First grade:

Seulgi POV:

Today is my first day as a high scholar, me and Sooyoung go to the same school, but unfortunately the boys don’t go the same school as us. This morning, only mom who sit in front of me in dining room, mom said that dad is still sleeping because he came late last night,

“Just eat and goes to the school, ahjumma made a lunch box for you, take it…I hope your first day will be a good day..,” my mom said then leave me alone in dining table, okay I’m really used to this kind of thing. Eating breakfast alone, goes to school with a luxurious car, get a special treatment in school because my dad always give so much money to the school. I’m an only child in this house, when I’m enter this house I became lonely, so I choosed to go with the Jjang…or just go with that girl, Park Sooyoung. Her house not that far from mine, I saw her today when I’m on my way to the school,

“Should I stop the car?, there is Sooyoung-ie there..,” the driver asked me. Sooyoung there with her dad, it’s like she’ll go to school by bicycle, we go to the same school, but why I feel like it’s okay if we go by ourself, me with luxurious car and her with her ordinary bicycle,

“Just go, she’ll go by her bicycle..,” I said to the driver. Honestly, I’m jealous of her. She got the attention from her parent, her dad is my dad’s private secretary from 3 years ago, and her mom is a ballerina who still life in LA with her older sister. Eventhough her dad busy, he never forget to call her to ask what she’s doing..her mom too, hmm I’m jealous of that..my parent never do that to me…the one who always ask me what am I doing is my dad’s private secretary, and he is Sooyoung’s dad. Before she came to Korea, I always go to her house to play with her dad whenever he get days off, he told me that he had a daughter who life in LA who in the same age as me, that daughter now became my friend, my close friend,

“Yah..how can you leave me like that?,” she said when she just arrived at class, we are in the same class.

“Should we go together starting from tomorrow?,” I asked to her.

“I’ll go by myself, but make it sure if you meet me on your way..you must greet me..okay?,” she said, then smile to me, she take the seat near the window while I take the front seat. Why am I so sure that she goes to this school, same as me not just a coincident but someone totally plan it from the start that we must go to the same school. This school, just from the look is not her type. This school designed for a rich family, there is no student who bring bicycle here, it designed for a student who have a will to study abroad when graduated from this school later, if not abroad, then goes to this country prestigious universities, so all of the students’s focus is on studying, she doesn’t have that kind of will, she ever said to me that she want to enjoy her high school days without burden, then why she enter this school, this school is full of burden. If it’s not my dad who planed this, then her dad.

*

After their first day as high school ended, they meet in the leader house. Changsub was already there, then Seulgi come with Sooyoung not long after him,

“So, how is it Park Sooyoung-ssi?, became a student in that school?,” Changsub asked to Sooyoung, “your face say it all, that you are uncomfortable there, right?,” he really had so many things to asked, “really different with Seulgi who seem enjoying her first day, right?,” he asked to Seulgi, then Seulgi answer him with smile.

“Why are you so curious, Mr. Fussy?. Is my face that weird, leader-nim?,” she asked to the leader who still busy with his new handphone.

“You look tired,” he said, then she took a deep sigh, “you know that school is what kind of school, why you still go there?,” he asked.

“Because my dad want it…I already refused it, but he still want me to go there,” she said, Seulgi who heard all of their conversation became more sure after heard her confession that her dad want her to go to that school, “but, where is the nerd?,” she asked to the other boys about Hyunsik who isn’t there at that time.

“Playing piano in his practice’s place..he is a piano prodigy now, he said that he want to join National piano competition next year,” Changsub said, Hyunsik start practiced piano since a year ago, “yah, can you call us by name?, why call me Mr. Fussy, call Hyunsik the nerd, and call Sungjae leader-nim,” he is protested.

“Why?, I like it when she call me leader-nim,” Sungjae said, make Changsub upset.

“Then, do you have plan to make the Jjang in your new school?,” Seulgi who silent all this time finally asked something,

“The jjang is us, the five of us, if not us then it’s not the jjang. We’ll try to help the students who feel uncomfortable in our school, but not under the Jjang name, ” the leader said.

“You look cool when you speak like that,” Sooyoung said after heard what Sungjae said.

“Am I?, haha,” he look pround of himself.

“Let’s go to the cinema now, you say there is new film there…,” Sooyoung asked Changsub.

“I already bought tickets yesterday…I thought Hyunsik will join us, so I bought 5 tickets. The movie will start at 5 Pm,” he said while taking out the tickets.

“Just give it to his sister, she’ll come if we ask her,” Sooyoung said, then the other nodding, “okay, I’ll call her then,” then she leave the other to call Hyunsik’s sister, “Hyunjin-ah, come to watch movie with us…I bet you won’t rejected it..hehe,” after get her answer, she end the call, then back to her friends, “she’ll come..she’ll immedietly go to the cinema.”

“Okay, then get ready. You won’t go to the cinema with that uniform, right?,” Sungjae asked to the two girls, then both of them take out their shirt from the bag,

“This uniform really expensive, I won’t wear this outside school,” Sooyoung said then leave them to change her cloth.

After watching movie, they come together to one of fast-food restaurant near the cinema, still with Hyunjin,

“Are you regretting after come here?,” Sooyoung suddenly asked to Hyunjin with a low voice.

“Why am I regretting?, I come not just to watch the movie…there is someone who attracted me here,” she said while smiling.

“I know who is he, yah..are you sure you are only 14 years old?, the way you talk is so different with your age..” Sooyoung look friendly with her. The boys come with food on their hand,

“Why?, different with her age?, what?,” Sungjae asked.

“Her way of talking.., wah..thank you..it’s look delicious,” she said.

“Didn’t you like that too?, back then when we were still in middle school..your way of talking like an adult..” Changsub said.

“Just eat..don’t comment..,” Sooyoung said while giving Hyunjin and Seulgi their food, “Seulgi-yah, is there something wrong?,” she asked to Seulgi who didn’t talk since they come out from cinema.

“No, just…I’m really tired, after this we’ll go home, right?,” she asked.

“Hmm..we must go to school tomorrow, it’s already 8 o’clock..” Sungjae said.

“Jyaa…,” Changsub said while giving a glass of cola to his friends, “let’s have fun in our new school,” he said while lifting up the glass.

“It’ll be hard for me to having fun there,” Sooyoung said while lifting her glass, “but, I’ll try hard to have fun,” then smile.

“Having fun while working hard,” Seulgi said then lift her glass too.

“Let’s work hard,”Sungjae said then lift up his glass, all of them looking at Hyunjin who still didn’t lift up her glass, “what do you want to say?,” Sungjae asked.

“But I’m not in the same situation as oppas and unnies,” she said.

“It’s okay, join us. My hand hurt, quickly do it..” Changsub said while massage his right hand.

“Okay..fighting..!,” she said while lifting up her glass, then all of them said cheers…

*

It’s already a week, they passed as high school’s students. In this past days, they still don’t feel something different yet..but Sooyoung already feel annoyed over something,

“So, did Seulgi have a new friend there?, did you help her a lot?,” her dad asked to Sooyoung, who is cleaning the house, today is Sunday.

“You asked the same thing, from three days ago, that’s the question you asked to me. Is she your daughter, why did you asked about her, not me?,” she look upset with her dad’s action.

“Yah..how can you said that?. It’s because dad know that our daughter doing fine, she is easily adapted with new environment, right?,” he tried to not make his daughter upset, “Seulgi didn’t get enough attention from her parent, she just get much money, but not that much attention, so dad feel sorry for her.”

“How can you know when you didn’t even ask me about it?. Dad, I know that you are her dad’s secretary, you already considered her as your own daughter, but don’t you think it’s too much for me?. I came all the way here because dad said that you miss me, that you feel lonely here, if I know it’ll be like this, I’ll stay there with mom and unnie, “ she look really upset about it, “that school really make me uncomfortable, all of them want to became a king and queen, and they have two classes, one, student who come from rich family, or, student who have brain, but I’m not listed in that two classes. I want to go to normal school, but it won’t happen right?, your boss want it, your boss want make me to became spy for his daughter, right? Or her bodyguard?,,” she asked to her dad.

“Yah…that school really the best school, is not because of that. Dad choosed that school because dad know that, and you are not her spy or bodyguard, you are her friend. Because you are her friend, her dad suggested to me about that school, so I can enrolling you to the same school as his daughter so that she became more comfortable in that school.. because there is someone she close to. Don’t be so angry about it, okay?,” he said while rubbing her head, “I’m sorry for making you angry, dad won’t do that again, okay?,” he said then smile to her, Sooyoung continue her work.

*

It’s her third week in this school, she still didn’t find it comfortable yet. Her bicycle it’s only bicycle here, her friends start bullying her, she can defense herself, but she doesn’t know until when she can endure all of this. But, it’s getting worse after they know that she was a child actress, they bad mouthing her, they spread some bad rumours about her. Seulgi still being her friend in school, and she get new friends too, but she didn’t know that Sooyoung get bullied really bad by the other students, because they didn’t show that kind of attitude in front of Seulgi, because they know that her dad have a big power in this school, and they know that Sooyoung and Seulgi are friend,

“Where is Seulgi?,” the boys asked, they gather in Hyunsik’s room after school, “what’s wrong with your leg?,” they asked when they saw some bruised on her leg,

“Fall down..because I’m trying to having fun,” she said then Hyunsik taking out ointment from his drawer and giving it to Sooyoung, they know what she mean by that words,

“Apply it on your wound, it’ll get better,” he said.

“Thank you, chingu-yah…,” she said then applied the ointment on her wound, then Hyunsik give her bandaid, she smile to him,

“Are you okay?, is it really tough being there?,” Sungjae asked, he’s worried.

“Hmm..I can endure it for now. It’s okay as long as I have friends like all of you, I hope I can endure it for three years,” she said then give the ointment back to Hyunsik, “thank you.”

“Tell Seulgi that you got bullied by some students there, so she can defense you..her dad is one of school committee there, right? A powerfull dad,” Changsub adviced.

“Aii..don’t be that fussy, I’m okay, I’m still okay, and I’ll be okay..” she said then smile, she take the comic book from Hyunsik’s table, suddenly Sungjae leave the room with handphone on his hand, he is calling someone,

“Where are you?, can you come here?,” he asked, “we have some problems..ah, really?, it’s okay, just continue your study, sorry for distrubbing you,” he said then end the phone.

The boys looking at Sooyoung, they look really worried about her, then Sungjae comeback to the room,

“She couldn’t come, her tutor teacher come to her house, so she must study right now,” he said, he just called Seulgi who still didn’t come.

“Don’t say anything about it to her, I don’t want to burden her,” Sooyoung say while covering her face with comic-book. Sungaje take the blanket to cover Sooyoung leg,

“Stay strong, you are a good fighter, right?,” Sungjae said, then Sooyoung smile.

“Hmm, among all of us, your are a good fighter, so you must stay strong,” Changsub join in, Hyunsik just smile to her,

“You didn’t say anything yet, Im Hyunsik,” she said.

“Fighting, Park Sooyoung!,” he said loudly make everyone laughing hard.

They boys send Sooyoung to her house, she get on Hyunsik’s bicycle, she changed her skirt to pants, her bicycle is broken, she couldn’t use that, so she place that in Hyunsik’s house for now,

“Hold on tight,” Hyunsik said when he’s about to start riding his bicycle, while the other boys riding bicycle right behind them, Sooyoung hold on Hyunsik, on their way,Sooyoung start leaning her head on Hyunsik’s back and crying silently. After sending her to her house, they start worrying about her again,

“Should we tell he dad that she get bullied, so he’ll enroll her to another school, how is that?,” Changsub advice.

“Don’t used that word yet to her dad, I bet he’ll really sad if hear that. If we want to tell him, then tell him that his daughter is uncomfortable there..and tell him the reason why she get uncomfortable there..but for now, let’s trust her, she’ll do her best anywhy,” they said while riding their bicycle.

“If that wound start getting worse, then what should we do?, we can’t just watching her, right?,” Hyunsik said to Sungjae.

“Of course. For now, let’s tell Seulgi about it..she’ll help her there, she’ll be her side when we couldn’t. Although we promised her that we won’t tell Seulgi about it, but still, let’s do it, ” they agreed to what Sungjae said, then call Seulgi,

“Yah, Seulgi-yah,” Changsub is the one who tell her, “you know..that Sooyoung get uncomfortable there, right?,” he said, “help her…stay right next to her.”

“Why?, Is there something wrong?,” she asked because she really didn’t know anything about it.

“Tell her that everything will be okay, she get bullied by some students there,” after heard that, Seulgi shocked,

“Bullied?, why I didn’t know anything about it?,” then she tried to remember all this time when she was with her in school, when meet her, Sooyoung not really smiling, one day, she asked to her about the bruised on her forehead, and she said that it get hit by a basketball when she walking near the field while the other students playing basket, “is that bruised is one of the wound that caused by students who bullied her?,” she asked.

“Bruised on her forehead, on her legs, are all caused by students who bullied her. We think, if you always stay by her side, she’ll get better,” he said.

“Okay, I’m really sorry for her because knowing it so late, I’ll be her side start from tomorrow,” she promised that to them.

“But, don’t tell anything to her, just stay by her side no matter what, okay,” Sungjae join their conversation.

“Why?,” Seulgi asked.

“Because she doesn’t want to burden you by that, just stay by her side without telling her that you know about the bullying things,” Sungjae explained, Seulgi understand it and end the call.

*

The next day, when break time, Seulgi imedietly go to Sooyoung’s table with books on her hand,

“Why?,” Sooyoung asked, wondering why she is there, because she always at school’s library or school’s canteen when it’s break time,

“Why, I want to study here,” she said then smiling.

“Aren’t you tired?, we just finish studying, just ten minutes ago, why you study again by youself,” she asked then put her head on the table, she is not looking at Seulgi.

“Let’s not call it study, just call it that I’m reading a book,” she said.

“What’s make that different?,” Sooyoung asked then smiling, but she look sad though, suddenly tears fall down from her eyes, Seulgi didn’t notice it yet,

“Aren’t you hungry?,” she asked to her, “let’s eat..,” she said while grabbing her hand, Sooyoung wiping her tears,

“I’m not that hungry, just go there by yourself.”

“I won’t go there by myself, let’s go..I’ll be lonely if I go there by myself,” she said while pulling her body, forcing her to get up,

“Okay..okay, were you this nagging, before?,” she asked to her then smile, Seulgi know form her eyes that she was cried,

“I always nagging to the person I love,” she said then pull her hand, they go to the canteen.