Becca's P.O.V

 

          I stayed in room 405 in the writers center for a good two hours until the meeting of the newspaper club that I joined ended. It wasn't anything exciting but I guess thinking about it being involved in the newspaper club doesn't really sound so exciting in itself. 

I mostly just sat there watching the other four members of the club continue their research on the upcoming cover page of a male KPOP group called EXO. I never really understood the whole concept of idols, and what they really stand for. I mean can you call yourself an idol just because you dance and lip sing in front of a camera? 

Maybe I shouldn't judge on if it is or not since my opinion doesn't really matter all too much on the topic, but it also wouldn't hurt just to think about my own opinions either. 

"Alrighty then, I'll see you guys tomorrow? Same time, place, etc.?" Hajoon says as he starts to pack up his stuff. 

Soyeon waves, "See you then!" And with a small wave back he walks out of the room with the other two guys who are messing around with one another. 

As I grab my bag and start to make my way towards the exit as well Soyeon stops me, "Oh, Becca. I hadn't properly thanked you for joining this club. Sorry I forced it on you so abruptly while you were eating your lunch. If I came off a little rude I apologize."

I shake my head thinking that it's no big deal. Although it was a little bit of an inconvenience on my behalf I mean I'm sure it'll ease my aunt that I'm getting along in school. I've never joined a club before other than some after school dance sessions that I went to in high school but I wouldn't say that was really anything official since most of the time the kids just fooled around with each other. 

Then slightly bowing my head I turn around and start to walk out the door.

"Wait!" Soyeon comes running next to me and smiles. "Since you didn't properly eat during lunch today because of me how about I buy you dinner tonight? My treat." 

I look at her blankly slightly confused. She didn't really disrupt my eating all too much since I'm the one who decided to not get cafeteria food. "I think I'll be alright."

I start to walk again but she grabs my arm, "Please, it would ease my guilt. I feel like I kind of forced this club on you."

Seeing as I don't have much of a choice I just nod and receive a smile from her. I guess getting a free meal isn't really a bad thing and I don't get out much so this could be considered a good opportunity to some. 

As Soyeon and I start to walk out of the building to get dinner with each other we suddenly get distracted and stop as we see some commotion going on in the lobby. 

"Hey, janitor how about you take off that mask of yours. It's a little creepy and I'm sure everyone wants to see the face of the criminal who scrubs toilets everyday." The boy scolding the janitor guy starts to laugh with the few other boys behind him.

The janitor just stands there un-phased by the boys presents and just goes back to mopping the floors. 

This seems to tick off the boy because the next thing he does it hit the janitors hat off his head and grab onto the side of the mask, about to rip it off his face. "Who do you think you are ignoring me. You're nothing but a smelly delinquent who works as a ing maid for the school. So how about you take it off before I do it for you?" 

Looking at the situation in front of me I'm a little confused on what's going on. Why would a student be so interested in a person like a janitor and call him a criminal? I guess I haven't really seen the whole conflict to add in my thoughts but to be so keen on wanting to take off the mask of such a dull person as a janitor doesn't make sense to me.

Although I shouldn't be the one calling the man dull since I am pretty dull myself. 

The janitor then grabs the boys wrist and tightens his grip just enough so he (the boy) would let go of the mask. "Please don't disturb me while I'm doing me work, thank you." The janitors tone almost makes me crack a smile. He sounds bored as if the boy is just some neighborhood kid who just wants to pick a fight to pick a fight. 

But I guess that is really what is going on to the looks of it. 

The boy scoffs at the janitor and the next thing I know he (the boy) starts to take a swing at the janitor with his free hand.Then even quicker than the boys swing, the janitor twist the arm he has a hold of around the kids back and locks it tight so the boy can't move. "I don't have time for this nonsense." 

The boy cries out, "Let go of me you bastard!!"

The janitor does as the boy wishes then grabs his mop and starts to walk away as if nothing happened. The boy starts to call back at him, cursing and what not. Just useless words that don't seem to affect the janitors direction. 

Soyeon just stand quietly as the janitor walks by us. I watch him a little curious and as my eyes drift to his face our eyes meet and in that quick moment of contact I feel as if I've seen those eyes before. 

I'm also shocked to see how youthful he looks, from far away you couldn't really make out any of his features other than that he's a bit skinny, but looking at him, looking at his eyes up close you can tell that he's not an old man. 

His eyes are too rich of a brown, they look to curious and questionable to be a matured adults eyes. Although I wouldn't say that they are immature or unknowing either. 

But before I could make out anything else he shifts his eyes back in front of him and makes his way past us. 

"Who was that?" Taking a glance back behind me as I keep my eyes on the strange janitor walking away, wondering who he is, then wondering why I'm wondering who he is. "He doesn't look old enough to be working as the schools janitor, or at least his eyes didn't." 

Soyeon gives me a weird look, "His eyes don't..... what? Well no, he's not an old man if that's what you mean. Nobody is really sure who he is, or what he looks like under that mask of his. Some say that he's a high school drop out who got himself into trouble and is now serving for his parole as a janitor, but others who are a little more extreme say that he's even killed a man." 

He finally disappears around a corner but I'm still watching, wondering, thinking, "Oh." 

"Oh? That's all you have to say after realizing that he has the capability to really kill someone? Please don't tell me that you're going to try and get involved with that guy? He's not a good idea." 

I let out a sigh, "You said it was only a rumor, but I'll keep my distance." 

He looks kind of familiar in a non-familiar way. I'm sure that I've never met him before, I'm sure if I have I would have remembered those eyes but still.... I'm sure that I've seen him somewhere. It's on the tip of my tongue but I can't figure it out.  

Soyeon shakes her head, "Well I suggest that you do. He's really weird and I don't want my new friend to get in trouble with the freak right in her first year of university." 

The friend comment throws me off a little and I turn back towards her with a little bit more of an expression than I usually have, which isn't much itself. "Friends?"

She nods, "Yeah, I mean aren't we? We're in the same classes, same lunch, same club and I'm about to buy you dinner aren't I?" 

Thinking about it I guess it's kind of impossible to avoid being around Soyeon, although the last two things that she mentioned are her doing. But she seems trustable and reliable so I'm not going to argue her points. 

"Sure." 

"And that's another thing. This odd apathetic attitude of yours has to go. I mean if you're going to be hanging with me from now on I'm going to need at least a little input on your side. I don't like being the one talking all the time." 

I shrug, "Okay." 

She rolls her eyes then takes my wrist and drags me out of the building. 

 

                 Dinner with Soyeon was pretty standard for a first outing with a new acquaintance. We just went to some small traditional Korean restaurant and ordered just enough for two people and "talked" for a while. When I say talked it was mostly just her introducing herself with more depth then asking me some personal questions that I either answered with a shrug, yes, no or I guess. 

After that we parted our separate ways and once I got home I saw my aunt was sitting waiting for me in the living room and before I could even take off my shoes she came running up to me asking how my first day was. 

I responded with a brief summary of my day but purposely left out the situation with the janitor guy. I didn't want her to think the school had violent kids let alone a janitor that maybe have a criminal record. 

Once satisfied with my answer she allowed me to go up into my room for some sleep. 

Laying down in my bed I'm starting to wonder about the janitor guy and who he is. If he's really a criminal or if it's just something that was made out of miscommunication. I'm sure the school wouldn't allow a misbehaved kid of that standard in a school even if it was a parole requirement. 

But if the school has then I'd have to say they're pretty daring of an administration. 

And I'm also wondering where I saw those eyes before. They didn't seem familiar, like I've seen them many times but I'm sure I've seen them before. I mean it could have just been a mistake on my part. Many Korean people have brown eyes and I only got to see his for a brief second but still I'm sure that I've seen them at least once before. 

Exhaustion finally getting to me and I fall asleep before I could even wrap up my thoughts about the mysterious janitor. 

 

               Opening my eyes to a loud ringing in my ear I look over to see my clock reading 5:30 a.m. I press the off the button then slide my legs off the side of my bed and lift my head off my pillow. 

Yesterday I didn't really do much in dance so I decided to set my alarm earlier than normal this morning so I can get to school a couple hours earlier than first period so I can just practice on my own. 

It's a little odd for me to be earlier for something so much as school but I have a feeling that today during class we won't get much accomplished just like yesterday. 

Planning on changing into regular cloths later I just slip on some sweats and quietly I make my way to the front door, hoping not to wake up my aunt. 

On arriving to the school it's 6:00 and I have two hours until classes actually start. So finding my way to the dance studio that I sat in yesterday I was about to open the door when I noticed music already playing. 

Taking a look through the small window in the door I notice a guy dancing in the middle of the floor to some upbeat song that I'm not aware of. Interested in his dancing that looks well choreographed, it didn't look like improve at all, I take out my phone and use an app that allows me to search the song title by just having the app just listen to the song. 

Looking at my phone I think that the music is too quiet for it to pick up anything so with small hesitation I slowly open the door and stick my hand through the opening. 

As the app is doing its own thing I move my attention back to the dancing boy. 

I don't recall seeing him in class yesterday unless he's from a different grade....... "That's not a student?" 

Taking a better look at the dancers face I notice that they're wearing a mask and their cloths aren't casual but a jumper that a janitor would wear. 

My curiosity kicks in once again and the questions I had last night start to flood my head again. It's kind of weird to be so intrigued by a person who isn't the women who danced to Swan Lake so many years ago. 

I'm not used to being intrigued by someone who wasn't her. Also the fact that this guy is a janitor and I'm not really sure who he is or what he looks like other than what he feels he should reveal to the public is odd for me. 

But not really caring what will happen I slowly open the door to the dance studio and within taking my first step inside the mysterious janitor spots me in the mirrors and immediately stops his dancing. I feel a little disappointed which is also a little new for me (since I don't really look forward to many things). 

He then turns around towards me and stiffens himself back to what he looked like yesterday, "May I help you with something?" 

His question is a little odd since he shouldn't really be in here dancing but I guess I can't say that. I mean I'm sure he's free to do as he pleases as long as it doesn't disrupt the education of the students and seeing as I'm the only student on campus currently and he's not really disrupting anything I shouldn't be questioning his curiosity. 

"No." Still with my indifferent attitude I subdue my questions for the time being. 

He gives me a weird look, "Alright, then why are you in here?" He sounds a little winded after dancing.

I give him a shrug, "I was going to practice." Once again my answer got me another raised eyebrows of the janitor, since I can't see much of anything else lower than his eyes. 

"And?" He says questionably.

I drop my bag in the corner of the room while sitting myself down stretching, warming myself up for what I came here to do. I don't see why we both can't be in here since it's made for over twenty people. "Nothing." I respond. 

He nods his head and starts to make his way out the door when he stops and looks back over in my direction, "Didn't I see you yesterday?"

I nod, "Yeah, after you walked away from that kid who tired to take off your mask."

"So I'm guessing you've heard the rumors about me then." He sounds curious himself to what information I know, but I don't see how it matters. Even if I didn't know about his "criminal record" that everyone seems to believe I would still just see him as the schools janitor. And maybe now as a secretly talented dancing school janitor. 

I nod again and keep my attention to my stretching. 

"And you're alright with being in the same room with me?" 

I sigh not really seeing this conversation getting anywhere. "I guess." Then walking over to the stereo I start to flip through the CD's that the school has. "Honestly I don't really care." 

He tilts his head and starts to walk closer, "Really?"

A little annoyed with these useless questions and meaningless answers I turn around and give him my blank stare, "I don't see how your personal life pertains to me. So no it doesn't really matter to me that much. You're a person that works at the school whose happened to have an image of a criminal delinquent and I'm just a student who happens to know this information. And unless you actually hurt me I'm not really worried about it." 

He laughs a little and I stand there still with my indifferent face but wondering what I said that sounded so amusing.

"That's new." 

I shrug again but then decide that it'd be okay if I asked a question now, "How old are you?"

This seems to take him back a little since he gives me a dumfounded expression, or at least what I think is, under that ask of his. "Why?"

"Why not? It's not like knowing your age will give me a sure way to figure out who you are since you seem very persistent in hiding it. I just would like to know." Which is the truth.

He calms down a little bit and answers my question, "I'm 19." 

Waiting for me to say something else he stands there watching me but all I do is nod my head then go back to flipping through CD's. "Is that it?" The janitor asks.

I nod, "Why? Want to tell me your life story?" That sounded a little rude but I can't change what I said now. 

He shakes his head, "Not particularly. But now that you know something about me I think that I should be compensated with a fact about you."

I turn around not really sure what he's trying to do. He sounds a little arrogant with his words although his tone is bland and has nothing to it like mine. I also thought that he would leave right as I walked in so I guess completely shutting himself out to the world isn't his strategy. 

"No." 

He scoffs through his mask, "And why is that?"

"Because you already know more about me than I do of you. Unlike yourself I don't have a mask or hat on to cover most of my face so I'm unidentifiable. So this is what you get." Looking at the CD's I find one to my liking. It has the track Beggin' You by Madcon on it. So I put in in the player and start the music.

The janitor seems stunned that I am ignoring his presence but I don't have much a reason to pay attention to him since he doesn't seem all too polite. And I got what I wanted to know about him that I knew I could get, so I guess you could say my curiosity is over. 

Moving to the middle of the dance floor I position myself to do some improve but then the music gets paused and I return back to my upright stiff self. Looking back towards the stereo I see the janitors finger on the pause button with a unknown expression. "How long have you danced before?"

"Since I was seven." 

Then with what looks like a smirk under his mask he presses the play button and comes walking towards me and quietly says, "I just got my compensation." 

I look up to his eyes and as I do I get that weird feeling that I've seen them again. They aren't stranger eyes but before I could even try and think of where I've seen them before he walks past me and to the door, leaving me in the room just as confused about him as I was when I walked in.