School has officially started. Lectures and tutorials have begun, so did trainings. Sohyun was excited about her new journey and new friends. She has a few lectures and tutorials with Yoojung, and a couple with Jiwoo and Saeron. But none of her friends is taking statistics, her weakest subject and it’s the only lectures and tutorials she dreaded. She resolved to make friends here, at least to have companions to complain together.

When she entered the Statistic lecture, her heart sank. She barely could find other females in the lecture theatre. She saw two girls seated together and she made her way in their direction. By the end of the lecture, she got the message; Two is company, three’s a crowd.

Fortunately, Statistics lecture was the last class for the day and it’s cheerleading time. She walked briskly to her locker, dumped her books and grabbed her cheerleading attire. She bumped into Saeron and Ailee, who had become close after the camp and the three girls quickly changed.

Sohyun was looking out for Yoojung who has yet to appear even though training is about to start in a couple of minute. As she searched for Yoojung, her eyes caught Seungho’s who was walking towards the soccer team. Sohyun thought after the pleasant chat they had at camp, he might be friendlier, so she smiled at him. He blinked and immediately turned away. Oh wow! That’s how you going to be, fine! Sohyun huffed.

While Suzy checked attendance, Yoojung appeared with Myungsoo. Both went their separate ways when they reached the field. Yoojung apologised for her tardiness and quickly sat down beside Sohyun, giving her a bright smile. Sohyun shook her head as she noticed Yoojung’s lipstick was smudged. No guessing who and what caused that, she smirked.

Yoojung had confided after the camp that she was confident that Myungsoo is The One. “How do you know he is the one? The previous guys you dated wasn’t?” Sohyun asked. “Cos I want to be with him all the time. I missed him right after I met him,” Yoojung said confidently. “Does he make your heart beat faster?” Sohyun asked out of curiousity. “Of course, he does,” Yoojung replied. Sohyun was envious, she wished she has someone that makes her feel that way.

For the next few days, they learned the existing cheers. The standards were higher than high school. The routines were more complex with moves that were more difficult. But Sohyun picked it up easily and hence was tasked to help some of the other girls.

“Sohyun, for this particular cheer, we are not satisfied with the routine. Do you want to give a shot at choreographing it?” Suzy asked. Sohyun grinned, “Really?” Suzy nodded. “I love too. But I need a dance room, you know the one with mirror,” Sohyun said. Suzy agreed to check it out and let her know. She went back to the locker, lost in thoughts as she was already thinking of various moves to incorporate. Grabbing her stuff, she decided to go home and shower. She can’t wait to do her research. “Yoojung, I’m not joining dinner tonight. I’m going home,” she told her bestfriend.

Cheerleading trainings are held three times a week and usually after training, the soccer and cheerleading team would have dinner together. It’s not compulsory but encouraged to promote camaraderie. Sohyun has attended several of them and it’s usually lighthearted and fun.

Seungho rarely joined in the dinners after training since he rather goes home to study or rest. But that night, he told the guys that he was going to attend. The guys were excited that after so long, their Captain was joining them at dinner. They persuaded him to pick up the tab. He reluctantly agreed.

At dinner, he admitted the atmosphere was good. Everyone was relaxed and enjoyed each other company. They have built on the bond built during the camp and are now even closer. But he could not deny that he was a bit disappointed that Sohyun was not there. He had heard from the guys that she had attended several of the earlier dinners and happened to skip the one that he was.

Over the past couple of weeks, Seungho had seen Sohyun practise from afar. She was a fast learner and extremely good. But he avoided the cheerleading practice area because of his stupid reaction on first day of training. When their eyes met across the field and she smiled, he was too surprised by the smile that he reacted by turning away. He had hope to apologise to her at the dinner.

Sohyun opened the door to her house to the sound of shouting. She sighed and felt like turning back. Should I go back and join the dinner, she thought. But looking at herself still in her training attire, unshowered, it would raise questions. And no one must know the going ons inside her family, she sighed again.

Taking a deep breath, she walked in and quietly made her way to her room. Her mom noticed her. “Sohyun-ah, you are home early today. We’ll be having dinner in 10 minutes. Join us please,” her mom asked sweetly. Sohyun smiled at her mom before looking at her father and her brother meekly. She shook her head. “I had early dinner with the team,” she lied. She quickly rushed up to her room.

Later when the house has quietened down, she went to the back kitchen. Mrs Lee, the housekeeper, was sitting at the small table, peeling some vegetables. “Annyeong Miss Sohyun, you finally appear. Let me get you something to eat,” she welcomed Sohyun to her warm kitchen.

“Bread with butter would do, Mama Lee. I’m not very hungry,” Sohyun walked up to her and hugged her generous body. Sohyun was mainly brought up by Mrs Lee who doted on the youngest in the family. Mrs Lee hugged her back as she patted her head.

When Sohyun was in third grade, she had her first sleepover at a friend’s place. When she came back, Sohyun confided in Mrs Lee about the wonderful family her friend has. They were not rich, but the parents were so loving to each other, and they doted on their kids. “Their daddy played games with us after dinner. He was so funny,” Sohyun was in awe. “Why is my family not like that?” she had asked. Mrs Lee just explained that different family has different style.

Since then, she had noticed the lack of bonding within her own family and it affected her. Unlike her friend’s, her family rarely laugh together. Instead, their main interactions are often through tensed meals and quarrels, usually with her father, who has another family with his mistress. He often made her mom cried and her brother and sister rebelled against him. These fights upset Sohyun very much and she would go to Mrs Lee to cry. Over the years, she’s grown distant from her family members but no one noticed.

However, Sohyun was also taught about family pride since she was a baby. They are the Kims of Kim Media conglomerate. A family that people looked up to and played an important role in the society. Hence, their family presented a tight knit family to the outside world and no one knew her real family. Since young, no matter what happen, Sohyun had always appeared cheerful and happy when she goes to school or when she is with friends, even when the reality at home is that her family was falling apart.

After a light dinner, she went to her sister’s room. “Unnie, why did they fight today?” she asked. Soyoung looked at her baby sister who has grown into such a beauty. They barely spend time together so she had missed Sohyun growing up. “Oppa going to Busan for a company function. He is bringing his girlfriend, but Appa wasn’t happy. Appa wants him to bring a social to accompany Oppa to the event. Can you believe that? How is a social better than his own girlfriend? Appa just didn’t want him to keep bringing his girlfriend because people would notice and then it be difficult to match make him for business purpose,” she said cynically. Sohyun nodded. She said her thanks and walked back to her room. Sohyun was too affected by her family drama to think of the choreography, so she decided to sleep early.

The next morning, Sohyun could hear more arguments at breakfast table. She tried to sneak out but her mom saw her. “Sohyun, come have breakfast.” Sohyun shook her head and continued to walk to the door.

“Sohyun, come here and eat your breakfast,” Appa barked. Sohyun stood still, trembling. She has this intense fear of her father that she often avoided. Her brother Seo Joon turned towards his sister and saw that she was scared. “Don’t you shout at Sohyun,” he scolded his father. “Sohyun, just go to school,” he said kindly. Hearing that, she ran out of the house and drove her car out quickly. During the drive, she took deep breath to calm herself down. A tear trickled down her cheek and she brushed it off.

She arrived early on campus but found a couple of cars already parked. She walked towards the field looking for a private space for her to be alone. Whenever she was upset, she needs time alone to sort out her thoughts and feelings, so that she could then push them aside and face the world with a smile. She found a spot near the school field where there are some trees and steps facing away from the field where it would provide some privacy. She sat quietly on the steps, letting her tears fall as she psyched herself. After gaining control over her emotions, she wiped the tears away and opened her bag for a yoghurt bar. She ate the bar slowly as her nerves calm down and she started to enjoy the cool morning and quiet breeze.

Seungho just completed his run and started walking to warm down when he thought he saw a flash of colors behind the trees near the field. He looked again to be sure and as he came nearer, he realized that there was a girl that was seated there, and it looked like Sohyun. He walked closer and was a little bit pleased that it was indeed her.

“Alone again?” Seungho commented as he sat on the steps a few feet away from her. His comment jolted Sohyun from her reverie and she turned surprise to find Seungho. “Yes, its my me time,” she quipped. “What are you doing in school so early?” she asked. “I should ask you. I’m here for my run,” as he indicated his attire and his sweaty state, “what are you doing here so early?” “Sometimes I need to be alone,” she looked at him pointedly, “and the morning