Jonghyun’s ’maybe’ turned into a no. He didn’t come to school the next fallowing day – days. He didn’t come to school at all on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, and honestly, I wasn’t expecting him to come today either. Why would he when the only time he had been at school was after school, in the dance room, not on an actual lesson.

And my so call ‘search for a friend’ was starting to ease up, of course there were still some of them that just snorted and walked away when I tried to talk to them. But okay, if they don’t want to talk then they’re not worth it, easy as that.

But there was one girl; she was always on her own. She gave me the same impression as Jonghyun; shy and reserved. I’m guessing that she too is a freshman and has troubles getting friends, just like I was. But there was a different, I was actually trying to get friends and my personality was the total opposite. I was loud and sometimes rather blunt. Though, I hadn’t seen that girl in my homeroom so she had to attend one of the other two.

“Class, settle down, I have an announcement to make.” Our homeroom teacher spoke; the students slowly started to withdraw to their own chairs and stopped talking. There was a brief silence before the teacher himself began to ruffle around with some papers that were lying on the table in front of him.

“We are going on a field trip in two weeks so that everyone can get to know each other better.” Know each other better? I don’t know about that. I listened as some students asked where we were going. “We are going to Eurwangni Beach.” There was a loud boom of voices now. Some was cheering while some others wondered why we would go to the beach in the beginning of April since you could barely do anything.

“What are we going to do there?” another student asked and I think all of us wondered the same, what the hell were we going to do? “We will have competitions that you’ll be needed to work together on, campfire and other things.” Ugh, this was seriously getting worse and worse. How am I supposed to work with them?

I glanced around on everyone present; some of them had huge frowns plastered on their lips while some others had smiles draw. I think I had a frown because I knew that this was not going to be fun, at all.

“So, with that settled, let’s start the lesson.” I brought forward my math book and began to fallow after what the teacher wrote on the board. I actually found math to be a bit fun, well maybe fun wasn’t the right word. But it was a challenge. And that’s how it went on; I was obligingly doing everything I was supposed to do. And even though this was just my second week, I already felt how much harder high school was in difference from middle school. But I wasn’t complaining.

The bell rang in the distance and I watched how all the students practically ran out the room. I hadn’t decided on what I should do, stay behind and continue to work or eat. I had after all already eaten a huge breakfast so I think I could keep myself until I got home.

Since my time to do homework with had shortened a lot since I started to work I needed to take every opportunity give to do them. Even if it meant that I had to skip a meal.

Once the bell finally rang for the day I hurried home. Ever since Monday I’d promised my parents to never arrive late again. Though, I hadn’t told them about Jonghyun since they would probably, let it slip out of their mouths when being around Junsik. And seriously, I was soon seventeen years old and if I wanted to have friends that were boys then what was the big deal. It weren’t like I was the only one in the world to have it. So no, it was safest for both me and Jonghyun if I didn’t tell mom and dad about him.

When I finally arrived home the sun had set for the day, and I changed out of my uniform before taking on a pair of black skinny jeans and a long sleeved gray shirt. I headed back down and stepped inside the restaurant. A few costumers were already seated at some of the tables and I stepped forward and asked them if they wanted something. Some of them declined gently, while some other asked for more food or a new bottle with water.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into hours. Customers were coming and going in a steady phase and I always had something to do. I had to carry out the food, bring in the dishes and manage the cashier. But it was all worth it, I know it would be in the end. Especially since I’d already managed to earn a bit over one million won already, and if you added the tip then it was more. Maybe it wouldn’t take that many weeks before I had all the money needed.

It was soon closing time and I was counting the cashier when I heard how the door opened. A cold wind entered and I shivered before I put the money back and slide the cashier close. Though as I raised my head to see who it was, my eyes widened ever so slightly and my breath stuck in my throat.

“J-Jonghyun sshi.” I stuttered out as I watched him step inside together with five other guys. All of them were wearing caps and glasses; something I found a bit weird, but I let it pass neither less. “What are you doing here?” I asked dumbfound, though I bit my lip hard when the guys he came with began to laugh. Right, this was a restaurant and usually you eat here. I felt how my heart beat a bit extra when Jonghyun showed a shy smile.

‘What am I supposed to do? We are closing in just minutes.’ I thought before I excused myself from them. I had to ask dad. Would he mind letting them come in? Once I stepped inside the kitchen I saw how he was cleaning and finishing of the last touches. “Dad?” hesitantly I waited for him to turn around, it was easier to talk to him face to face.

“What is it sweetheart?”

I fidgeted with the end of my shirt. What if he started to wonder why I was so eager about letting them eat? Please, dad just let them eat. “A few more customers stepped inside just now.” I trailed off at the end as I waited for him to say something. “Could you please tell them that we are about to close.” He spoke and my inner screamed no. I didn’t want them to go. What if Jonghyun thought I was a meanie after this?

“Please?” I begged and I heard how he sighed before he explained that he was tired and wanted to get some rest. “But I can cook, don’t you remember that you’ve actually teached me.” I was eager now, and I think it showed because I saw how my dad raised his eyebrow as he asked why I was being so stubborn.

“All right.” my dad finally gave in before he began to tell me where everything was located and I nodded once in a while. “Dad, I got it, you can go up and sleep.” I laughed and gave him a goodnight hug before I watched him walk off. With dad out from the kitchen I headed back to Jonghyun and told the six of them to pick a place to sit while I went to flip the open/closed sign to close.