Chapter 3 - Same School, Same Grade, Same Class

The start of the new year wasn’t great nor extravagant as Minjoo wished for, but it was decent enough for her to swallow of the fact that Chaewon had ruined the night and could forgive her.

The red haired’s mother prepared a delicious breakfast the next morning as if she’s compensating for doing her step-daughter wrong the night before. Minjoo sat on the table silently and ate away. No one was speaking a word and it was the first time she felt so awkward and uncomfortable during her stay in the house.

“Hyewon, can I talk to you for a little after this?”

The breakfast was over and Minjoo saw Hyewon followed her step-mother to the master bedroom after they cleaned the table. She said nothing against that and her little anger towards the older woman had disappeared right after she listened to the conversation (once again: by accident) Chaewon had with her mother last night.

Honestly, she still wanted to know why the woman made such a big deal out of Chaewon’s temporary missing but she held herself back from asking anyone about it. She guessed she just had to die from curiosity than daring herself to ask anything related to Chaewon.

When it was about time Minjoo had to leave the house, Hyewon was back in good terms with her step-mother and it was such a good sight to see. Chaewon’s mother was still a nice woman after all. She took back her saying that she would re-think about Miss Kim.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay here longer?” Miss Kim kindly asked. “It’s still holiday and you can be with Hyewon all you want. Your parents won’t be back until another three weeks anyway,” she said further and actually had a point there. But she remembered her mother saying she shouldn't stick herself in the family for too long because they don’t belong to her in the first place.

“It’s fine. We have our pet to take care of back at home and I need to look out for the flowers that my mom planted,” Minjoo declined reluctantly. Her heart was too heavy to say goodbye but she didn’t want herself to get too attached by the family either.

“Once you move out to a new house in no time, you can always come and visit us here,” Mr. Kang said that somehow touched Minjoo’s heart. It was the first time she saw him acting soft around her. He was never that civil towards her before since they never lived together. He just saw her as her mother’s daughter that he didn't want to associate himself with. “Come, I’ll give you a ride to the bus terminal!”

Now she was deeply touched by his gesture that she became too dumbfounded to move. Until Hyewon touched her arm, Minjoo came back to reality and realized Mr. Kang was already in his car.

“Go on! We don’t want you to miss your bus!”

She her dry lips before smiling at her sister and Chaewon’s mother. “Then, I should get going first. Thank you for everything ahjumma!” she bowed and got in the car, her eyes teared up. She had actually become really attached to them that she felt upset by this parting.

Mr. Kang drove off and Minjoo turned her back to see and wave at the remaining ladies in the house, already missing them.

Except Chaewon.

***

[New semester, high school, after holiday]

Minjoo wakes up early as she feels the excitement pumps up in her body for her first day at a new school. She takes her time showering in the bathroom, putting extra effort to clean every inch of her body with the nice smell of the body soap.

Exiting the bathroom with the same excitement runs down in her veins, Minjoo skips to her wardrobe with bounce steps and takes out the brand new school uniform. It’s really pretty, one that perfectly suits her taste. She imagines herself and her girlfriend Yujin walk to school side by side, with the pretty uniform on, they’ll probably be the best couple in the school.

Once she gets the uniform on her body, she stands in front of the mirror to do her hair and face. Suddenly she remembers Hyewon’s step mother, who’s a stylist, used to do her hair. The woman said Minjoo always looks good with her hair down, but she has a completely different vibe if she has her hair tied; she looks more confident and chic, an aura that differs from the typically shy Minjoo that the woman first saw her.

For her first day at her new school, she decides to tie her hair into a ponytail and listens to the professional hairstylist’s advice. Minjoo puts on light make up on her face next like she had learned from the tutorial of a famous youtuber. Of course she sprays the perfume that Hyewon got her for Christmas on her body too. The strong feminine fragrant immediately fills the room as well.

Satisfied with her appearance, Minjoo finally steps out from her room and heads to the kitchen.

Unlike her expectation, her mother doesn’t even bother to wake up early to prepare breakfast for her first day. It’s such a disappointment and a huge let down to Minjoo. The folk had promised to make something special for her this morning but it was broken in the end.

She walks up to her mother’s room and sees the woman is still asleep with her back faces the ceiling. Minjoo sighs and knocks weakly.   “Mom, it’s the first day of school today!”

“Uh...hmm...be careful...on your way...zzzz…”

She gets really annoyed by the sight in front of her and almost screams. “You said you wanted to cook for me today!” she raises her voice with an obvious hint of irritation.

“Your father… had to work… last night...and...didn’t come home...so I didn’t...feel like cooking...zzz…”

“Father my ,” Minjoo cusses under her breath.

“I came home late...last night too...because of work…” Her mother never opens her eyes even once to properly talk to her, which causes her frustration to rise even higher, now at the peak of explosion.

“I already told you to not come home late last night!” Minjoo can’t suppress her anger and disappointment. Her tears are about to show up as she stares hopelessly at her mother.

Knowing her folk won’t reply to her rant and just prefers to sleep in, Minjoo stomps her feet out of the room, feelling more devastated than ever.

What a perfect start for a supposedly happy day for her!

***

Eventually buying herself a breakfast set with ice chocolate and egg muffin from the cafe nearby her house, Minjoo eats silently, giving away to the loneliness. Ever since they moved to this new neighbourhood, she barely eats with her mother anymore as she’s gotten busy with job hunt and her new husband.

The guy Minjoo’s mother married has a job as a construction labor and is always on site, and sometimes volunteers to guard the site at night for extra income. Before his wife secured a job at a local food restaurant just recently, she’d always visit him at the site and bring him lunch or dinner box.

She’s just upset that her own mother thinks of her new husband over her all the time.

She takes the picture of her egg muffin and sends to her girlfriend.

Kim Minjoo 💗 : I’m having breakfast alone :(

Even her sad emoji looks so pathetic. Minjoo wants to throw her hands off but her sanity gets the best of her.

Yujinie 💓 : I thought your mother cooked for you?? :o

Kim Minjoo 💗 : Promises are meant to be broken 💔

Minjoo types another text.

Kim Minjoo 💗 : Which class are you going to sit in??

Yujinie 💓 : Class 2-B

Kim Minjoo 💗 : Alright, see you later babe~

Yujinie 💗 : Love you 😘

***

The bus she rides on successfully takes her to school on time right before the gate closes. Given the new student privilege, the teacher that guards the school gate gives her a free pass without much interrogations unlike other late students.

Minjoo walks slowly and makes her way to the administration office to report on her first day. She has been told of her class, 2-B and given a schedule before she’s taken to the teacher’s room which is located in the same floor. A tall male teacher passes by them to head to a classroom before the teacher that walks her here stops the former.

“Teacher Park, this is the new student in your class. Take her with you!”

The tall teacher turns and looks at Minjoo before smiling. He looks dashing and Minjoo is stunned at his good look for a few seconds. She bows her head quickly and greets her new homeroom teacher. “Hello, I’m Kim Minjoo.”

The tall teacher nods his head and smiles with his eyes. “You should come with me, then! I’m heading to the classroom now.”

Tailing behind the handsome teacher, Minjoo is excited at the thought of sharing a class with her girlfriend. She can’t keep her smile to herself and just happily beams while making her way to her new class with her homeroom teacher.

She finally sees the Class 2-B sign and bounces her shoulders up and down with her broad smile as she enters the classroom. The teacher opens the sliding door and the noisy class has turned quiet once the teacher has arrived.

“Oh my God- it’s Teacher Park!”

“It’s gonna be the best year of school!”

“*You’re my type~ my type~ even if you don’t say anything~” (*iKON - My Type)

It needs him to raise his voice so the girls can finally stop gawking at the good looking teacher. Mr. Park clears his throat and decides to break the ice with an obvious information.

“I’m Park Jihoon, your new homeroom teacher!”

“We know it already *ssaem!” (*Korean’s slang of saying teacher)

“That’s not the point though.” He deadpans at his student’s reaction and urges Minjoo to step forward. “We have a new student today!” he announces.

“Hello,” Minjoo bows while her hands clasp together on her belly, “I’m Kim Minjoo!”

The students applause enthusiastically, happy that they have a new, pretty student in their class. While they are fussing over the new student, the teacher tells Minjoo to sit on an empty seat at the third to last row, second to last table before the window.

Minjoo takes her seat and the girl that sits by the window next to her greets her. “Hi, I’m Jo Yuri! Nice to meet you!” the girl with brown and straight fringe smiles, her thick countryside accent visible as she speaks.

“Nice to meet you too!” they extend out and shake their hands.

As the teacher begins roll call, the slide door opens once again and another student comes in time just before her name is called out. Minjoo is texting Yujin and doesn’t even bother to look up to the intruder aka the late student.

Kim Minjoo 💓 : Where are you? I thought you’re in Class 2-B together?? 😔

Yujinie 💗 : Sorry, I thought I was in 2-B. But I’m actually in 2-A!

Why the freaking star student can’t even remember the class she sits in?

“Kim Chaewon, why are you late on your first day of school?”

Minjoo peeks her head up as she heard the familiar name. To her great surprise, it’s exactly the red haired girl that she has known of. Why is she coming in the same class as Minjoo, a lower grade student than she is? Minjoo thought Chaewon is older to her by a year as Hyewon had told her before.

“I’m sorry ssaem, but I went to the toilet earlier.” Chaewon bows her head slightly as she gave away her excuse.

“It’s true, ssaem! Chaewon came way earlier today, but she went to the toilet a minute before you came in. Her backpack is here in her seat!” A girl with significant fluffy cheeks and Japanese accent stood up for her in Chaewon’s defense, saving the girl from the teacher’s any possible punishment.

“Honda’s right, ssaem! We are the witnesses!” other students begin to chime in.

“Fine, fine!” Teacher Park gives in, though he actually has no intention to put Chaewon off into a problem on her first day. He doesn’t know his students will be that united and become protective of their fellow classmate. “Go to your seat, Chaewon! Let’s not waste any more time!”

They proceed with the class and Teacher Park begins to talk about choosing the Class President and Vice President for this year. He asks for any volunteer but nobody is exactly interested to be one. “No one? Let’s nominate any name then!”

Minjoo keeps looking at a certain red haired since she came in earlier. She can’t stop thinking about how in the world Chaewon can sit in the same class as hers? She’s about to ask Yuri who sits next to her but then she gets cut off by a loud voice who nominates a name for the Class President title.

“I vote for Kim Chaewon, ssaem!” A tall, giraffe-like girl raises her hand.

“Y-Yunjin…” Chaewon hisses a little, flustered that the girl even thought of giving her the huge responsibility to carry on her shoulder.

“Me too, ssaem! Chaewon is older and mature than us, I’m sure she can lead as our president without a problem!” Yuri agrees and soon all other students say they’re thinking of the same thing too.

“Okay, it’s an unanimous vote then! Kim Chaewon is the Class President, let’s proceed with the runner up!”

They’re shouting names and voting, but they all seem to adore one specific girl to be paired up as Chaewon’s assistant in the class, her name is Kim Suyoon. Minjoo wonders which one of them is this girl and starts to ask Yuri. “Which one is Suyoon?”

“The one who sits next to Yunjin who first voted for Chaewon earlier! Suyoon is known to have a little crush on Chaewon, that’s why they’re making a fuss to make her as our Vice President!”

Seems like Chaewon is not only famous at home but at her school as well! Seriously, can Minjoo ever escape from being shadowed with her name all the time and will she be able to ever live in peace?

Chapter 3, hoo~ I know you guys are suspicious about Chaewon, but we'll learn about her sooner or later, okay ;)) and Minjoo is in a great denial when it comes to Chaewon 🤭