The first thing I notice when I wake up is the sun in my eyes. I look around to see any signs of my room mate, Isabella, but I don’t see her or her shoes so I assume she left. I immediately pull the covers over my head trying to shield myself from the rays blinding me through the window. Two minutes probably pass of me just laying there before I hear the door of my room open and close. Wondering who it is I peek my head out from under the covers and notice my roommate taking out her headphones looking at me with her signature smirk on her face.

“I figured by the time I came back from my run you would be out of bed” Isabella says walking towards my bed. “Should have known I would be wrong”. She sits down next to me and I turn facing her.

“What time is it”? I ask her rubbing my eyes and sitting up

“It’s one o’clock lazy ” she says laughing as she scrolls through her phone.

I push her aside as I get up and stretch walking over to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face.

“You know I’m really feeling the love Haeun, just pushing me aside like that”. Isabella says as I laugh.

I finish up in the bathroom and I walk back out. I sit next to my roommate on my bed and pick up my phone from the nightstand unlocking it. After a while our friend Rebecca walks in.

“Hey guys did you hear about the new guys moving into the boy’s dormitory across campus?” she says as she walks over sitting on the floor.

“The new guys everyone has been rumoring about”? asks Isabella getting excited. Rebecca continues.

“Yeah apparently they’re from South Korea, and they’re famous some how. Jordan texted me saying they’re here and the guys have been helping them move in. They seem nice from what i’ve heard.” Both Rebecca and Isabella start looking at me.

“What? What is it”? I ask looking at them confused.

“Maybe one of them is like your long lost cousin or something”. Rebecca says and Isabella agrees. I roll my eyes.

“Are you serious? I told you I don’t have any family from there.” I say

“How could you know? It’s not like you’ve ever tried looking.” Isabella says

“I’ve told you guys before I never even met my father, and I have no need to start searching now. If he wanted me he would’ve come to see me by now”. I say walking towards the door and putting on my shoes.

“So you really have no desire at all to know where you come from”? asked Rebecca, looking at Izzie and then me with concern on her face.

“No, no I don’t. Now let’s go I want lunch. Becky you’re driving”. I say as the girls get up and follow me out the door.

 

****

 

After going to chipotle and coming back to campus Becky, Izzie and I walked over to the student lounge, the building on campus where everyone hung out during non-school hours, and we met up with Jordan. He was playing video games with a few friends on one of the coaches.

“Hey J” I said as we walk over and sit with him and his friends.

“Sup”? Jordan says side hugging me all while moving his thumb along the control.

“So you guys met the new boys”? Of course Rebecca asked with Izzie being just as curious.

“Yeah, what about it”? asked Nick, one of Jordan’s friends.

“Well, what were they like”? Isabella pushed

“They were cool, they didn’t say much though other then they’re names, and they had security with them so It was a little intense when we were helping them move in”. Jordan replied.

“Security !?! Oh my gosh the rumors are true!!”

“What Rumor?” J asked Isabella

“Well everyone has been talking about how the new guys are famous over in Korea, but no one really knows what for. People are thinking it’s government related.” replied Becky

“That would explain the security detail” said Jordan, jumping up right after due to winning the video game they were playing.

“Why didn’t you ask the other Koreans Haeun? I’m sure they know” Jordan asked

“They don’t really like me, we all know that” i respond, not really interested in discussing them.

“Are they seriously still giving you a hard time?” Jordan asked, concerned as the four of us got up to leave the building.

“Yeah they are, and I swear the second Haeun lets me I’m giving them a piece of my mind!” says Becky as I roll my eyes as Jay and Isabella laugh.

“And that won’t be happening” I say.

The other korean girls don’t like me. They call me an outcast and say I know nothing of what being a real Korean is. They make fun of me and talk to me in Korean condescendingly believing I don’t understand. They never asked if I spoke korean, so I never told them I could, and because I don’t really like confrontation I try my best to just stay out of their way.

“Whatever, all I’m saying is they wouldn’t be bullying you if you just stook up for yourself more”. Becky says to me. I guess she is right, but I just don’t see it happening.

At this point we are at the dining hall, walking in to find a table so we can eat dinner. We all grab our food and sit down together with a few other people we normally talk to. After about 20 minutes one of the teachers who live on campus get up and begins to speak.

“Hey guys can I have everyone’s attention? We have a few new guys on campus who arrived today and they’re just going to introduce themselves.” She hands over the mic to one of the four tall guys.

“Umm, hello. My name is Hyunwoo Bae. I’m from South Korea, I am a senior and I play basketball.” He hands the mic to the next guy.

“Hey everyone my names Dohyun Kang, I’m also from South Korea and I am also a senior.” The next guy took the mic.

“My name is Youngdoo Choi, and as you probably guessed I’m from South Korea, I play soccer.”

The last guy took the mic, and as soon as he did I got this feeling in my stomach. One I couldn’t describe, I didn’t know what to call it. His presence was intense in a calm way. And for a split second, I could have sworn our eyes connected before he finally spoke.

“Hello everyone” he clears his throat, “my name is Joowoon Kim from South Korea and I am a senior.” The teacher got back up taking the mic from Joowoon.

“Ok thank you so much guys for introducing yourselves, I’m sure you’ll fit right in”. Her smile was warm as she began to clap and everyone else joined in. As the guys walked past our table back to their seat, Joowoon looked down at me, and I looked up at him, and for a split second I felt like I knew him some how. Then he looked away, and I continued talking to my friends as if it were nothing.