After School

Ha Neul stretch as she was about to leave to go to her locker. Ah yes, I need to tell the principal that I can’t stay after school because I need to go to work. I’ll just as well have to make it up. Why is this happening to me? My wonderful chance given to me is being wasted.

As she got all her things, Ha Neul trudge sadly to the principal’s office. I want to stay after with Myungsoo. But if I stay, I’ll get fire because this is will be like the third or fourth time that I skipped work, if I really do.

She knocked on the door.

“Come in,” she heard.

“Mrs. Kim, I can’t stay after school today for detention for Mrs. Choi because I woke up late this morning. I have to go work, so I can’t stay after today,” she said hoping Mrs. Kim will let her go.

“It’s fine Ha Neul ah just don’t be late coming to school again or I’ll not let you off the hook again. I’ll tell Mrs. Choi,” Mrs. Kim said as Ha Neul nodded understandingly.

“Then I’ll take my leave, Mrs. Kim,” she said bowing, “Have a nice evening.”

With that, she left the school building to the convenient store that she worked at near her house. She never told anyone, not even her parents or sisters, that she worked after school because she would always say she either have tutoring after school or detention. She don’t like using other people’s money on her, she likes to use money wisely and use her own money instead of using others when they work so hard for it. They earn it.

She quickly change and went to the counter where the lady was.

“ANNYEONGHASEYO,” she cheered happily.

“Oh annyeong Ha Neul ah you’re here,” the lady said.

“Neh. What do I need to do today?” Ha Neul asked.

“Just go and put the ramens and everything that just came in today in its place. After that, you can do your homework until your shift is over,” the lady answered.

“NEH,”she said happily.

After stacking the chips and ramens in its place, she went to the counter and sat down doing her homework. Ha Neul didn’t hear the sound of the bell ringing by the door because she was too concentrated on her homework and she can’t solve a problem. She just stared at the paper until a voice almost made her fall off her seat.

“The answer is 50,” the person said.

“THAT’S THE CORRECT ANSWER. How do you do this?” she asked as she stood up and saw Myungsoo staring back at her.

She gulp and then stare somewhere else to not blush while seeing his face. She quickly scan the price of each things that he bought, a ramen, an egg, kimchi, rice, a triangle kimbap, and a banana drink.

“Your total is 10,000 won,” she said.

Myungsoo pull out a 10,000 won and handed it to her. She took the 10,000 won and open the cashier thingy as Myungsoo took his things and bring it to a seat in the convenient store. She went back to focusing on her work as Myungsoo ate his food.

After a while, she look up and Myungsoo was gone. She sighed and got ready to leave because her shift was over. She look at her clock and it said 9.

“Omma won’t get suspicious if I made up a lie,” she said as she quickly wore her backpack and  came out of the convenient store after saying by to the lady.

As she was walking, she heard footsteps and thanks to her great eyesight, she saw a black shadow following her. Her heart rate increase as she got scared. She was ready to just run for it and scream for help, but as she was going to yell for help, someone cover .

“Be quiet. I’m Kim Myungsoo,” he said.

Ha Neul turned and saw him. She took a deep breathe to calm her down a bit.   

“Why did you scare me?” Ha Neul asked.

“Are you Mira’s sister?” he asked.

“Yeah why?” she replied.

“Oh. I just want to know,”Myungsoo said.

“Oh well I got to go home now bye,” Ha Neul wave as Myungsoo smile back to her.

Her heart raced this time, not because of being scared but because of Myungsoo. Why does he always make my heart beat so fast like this? She asked.

That night, she couldn’t sleep at all.