5.  

HwaYang High, Biology class

‘We will practice drawing onion cell.’ – The teacher announces. –‘ You have 30 minutes to work in pair and finish.’

The class starts to be noisy when students pair up, except for Min. She knows nearly nobody to pair up as both Myungsoo and Dongwoon already have their partners. For Dongwoon, it’s a guy from the nerd team. And for Myungsoo, it’s a pretty girl whose name tag says Park Jiyeon.

Min sniffs and decides to work alone. Class number is odd anyway, Min just volunteers to be the odd one out. The teacher can’t do nothing to it, though.

She is focusing on drawing the cell when there’s a voice next to her.

‘The nucleus is wrong!’

As a reaction, Min looks at the microscope to check and realizes that she draws the cell nucleus at wrong place. She turns aside, about to thank that person who notifies her but has to hold back her scream.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’

She grimaces, seeing L in his uniform – maybe it was his outfit at death – glowing next to her.

He just smiles.

‘To help you.’

‘Go help your brother.’ – Min gets back to her drawing after nudges her elbow to his brother who is making a new sample as Jiyeon has dropped the first one.

‘He has Jiyeon to help already. You’re alone.’

‘You know Jiyeon?’

‘Yup!’ – L scratches his head. –‘She’s my ex. But you should draw more details here, you’d get more points for it.’

L says as he points his glowing hand to a certain part in Min’s drawing. His hand brushes slightly hers and Min startles to realize that she can feel his touch. She widens her eyes and turns to L, reaching out her hand to touch him and confirm her discovery. It’s true. L has a higher and clearer voice than normal person as well as a glowing around his body, and apart from that, she can touch him, hear him and smell his gentle scent. However, L is cold, not warm at all, just like any expectation from a ghost.

‘Have you finished, Min?’

The Biology teacher suddenly asks, making Min startle and take her hand on L’s elbow back. She replies the teacher.

‘Yes madam.’

Min walks to the podium to hand in her drawing while the whole class seems to pause for a while to watch her – the first one to finish and the only one to do it alone.

On the way back to her seat, Min glances at Myungsoo who appears to be in a struggle with the exercise. Isn’t it because of the pretty Jiyeon next to him?

'Two minutes left.'

Hearing so, Myungsoo hurriedly sketches some more lines in his team’s drawing while his partner just stands there and looks. Honestly, Min doesn’t understand why he has to screw up with such a simple exercise. The question is unintentionally answered when L walks down from the podium and shakes his head in disappointment:

‘This moron, always like that!’

‘What do you mean?’ – Min asks as soon as L reaches her place.

‘He’s only good at running.’ – L frowns looking at his twin brother. –‘Studying is his biggest drawback. Perhaps his brain is tumbled for running already.’

Oh. So it’s like that. Min only knows Myungsoo as the star of athletic team with lots of gold medals and records for the last years, not as one of the worst students in class. He always ranks 43^rd out of 44 students in 3C but this year the one at 44^th place transferred so it turns out that the two famous guys are in the two ends in the study record ranking.

Well, we can’t judge a book by its cover anyway.

HwaYang High, canteen.

‘Ya! Why are you following me?’

Min finally gets angry which L who has just sit down at her desk in canteen. Since the morning, except for when Min went to toilet, he has been following her. Knowing that no one sees, Min still finds it extremely annoying to have a guy latch on her like a leech and keep on commenting about the juniors, the teachers and complaining about the closure of music room due to the his haunting – which is totally another evidence for the abovementioned saying ‘Can’t judge a book by its cover.’   

Min tries to ignore L and focuses on her meal. Right then, a voice raises from above her.

‘Annyeong unnie, may I sit here?’

Turns out to be Minzy with her bright smile on her face as usual. Min just nods as she can’t speak anything with a mouth full of food. However, there’s someone else greeting Minzy on Min’s behalf, even though the greeting is not that warm.

‘That Manner Supervisor girl? She kept on accusing me of regulation violation with dumb reasons. Can’t understand why people told me to contact her before.’

Min snorts. For an artistic person like L, he definitely doesn’t like being bounded with regulation but for Minzy, that might be the only way to approach him, though as a Manner Supervisor.

Thinking so, Min smiles at Minzy:

‘Minzy, somebody just talked bad behind you.’

Minzy’s eyes goes widened, asking:

'Who's that?'

‘Kim Myungsoo.’

‘I don’t remember doing anything that makes him talk bad about me.’

‘Not the Myungsoo at 3C.’ – Min giggles. –‘ It’s L.’

Both Minzy and Myungsoo yell. Of course Min can hear both, she covers her ears and tries to stop them, who are looking at Min in disbelief.

‘How can you tell her about me?’ – L grimaces.

‘What do you mean by that?’ – Minzy interrupts.

‘Ok, both of you calm down.’ – Min holds her hand in between her and them two then looks at Minzy. – ‘Do you remember telling about seeing L at music room? It’s true that there’s a ghost like him and he’s sitting next to us right now. He said that I was a mediator so I could see and hear him.’

 

‘Mediator?’ – Minzy’s face brightens. – ‘ You’re also a mediator?’

Min nods hesitantly.

‘It’s what L said. But you know about that too?’

‘Why not?’ – Minzy appears excited. – ‘I’m also a mediator. My sister told me so from the beginning of this year when I got headache due to the ghosts’ buzzing around me. But then, she said it was because I was at beginning level and later on, I could filter and choose the ghost to bridge.

6.

It turns out that Min and Minzy bear lots of resemblances in that mediator stuff. Right, now she knows that Minzy has suffered much more than she did. Apart from the buzzing of those ghosts following them, both of them always have nightmares as the ghosts try to go into their dreams to talk about their deaths and ask for help. And for both of them, L is the first ghost to approach them directly, instead of via dreams.

But MInzy might not suffer the biggest problem. Min doesn’t know about that she feels weird revealing that L is haunting her room.

‘I know it, mom. How can I forget dad’s birthday? But I heard that there would be a test on that day. I don’t want to be punished right after transferring. Can’t you change the date?’

Min says with a frown. This Friday, her family in Ulsan is going to organize a birthday party for her dad, which can also be considered introduction party to all employees at his branch. The party is going to be big but what matters is that Min doesn’t want to skip class at school. Min is a new student anyway, she should be hardworking. But her mom doesn’t share the same opinion.

‘Listen sweetie, - her mom says. – ‘We’d sent out the invitation. It’s not a family party that we can change the date. You can ask the teachers for permission and take the test later on. Dongwoon did that.’

‘But mom…’ – Min still disagrees.

‘Ok, we’ll go this way.’ – Min’s dad takes over the call. – ‘You finish your school day and right after that, get on the bus to go to Ulsan. It takes about 6 hours from Seoul to here so take your time. I don’t expect you to be early for cooking.’

That’s it, dad.

Min hangs up the phone in excitement only to realize that she doesn’t know how to go to Ulsan by bus. Gotta ask her parents again. She is about to dial the number when light in her room goes out signaling that L wants to appear. Min grumbles so let him hear:

‘Just appear if you know how to go to Ulsan. Or else, I’ll punch you!’

Right then, L’s face appear next to her neck, startling Min to inch away from him. L smirks – the attractive smirk that surely is the reason why girls at Hwa Yang High adore him.

‘How can an Ulsan son not know the way back home?’

Min widens her eyes.

‘You mean…’

‘I’m from Ulsan, just study in Seoul.’

It turns out like that. The two Myungsoos are from Ulsan, move to Seoul for high school. While L rents a room in Soyeon’s house, Myungsoo stays in school’s dorm as he spends much time with the athletic team. But anyway, thanks to L’s guidance, Min knows how to go to Ulsan on Friday.

Finally, Min is comfortably sitting on the bus to Ulsan after finishing the last school day of the week. There is no test at all, yet the most special stuff lies in the appearance of the new English teacher – a young and y lady who has finished her master program in Canada named Gina Choi. And what makes her more special for Min is what she stated after Min, at her turn to introduce herself to the new teacher, told Gina her name.

‘You’re a special person!’

Min doesn’t know what “special” mean by that way at all. Maybe it’s because she’s the only student from overseas in the class or well..because she’s a mediator. But Gina would never know about that.

Min is slowly falling asleep while the bus is starting. Right then, a voice raises from above of her :

‘Please let me in.’

Min looks up. Oh what is this ?

According to Min’s memory, she told him last night that he must not follow her on the way to Ulsan. And he did agree. But why is he here ? Right now ?

7.  

It’s Myungsoo. She means, the one who doesn’t glow and isn’t colder.

And the one who can change his clothes into the school athletic team uniform.

Myungsoo seems surprised seeing Min there.

‘Oh, it’s you Min ?’

‘Yup. Me. Is your seat inside ?’

Min smiles at him and is about to step out to make way for him but Myungsoo refrains her.

‘You can sit there. It’s less tired sitting near the window. Hurry !’

As soon as they sit down, the bus starts to run. Myungsoo turns to her.

‘Why are you going to Ulsan ?’

Min tries to be cautious when she starts to feel the effect of car-sick.

‘My family lives there. You too ?’

It’s only a question for politeness as she has already known that he has no reason but it to return to Ulsan. But of course, her classmate doesn’t know her thought. That’s why he shrugs, answering her.

‘Yup, Ulsan is my hometown. Oh’ – he smiles. ‘Is there a possibility that we’re neighbor to each other ?’

‘Yup.’ – Min replies him with a sligh yawn. ‘The earth is round, ain’t it ?’

And yes, the earth is truly round because as soon as she put her first foot on Ulsan’s ground, the first thing she realizes is her dad waiting for her and next to him is his boss. And next to the president of ShinhaCorp is his son. Son Dongwoon.

Myungsoo nudges Min’s elbow and whispers.

‘I’m going now. When will you take the bus back to Seoul ?’

‘Maybe’ – she turns to him. –‘This time on Sunday.’

‘So see you at the station.’ – He slightly pats her shoulder and winks. –‘Nice to have you on my way today.’

Min waits til Myungsoo is gone and walks towards dad, greets the president and then silently walks on the car awaiting them.

Honestly, Min has no bad impression about Dongwoon, he’s extremely polite to everyone but Min still feels something strange that refrains her from being comfortable with him. Therefore, she hasn’t talked much with him even though he was the first one in the class that she got to know.

But this time, she has to talk with him as they are sitting at the back of the car.

‘You and Kim Myungsoo’ – Dongwoon says while Min seems to be distracted by the beautiful scene on the way. –‘look close, huh?’

‘What?’ – Min startles and looks at Dongwoon. –‘We just happened to take the same bus here. Is there problem with that?’

Dongwoon grins and scratches his head.

‘ Nothing…It’s just… You should be careful being friends with him. That twin brothers are not as good as you thought.’

‘Uhm’ – Min snorts. –‘ Thanks for warning but so far, he has been good to me. But…’

Min suddenly realizes the abnormality in his words. Why did he mention “that twin brothers”? How could Dongwoon know that Min knew both of them when in this human world, there’s only one Kim Myungsoo now.

‘What do you mean by that twin brothers?’

‘Nothing.’ – Dongwoon sounds mysterious. –‘Perhaps you don’t want to tell me anything.’

‘You mean…’ – Min stammers, not so sure whether Dongwoon is implying her secret. –‘That mediator stuff?’

Dongwoon exhales in satisfaction and nods. Both of them are sitting at the back of the car while their dads are talking merrily in the front seats. Maybe they might not pay attention to the weird talk between their sons and daughters.

‘You said that.’ – Dongwoon smirks.

‘But why do you…I mean, you knew it beforehand, right?’

‘Because I’m a mediator anyway.’

That just sounds insane. This world is really abnormal. It turns out that people around Min are not normal students, even herself. Mediators can’t be considered a dark force but it is mediators that keep the dead’s secrets, some of which might stir up the whole world. But just think, why do youngsters like Min, Minzy and even Dongwoon possess this special but dangerous ability? Is it something far from our control?

8.  

The party is just fantastic, from the venue decoration, music to even the guests’ outfit. But Min doesn’t feel like it. For her, dad’s birthday is something cozy. Years ago, despite their busy schedule, Min’s parents tried to stay at home with her and her brother to hold a simple but merry dinner to celebrate the occasion. It is much more meaningful than throwing a big party with 200 guests, making her parents busy greeting the guests without paying attention to either Min or her brother.

‘It seems you don’t like this party, huh?’

Someone startles her and she is too stunned to realize it is Myungsoo, standing there in the waiter uniform and re-organizing a pile of clean dishes.

Min stutters.

‘You…What are you doing here?’

‘Ah’ – Myungsoo looks down at his uniform. –‘My friends told me to do this for some money.’

‘So you go all the way from Seoul just to be a waiter?’ – Min has got over her initial surprise and now she’s trying to make joke of him.

 

‘Of course not.’ – Myungsoo shakes his head. –‘They took me here right after I got home. So, you came to Ulsan to join this party?’

‘Yup.’ – Min shrugs. –‘It’s my family’s party anyway.’

‘What? You live here?’

‘Nope. Only my parents and brother. You know that I live in Seoul, right? Is there a problem?’

Min wonders like he looks so surprise knowing that they are at Min’s house.

‘Ah no. Your house is really beautiful, might be the nicest in this neighborhood.’

Right then, the MC asks for attention from the participants and he invites Min’s parents – the hosts of this party – to go to the stage center and have a dance together. Min turns around to see her parents start to dance in the romantic tune of Because You Love Me. And seconds later, other participants also pair up to dance.

Min looks around. Except for the waiters, there are only Min and another guy in black who Min realizes after a few blinks to be Dongwoon standing alone. Perhaps Dongwoon also recognizes that fact and he starts to leave his place to walk towards Min. All of the sudden,  Myungsoo whispers to her.

‘Hey, is waiter allowed to dance here?’

‘You’d like to?’ – She tilts her head looking at him.

‘Yup. With you. Ok?’

Min rolls her eyes and then catching a glance of Dongwoon approaching near, she nods.

And then, Myungsoo takes one step to face Min and he reaches out his arm, slightly kneels down just like what men usually do at Western Medieval ball.

‘Lady, can you have this dance with me?’

Min snorts. She is not a fan of these kinds of romantic stuffs but she still takes his hand and replies with a smile:

Just like that, Myungsoo heads Min to the side of the stage in front of Dongwoon who seems to disbelieve in what is going on.