The sound of her radio blasting loud bursts throughout her room and she figures it is loud enough to shut the world out - her parents are fighting again and it will end up the same. Her mother would break into tears and her father would have guilt eating him up. Eventually he would apologise and it all turns back happy like some sort of an old record that goes on repeat. Nonetheless, she hates listening to it. She wishes that she is in her sister's place, far off in the States. She wishes to be away - away from all the arguments, away from all the questions and away from all the people.

Soojung lies down on her bed, a soft sigh escaping her lips in the process as she shuts her eyes. She needs to sleep and prepare herself mentally and physically for tomorrow - it's a new year of high school, and to make it worst, it's senior year.

The next morning, the ringing of her alarm disrupts her peace slumber. Inwardly groaning, she gets up - the loud music from her radio stopped blasting a long time ago, she figures that it might be her father that had turned it off. Soojung makes her way towards the bathroom with staggering steps, barely awake for the day.

She dries herself up and slides in the infamous white blouse along with the black skirt. She walks over to her closet and takes out a black blazer embroidered with the school badge that has her name tag pinned on it. Soojung then walks over to the vanity table and combs her hair, letting it cover her face. She slides in her stockings and grabs her backpack before walking out of her room.

As always, she skips breakfast and makes her way towards the shoe cabinet as she takes her bleached sneakers and makes it straight for the door. She hates breakfast, especially if her parents are home. Not that she isn't hungry or whatsoever, but she just hates their presence. Soojung walks a block ahead for the bus stop with hopes of getting the window seat - she doesn't like standing up in the bus nor sitting at the other side of the seat, unless she does not have much of a choice.

Right on schedule, a blue bus comes by the stop and the door creaks itself open. Soojung climbs up and taps her bus card on the sensor for the fare, she then takes her seat by the window. As the door is about to close, a male student with her school uniform comes running, huffing, "Wait a minute," climbing up.

The bus driver, a middle aged man with a stubble and a scar just under his left eye, asks, "Will ya be riding the bus from today onwards, kid? Never seen ya before."

The younger taps his card and nods his head, replying, "Aye, I will. I just moved here and well, you can say I'm pretty much new with the bus schedules." The bus driver hums, "No need to speak in our dialect if ya don't know how to, city boy. Take a seat - I leave here by 7.20, any later than that, ya on you're own."

He nods his head and nonchalantly takes a seat next to Soojung, surprising her as she shifts uncomfortably, however, it didn't stop her from stealing a glance of the latter. The boy has sun-kissed skin, plump lips and despite of his disheveled hair that sticks on his forehead due to perspiration, he still looks charming and Soojung admits that the beads of sweat trailing down his face makes him look gorgeous.

The latter looks at her and a wide grin stretches on his lips as he greets, "Hey, the name's Jongin - the new kid on the block." Soojung blinks, she is not used talking nor is she used to be talked to - she only nods her head, not uttering any reply to which Jongin continues, "You know, when someone introduces themselves, it is only right for you to return the favor." She turns her head to take a better look at him, Jongin says, "I'm still waiting for your name, not a staring contest."

Soojung looks away in embarassment, her cheeks paints itself crimson red. She clears and regains herself before replying, "It's Soojung, Jung Soojung, but for your own sake - it's safer to not be seen with me or even talk to me." He furrows his brows looking at her, teasing, "Why? Are you the daughter of a mafia or something?"

Soojung stifles a laughter, she answers, "I'm pretty sure if I was the daughter of some big shot, I will not be taking a bus to school." Jongin laughs and nods his head, "Hm, touché." She then diverts back her attention out the window, thinking Jongin is already done talking only to have him asking, "Which class are you in?" Soojung looks back at him and answers, "I doubt that we're in the same class," with barely a smile etched on her lips.

The opposite gender scowls, "I'm not dumb as I look, if you must judge a book by its cover." Soojung's lips escapes a chuckle, she replies, "I didn't even say you were dumb." Jongin sticks his tongue out and retorts, "Oh, I'm pretty sure that was what you were trying to say. You're giving me a bad first impression of yourself."

She flashes a small smile and nods, "Good, that'll make you safe as I've said earlier," diverting back her eyes to the view out the window. Jongin says, "You still haven't answered my question yet." The bus then halts at their stop and the door squeaks open, Soojung stands up and Jongin starts his tantrum game. He scowls, "I won't get up till you answer me."

Soojung's eyes bulge out of her socket, not believing what the latter had just said. It is their first time meeting and he is already testing her patience, she crosses her arms and says, "I'm in class three, room two. Are you happy now? Get up! We'll be late and we'd have to walk a block."

Jongin flashes an impish smile and hops down the bus with Soojung behind him, Soojung shakes her head as she speed walks, Jongin catches after her and says, "Guess what?" Soojung doesn't utter a word and he continues, "We're in the same class." She stops her steps, surprising Jongin, making him bump on her shoulder. He says, "Would you give a warning if you planned on stopping? Geez, you would've scraped your knee or something if I was running towards you."

Soojung shakes her head and replies, "Well, nobody died - that's good enough, alright? I've said this earlier and I'll say it again. It's safer not to be seen with me nor to be talking to me, get that?" Jongin chuckles softly and nonchalantly ruffles her hair, "I get that but I doubt I'll be doing it, so, can we get ourselves to our class now, Soojung-ah?"

Soojung rolls her eyes, "Don't call me that, we're not even close." He slings his arms around her shoulder and smiles, "But we will be, when's your birthday? Mine passed long ago." Soojung tries to wriggle herself from his grip but to no avail, she exhales a sigh. She asks, "Look, I'm not like other girls who would squeal when a good-looking guy drapes his arm around her shoulder or whatever, okay? So, why don't you just find that girl and keep your distance from me?"

Jongin blinks, "You think I'm good-looking?" Soojung cusses under her breath and groans, "That's not the point! Just... just get away," prying his hands off and walking away from him. Jongin chuckles to himself as he shakes his head, thinking to himself, Let's find out something about you, shall we?

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄

Soojung takes her seat at her respective place by the window at the far left corner of the classroom. She prays to God that Jongin doesn't create any ruckus in the class to have her dragged in the mess but that attempt fails the minute she sits down. Jongin enters the class with all smiles and as expected, all the girls swoon over him while the boys look at him begrudgingly. Without a thought, he takes a seat next to Soojung.

Soojung exhales a sigh and pays no attention towards the latter, the least she wants is everyone to think that they are together. A girl with silk black hair, deer-like eyes and thin lips approaches Jongin as she plays with her hair, giggling. Jongin looks at her with a raised brow, he says, "Unless you're retarded, nobody laughs that way or to make it sound less offensive, nobody laughs at playing their own hair."

Soojung's eyes rounded, He did not just say that, she thought but, he did. The girl scoffs, "Like you sitting next to Window Girl isn't retarded enough?" She looks at Soojung and rolls her eyes, Soojung shrinks in her seat. She swears she will kill Jongin on the ride back home if he is taking the bus. Jongin tilts his head and replies, "Window Girl?"

The girl points to Soojung and answers, "That." Jongin looks at her and says, "That has a name and her name is Soojung. Do you like it if I called you nothing?" She blinks, taken aback by the new kid's reply. She retorts, "The name's Jiwon and since you're new, this is the first and last warning - I run the place here, you don't want to mess with me."

Jongin laughs, "You run this place? No wonder it's a dump - just like you." Jiwon's jaw drops, she stomps away with a huff and her hair sways side to side as she walks. Jongin looks at Soojung and says, "Way to celebrate first day of school, huh?" Soojung ignores him and stares straight at her table, she thinks if she has super powers - her table would have melted.

Their homeroom teacher, a male in his early twenties with short hair, a dimple on the right side of his lips and a weird accent to his Korean enters the room. He introduces himself as Mr. Zhang, their homeroom teacher and also Social Studies. Jongin nudges Soojung and says, "Don't you think he's a little young to be teaching Social Studies?"

Soojung sighs and retorts, "Don't you think you should shut up and stop talking to me to save your ?" The latter flashes a toothy smile and answers, "My is safe, don't you worry and if it isn't, it's good to know that you care." She stifles a laughter and looks away to hide the small smile that curls up her lips, He sure is something.

The bell rings as it signals lunch hour and the class is already empty when the ringing ends, Jongin stands up and looks at her as he asks, "Where do you usually sit for lunch?" Soojung sighs, getting up but does not respond to Jongin's question. Jongin then asks, "Why do you that?" She looks at him and asks, "Do what?"

The opposite gender answers, "Sighing - you've been doing it the moment I got on the bus. What are you so worried about?" The lassie shakes her head, she wonders how naive can the latter get. Soojung looks at him and replies, "Can't you see? I'm an outcast, I don't have friends and you shouldn't be mine. I'm sorry, Jongin. I get that you're being nice and all but, just get away from me - I beg you."

Soojung then disappears out the hallway, Jongin blinks his eyes - no one has ever begged to not be befriended, it is usually the other way around. He sits back down on his place, suddenly, he doesn't feel so hungry anymore.

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄

Soojung is already home and to her luck, Jongin didn't take the bus home but she did wonder as to how the latter gets himself home, however, that question evaporates into thin air when she hears a piece of glass shattering from outside her room. She rolls her eyes and thought, Here we go again.

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄

Jongin lies down on his bed, wiping off the bead of sweat trailing down his forehead. He smiles to himself as the thought of Soojung appears at the back of his mind. He then remembers, "Wait, she didn't tell me when is her birthday. Ah, darn it."

A shrill voice calls him out, "Jongin-ah!" The latter gets up and replies, "Yeah, ma?" The elder answers, "I'll be going on a business trip tomorrow - I won't be home for a week, you'll do fine, right?" He scrunches his nose and thought, Of course, a business trip. Again. Jongin contemplates on what to reply but instead, he says, "Can I bring a friend over for the week? I mean, during the day?"

His bedroom door creaks, a woman in her mid thirties with brunette hair tied in a bun, plump lips and v-line jaw appears at his door with a smile. She nods her head and says, "Of course you can, I'm glad that you already made friends at your new school," before closing the door. Jongin chuckles nervously at himself, he wonders if she would follow him home.