My legs are getting tired from standing. Even though only 30 minutes had passed, it seems like eternity. I have been shifting my weight from one leg to the other but it doesn’t seem to relieve the ache that has been building up. Mr Jung, my homeroom teacher, looked up at me, shook his head and continued drumming his finger on his table.

‘Kang Min Hye, what do you want me to do?’ The first sentence that comes out from his mouth made me tensed up, causing me to straighten both legs with the last bit of energy left.

‘To pardon me from my mistake?’ I gave him a weak smile while my eyes looking at him, pleading for forgiveness.

He heaved a big sigh and combed his finger through his already thinning grey hair. ‘Min Hye, this is not the first time that you are doing this in my class.’ He looked up at me and continue ‘Is my class so boring that you have to read your storybook during class?’

‘Aniyo, I know my mistake Mr Jung. Can you forgive me?’ I pleaded with him again, bow 90 degree and stayed there.

‘Take your book!' He opened his drawer, took the book and dropped it onto the table with a soft ‘Bump’. ‘No more next time.’

‘Yes Sir, there won’t be another time. Thank you Mr Jung.’ I bow repeatedly, turn and walk out of the staff room and close the door gently.

Once the door closed, I hug my book. ‘ I thought you are going to be thrown away by Mr Jung. Thank goodness!’ I thought to myself.

‘Judging from the way you looked, I supposed everything is settled now’

‘Eun Hee!’ I turned to the direction of the voice and smiled happily at the tall slim girl leaning against the wall. Chae Eun Hee, my best friend since childhood time. She always waited for me whenever I get detention for reading novel in class.

Yes, I loves to read novel. I can read novel at anywhere, at anytime. In bed, in class, on the bus, while walking..etc. Early in the morning, late at night, sometime I can read until the sun rise. Because of this, my eyesight gotten worse as time passed.

‘Ne, Mr Jung didn’t punish me. I am so happy that my book is ok.’ I smile with a silly grin at the book in my hand and hug it tight to my chest.

‘Yah! Your book is more important than you being punished?’ Eun Hee slap her palm to her forehead. ‘Why do I even bother to come here and wait for you when I should have gone home and rest’ She shook her head hopelessly.

I immediately turned to her. ‘Thank you very much, my dearest Chingu! Sorry to make you worry and make you stay late! It's all my fault. Will you forgive me?’ I pleaded, showing her my puppy eyes through my 600 degree len in black frame.

Eun Hee chuckle, revealing her beautiful smile to me. ‘Your eyes look funny through these lens. It’s time you change to thin lens. I almost can’t see your eyes.’

‘You should know I rather spend money on my novel than any other stuff. Come on, let’s go. It’s already late. I know your favourite show is showing on TV soon, I don’t want you to miss it cause of me.’ I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me toward the exit.

‘Talking about favourite, I think you miss out something’ she look at me and smile.

‘Mwo?’ I tilted my head to the side and try to think of the thing that I might have missed. What have I missed? My school bag? Impossible, I had brought my bag along with me before I went to see Mr Jung. What have I missed out?

‘Remember the cake shop 2 stop away from our home?’ Eun Hee giggled and hinted as she saw me cracking my brain for the possible missing item.

‘Ahhhh!’ I slapped both my palm on my cheek. ‘How did I forget that? Oh no! Eun Hee, mianhae! Can you make a move first? I…I….’ I stammered. How should I tell her? She had already waited for me, I don’t want her to miss her favourite show because of me again. But… I… need to get this thing first.

Suddenly I felt a heavy jerk on both my shoulders which shook me back to reality. Eun Hee had placed both her hands on my shoulder and she looked at me seriously with her big black eyes. Her glare made me swallowed my saliva.

‘Go and get your favourite cake. I know you have been waiting for Monday to come. I can go home on my own. ‘ Eun Hee said and smile at me. ‘I waited for you out of my own accord. Go ahead and get it!’

‘Thank Eun Hee!’ I give her a quick hug. ‘I owe you a favour’ I shouted as I run across the corridor toward the exit. Yes, I love cakes. I love all kind of cakes. I can eat as many as 10 kinds of cakes at one go. Whenever there is a new café in town, I would definitely ask Eun Hee along and ordered all varieties available. However she would usually surrender at the 3rd cake, I guess you can call me a cake addict.

I dashed to the bus stop and wait. Once the bus arrived, I board the bus. The moment I reached, I immediately alighted and run across the street into the cake shop.

‘Ajumeoni, do you still have any strawberry shortcake left?’ I shouted into the shop as I pushed open the door. I was welcomed by the twinkling bell at the door and a friendly smile from the ahjumeoni behind the counter. I discovered this cake shop once while I was walking home. Of course I was reading novel while walking until I bump into a lamp post. When I looked up, I saw this pretty pink shop opposite. There was a coffee cup signboard with ‘Kaki Kopi’ on it.

‘Min Hye ssi, you are late today.’ Ahjumeoni greeted cheerfully.

‘Annyeong Ahjumeoni! Am I too late? Is there any more strawberry shortcake left?’ I asked while I scanned the cake display counter and ‘strawberry shortcake’ label appear. My eye drifted automatically to the area behind the display and I felt my eye enlarged as an empty silver plate greeted me. ‘Mwo? There's none left?’ My head dropped in disappointment.

A piece of strawberry shortcake appeared in front of me, packaged nicely in a transparent cake holder. ‘I left this for you. I know you love this!’

I feel my smile spread from ear to ear. ‘Kamsa hamnida, kamsa hamnida ahjumeoni’ I bow and bow.

‘Ahjumeoni, I thought you said the strawberry shortcake are all sold out. Why is there a piece