In my entire life, I’ve seen many beautiful things. A blooming flower, fireflies in the night sky, shooting stars… But none of their beauties add up to this person. My dongsaeng. My friend. My love. I want everyone to know this person’s story. Amber’s story.

July 1754

               “Catch them!” a man shouted.

              Four hired thugs run up from behind him. They chase after a young man and woman. The young man stumbles and loses his balance.

              “Amber, come on!” the girl shouts, running back for him. The boat was in sight…

              The young man slowly gets up when suddenly a blade ran through him.

              “No!!”

May 1754

              A ray of sunlight seeped through the fabric of the doors. Birds were chirping in the distance. A young man rustles under the blankets. He opens his eyes and stretches, then reaches for his sundial. He aims it under the ray of sunlight. The time read somewhere between 0800 and 0900. His eyes shot up.

“Crap, I’m late!” he shouted and got up to put on his uniform. Today, there was a new teacher. A new lesson was to be taught. Who knows how much trouble he’d be in if he were late.

              After slipping on his boots, he grabbed his painting materials and dashed out the door. He ran and he ran until his classmates were in sight. Class was taught under a roofed, open area, so he couldn’t sneak into class. He casually walked up the four steps of stairs and adjusted his head accessory. The teacher stopped talking and all of the students looked up at him. He looked around the classroom to find an empty spot. Then his hyung waved at him. He quickly walked over to him and was about to sit down when the teacher cleared his throat.

              “You,” the teacher said, pointing his brush at him. “Come up here.”

              He gulped and looked back at his hyung. His hyung gave him the “sorry-man-I-can’t-help-you” look. While walking up to the front of the class, a student slipped his foot out into the middle of the row, tripping him.

              “Oops,” he said, snickering. Half of the class started snickering with him.

              That student was Kai. He lead the other students of Dohwaseo and the students (mainly) followed him because his dad was one of the high-ranking officials. Kai was always bumping heads with him for no reason.

He fell onto his knees, but quickly got up. “Frickin’ idiot,” he mumbled.

When he got up to the front of the class, his teacher asked him, “What is your name? And why are you late?”

              “Ye. I am Amber, seonsaengnim. Also, I have no excuses… Joesonghaeyo,” he replied, bowing 90°.

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