It was during homeroom that I see Ian again. I wanted to wait for him last night, but the workload of homework and the strain of the day in general had me sleeping as soon as my head hit the pillow. He had left earlier than I had this morning too, and I had to admit, I missed him. A lot. He was in his usual spot on the desk checking attendance as he usually did every morning, and was it my imagination or was Yoobin staring dreamily at him?

Kim Yoobin was one of the more prominent members of the Wonder Girls. Maybe because of that y flirty image she carried around with her. Don't let that fool you though. Yoobin was a very cutesy, very domestic type of girl. Knitting, cooking, baking, embroidery, those were her special talents, just don't tell her I told you that because apparently, it was her dirty little secret. How I knew this? Well, it happened last year when I had found Yoobin inside a bake shop. I didn't even ask or even assume anything about her and already she was begging me to keep her secret. It was odd, she even thought I was going to tell the whole world about her secret, much less blackmail her about it. Though I had to admit, those cupcakes I got for the whole week following the incident were really good.

“Your teachers have organized a field trip for the subjects they handle, so on the weekend following the next, we'll all have an overnight trip for the mid-year Senior get-together.”

That made absolutely no sense in terms of syntax but the whole class was cheering. Did Ian manage to convince the board that instead of a formal field trip we get a mid-year Senior Night instead? We've heard about the traditional Senior's Mid-year before, but as far as we knew it has always been thought of as just an urban legend, but it seems that it actually did exist.

Ian pulled out a few sheets of paper from his folder behind him and passed them to Yoobin who sat on the rightmost corner of the front row, she was our column-mate as we liked to call ourselves- well technically I didn't really belong to a column, but you get what I mean. “Pass these out and have your parents sign the waiver, no signature, no field trip. No exceptions.”

Fei raised her hand, and Ian nodded at her. “Sir, this is the real thing, right? As in a real Mid-year? We're not expected to do any school work right? All fun and games?”

“Well there's some work that will be done, but don't worry I'll make sure everything'll be fun for all of us,” Ian assured us.

Well, as long as Ian was coming everything was sure to be okay.

“We also have the sign-up sheets for the Inter-School Sports Meet, so even though we all know we're not really...” he cleared his throat, “gifted, it's best to try because it's extra credit and you're all required an event anyway.”

Groans erupted from the class and everyone prodded Chansung as he was the only one in our class fairly capable of competing on par with the other general education schools. Of course there was Seoul Science High School, a few blocks from here, and they were equally as ungifted as we were. It was the same every year. The co-ed general education school Seoul High, and the brother/sister All Boys and All Girls School FC and St. Pledis High who teamed up during the co-ed meets. It was generally Seoul High and the FC/Pledis combo that only ever really competed for real during the sports meets, but it was fun just to watch. There were other competitions through the course of the year, and competition was always fun. Even more so since those were the only four schools in the district. It lead to both a close and tense scholastic relationship, but it was all in good fun. At least as far as I was aware it was.

Back to the topic at hand, Jia, who sat behind Chansung was prodding his shoulder about joining every event, with Kwon and Wooyoung agreeing with her. Personally, Kwon and Wooyoung were pretty competitive themselves, as with Junho. Hopefully this year, we won't embarrass ourselves as much- not that it mattered I guess. We win the Young Artist's competition every year.

I leaned back into my seat not bothering to follow the exchange up front. I was content in my little bubble at the back corner. I slipped out my phone to send Ian a text, but it lights up as soon as take a look- it was a message from Jay,

I'm bored.

And you text me? Jay, I sit right next to you.

But that's boring.

I reread that one message over and over again. Jay was texting me in class because he was bored, and he didn't just talk to me in person because...that was boring? I sighed. There was no point trying to understand Jay Park's logic. Confused, I turned towards him to ask but my question was immediately drowned out as my eyes locked with his, and as with every school girl I blushed and turned away. It was a very intense stare for something that didn't last for more than a few seconds. Jay Park had once again proved the unpredictability of his character, and even more so when I turned to face him again, and he winked at me.

He winked at me.

Wide-eyed and mouth hanging open, I tore my gaze away from him as he held on to it. I settled my eyes towards the front of the room, boring holes through the chalkboard as I tried to make sense of the last few seconds of my life. What was Jay Park even trying to do? Shock me to death? Was that what he even wanted? To simply shock people? If so, what were the things he could possible be capable of during the school trip?

Oh dear.

My earlier excitement about the would-be trip suddenly vanished into thin air as the possibilities of Jay Park's capriciousness presented themselves to me. I didn't know anything about the details of the trip just yet, but I could tell that regardless of what it was, Jay was going to find a way to use it to his advantage. Advantage? Advantage over what? Of what leverage was Jay going to get from unleashing whatever plans he had inside that head of his?

Junho's voice uttering my name yanked me back into the present reality. It was like a cool rush of wind on a dead icy night- probably not the best metaphor but that was how it was that time. He must have noticed the confused and quite possibly dour expression on my face because he hinted at a smile as he passed me the waiver for our parents. Gratefully, I took the sheet from his hands and scanned the text. Everything we needed to know about the trip was there, accommodations, lodging, food, even a rough outline of the activities we were having. My mood lightened somewhat sensing the excitement that was presented in a light chatter over the room- seemed like everyone was definitely looking forward to this trip.

…

The day of the Senior Mid-Year finally came, but the same uncertainty that had shrouded me during the announcement of the trip still hovered precariously above my head. I felt as if something dire was about to occur but I couldn't precisely place where it was or what it could possibly allude to. It was as if something large and life-changing was going to happen and all of us were going to be caught unaware. A mixture of fear and anxiety was burning at the back of my mind that late friday evening we gathered at school. The arrangement was that we leave at 10pm so we'd reach the mountain lodge early tomorrow morning and start with our activities. We were all at the parking lot rounded together by class waiting for the the last of the students and teacher-chaperones to arrive. Ian had said all of our teachers were coming, along with a few alumni volunteers. He said it was going to be fun even for him, though I couldn't bring myself to think the same. Three busses were parked in the middle of the parking lot, one for each class with designated teachers to handle us. We didn't know which teachers we would get other than Ian, but it should be enlightening seeing them outside the classroom setting.

Yeeun was class representative, and so it was her, clipboard in hand, who had been walking around us in circles making sure we were all present. It was a fresh perspective on all of us as none of us were in uniform save for the school badge and our IDs hanging down our necks. Everyone was in casual clothes, including the teachers, but for the latter it was rather disconcerting. It felt like out teachers were actually human and had lives too seeing the way they dressed- very normal and nothing at all like the cruel harbingers of failing grades that they were.

As expected, a light chatter buzzed around the area as everyone seemed to have found someone to talk to- or for some, to talk about. I have had the misfortune of standing behind the Wonder Girls and the following exchange they had was not particularly refreshing.

“So Jessica has a thing for Jay? Oh please,” Sunye said, crossing her arms on her chest and rolling her eyes. Why this particular piece of information would interest her I was about to find out.

I turned towards the direction Sunye had been looking at, and as she said, Jessica Jung and her pack of dolls were busy combing their fingers through their hair as they eyed the members of our class- well, two members specifically. I wonder who Tiffany liked, she had her eyes on out general area as well. Wait. So the boys from my class were really this popular? One would think the 3C boys would have all the girls falling like flies for them. The sweet cutesy girls with no personalities always went for the bad boys, right?

“Well, it is Jay Park, imagine having him on your arm.” Hyerim tossed her hair back and sent a sidelong glance further back where Jay, Junho, and Taec were talking. Hyerim, surprisingly, I didn't know much about. She was usually silent around Sunye and more often than not she only attended to the latter's bidding. Hyerim seemed to fit well with the Wonder Girls though, there was that general aura that radiated from her that had her fitting exactly right with them. “I mean, look at those assets.”

I refused to acknowledge Hyerim's utterances of Jay Park's so-called assets. He was more of a liability- almost like a time-bomb ticking, waiting for the right time to just blow up and destroy everything in its wake.

“He's hot, but Chansung's hotter.”

Yes, because Sohee was the most eloquent of all the Wonder Girls. I almost felt bad for Chansung- almost? Actually, I really felt bad for him. Sohee was his seatmate too, and the girl did absolutely everything to grab his attention. Too bad for her Chansung's attention span towards anything that was not food or basically anything that involved Sohee was about the length of the width of a strand of hair.

“Sohee, Chansung is hotter than everyone for you,” Yoobin said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder, and I had to wonder why she didn't just put the bulky bag down. Everyone else had their bags on the floor, what was so special about this one bag?

“So what you guys think we're actually doing?” Hyerim asked looking around the parking lot.

“Ask Yeeun, she's the one who likes class involvement and-”

I bleeped the expletive before Sunye finished her statement. Any longer here and I'd probably pull my hair out. Not that it was a long conversation, just that if this was how it was going to be for the next, oh let's say ten minutes, then I did not want any of it. I backed up from the Wonder Girls and literally bumped into Jia and Suzy.

“Oh hey.” Suzy smiled. Suzy, I was sometimes on the fence about. I had nothing personal against her, it wasn't that. It was just that, she seemed so out of place with the rest of Miss A, or maybe it was just her general manner of staring off into space even when you were looking at her straight in the eye.

“I heard we're getting Mr. Jung and Ms. Ami on our bus today,” Min said, waving at me.

I waved back and returned her smile. After out little encounter we were much more comfortable around each other now. I looked towards the bus where the teachers were having a little last minute meeting. So our science teacher Mr. Jung and Ms. Ami were going to join Ian in our bus today. That was an interesting combination. I wondered who else was coming along as the other teachers were pretty much all here.

“Is it bad I kinda wished Fei and Junsu were off?” Jia commented as she eyed the two lovebirds sitting down on the ground. Junsu and Fei were really just talking in hushed whispers, sitting very close to one another. I could sense Jia's animosity, and I couldn't help but think it was jealousy.

“Why would you want that?” Suzy asked, turning to look at the lovey-dovey couple as well.

“Because in the future, I don't want to have to look back at the pictures and see Miss A missing a member.”

I saw Jia's point and I nodded in agreement. Speaking of pictures, I heard a clicking sound from behind us, and just as I expected, Changmin was already off snapping pictures of the class. He approached us and gave a thumbs up as he smiled.

“New Miss A member?” he joked.

“No,” I answered, “just passing by, really.” I waved my goodbyes to the girls and grabbed Changmin by the shoulders and pushed him towards Kwon, Jinwoon and Seulong who were all spread on the floor passing around some snacks.

“Hello, I found something that belongs to you,” I said, depositing Changmin down to the floor. After a round of hellos I stood there awkwardly not really sure what to do. I could stay here and listen in on the latest news or I could go over to the dork side and sit with Taec and the others. Not that I didn't want to sit with Taec and the others, I suppose you could say there was a conflict of interest. Interest meaning what gossip Seulong and Kwon have managed to scrape up within the day.

Before I could decide, however, Taec was already calling my name, and so I made my way to the little curb Taec, Minji and Junho claimed as their own. Right next to them were the boys of 2PM, Jay included. Looks like he was making progress with the other guys seeing he was talking to Khun and Wooyoung.

I took the spot in between Junho and Taec, sandwiching the latter in between Minji and myself. “So how much longer do we wait?”

“Shouldn't take long. I'm actually surprised everyone made it. I heard there was some trouble with Wooyoung, but it looks like Mr. Choe handled the situation already.”

Wooyoung? Trouble? Why wasn't I aware of this? “Wooyoung? Really? What?”

“I don't know, something about his permit I think?” Taec answered, pulling out his jacket and slipping it on.

“No, not the permit. Something else,” Minji supplied, “Something about...” she paused and stared hard at the floor, “something else. I don't know, but it wasn't the permit.”

“Well what else could it be?” I asked, I'll admit, I was very curious. I wonder if Seulong knew? I heaved myself up, but I was dragged down before I was all the way up.

Junho tugged at the sleeve of my hoodie. “Sit down and don't get involved,” he said, not even looking up from his book.

I slumped down on the ground and squinted at him, what was it with Junho and sleeves?

“Sit down and behave yourself.”

I heard Minji and Taec chortling in the background and a sneer graced my face as I resigned myself and gave up for the meantime. We had two days and one night for the mountain trip, it was more than enough time to figure out what the issue with Wooyoung was.

Minutes later, Ian called the attention of the class and had us line up alphabetically as he ticked off each student on his list. We weren't sitting in alphabetical order inside the bus- this time we were free to sit where we liked. As always I was last, and it was a fun experience walking into the bus; The Wonder Girls were sitting up front closest to the teachers. We had Mr. Jung, Ms. Ami Cruz, Mr. Park Namyong, and Ms. Tran. Behind the Wonder Girls, were Miss A, with Fei and Junsu occupying the two-seater column on the left with the Min, Fei, and Suzy on the three-seater to the right. What was left of the 2PM boys, Chansung, Nichkhun, and Wooyoung were on the very spacious last row with Jay and the AM boys. Minji was asleep with a three-seater all to her own, with Taec on the opposite side already listening to his mp3 player. Junho was sitting on the row behind Taec, right in front of the 2PM boys, and I took the seat opposite him on the same row.

Once we were all settled in, Ian came inside, but he wasn't alone. “Guys, we have a volunteer chaperone with us, I'm sure you all remember her.”

From behind Ian, a girl with short layered hair emerged wearing a plaid button-down shirt over a white tank top and jeans. She waved at us and smiled before taking the seat next to Ian. I frowned. I did not like her at all.

Renn.