Chapter 05
"Memory"

Krystal reads the note one last time, a little chuckle escaping from her lips. It could've been one of those pranks they'd pull on a new student. She sighs and throws the note in a nearby trash can.

She closes her locker and puts the key back into her bag. Walking through the halls, she suddenly hears a loud bell. She finds students scattering as she gets closer to the cafeteria.

Soon, someone smoothly runs into her, pulling her arm gently. "Yah, where were you? I told you to hurry," it was Baekhyun, and behind him was Jongin. Sehun and Chanyeol trailing behind.

"Let's go," he says, "our last class is in a different room."

They all walk together, or somewhat together since Sehun and Chanyeol were walking slowly.

"Here," Baekhyun says and opens a door for her, "this is our theater." Krystal admires the room with larger eyes. It looked fancier than the theater in her previous school.

Jongin holds the door open as they all walk in. Sehun and Chanyeol finally join them afterwards at the door. Chanyeol walks towards them because he wanted to join.

"And Krystal," Chanyeol says as he walks next to Baekhyun inside the theater. He walks to a door at the side of the theater, "This is our class," Chanyeol says and Krystal sees a little sign on the door entitled Performing Arts. Just by reading that, she mentally thanks her mother for giving her music classes when she was younger.

"Wow," was all she said when she entered the large room full of instruments. To the side of it, there was a large mirror which transformed it into a dance room.

When the instructor walked in, everyone gathered around the center and sat on the floor. "Good afternoon students, how was lunch?" their teacher asked. He looked as if he was nearly forty years old, but he looked incredibly heathy and fit.

"Good!" they replied in sync. He smiled, and when he made eye contact with Krystal, he jumps in excitement.

"I almost forgot," he said and motioned Krystal to stand up, "our new student from America. What's your name?"

"My name is Jung Soo Jung."

He smiles, "What about your American name?"

"Ah, it's Krystal."

"Krystal!" he says with joy, "Krystal Jung, do you have anything against being in this class? This is your only chance to make a switch if you don't want performing arts."

"I'm alright with this class, sir." she replies politely.

"Great!" he says, "To be in this class, you have to have some kind of talent, performing talent. Do you think you have that?"

"I'm pretty sure," she says, determined. "I have been given piano, guitar, and vocal lessons when I was younger."

"Amazing! Now, may I ask for you to show the class?"

Krystal was nervous, she never performed in front of a crowd, just her teacher. Everyone in the class watches her as she stiffly walks to the grand piano, taking  seat, and observing the keys. She started playing when she was ready.

After her performance, it was silent before everyone started clapping and cheering her on. The teacher was also impressed.

"Well," he says and walks towards Krystal, "we seem to have another talented student. Everyone, another round of applause for Miss Jung."

Everyone clapped once again. After, she joined everyone back on the floor as they continued classes.

"You did great," Chanyeol says and give her a thumbs up.

"Yep, I almost cried," Baekhyun says and places his hand on his chest, making a dramatic face. "That song was so beautiful."

A thousand compliments and class discussions later, the bell rings and everyone cheers. As a group, they all charge for the door, trying to leave school as soon as possible. She saw Sehun walk out with the other guys. They seemed slow, so she took the advantage of going to her locker.

Quickly, she just alternates her books, getting the ones she would need and leaving the ones she wouldn't. Just as she was about to close up her locker and leave, Taeyeon goes besides her, inserting her key into her locker.

"Hi Krystal," she greets happily, but without eye contact since she was focused on her locker.

"Hello Taeyeon," Krystal says, "I didn't know your locker was next to mine."

"Same for me."

"Oh," she breathes as she tried to remember what Sehun had told her, "I can't make it to the tour thing, I'm sorry."

"It's alright Krystal, we can always plan something else later," she replies then jumps as if she forgot something.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"I forgot I had to meet someone today," she says nervously and grabs a few books from her locker, "Krystal, can you please bring these back to the library for me? I really need to go."

"Of course, but where is the library?" she asks. Taeyeon thoroughly explains the directions while using little hand gestures.

"Sorry, I will leave first," Taeyeon says and waves to Krystal as she quickly walks away. Krystal waves back and walks to the library.

She followed the directions given by Taeyeon and soon enough, she saw it a few steps away. She gave it back to the librarian before she paced back to the exit.

Just as she was about to open the door, it pushed open quickly, hitting her in the head, causing her to fall. She held her head to ease the pain.

"Oh my, are you alright?" the person who opened the door asked. Krystal felt like she was taken into another land since she fell to the ground. She began having a little scene pop up in her head, a short memory was triggered.

A scene which took place in her young years. Grade school? This is the first time she's recalled her life in grade school.

Moments later, a boy with pale, white skin came, laughing, and playing with her. Sehun? She began recognizing him. It is Sehun! She said to herself. So we were close after all.

Before any if this can continue, she got out of her trance by someone shaking her, not so violently. "Excuse me, are you okay?" she heard a soft female voice.

Krystal got back to reality and bowed to the student in front of her, "Ah, yes sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I should've been more careful," she replied, referring to the accident.

"It's fine. I'm alright, I'm not hurt," Krystal says, reassuring her.

"What a relief," she says. "I guess I should get going now, Krystal-ssi."

"You know me?"

She nods, "It's what everyone has been talking about lately." She takes little steps away, "Well, bye. Nice to meet you, I'm sorry for what happened."

"I said it's alright, and it was nice to meet you too," she smiles, "oh wait, what's your name?"

"It's Joohyun!" she yells softly since she was now a distance away.

When she left, Krystal tried to recall what just happened. It's been a while since she's seen a past memory. A really long while.

Sehun seemed so much friendly when he was younger. The Sehun she saw in her memory was different than the one right now. But wait.

Sehun.

Quickly, she runs through the halls, to the gates of the school. Sehun wouldn't forget about her, right?

When she reaches the gates, there were barely people outside, barely cars in the parking lot. She passed through the parking lot, scanning each and every spot for his car, but no avail.

Was he going to pick her up at the alley where he dropped her to school?

She ran out the gates, struggling because her bag was heavy and the winter air was taking over. She was really hoping to see his car in the alley. But no.

What would she do? She left her phone at home, she had no money, and the air was getting colder.

She walks to a near bus stop and stays there, the only option left was to wait.

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