OuEunji's POV

The light fell through my bedroom window, shining on my sleeping face, taking me out of my dreams. I cracked my eyes open, realizing the day. Jolting up out of bed, I hurriedly threw on my school uniform and rushed downstairs.

"Mom!" I yelled, "You enrolled me in an all girl's academy, right?"

Today was my first day in my new school for the semester. This is the 6th school I had been kicked out of in the past 4 years, I was quite used to finding myself getting into trouble in every place I went. I had been expelled from my old school for an incident with accidentally throwing a fork at an unexpecting male passerby. 

My foster mom was making breakfast for me, she was a beautiful and selfless woman. I constantly thank my stars that she was the first person to step up to take care of me when my mother passed away. She nodded calmly in response to my question, used to these usual inquiries from me. I sighed in relief, sitting down to eat breakfast.

You might be curious as to why I was so obsessed with the fact that I was finally enrolled in an all-girls school or why I had been expelled out of so many places. 

I, Jung Eunji, have Androphobia. Now you might be wondering what that is, I will explain it as simply as I can. 

I am deathly afraid of...males. Any male who is over the age of 15 can frighten me to no end, I respond rashly if I see one, or if they make contact with me. I have uncontrollable injured, jabbed, pushed, broken the bones of, and scared many of them in the past, causing me to be suspended. It's a sort of a trauma I've had since... the incident from so long ago.

My foster mom handed me a plate of scrambled eggs and sat in front of me,

"Now Eunji, I trust that you wouldn't be expelled on the first day." She chuckled, "At least last
until the end of the year, it is an all-girls school anyways." 

I began to eat my scrambled eggs, responding with a full mouth. 

"I'll try, Mom."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my only friend, Son Naeun, walking up to the front of my door. I quickly shoved the rest of my breakfast into my mouth, 

"Naeun is here, Mom. I'll see you after school!"

Grabbing my backpack, I walked out the door to Naeun, who greeted me cautiously. I was pretty lucky that Naeun's mom wanted her to transfer to Ewha Girl's Academy this semester as well, saying that she needed to focus on school more than guys. She was my only friend because she was the only person who didn't view me as a freak because of my phobia. 

With our arms linked together, we strolled to the bus stop. Not long after we go there, a big pink bus for Ewha's Academy squeaked to a stop in front of us. Before we entered, I gave Naeun a look. She nodded in response, knowing what I was asking for. Naeun went in first so she can make sure there are no men in the bus.

She gave me an "okay" signal, so I climbed into the bus an sat on the seat next to Naeun. As we began to head over to the school, I grew nervous for the first day. I started to fidget with the edge of my uniform skirt, wondering if the girls in the new school would view her as a freak too. I began to look out of the bus window, losing myself to thoughts as I watched a blur of cars and building rush by.

FLASHBACK TO WHEN EUNJI WAS 9

From the little crack in your hiding spot, you could barely make out a man standing on your front porch. You were told by your mom to hide and not to make a sound.

"I told you that I'm not waiting any longer." Grumbled the strange man. 

To your young eyes, the man looked absolutely terrifying. He was huge and round, his leather jacket had scratches and tears all throughout it, and his snarl stretched from one side of his face to the other. 

Your birth mother began to cry, falling to her knees with her hands clasped in front of her. 

"Just one more day!" Begged your birth-mom.

"There are no more days left for you anymore," The man replied.

In a swift motion he reached into his jacket and pulled out a handgun, he pointed it straight at your mom.

A loud BANG followed, and then....all you saw was red.

"Eunji! EUNJI!"

"Huh?" I snapped back to reality and realized Naeun was calling my name.

"You kind of tearing the bus seat..." She said in a cautious voice like I might crack any second.

"Oh..." I looked down to find my nails digging into the bus seat, tearing crescent-shaped holes on the seat.

Naeun eyed me worriedly, "C'mon, it's our stop."

+++++

"Did you hear?"

"The new teacher is hot!"

"So handsome!"

"And kind..."

The rustle and bustle of the hallways were dizzying, and the sentences they whispered about made me sick to my stomach. I had a bad feeling about the teacher they were gossiping of. 

"What new teacher?" I asked Naeun.

Naeun hastily looked away and didn't answer. My stomach knotted in response, knowing exactly why she was so cautious to me earlier. 

We walked into the classroom and I heard a low-toned voice calling attendance. My heart dropped to the floor as I realized the sound of the voice. My hands grew clammy, my heart began to pound. I looked up to see the world's most dangerous species, man.

My breathing got quicker and I broke out in cold sweat.

"Calm down Eunji, let's just sit down first." Naeun urged, dragging me to my desk.

No matter how much Naeun comforted me, I couldn't stay calm. My breaths came in short gasps and my body started trembling uncontrollably. This was too much for me to handle, memories of my past began to flood into my mind, and I was starting to lose control of my own self. 

"Student, are you okay?" The teacher had a concerned look on his face as he walked closer to me.

Thud....Thud... His footsteps matched the rhythm of my heart beats, he strolled right In front of me.

He came and reached toward my head.
I couldn't control it, I let out a blood-curdling scream.

"DON'T TOUCH ME! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

I frantically jerked my body onto the ground and curled up in a ball.

"Student, I'm just checking to see if your OK..." The teacher took a step towards me, and I let out another high-pitched scream.

The teacher gave a frightened look and looked helplessly at Naeun.
Naeun gave the signal to leave for a minute so that she could handle me herself.

"Eunji, look he's gone, no more men."

I slowly lifted my head to see the teacher nowhere in sight, but it didn't stop the shivers and twitches rippling through my body.

Naeun patted my sweat-soaked hair as I shakily whispered 5 words,

"They are all the same…"