CHAPTER THIRTEEN

            You face the mirror as you fix the ribbon tied in the collar of your uniform and pull down slightly your skirt. The reflection of you has never been different from before except that your hair has become longer. You clutch your bag, place on the top of the bed and fish your phone inside of your pocket to see if there is any message. Min-Ah hasn’t arrived yet; she’s supposed to come at your house before 7. Is she sick? Or she just sleeps late? You decided to go downstairs, bid goodbye to your mom and walk towards Min-Ah’s house to pick her up. If I would just wait here we would no doubt be late for the first class. It was just four houses away from your home. Not so far-away at all, so it’s not a difficult thing to walk every morning or every second that you miss each other to one’s house.

            Chow-Chow hasn’t guarding the gate when you arrived, that’s their dog a Siberian husky. It’s too unusual; he’s always in that area every time you go to their house. You enter the gate walking towards the 3 steps stairs to the huge 2 way door.  You were about to twist the knob when suddenly someone on the other side open it first, unexpectedly a familiar face appears with his surprise look, it was a moment of discomfited exchanging of stares and puzzled look when Chow-Chow suddenly came out, hurriedly make his way to you and jump off on your body. It was a daily routine; every time you went to this house Chow-Chow always did the same thing after that he would wiggle his tail and look intently at you like he was greeting you with utmost sincerity.

“Is she?” Myungsoo talks suddenly then nods and held up his both hands in the air. You don’t know who’s he talking to but you are sure it’s not you since he left before you can start to speak. Is there something here that I can’t see that he’s talking up to? “Min-Ah had her day. I’m sure you don’t want to come upstairs” he said as he sneaks a quick look back on you and left.

Min-Ah is on her period today. She was a kind of monster when she’s on her first period so it’s better not to disturb her, since she was just going to ignore you, like you never exist at all. She has her own world where she was just thinking how to ease the pain on her belly. She always has her habit. She would lay on the floor and turn herself into a ball his hand were on his tummy, if it wasn’t enough she rolls herself on the floor over and over again. She always prefers to be alone in times like this so it’s well to just keep yourself distant. When she’s okay she’s going to come to school then. Of course she’s back in herself by that time.

You walk to the bus stop alone. As you arrive, you see L sitting on a bench chewing a gum and playing with the small stones on the ground. All the girls were staring at her, whispering and chattering. The other males wouldn’t even dare to sit or stay at his hands reach. A face that every girl would dream of and looks that every guy wouldn’t dare to mess with. You stay set mixing on some of the passengers standing near at the lane. The bus has just arrived a few minutes after. You swipe your card and find a vacant place to sit. The bus was almost full, 4 sits has left, and you stand still as you let the 3 adults occupy the front row and the other one on the middle. The only remaining sit is on the back. You post a cheerful smile on your face as you walk towards the chair but suddenly the high school students swiftly pass to your front making you trifled on your feet, but fortunately you did not sprawl on the floor and before you realize, someone already takes the seat. Curse those high school girls, they didn’t even say sorry for bumping on me and don’t even bother to ask the man who takes it because his not the gentleman type. He’s not even a senior citizen. Is she pregnant? Aish! You stand on the middle of the bus, your hand clutch on a handle bumping shoulders on to the other passengers who was also standing. The group of girls on your right side was loud, as they are obviously making attention to Myungsoo which is just right in front of them, when the bus was bring into a halt, the girls act like they were not get hold to balance their selves and take hold of L’s shoulders. L on the other hand was just cool as he is. Not even giving any attention and had his poker face on. It happens almost 4 times and for an unknown reason you just keep looking at them without even averting your eye. Without realizing the bus came into a stop and you forgot to remind yourself to get a tight grip on the handle. The next thing you knew your face already meets the floor and the shoes of course of passengers, all of them was looking down at you. It was really embarrassing that you even want to bury yourself right now or jump ou