Seoul, South Korea...known as one of the worst places for high school bullying...as well as, the highest amount of high school suicides, falling right behind Osaka, Japan. That is where my family and I have decided to move to from Los Angeles, California where everyone was friendly, where you could hear the waves everyday...where I had grown up my whole life until now. Now I was living in a small town, with somewhat friendly neighbors and dreading school.

I was already seventeen years old and a year behind...a junior...in a Korean high school where I had heard so many bad things... I was scared to say the least...scared that I wouldn't be able to make new friends...that I would be picked on...and most of all that I would go home begging my parents to send me back to the U.S. when they had just come back to their own birth place.

Besides starting life anew in Korea...I didn't speak Korean all that well yet. I was pretty fluent because of my parents but I still lacked in some things. I was scared that my words might get me into trouble. I was unfortunately an only child and had to go through school alone. I complained the whole ride over to my school, until my mom dropped me off at the front gates.

"Look!" I heard a girl scream. I turned and found a girl pointing towards my mom's car. "Some high schooler had to get his mom to take him to school," The girl laughed, making her friends laugh too. I hit my head against the dashboard wishing I was invisible. I stepped out of the car, hiding my face in the process. Korea was already very different from America. In America they drove everywhere...not to mention I had my drivers' license already...in Korea most people took buses or subways to get where they were going... and high schoolers walked or took bikes to school.

I pulled out an itinerary from my bag, seeing what classroom I had to go to. I was nervous but at least I had something to look at instead of everyone staring at me. "Two thirty" I whispered the number of my classroom and headed inside the building. I had been given a locker when I had come to register for high school and quickly went to stuff some personal items and some books away before looking for my classroom.

After a few minutes of searching I finally found my classroom and paused outside the room. People were still gathered around in the hallways, talking happily to their friends, or whoever. Instead of trying to talk to anyone I stuffed some headphones into my ears and leaned against a wall, closing my eyes. I wished I was back in America...back with my friends...back with people I knew...

Just as I began daydreaming about Los Angeles the bell rang signaling the time for people to enter their classrooms, bringing me back to the little piece of hell that I was in. I looked at the people that passed me into the classroom that I would be staying in for the rest of the year. They all didn't seem to notice my presence, but seemed to be kind enough as they talked to their friends. I jumped when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder.

"Mian... I didn't mean to scare you," It was an older lady who seemed kind and understanding. "You must be Aron... I'm your professor... Mrs. Kang." She introduced herself. I bowed to her happy that someone had the decency to realize that I was a real human being.

"Ah, annyeonghaseyo!" I smiled.

"Come on in! Introduce yourself to the class," My professor insisted and I followed her in. It took Mrs. Kang to get everyone's attention.

"Everyone! We have a new student joining us this year. Aron...introduce yourself!" Mrs. Kang turned to me and pushed me to speak up.

"Annyeonghaseyo!" I bowed. "I'm Aron Kwak. I came here from America and so my Korean is pretty bad...please look kindly upon me," I said and bowed again. Mrs. Kang smiled at me.

"You may take a seat right behind Mr. Nam. Woohyun, raise your hand please..."

With a little bit of hesitancy a hand rose near the back of the classroom. I moved slowly towards the back of the room as I studied the boy's appearance. He was dark and angry looking, large earrings in his ears...dark brown hair with bangs that covered his whole forehead as well as squinty, small eyes that were glaring at me with some sort of hatred. I looked away and quickly took a seat behind him.

I took out a notebook and placed it in the center of my desk, preparing myself for class, when I heard the girl beside me whispering to the girl in front of her.

"I can't believe this! I've waited two years to have the spot behind Nam Woohyun and this jerk thinks he can just come from America and take it!"

I sunk a little lower in my chair. I hadn't chosen what chair I wanted to sit in...why was she getting upset at him? Just then Woohyun turned around in his seat, looking angrier than before.

"Your breathing too hard..." He said. I was shocked. I hadn't even noticed that I was breathing heavily at all.

"Oh," I replied and bowed my head. I tried focusing myself to make my breathing lighter even though I wasn't really sure how to. It turned out to be a long hour of being told that I was doing something wrong by the people around me.

I found out that another boy that sat next to me was Woohyun's best friend, Sunggyu. Although he had a softer expression than Woohyun, he was still dangerous looking and the girl beside me... who was obviously in love with Woohyun was Hyosung. Both Hyosung and Sunggyu had found other problems with me. Hyosung thought I had rude manners for not introducing myself personally to her, as if I could have known she was the queen of the school or something... and Sunggyu...well he thought I brought attention to myself for having spiky hair.

I barely heard anything the teacher said during the first lecture, because I was being ripped apart by the people around me. I was glad when the bell rang for lunch. I high tailed it out of the room only to be stuck in the hallway by the large amount of kids. I tripped over one man's leg falling into the lockers. I groaned in pain but stood up quickly as another large group of students were ready to run me over.

"What's your problem?" A girl questioned me as I got in her way to get to my own locker. I bowed, not saying a word to answer her question.

It was no lie when it said that Seoul was one of the biggest places that bullying took place...

JR: Junior Royal...

  < face haha

so here you go. the first chapter... ahh its not very good but it should get better :] Just wanna thank all of you who patiently waited for these updates and I know I said it would be a while for chapters but I actually had time to write and was in the mood so I hope you guys enjoy and continue to read. Kamsahamnida!

LHY