Chapter 2

My alarm clock was ringing by six in the morning, which woke me up from a good dream. I turned my head and stared at my clock before hitting the button at the top to stop it from making me go crazy. I wanted to go for a jog, so I got up from my bed and went into the bathroom to wash up quickly. I tied my hair into a high ponytail before changing out of my pajamas and into workout gear.

By the time I got water out of the fridge to drink before I could leave, I heard my parents getting up and heading to the bathroom. I quickly closed the door to the fridge and walked out of the house as quietly as possible. I was just about to leave out the gates but I stopped in my tracks realizing that I had forgotten my phone on my bed. I was going to turn back and get it, but I decided that I wouldn’t need it at a time like this.

I don’t remember the last time I’ve gone out and had a jog… Actually, I rarely went out for a morning jog, knowing how lazy I truly was, but I guess today would be an exception. I just missed the air here in the country, not that it was any different than Canada… Okay… Maybe the smell of the air due to the food carts and many restaurants around, but I missed it. As I continued running down the streets, I had ran into my old bus stop.

There were many older men and women standing there like how it usually was. I lowered my head and chuckled to myself, rethinking about memories that shouldn’t have been thought about. I was glad that my pale legs weren’t showing and that it wasn’t too cold like it was when I stood here a few years back. I sighed and looked up at the small crowd.

I made my way over, wondering if I should continue my morning jog or not. I stood by the bus stop and waited there patiently along with the rest. Maybe I could go back to school too…

While waiting patiently for the bus that would come in a few minutes, I looked around at my surroundings remembering every little detail and how things haven’t changed too much. It felt as if I was reliving my past, but the person who should be here with me wasn’t here. I turned around, in hopes of seeing him right behind me and staring at me awkwardly, but when I did, I only saw an older woman smiling at me; I returned the smile.

The bus arrived and we all got on as quickly as possible. I stood up and held the handle just in case there weren’t enough seats for the elders, who happily smiled as they made their way past me to find their seats. I couldn’t believe how packed this bus still is and how people still managed to even stand here when even I felt suffocated. I slowly counted the stops, remembering when I would get off.

“Did you forget your uniform?” I heard an elderly voice ask beside me.

I turned around and saw an older man, at least around the age of fifty, smiling at me, but I didn’t know whether to think of it as a little creepy or not because he asked about me wearing a uniform. The thought of it was a little funny though… Did I still look of age to even wear a uniform? I was almost twenty-five years old now.

“You must have forgotten it at school.” The old man chuckled at his own comment, which I didn’t think was funny at all.

“I’m not a student.” I replied politely with a smile. “I’m actually just –“

“You’re not a student?” He actually looked really taken aback. “You look so young.”

“Thank you…” I didn’t know if I should really thank him for saying that to me, but there wasn’t any other way to reply to him.

“Then that must mean that you’re legal?”

My eyes widened. “W-what?”

“You know, there’s a restaurant nearby where we can –“

I quickly moved away from him and rung the bell to get off. I know there were only a few more stops until I’d get to school, but I couldn’t believe that even after all these years, I was still getting erts here! How could things like this still happen to me even after all these years? Where was my knight in shining armor when I needed him at a time like this… No… I don’t need him… He wasn’t even a part of my life anymore.

The doors to the bus closed behind me as I stood there helplessly. I knew this area pretty well, so I turned to the left and started to walk down the streets. There were only a few more blocks until I would get to school. Since I was wearing a workout outfit, I picked up my pace and decided that this will be my only jog of the morning. I jogged my way to school and stopped as soon as I got there.

Watching as boys and girls walk past me with uniforms on made me miss the old days where I’d be wearing the same outfit. I looked down at myself and imagined if I would wear it again. I guess I was more than happy to know that there won’t be any reason to show off my legs to everyone now and besides, at this age, it’s not appropriate to wear a skirt so short.

But did that old guy really think I was a student or was he really only trying to hit on me and use that so he would figure out how old I am? I wasn’t sure, but I guess it was enough to show that he was hitting on me either way.

**

Mango bubble tea never tasted so sweet. I took a big sip of it until I got a brain freeze and I didn’t regret one moment of it. I was just about to walk out of the café, but I went up to the second floor and sat at my usual spot. I wasn’t going to stay long, but I wanted to just sit here for awhile since it was almost nine o’clock.

As I took a few more sips of my bubble tea, I remembered how many memories I made here. I couldn’t believe that my first confession was here and I was rejected. I laughed to myself. I wanted to stab myself for even thinking that it would’ve ended up well when everyone knew that it was probably the worst idea ever.

 “I wanted to thank you for what you did for me this morning by… By asking if you wanted to be my boyfriend.”

I cringed thinking about those words I said. To this day, I wanted to stab myself. Where was the straw…? Oh. Right… It was in front of me.

**

“Where were you?” Was the first thing I heard my mother ask as soon as I walked through the door. “I’ve been trying to call you for the past few hours!”

“I didn't have my phone.” I said as I walked over towards her; she was standing in the living room. “Didn’t you see my phone on my bed?”

“No, I didn’t see it.” My mother shook her head and sat down on the couch. “Where did you go anyway?”

I sat down beside her and leaned my head back. “I was going to go out for a morning jog, but I ended up reliving some of my high school mornings instead.”

She raised an eyebrow at me.

“I just… I just went back to school and got myself some bubble tea.” I shrugged as I looked over at her. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Your father and Jin Hyuk just went there about an hour ago.” My mother said. “I’m surprised you didn’t see them when you went there.”

“I wasn’t there too long.” I was probably there for about half an hour and it was probably starting to creep out some of the students. “Why are they even there?”

“To meet Jae Hyun’s dad for some business negotiations… I think…” My mother seemed unsure from the way she looked. “But I guess Jin Hyuk was more than willing to go with your father.”

To think that I could forget about Jae Hyun when his father and my father worked together… It was weird to hear Jae Hyun’s name since it’s been so long. I always forgot that his father wasn’t always our principal, but I guess he wasn’t that to us anymore since we’ve all graduated. I wonder how he was doing right now knowing that we stopped talking as soon as I left to Canada… Maybe he met a new girl…

“I’m going to go wash up.” I got up from the couch and ran up to my room to go shower.

**

My phone kept vibrating on my bed, but I didn’t want to stop studying to go see who was either texting or calling me. I wanted to focus, but I gave up after a few seconds. There was no way there’d be anyone calling me unless it was that important. I closed my textbook and walked over to my bed before jumping on top of it. I held my phone up above me and turned it on to see who I had missed calls from.

Lee Jung Ah

The moment I saw her name, I quickly sat up on my bed and called her. She picked up on the second ring with a loud sigh and yelled something around the words of me being stupid and irritating for not answering any of her calls or text messages because she’s been trying to contact me for the past day and half. I couldn’t help but laugh instead of trying to even say my first ‘hello’ to her in a long time.

“I guess you still haven’t learned to use your inside voice, huh?” I said as I rubbed my ear from her loud yelling.

“If you would just freaking answer my damn phone call or text message, things wouldn’t have to be this way.” From the way she was talking, I knew she had been rolling her eyes. “What are you even doing that you’re not answering me?”

“Nothing really...” I replied. “Can’t you leave a girl alone for another day or so?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Ahn Soo Jin!” Jung Ah growled through the phone angrily. “My best friend is finally back from Canada after how many freaking years and you’re going to study instead of call me?”

“I didn’t want to leave Jin Hyuk right away, alright?” I was guilty though cos’ I didn’t see him once yet today. “You knew I was going to contact you sooner or later!”

“Yeah, but you didn’t.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why? What are you doing that you have so much free time on your hand to call and yell at me at a time like this? Don’t you know it’s almost six in the evening?”

“I’ve been working my off, that’s what!” Jung Ah sighed, probably shaking her head at me. “I just want to see my best friend, you know.”

“I know. I know.” I nodded my head. “Would you like to meet up sometime tonight then?”

“No, I don’t want to see you tonight.” Jung Ah rejected my offer even after she had been yelling at me for not calling her to let her know I’m back. “If I see you, I might just kill you from either being a little too happy or because you ignored me too long.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Jung Ah never failed to make me laugh whenever we talked to each other whether it was through the phone or it was through text messaging. I missed hearing her talk and being a total to me.

“I don’t work till later tomorrow so we can meet by lunch.” Jung Ah said, taking me out of my thoughts. “There are a few things I want to show you.”

“Like what?” I asked curiously.

“I guess you’ll just have to wait.” She replied. “Besides, it’ll be worth it once you see it.”

“It better be or else!”

“Be quiet, Soo Jin. You made me wait so you can wait too.”

“Stop being a brat.” I scoffed.

“After you’re done being the Soo Jin you are, I’ll stop being the brat I am.” Jung Ah said before she hung up on me, making sure to tell me she loved me first.

Jung Ah always did this to me. It was either she hung up on me or told me she had to go. I fell back onto my bed until my view was up towards the ceiling.

“Honey?” My mother opened my door and popped her head in. “Oh? Were you doing something?”

Obviously not…

“Why?” I asked looking over at her. “Are they back yet?”

“No, they haven’t gotten back yet even though it’s almost dinner time.” My mother looked at her watch on her wrist. “These boys must be starving.”

“Or maybe they were selfish and went to go eat dinner without us two!” I sat up and crossed my arm. “Did you call dad?”

“No, but I don’t want to bother him.”

I looked at my phone and debated whether or not I should bother Jin Hyuk either. He was on a so-called business talk with my dad and Jae Hyun’s dad.

“It doesn’t take the whole day, does it?” I asked looking over at my mother, who stood by my doorframe.

“Maybe it’s going well?” My mother shrugged.

“I guess…” I replied as I put my phone down, deciding not to contact him.

“How about hotpot for the two of us then…?” My mother suggested.

“At home?” My eyes widened; I missed hotpots with my mother.

She nodded her head. “I mean, if the boys do come home, and if they’re hungry, it won’t make us selfish, right?”

I scoffed.

“Come on.” She waved me over to her. “Let’s go make some hotpot and eat before the boys come back.”

“Okay.” I said as I followed out after her.

Author's Note: I apologize because this chapter is super slow and it’s nothing big. I’m going to start this story off a little slower than wanted only because I'm trying not to rush into things. I hope my next chapter will make up for this one. Enjoy reading.