous and again oppa seems to have read my mind.   He’s really good at it.

 

“When I attended my very first class I was as nervous as you are,”

 

“Really? What did you do?”

 

“I took a really deep breath and pulled every ounce of courage I had,” he said while taking a deep breath.   I copied him, straightening my back as I did it, exhaling when he did.  I think it’s working but just a bit.

 

“Then I walked inside the classroom and that’s when I found…”

 

“Found what, oppa?” I asked, eager to get myself prepared for anything.

 

“That it isn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” he smiled, fixing my hair clip.

 

“The teacher was nice like your teacher Jung In back when you were younger and I also found new friends.  We learned new things together and had lots of fun!” I thought of what oppa said and I suddenly feel like I want to go and find new friends too.   I guess school isn’t so bad after all.   Oppa also said that there are sports and clubs that I can join.

 

Maybe I can try to join the soccer club.  Hehe.

 

“Ready?”oppa asks, opening the car’s door.  I take one more deep breath before finally gathering up all my courage just like oppa said and stepping out the car.  

 

Nana Hye Mi is already outside waiting for us, probably observing and taking note of all emergency exits and possible places which she believes is‘dangerous’ for me.   She is carrying my teddy bear bag on one shoulder while holding an umbrella and a video recorder on both her hands.   Nana Hye Mi always comes prepared no matter what occasion it may be.   If you get hurt she has a medical kit for any type of injury.  If you are always sleepy like me she has an inflatable bed ready, pillows and comfy blanket included.   If you are tired she has energy bars and a gallon of water ready.  Today, she has brought a whole box of school pencils, paper and other stuff that she thinks I might need later.

 

How am I supposed to use all that?

 

I may have just made my first step by getting out of the car but then one look at the huge building, the wide school grounds filled with lots of trees and the weird looking principal waiting for us with a big grin on his face I immediately clung to Jingyo oppa, hiding behind him.

 

“It’s just Principal Kim.  You don’t have to hide, princess,”Jingyo oppa whispers down at me, trying to pull me out from hiding as he smiled at fatso, uhm I mean the weird looking principal once in a while and assuring him that everything is fine.

 

Because I still didn’t want to go meet the principal ahjusshi, Jingyo oppa had to walk like he had a cast on his left leg, dragging me gently with every step he took.   Even Nana Hye Mi had to follow our slow pace because she was trying to shield me from the sun using the umbrella.   She always tells me to hide from the sun like it was something that could give me another head or another limb.

 

“Mr. Kim,” I hear Jingyo oppa say as they bowed at each other while shaking hands. 

 

“Mr. Kwon, is it? You look so young,”I heard the principal’s voice.  He has this overly happy ahjusshi’s voice.I take a peek at him and I could see how his shirt’s buttons are trying so hard to keep his shirt together because of his plump stomach.  Poor buttons, please do hang on a little longer.  It got me thinking of the fresh plums that I read in one story book of mine.  Hehe.

 

“Yes, sir.  I’m turning seventeen this year, actually,”I wonder how oppa talks without being distracted by plum ahjusshi’s double chin.   Even I can’t stop looking at it.   His chubby fingers filled with gold rings and bracelets are also a distraction.   This ahjusshi is very distracting.

 

I was so distracted that I didn’t realize that they were both looking down at me already with plum ahjusshi giving me this huge smile.  I hide again behind oppa, clinging like I was going to fall off a cliff if I let go.

 

Then again, we started walking in that same slow manneras we walked the wide open hallways of the building.   You should see the green trees, they are very pretty!   Maybe I could read a book under it or catch squirrels.   Oppa says squirrels live on trees and they come out during spring.   Spring is my favorite season because flowers bloom and butterflies are going to come out too!   I can’t wait to go out to see the butterflies.   Maybe I can bring my new found friends when class ends.

 

“Don’t you worry, Mr. Kwon I will give you my full assurance that the adorable heir of the Lee group of companies is going be given everything she wants and needs, everything provided will be of top notch of course.  VIP treatment,” principal plum was saying as Jingyo oppa nods.

 

“That would be very gracious of you Mr. Kim but Mr. Lee has specifically said that he would wish for his daughter to be given fair treatment like the rest and Mrs. Lee also says that it’s best if the family business isn’t to be spoken of in front their daughter,” oppa explains as we stop in front of a what could be a classroom.

 

I took another peek.   The classroom seems nice.   The walls have soft colors painted on it, like someone had splashed paint on it straight from the paint bucket.   I’d love to do that someday. 

 

I think our car needs a little colour, maybe violet, orange and blue.

 

I could see the female teacher and some of the kids that sit on the front row.   I think I need to breathe deeply again.   I heard principal plum call the teacher who was explaining something to the other kids.  She walked over to us and in a few moments she and principal plum were talking.   You should hear principal plum laugh.   He has this very interesting laugh.   I haven’t heard anyone laugh like that.  

 

Buttons on principal plum’s shirt, have strength!

 

“Chae-roo, this is your teacher, Ms. Park Ji Yeon.  She’s going to be your teacher for the whole school year,” Jingyo oppa tells me while gently prying my hands off him.  I stood hesitantly beside him while looking up at my new teacher.   She has pretty eyes but what made me surprised is the colour of her hair which is blonde.   She looked like those Barbie dolls on TV.

 

I want to have blonde hair too when I grow up.

 

Teacher Park smiled at me, bending a little to match my height. 

 

“Hello Chaerin, are you ready for class?” she asked reaching out to take my hand.  I held it as she started walking with me inside the classroom but then I stopped for awhile looking back at Jingyo oppa and nana Hye Mi who was, by the way, busy capturing every single moment for my parents to see when they come back from France.

 

I ran back to get my bag from Nana Hye Mi.   I couldn’t understand why but she looked teary eyed as she placed it on my back.   Nobody really knows but nana Hye Mi really is a very emotional person.   She always looks like she is about to cry when I do something for the first time.   I bet if I get my hair coloured like teacher Park she’d also cry.   After I got my stuff ready, I then went to Jingyo oppa who knelt down in front of me.   Unlike nana Hye Mi, Jingyo oppa never cries.  Actually I’ve never seen him cry before even though the time when appa got mad. 

 

Oppa is always very calm.

 

“Be a good girl, okay? Just remember what I told you earlier.  You can do it!” he told me before I hugged him really tight.  I’m still nervous but then I knew that I’ll be just fine.

 

“I’ll be waiting right here for you, Princess,”Jingyo oppa says before I go back to teacher Park, leaving my Rilakkuma bear with oppa and finally attending my very first class.

 

 

 

 

Butler's Note 

Chaerin goes to school for the first time today.   She’s very nervous but then it’s normal. I’m very proud of her but now as I looked at the teddy bear she left in my hands I have this sentimental feeling stirring deep inside me.   Our little princess is already growing up.  Time really flies fast.

 

Jiyong

 

P.S.  The principal of this luxurious school looks like he is a greedy, money loving person.   He reminds me of that plum character in Chae-roo’s book.

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

Class was fun!

 

After I entered the classroom I was introduced by teacher Park to the whole class and I must tell you that standing in front of them really made me nervous that I held tightly to the straps of my bag while I took another deep breath. I looked out at the glass window and saw Jingyo oppa giving me two thumbs up while nana Hye Mi still looked like she was filming ‘The Animal Planet’ with her intense focus on every angle.  

 

Teacher Park made me sit on the empty table on the third row.  There are two students sitting in each table and my seatmate was a chubby girl who had wide eyes.  As soon as I sat down she smiled at me with her chubby cheeks.   I found out her name is Bom and she will be my seatmate for the whole school year.   I like her!  She even shared her food with me.   Bommie has lots of food.   She never runs out of it and she loves to eat.   We secretly kept munching on those delicious candies even when the class break was over.

 

She is my first friend from school.

 

All the activities were so fun that I can’t believe that it’s already time to go home.  By the end of the day I said good bye to Bommie and to my other classmates before I happily run to Jingyo oppa’s arms.

 

“How is it, princess?” he asked me and I started to tell him all about what we did, from the lessons we learned and the song that we sang earlier but then when I asked oppa if he knew the song he looked like he was frozen.   He was looking at something behind me that I had to tug on to his shirt to get his attention.  He looked down at me briefly before looking behind me again. 

 

So, I looked behind and that’s when I saw this unnie.   She’s probably the same age as oppa and she was coming towards us with a little boy who is from the other class, I guess.   She had long beautiful brown hair that went up to her back that sways as she walks.   She wore a flowery dress that ran up to her thighs underneath her pink blazer. 

 

“So this is Chaerin?” she asked, looking down at me. “She’s adorable,” she added and as I look at oppa who only nods with smile.

 

Why is oppa looking so shy?  He keeps rubbing the back of his neck and smiling at her.  Does oppa like this girl a lot?

 

“Soo Hyuk, right?” oppa asks, motioning over to the little boy next to her.  I think the little boy and the pretty unnie are related, they look alike.

 

It seems like this unnie is oppa’s friend and I think he does likes her a lot.   I couldn’t even get his attention so I tried to talk to the boy named Soo Hyuk.   He was playing with his toy cars on the bench so I sat down next to him before deciding to befriend him.

 

“Hello,”

 

“Hello,”he looked up at me for a second before going back to play with his toy cars.   After watching him for a few moments he then offered me his other toy car with a device that I have no idea how to use.   I stared at it, wondering what I should do.   I’ve never played with toy cars before.   I saw Youngbae play with his own collection before and wondered if I should do the same.

 

“You should press this,”Soo Hyuk tells me pointing at some kind of switch.  I did and was so shocked to see the car suddenly moving on its own.  I wasn’t good in controlling it that Soo Hyuk had to teach me, placing my fingers where I should. 

 

I guess this is what boys like to play.

 

I had never been so amused at a toy.   I was trying to race with Soo Hyuk’s toy car but I kept losing.   I enjoyed it though, except the losing part of course.  I want to win!

 

“I think your oppa wants my noona to be his girlfriend,” Soo Hyuk suddenly tells me while fixing the wheel of one of the cars while I was feeling apologetic since I caused it.   However, what he said got me curious.

 

“Girlfriend?”I’ve never heard of that term.   Could it mean a friend who is a girl?  But isn’t that what she is to him already? Well if it meant that, then I guess I’m oppa’s girlfriend too.

 

“A girl you want to date,” he explains but still I couldn’t understand.

 

“Date?” could that mean the… calendar?

 

“When a hyung wants to go out with a noona to play and eat together.   They also hug and kiss each other,”

 

“Ohh so that’s what a date means…” I thought for a bit.  If that’s the case then Jingyo oppa and I date all the time.  I also hug him a lot and give good night kisses on his cheek. So, now Jingyo oppa wants to go on a date with Soo Hyuk’s noona too?

 

Oppa wants that unnie to be his princess too?

 

“Chaerin, you want to go out on a date with me?” Soo Hyuk asks me.

 

“Me? Okay!” I answer happily.  I’ve made a new friend and we’re going to date.  I want to play with the toy cars and I want to eat too.

 

“Good. You are my girlfriend then and I’m your boyfriend!” he said with a grin and I nod at him.  He then takes my hand, leading me somewhere.

 

“My driver is over there.   Let’s go eat ice-cream!  I’ll tell him to take us to my favorite ice-cream shop,” he said, walking over to the long lines of cars.

 

“I love ice-cream!” I say immediately, holding his hand and following him.  I’m so excited.  Being on a date is really fun!  But then before I could think of the flavour I’d like to eat strong hands suddenly scooped me up and I found myself face to face with—

 

“Jingyo oppa!”he looked shocked then a frown slowly appeared on his forehead.   He then looked from me to Soo Hyuk.

 

“Where are you taking her?” he demanded Soo Hyuk, taking a few steps back from him like he was a really sick boy who has germs while he carries me really tight in his arms, far away from Soo Hyuk.  Oppa doesn’t look okay right now.   I mean, his face looks… pale. 

 

“We’re going on a date!” I quickly said but then oppa looked at me and believe me, I’ve never seen oppa’s eyes widen that much.

 

“What?!”

 

“Soo Hyuk’s my boyfriend and we--”

 

“What?!?”I thought I was going to go deaf with his voice.  Today is the first time that I heard my very calm oppa shout.   It really is a very weird day today.   I had my very first class, first friend from class, my first date, my second boyfriend, since Jingyo oppa is my first boyfriend and now my first encounter with a strange Jingyo oppa.

 

Before I could even answer his very loud question oppa bowed apologetically at Soo Hyuk’s unnie with me still in his arms and quickly went to our car really fast.  It all happened so quickly that I thought something really bad was chasing after us.  He opened the door all in a second and closed it with a bang that our driver, Jang gun ahjusshi jolted in his seat while nana Hye Mi almost shrieked out bad words in fright.  Jang gun ahjusshi had to cover .

 

“Drive,” Jingyo oppa said so seriously.   I think he just turned in to the cave monster.  It’s like flames are growing around him and he is ready to burn someone alive.  I’m worried.

 

We were on our way home but oppa still doesn’t look good.   His hands held his head which was hanging low and he kept mumbling stuff.   He would shake his head once in a while before breathing out noisily.  

 

“Jingyo?” I tugged on his sleeve gently.  He then looked at me with his tired face.  

 

“Chae-roo…“ he would keep saying and then he would go back to mumbling by himself and squeezing a bunch of his styled hair with both his hands.  His head shook again and I heard him saying ‘no’ several times.

 

 

 

 

Chaerin’s Note

God please make Jingyo oppa better.  I think he is sick.  I hugged him really tight today before I went to sleep.   I promise that from now on I will be Jingyo oppa’s best girlfriend and go take him out on many dates so he won’t look sad anymore.  I won’t date anyone else again.

 

Chae-roo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butler’s Note

This isn’t happening! Chaerin… our little princess was about to go out with a boy today.  A date!!   Oh god could this be a sign?  Is this it, what I feared all along?  Will she be a rebellious teenager who would go out on clubs and flirt with boys?  No! No! No! I must not let this happen! I should tell my boss to send her to another school…   She even called him her boyfriend?! F****! What do I do?

 

Jiyong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.N:  

My laptop is broken, It keeps shutting down automatically.  I think there is something wrong with the fan, it's overheating I think...

But then thankfully, with the very strong determination I had the other day, I was able to save my fanfics into a usb.  Yes, I did all that in inhumane super speed, downloading EVERYTHING just in time before the screen went black and died out on me a second after it was finished.  It seems like the heavens have took pity on us all, especially on you 73 pretty people.  

 

So here we are, with me editing what needs to be edited on my father's laptop and you reading all what needs to be read.   

 

Hope that this would bring a smile for all of you patient readers on this most dreaded first work/school day of the week (more likely for Asian people).    

 

Now I am going back in the dark to sleep in my comfy coffin while you pretty people type in all your cute thoughts down below.  

 

Till' next monday then.

 

Love,

Jia