This is the first time she has to introduce herself in front of class like this. In her previous schools she just walk in, sit and suddenly transferred to another school. So, she feels a little bit nervous.

 

“Hi, My name is Nicha Yontararak.”

 

“Oh, Taeguk!” a boy shouted ‘Thailand’ in Korean language.

 

“But, you can call me Minnie.” She forced her lips to smile.

 

Mr. Greg told her to sit at the back where her table is already placed. Every line has four tables and she’s on the sixth line but there are only three tables on her line. Two boys are occupying the rest. She’s sure one of them is the one who shouted ‘Taeguk’ that means Thailand in Korean. Some girls kindly smile and waves to her while she walked to her seat before. Not wasting the time Mr. Greg started his class.

 

“Hi!” a girl who sit in front of her quickly turned to her once Mr. Greg leave the class. She smiles very brightly. She had a medium length hair with pony. Her hair is so shiny in its original color which is black, Minnie almost jealous.

 

“I’m Lisa, and I’m from Thailand, too! Minnie, right?” she’s shoving her hand for a hand shake, Minnie accepted it. She spoke in Thai. It’s been so long since the last time she met a Thai people except for her family.

 

“Let’s have lunch together!” she turned back again after a teacher walked in for the next class. Left Minnie in confusion.

 

 

 

“And there is our gym hall. If we’re not on the field we took the PE class on the hall.”

 

Lisa kindly take her around the school area after their lunch with some of their classmates, too. She switched between Thai and English considering the other people who are with them. Minnie is not that enthusiast but really appreciate Lisa’s intention. She doesn’t talk much just following Lisa around.

 

“Oh, the boy next to you is also from Thailand. Where in Thailand?”

 

“Bangkok.”

 

“Me, too! I moved here since elementary school so I don’t really remember my childhood in there. How’s Bangkok now?”

 

“Um.. I don’t really follow it, too. It’s been so long since the last time I visited Bangkok.”

 

“Oh, so..”

 

“Listen, Lisa,” Minnie cut her, “I’m not that interest with this ‘making friends’ thing. So, I think we can keep it cool. I mean, we can talk and stuff but I don’t really want to talk about my personal life.”

 

She catches that Lisa is quite surprised with her words, maybe she sounds a little harsh. She’s been very nice to her though.

 

“Oh, okay. I get it.” She gave Minnie a little smile then they continue to walk back to the classroom.

 

The rest of the day went so quiet without any unnecessary interaction with anyone. Lisa told Minnie that she should pick one extracurricular subject and she could choose it via the school homepage. On the way home she takes a look at it and to be honest she doesn’t want to assign to any class. She saw a lot of students on the street with her school uniform, seems like they went to a cram school. She sighs. Still not used to Korean school life. Too many things she has to do.

 

She texted Mark earlier but he hasn’t reply. It’s past midnight there, either he’s already asleep or again playing game. She started to miss him.

 

“Minnie!” she heard her mom called her when she’s about to step up the stairs.

 

“Yes, Mom?”

 

She saw her mother came from the living room. She’s stunning as usual even if she’s mostly stay at home. She run a business, too, but not require her to be at the office. Well, the office located somewhere else in this world. So, she’s either on her phone or in front of her laptop.

 

“How’s school?”

 

“Just.. same as usual. Why?”

 

“Turned out my old friend is in Seoul, too. I just catch up with her this noon. And guess what, her son is in the same school and grade with you! Isn’t that nice?” her face looks very bright and happy like she’s finding a treasure chest.

 

She’s looking back to the boy in her class, maybe he’s whom her mom meant.

 

“Yeah.. maybe..” she turned and continue walk up, again not amused.

 

 

& & &

 

 

A week passed and Minnie is slowly getting the hang of Korean school life.