Duck-Won

I ran to school, praying for the gates not to be closed. I passed by the closing gates just in time. I stopped for a second to wipe my forehead before picking up my speed and running towards the school. I managed to get to class with 5 minutes to spare. I stood at the door and straightened out my bangs and uniform before walking through the door. I headed straight for Ren's desk. When I got there, she gave me one of her cheeky smiles and got up.

"Hey Ren!" I greeted her, pulling her cheeks.

"Yah! Hands off the cheeks!" She let out a chuckle, running her hands through my hair. I was so busy teasing Ren to notice JR sitting next to her, staring at us. I quickly pulled away from Ren and gave JR a slight bow. I got a nod in return. Before I could approach JR, the bell rang. I walked to my seat and set down my bag.

"Hello class!" Mr. Ki greeted our class with a smile plastered on his face. What's gotten into Mr. Ki lately? He's been smiling a lot lately.

"We're going to take a 2 day break from researching. We're going to play a game that my friend suggested to me"

I straightened up, wanting to know more.

"Okay so we're going to be playing a game called 20 questions. You may ask any question as long as it's school appropriate. Get yourselves into groups of 4. You may pick the people in your group!" He clapped his hands together and stood there, smiling. I immediately went to Ren and sat next to her.

"I guess it's just going to be the two of us, Ren!" I exclaimed.

"May I join you guys?" I looked up, surprised at who it was. It was JR. I nodded my head and pointed to the desk next to me. We put our desks together and I looked around, at how excited the other students looked.

"So I guess I'll start! What is your favorite smell?" JR asked, leaning forward.

"I like the scent of strawberries" Ren answered.

"I like the smell of... lilacs and laundry detergent" I replied.

"Hmm...I like the smell of Gardenia flowers and strawberries" JR answered.

"Okay my turn. Who's the closest person to you?" Ren questioned, crossing her arms in front of her.

"My mom and grandmother since they're my only relatives" I admitted, looking down at the desk.

"My mom is the person that I'm closet to" JR responded.

"Me too!" Ren said.

"Okay what is your deepest regret so far?" I asked. We all stayed quiet, not talking.

"Well...my deepest regret was...not telling the girl that I liked what I really felt. Instead...I let her slip away from me" JR whispered, leaning forward.

"Oh..." Ren let out loud. I sat there shocked. JR was once in love.

"My biggest regret was making my mom choose between my dad and me. She ended up choosing me, which caused my dad to leave since I clearly wasn't considered "NORMAL" in society" She made air quotations as she emphasized the word normal.

"My biggest regret was not having the courage to ask the pretty girl in my class to go out with me at my old school!" I let out a chuckle, thinking of how silly it sounded.

"Really? With your looks, I’m sure you could get any girl!" JR exclaimed. I looked at him stunned. This was the first time that JR was being nice and kind with his words. I mean I had been in school for only 4 months and so far JR had left a really bad impression.

"You really think so?" I asked

"Yeah! Rumor has it that Parah has you in her eyes!" He added

I had seen Parah about twice since the school started. I must admit, the girl was a true Thai Princess even though she was only half.

I wasn't even going to try and ask her out because as the cliché goes "Once a frog prince, always a frog prince". Which meant that an average looking guy like me would/could never in their wildest dreams, ever have a girl like Parah. Parah belonged in a group of her own.

"Whatever, you just wait and see! Play it cool and act like you don't know anything" JR said nonchalantly.

We asked each other a few more questions, ranging from the type of music we liked to the type of clothing style we felt comfortable in. When class ended, I went through my end, anticipating for the time when lunch will come. When 5th hour ended, I was the first person out of the door. I literally ran to the lunchroom, trying my hardest not to hit anyone or accidently trip. I secured a table as soon as I arrived and set down my bag. I pulled out my new book "Never Fall Down" out of my bag and opened the first page. I only got to read the first line before I was swallowed up by a female, Ren. She came from behind me and sat in the seat next to me with Baekho.

"Hey Duck-Won, how's it going?" Baekho asked.

"It's going good

"Let's get lunch, I'm feeling so hungry!" Ren exclaimed, getting up. I got up and followed them to the lunch line. I got tiramisu Denmark Yogurt, seafood pancakes, and samgyetang. I was the first to arrive at the table. I got out my book and began to read, while waiting for the others to come.

"Aww! You couldn't eat without us, could you?" Baekho asked in a playful tone.

"Hahaha, actually I wasn't waiting for you!" I shot back, teasing him. They sat down and we began to eat. When lunch was over, I walked to my 6th hour class. I went through my day, day dreaming of Pohang. When school ended, I went to the gate and waited for Baekho.

Ever since Ren got a job, she sort of forgot about us. Every day was work and she was always too tired to hang out with us and do something fun.

"Jigiya, did I keep you waiting too long?" I heard the voice of Baekho calling from behind. I turned around, chuckling. I and Baekho had given each other nicknames as a joke. We always got weird stares from people whenever they heard us using it.

"No not at all, Yeobo!" I put on a smile as he walked towards me.

"Duck-Won, I can't walk with you today. My brother is having some girl over and he wants me to meet her" He said, letting out a sigh of irritation.

"You should be happy for your brother. Maybe this girl might be the one" I said, trying to lighten his mood.

"Yeah whatever. I'll text you later tonight" He began walking backwards. I waved goodbye and walked off towards the bus station. As I was walking, I stopped. I thought I heard someone calling out my name. I started walking again, then stopped, hearing someone call out my name again.

I turned around and saw Parah walking towards me. I looked behind me, wondering if she was calling someone else. There was no one there. I turned around and looked at her.

"Yeah you, Wu...Duck...Won" She called out, slowly closing the gap between us.

"Ah...um...hi Parah" I gazed at her. I probably looked like a fool, just standing there looking at her.

"Um...can I walk with you?" She asked. My head immediately shot up, surprised.

"Ah...if you want" I said, kicking the ground. I began walking, this time with Parah beside me.

"Aren't you friends with Baekho and Minki?" she asked as we got closer to the station.

"Yes"

"Whoa! I'm so jealous. You have friends that you can trust and be yourself" She said.

"Wait...you don't have friends like that?" I asked, getting onto the bus. I went and sat in the back, and waited for Parah to come. She came and sat by me, flipping her hair.

"I mean I have friends but they're a bunch of hypocrites. They gossip behind my back and insult me and make fun of me" she answered, glancing out towards the aisle.

"I'll be your friend, Parah. You can vent your frustrations on me and you can sit by us during lunch” I said.

"Thank you, Duck-Won. You're much nicer than you look that's why I like you a lot" She said, looking at me.

JR was right. Parah likes ME!

"Um...I know this is going against traditions and all of that....but..." she looked down at her lap. I watched as she played with her fingers.

"But..." I said

"But...will you go out with me, Duck-Won?" She asked, not looking up.

"Ah...Yes!" I let out, feeling happy

"Hahaha ok then" she looked up at me, her cheeks crimson red. We sat in silence all the way until my stop came. I got up, ready to leave. But was stopped by Parah.

"Thank you...for listening to me" She said with sincerity. I nodded my head and got off the bus. I stood on the side walk, waving at Parah as the bus pulled away. I looked at my time. It was now 6:43pm. I pulled up my bag and walked home. When I got home, I called out my grandmother and mom.

"Hi sweetie how was your day?" mom came up to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"It was okay" I took off my shoes and slipped on the house slippers. I ran to my room and changed into some shorts and a plain white tee. I took out my phone and texted Baekho

Text to Baekho:

Just got home. Guess who started talking to me? ^^

I held onto my phone as I left my room and went into the living room. My grandmother was sitting on the floor, peeling the skin off of dried anchovies.

"Grandma, I can do that for you" I said, taking a seat next to her. I attempted to take away the basket in which the anchovies were in but she hit my hand and pulled it away.

"I can do this. Go and help your mother" She said. My phone vibrated and I opened up the new text message.

Text from Baekho:

Save me!!! I'm so bored here :'(

Who started talking to you?

Text to Baekho:

Yoon Parah!!!

JR was right! SHE LIKES ME!

Text from Baekho:

Ah...you're friends with JR now?

I looked down at the text, not sure how I should reply.

Text to Baekho:

No...We played a game in class and he was in my group.

Anyways, he told me how Parah liked me and I didn’t really take him seriously.

And guess what...Parah told me herself that she likes me! And she asked me out on a date

Text from Baekho:

Ah! Ok

I don't mind if you're friends with JR, but be careful around him

Wow! I really need to get a girlfriend  ;3

Very soon you won't even have time to hang out :(

Text to Baekho:

Thanks for the advice. You'll still be my friend, Baekho

It's not a grantee fact that we'll become more than friends.

Text from Baekho:

Alright, I have to go now. I'll talk to you a little bit later

And let you know how the dinner went

Bye bye Jigiya \ (*^. ^*)/

I let out a chuckle as I read the last line of the message. Baekho could be very silly sometimes. I placed my phone in my pocket and got up, walking towards the kitchen. I found my mom standing by the sink, chopping vegetables.

"Hi mom" I greeted. I went and stood at her side. I tried grabbing the knife away from her but she pulled away.

"Go and help grandmother" She ordered.

"She told me to come and help you instead" I whined, trying to get the knife at again.

"Ok ok, I give up! You chop the vegetables then" She handed over the knife and went and stood by the stove, stirring something. I began chopping the vegetables, occasionally sneaking peaks at her.

Her hair which was once a rich shade of thick raven black hair was now filled with grey. It once flowed in waves that adorned her with her once glowing, porcelain-like skin.

Her eyes were still framed by long lashes, with her warm brown-green hazel eyes which seem to brighten the world. A straight nose with high cheekbones, full lips, and glowing pale skin. Whenever she smiled, everyone would sigh with gratification. When she laughed, everyone would laugh with her. And when she wept, everyone would want to comfort her.

"Do I have something on my face?" my mom asked, while touching her face.

"No no, there's nothing on your face, mom" I answered with a chuckle

"Then why were you staring at me?"

"It's just that you've changed so much ever since..." I trailed off, not wanting to continue. We both knew why. Ever since my dad died, nothing’s been the same. My once beautiful mom had grown a lot before my eyes in the past 6 months. She looked more tired now that she worked. And our lives that were once filled with laughter and happiness was now filled with gloominess.

I went back to chopping the vegetables. I placed them in the broth that my mom was stirring. I stood by her side silently until the soup was done cooking. I grabbed the rice from the rice cooker and the bowl of kimchi on the counter. I and mom set the food on the table in the living room.

We ate dinner in silence. When dinner was done, mom chose to wash the dishes and grandma decided to take a nap.  I went back to my bedroom and pulled out my phone. One missed text from Baekho. I opened up the text message

Text from Baekho:

Dinner was a disaster. The girl was obviously trying too hard to impress Yuki and me. And I could tell that she only likes SaeRyun for his looks.

Text to Baekho:

What did she do?

Text from Baekho:

Yuki spilled food on herself and when SaeRyun was trying to clean it off of her, the girl just kept on talking, totally ignoring Yuki. He should quit going on those stupid blind dates and just hook up with the Liberian.

Text to Baekho:

What Liberian?

Text from Baekho:

There’s this girl who works at the library that SaeRyun likes going to…and they’ve become friends. But the way he talks about her, he seems to like her more than a friend (=•^. ^•=)

Text to Baekho:

HOOK THEM UP!!! I’LL HELP YOU! ^^

Text from Baekho:

Ok, g2g. I’ll see you tomorrow

Sweet dreams, Jigiya -^^-

Text to Baekho:

Nighty night, Yeobo ☺

I shut off my phone and pulled out my sleeping mat and blanket. I rolled out my mat and lay the blanket on me.

I shut my eyes and dream of my imaginary relationship with Parah.

Hopefully, my dreams will soon become a reality.