A new day, a new town, and a new start. That’s how my mom would describe this big move from Gwangju to Seoul. But to me, it was complete bull. I didn’t want a new start, I didn’t want to move to a new town, and I most definitely didn't want to meet new people. I admit it, I’m an awkward non-sociable freak of nature.

Every time I have a conversation with strangers it always ends up with me standing there uncomfortable looking at the floor, begging to god when will this torture end. I can’t even form  the right words when it comes to talking to new faces. So, I ask myself why? Why in the world would my mother think its okay for her 18 year old daughter in her senior to move to a new area?  Why would “this mother” of mines drag her only child out of her comfortable zone to a deleterious city called Seoul? There is only one answer to these questions: her “newly found husband”.

This so called “Husband”  and I like to call him a gold digger because that’s all he does ; asks my mom for money and disappear here and there. I never understood what my mom saw in him. He was tall and scrawny. He wore small fringed round glasses, and had a small stache. His appearance wasn’t all that great and for personality I wouldn’t know. He never smiled at me or stir a conversation with me, which I highly appreciate him for that. All in all, he was a complete waste of breathing air to me. He didn’t exist, and I didn’t exist to him . So, the problem was what did my mom she in this unusable man? I will never know the answer to that.

As we drove away from my favorite place in the world, memories of my father, happiness, love began flittering my mind. I didn’t want to leave, this town was all I ever known and the very thought of never coming back left an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Although I never had friends, maybe acquaintances, but never friends, starting all over freaked me out. I wasn’t prepared for this. I knew people would judge me, I knew people would make fun of me, and I knew people wouldn’t be friends with a girl like me. How will I ever adjust to this new life?

“Minji-ah, honey wake up we’re finally here!”, I heard a faint whisper in my ears. I slowly opened my eyes, what turn out to be a 4-5 hour drive felt like a 5 minute drive. I got off my sleeping position in the car and massaged my neck.

The area where “our family” house was located was in the suburbs. There were palms trees in every single corner of every house, beautiful gardens with blossoming flower at every porch, and nicely cut fresh green grass everywhere. All the houses were designed the same way; The houses were all two storage with an ugly fluorescent yellow as the color. This wasn’t us. This house didn’t describe me and my mother at all. I got off the car, as my mother came running towards me with the most delighted expression on her face.

“Honey, can you believe it? We’re finally going to living in our dream home?” I could literally hear the enthusiasm in her voice.

She took grab of my hands and pulled me into a really tight hug. “I am so happy Minji, everything I wanted in life has come true! I have the daughter I always wanted, I have a supporting man, and now I have the house. Isn’t this the best?” She released me, and I didn’t have the heart to tell her I was unhappy.

How could I? She was beaming ear to ear, and was genuinely happy for the first time in years. There was no way I could break her heart and disappoint her due to my insecured feelings. I faked a smile and nodded my head, like I always did. And from that day on my life wasn’t the same. I became different as ‘they’ like to call it.

“Minji! Can you go fetch the door for me, I’m kind of busy here!” My mother yell through the backyard.

I hopped off the couch that I was so comfortably laying on and placed my laptop on the floor. Its been a bloody week, and my mother has made friends with every single neighborhood wife on the street. I didn’t know how, but now we ended up throwing a housewarming party. Unfamiliar faces were everywhere, creepingly smiling at me as though they knew something I didn’t. I hate it. I hated every stupid face that I passed by, all of them either ignored me or thought it was “nice” of them to do those cheese conversation. You know how it goes, “How was your day”, “How old are you?” They even throw in the unnecessary awkward compliments like “Your short hair is nice” or “Your face resembles a kitten” How in the world am I suppose to continue on with the conversation, Do they want me to compliment them too? Because I believe thats pretty darn selfish for them. Why would you compliment someone so you can hear nice things about yourself?  I just don’t know, but what I did know was that these people needed to leave, immediately!

I opened the front door for the “guests” and to my surprise, instead of seeing an old women, like I expected. I saw two young people who looked like they were around my age; a boy and girl.

“Um...Hi, can I help you?” I asked. The female looked ravishing.

She was literally glowing, that I wouldn’t even be surprised if boys pounded her as though she was the last piece of meat on planet earth. She had the typical features that most guys looked for and what most girls would be jealous of. Her hair was long, dark, and shiny. She had pouty pink kissable lips and her eyes were big and round. She had a decent height and curves in the right place.

To sum it up, I already hated her within the first  tens seconds of seeing her.

My eyes wandered off to the male beside her. He, on the other was even ten times pretty than the girl. He had big puffy lips and eyes that shine. He was tall and lean, and his fashion sense was a bit odd, but I could tell he was an interesting type of character.

I hated him too.

Why was I born without a personality or at least a striking characteristic that stands me out of the crowd? Looking at these two beauties in front of me , I really just wanted to punch them in the face and deform their pretty little faces, but I couldn’t. I had to act normal.

“Sorry to interrupt your party, but my mother came here a few hours ago, and I just wanted to talk to her.”

Her voice sounded like nails being screeched down a chalkboard. Why must all girls talk like this. What will that squeaky annoying high pitched voice get them? I just want to slam her head against a car window and call it a day. She smiled at me moving her head to the side allowing all that long glossy hair to fall down her right shoulder. Was she trying to act cute?

“You can keep my friend company, while I’m gone”. She looked over at the boy giving him what I supposed was a secret message. Her eyes landed back at me, while the corner of lips twitched. “Since you guys are both boys, it’ll be easier for you two to both communicate.”

She slithered her way inside the house, leaving me and the pretty boy alone. Before I could even register anything in my brain, I trailed behind the girl and yanked that glossy long hair down causing her to scream, I then, threw her across the living room causing her to hit the wooden wall back first and fall down to the hard floor face first. Blood began spreading all over her body as I laughed wickedly like a demented child...

Okay that’s not what I really did, but that’s what I wanted to do to her. What I really did was stood right by door with my mouth gawking out. How dare she have the audacity to call me a boy. I know for a fact that I don’t look anything like a boy. I have curves for god-sakes! I get the fact that my voice may be a bit deep for a girl , but still I have women features and parts to prove it!

“That sneaky little ” I whispered under my breath. I heard a low chuckle besides me, completely forgetting that the pretty boy was standing in front of me.

He stopped laughing once he realized that I was glaring at him. “I’m sorry, but you have to excuse her sometimes. She known for being clueless.”  His eyes glinted as he looked at me. His smile was alright, but something about his eyes were magictific.

I shook my head at the thought that I was actually checking him out. “You're darn right. That ! I have s for goodness sakes!”My hands landed on my knockers. I immediately felt embarrassed and removed my hands away from them. “I-I mean I’m a female, anyone who can’t tell is just a buffoon.”.

This time the boy laughed even harder to the point where is hands landed on his stomach. I was pretty proud myself. I actually can make funny jokes.

The boy’s laughter died down after a few seconds. He extended his hands out for me to shakes. I shook my head, “I don’t do skinship, sorry.”

He placed his hand over his head and smiled lightly, “No problem, I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Taemin and the “buffoon” name is Suzy”.

There was a long silence, and then it hit me. He wanted me to introduce myself.

“Ah, my name is Minzy” I finally said. There was relief in his eyes. He’s mouth began to move and I swear I could hear him mutter out the words “pretty” but our moment of connection was soon ruin by the buffoon herself.

“We can leave now Taemin.” She yelled behind me. She stomped her way over to where he was, completely ignoring my presence. She then tucked her arms securely with Taemin and walked off, not even saying goodbye. Rude.

Just before I was about to turn around and make my way inside the house, I heard someone calling my name from the distance.

I crooked my head over to see who it was. It was Taemin.

“It was nice meeting you, Minzy. I hope to bump into you sometime soon.” He waved and dashed off with the buffoon.

Sweet boy, he was.

---

It's finally here. A new start of a story from last year that I promised. Thank you guys for patiently waiting. Enjoy ^^