The judgment day came. You prayed, hoping that you’re not included in the obese list. That day you sat on the back of the class. You saw Suzy feeling nervous and worried.

                “Hey, eonni,” you said to Suzy, “Why must you worry today?”

                “Do I look like bloating?” said her.

                “No, of course,” you said, “You’re never fat, Eonni. Don’t worry.”

                “Yesterday I ate a lot,” said Suzy again, “I felt hard to sleep and hungry, so I ate 2 packs of cheese-filled bread.”

                “Yeah, just 2 pieces of bread, it would be all right. I’m worse than you,” said you, “Yesterday, without my expectation, Mr. Cha came to my house’s bakery and met my sisters. From that he knew my house, where and how it looks like for him.”

                “Whoa, did he taste your sister’s handmade bread?”

                “Yes.”

                “What did he say?”

                “Thanks God,” you said, “He said it was delicious, neither too sweet nor sour. He said it was well-balanced.”

                Suzy felt glad with it, and she grunted like she wanted to taste your sister’s bread.

                “If you want, I’ll bring one sample for you tomorrow, in my lunchbox. Anyway, I’ll tell you why I have worse case than yours. When he met my sisters with me, he said that my sisters were beautiful, and my oldest sister looked thinner than when they met first time. And he asked if I ate much at home. My sisters answered sometimes, yeah sometimes I eat much snack, and he said that’s why I look chubbier than them.”

                “Hahaha,” Suzy laughed, “Be patient, honey. But that’s right. Now I feel like I want to pinch your cheek!”

                Suzy pinched your cheek and you grunted. She laughed as you knew it was only joke. You knew her type of joke was like that, ‘mocking’ for making fun. Suddenly you saw Lee Hong Ki coming from behind Suzy. He shocked Suzy by hitting her shoulder and screaming the greeting for both of you. Suzy screamed in shock while you laughed.

                “I thought your name shouldn’t be Hong Ki, but Monkey!” you joked.

                He looked at you, pretending to be confused by what you mean. Then he scratched his head and , imitating a confused monkey. That made both you and Suzy burst out a lot.

                And the bell rings, as the sign of the judgment being started. You saw that in the field many instruments for measuring height and weight had been prepared. Mr. Cha had been sitting steadily near one of those instruments, with a laptop containing a table of student data, where to fill the height and the weight. The other teachers stood near the other instruments with their own laptops too.

                The boys were measured first, after that the girls’ turn came. You decided to be measured first so you could knew your result first. You came to other teacher’s spot nearby as Mr Cha’s was far from your class’ queue. When you came, you clearly saw the digits by yourself. 161 cm of height, 61 kg of weight. Your shoulder’s length, waist and chest perimeter were also measured.

                “The result will be announced tomorrow,” said the teacher who measured you, “you may return to your classroom. There you’ll get to fill the form given.”

                You nodded and returned to your classroom while your classmates were measured one by one. Hong Ki asked about your result. You mentioned your height and weight and what the teacher said about the results.

                When you came to your seat, you saw a piece of student identity form laying on your table. You filled all the data, except the parents’ data. You filled it with guardian’s data, using your oldest sister’s contact number. After you finished, you saw another piece of paper given to you from the front, the form for choosing the extra programs on Saturdays. Then Suzy came and saw those papers.

                “What will you choose for your extra programs?” asked Suzy while you were examining the paper. Then you saw ‘cooking class’ as one of the choices for morning class, and ‘band class’ between the afternoon classes. But you knew that for the band, you need to be auditioned the next Monday at the music lesson hour, as the extra program will start next Saturday.

                “I’ll definitely join cooking on the morning,” you said.

                “Let me join you!” said Suzy

                “Of course!” answered you happily, “For the afternoon… I thought I want to try to join the band. But aren’t I too crap for that?”

                “No, you’re not crap,” said Suzy, “just try it.”

                “Try to sing in front of me!” suddenly Hong Ki came, “Let me hear it!”

                You thought for a while. Then you tried to sing No Reply’s ‘Don’t You Know’, the song you feel most comfortable enough in your range.

                “Not bad,” said Hong Ki, “At least you’re not tone deaf and blind.”

                “Thanks so much,” you said, “what about you? Won’t you join the band audition? Come on, try to sing!”

                Then Hong Ki sang ‘Still, As Ever’, A.N.JELL’s song. His voice was very fascinating, soft but powerful. You were very impressed. Both you and Suzy clapped your hands. Then, Hong Ki, Suzy and you decided to choose band for the afternoon class.

                The next day, you met Suzy right when you arrived in the front of the school gate. Both of you ran into the hall and searched for the announcement board. You saw the list of students for obesity program had been pasted on the board. You looked carefully from the beginning to the end of the list. Luckily, you, Suzy, and Hong Ki weren’t included in that list. Both you and Suzy screamed and hopped happily and tossed your hands.

Behind you, Mr. Cha was smiling, looking at you and Suzy. He said to the other teachers that you almost hit the limit before being considered obese and you look big because of your broad shoulders.

***

                At the band audition, the three of you had prepared well. No spicy food, no ice for the day. Suzy auditioned for guitar, while Hong Ki and you auditioned for the vocal part, but Hong Ki also auditioned for the drum, with his band FT.Island. Three of you directly entered the band room, in the other hall where class performances were usually held.  Suzy decided to play the guitar for relaxing.

                “How if we audition one by one by ourselves?” you said, “If we perform together, I’m afraid if I made mistake, it will affect our performances.”

                Suzy agreed your advice. Then you prayed together for the audition, meanwhile the other band candidates also came into the hall. Some of them were seniors. After a while, the door was opened and you saw… LEE DONG WOOK AS THE JUDGE OF THE BAND AUDITION!

                The whole room clapped for his coming. Suzy stared at Lee Dong Wook, together with you. You felt your heart beat much faster and harder. Suzy whispered to your ear that he was really amazing and good looking.

                Lee Dong Wook, who wore a white T-shirt covered by a black leather jacket, bowed to the whole room and introduced himself. Then, he asked everyone to get out of the room and wait first for his calling.

                That time you prepared Kim Bum So’s song which was used as the theme song of the drama Secret Garden as you felt your voice laid in contralto range. And suddenly you thought of making your own song while seeing his cutie face. You directly took out a piece of paper and wrote some words:

                I’ve never think before that this day will come

                Right now when I saw you for the first time

                I can’t deny that you made my heart inside

                Blooming out all the flowers from my soul

                You made me forget all my nightmares before

                Cause you magically changed them into joy

                You made me feel like I’m flying to the moon

                Through the night sky on your hot air balloon

                Now If I may be blunt, I wish you to take me away

                Into your wonderful world

                You took a deep breath and tried to rehearse that sudden own song as Lee Dong Wook were still examining the others who were called first. Hong Ki looked very calm as he had memorized his song to perform.  Without your conscience, 45 minutes had past so fast and it almost made you falling asleep, but your anxiety always kept you awake. You held Suzy’s hands firmly.

“Kim ___________!” you heard your name was called by some seniors to the audition room.

You realized it was your turn. Hong Ki and Suzy wished you for good luck, you thanked them and walked into the room. You took a deep breath, knocked the door 3 times, and got in. Lee Dong Wook looked at you curiously for a while. You smiled and greeted him with bow.

“Anyeonghaseyo, Lee Dong Wook seonsaengnim!”

Lee Dong Wook smiled and he answered your greetings nicely. He said that you may call him just Oppa, or Lee Dong Wook ssi. You just laughed.

“So, you’re auditioning for… vocal?”

“Ye, Oppa.”

“What will you sing then?”

You mentioned the song you rehearsed outside and your own prepared song. Then he instructed you to set as comfortable as you want. You just threw your burdens to sing it. You saw Lee Dong Wook smiled, seemed that he was interested a little bit in you.

“How did you make that song? Did you use any instruments?”

You explained that you didn’t use any instruments as you can’t play any. After a short ‘interview’, you were allowed to quit from the audition room and call the next candidate, Suzy, and later Hong Ki.

2 days after, you found the results announcement. You were happy since three of you (Suzy, you, and Hong Ki). There were four bands in total, each consisted of 6 members. You and Suzy were set to join Hong Ki’s band.  Not only together in the band, but three of you would be also together in the cooking class.

***

The first extra program day came. You, Hong Ki, and Suzy had prepared yourselves near the kitchen. That day was still the introduction day. The whole cooking class students gathered in the kitchen when the bell rang. The kitchen had 2 doors, was large and long, with a table, a big fridge, some outlets and a whiteboard on the left corner near the door, and a factory oven for baking in the other corner near the door. At the center, there were 3 long lines with 4 wash-basins, taps, space for cutting and storing, and portable stove each lines. 1 set of a tap, a wash-basin, space for cutting and storing (stall) and portable stove was called a station. At the corner wall of the kitchen, there were 3 big cupboards.

And there the teacher came, Chef Lee Son Gyun. He came with the manner like Chef Choi Hyun Wook in Pasta, wearing a chef shirt with red scarf and bringing a long pair of tongs. He greeted the whole room and he explained about everything in the kitchen, including that each station would be used by a group. Then he explained what you had to bring and prepare for the cooking class and how to get the recipe to cook the next meeting. He also explained the kitchen rules that he made.

“Of course there will be punishments for those who break the rules. First, being prohibited to cook and having to sit outside, next doing push-ups with opened clothes in the field for the boys or tidying up the dishes for the girls. Clear?”

“Clear, Chef!” answered the whole class loudly.

Additionally, Chef Lee Son Gyun also explained that he would used a lot of shock-therapy method to teach the cooking class. Then he asked to make teams of three, so Hong Ki and Suzy became your team.

                The whole day was introduction day. You were introduced by Hong Ki to your new band members, who were Hong Ki’s band members in his previous school as you were newcomer.  They were Choi Jong Hun who played keyboard or guitar, Lee Jae Jin as the bassist and backing vocalist, Song Seung Hyun as guitarist and vocalist, and Choi Min Hwan as your drummer. Lee Dong Wook only explained the rules for the class and some basics about types of music.

But the mess just started the following week.

                You, Hong Ki, and Suzy with a lot of cooking class students finished eating lately in front of the kitchen. You saw Chef Lee Son Gyun came behind the whole class, glaring at the whole class until Hong Ki’s face turned pale. You saw clearly that Chef Lee Son Gyun brought the cooking ingredients alone and he shouted very loudly telling the whole class to enter the kitchen.

                Three of you came approaching Chef Lee (Son Gyun) and offered to help to bring. He just nodded like he wanted to say ‘this is what you should do, but why didn’t you do this earlier?’.  Three of you brought the ingredients into the kitchen and Chef Lee walked in. Meanwhile the other students were busy to wear their aprons and prepare the cleaning stuffs like sponges and the dishwashing soap. Then Chef Lee allowed you to return to your station. Your group was at the first line, at the back, which means at the second station.

                “Luckily for today’s menu, your late presence wouldn’t make a big problem as you would just make handmade beef burger, the beef part only. But the next time, if you’re late…” Chef Lee increased his speech tone, “Don’t blame me if you had to finish this class late, become busy to wash and tidy up the dishes  and be scolded by the afternoon class’ students.”

                Then he explained how to make the beef-burger for the hamburger. And you heard clearly that some friends in front of the second line chatted during his explanation, and you saw it made his anger flew up to his head. He stopped explaining, asked the troublemaker to go to the front near him, and he pinched the troublemaker’s mouth hardly using the tongs.

                “Mouth is for talking and tasting, but not for disturbing others. Understand?” said Chef Lee seriously.

                “Ye, Chef!” said the troublemaker. And the other was hit by his fingers on his head.

                After explaining, he asked the whole class to take all the utensils, appliances, and the ingredients needed. Hong Ki minced and crushed the meat while you crushed the spices for mixing with the meat (onions and garlic) with rosemary and spring onions with the food processor you borrowed from the kitchen. Luckily the school had 12 food processors so each team could use one. Then the meat was mixed in the food processor before the dough was being shaped.

                Chef Lee strolled around to watch over each group’s progress. Luckily your group could follow the steps to make the beef burger successfully, while another group including the previous troublemaker made a mess. It made Chef Lee really pissed off so he yelled at them loudly as they played with the ingredient. He scolded that if they accidentally made the dough fell down to the wash-basin or to the floor, it would had been contaminated and no longer usable and edible so it would be complete waste. Luckily they had not wasted any part of the ingredients. His yell in front of the whole class was his shock therapy for the students he taught.

                When the class finished, your group got the task to check up if the kitchen stuffs had been returned completely for the day. After tidying up your things, you divided the checking tasks with Hong Ki and Suzy. You checked the first cupboard, Hong Ki the second, and Suzy the third.

When you finished checking, you saw your Hyo Jin eonni came into the kitchen bringing her bag. You saw her and Chef Lee shaking hands and smiling each other, then talked something. Hong Ki who just finished checking shocked you from behind to wake you up from your confusion.

                “Who are you looking at?” whispered Hong Ki.

                “My lovely Eonni,” you said in whisper, “Her name is Hyo Jin. She’s talking to Chef Lee now.”

                Suzy also saw your eonni and heard your conversation with Hong Ki. She whispered to you that your Eonni is beautiful. You thanked her, and you saw your Eonni caught your glimpse. She smiled and waved her right hand to you, and you responded the same thing to her. Then Chef Lee and her chat again. The three of you then thanked, and said goodbye to Chef Lee and greeted your Hyo Jin Eonni. Then you eavesdropped that Chef Lee asked who your Hyo Jin Eonni smiled at and she mentioned you as her sister. You saw Chef Lee smirked playfully and raised his tongs like he wanted to hit your Eonni. But instead of hitting her, he warned her that no personal relationship is allowed in the kitchen (like what Chef Hyun Wook did in his La Sfera kitchen in Pasta). Hyo Jin only giggled and said that she knew it very well and asked Chef Lee not to worry. Hong Ki pulled your hand and both of you walked to the band room.

                At the band room, you, Suzy and Hong Ki met Mr. Cha and greeted him, surprised seeing him wearing big sunglasses. He opened them a little and winked to three of you.Then you heard he yelled “Since the first day you have been three musketeers.

                You  laughed at each other. When three of you approached the band room, you heard a loud noise of drums being played inside. When you entered the room, you saw Choi Min Hwan was practicing the drum and Jong Hun was gathering with Jae Jin, Seung Hyun and some other band class students, like looking at something. Three of you greeted your friends in the band room and they responded to it. Then Jong Hun asked you to join them. When you came, Seung Hyun joke that girls weren’t allowed to see the content, but Jong Hun insisted that. So you and Suzy were convinced to promise to keep anything you saw as a secret.

                Then you saw that they were only watching HyunA and GS’ Troublemaker MV. You grunted as it was not an overly vulgar thing. But they talked about how y HyunA was. They joked about wondering if HyunA was there.

                “Good morning, what are you talking about?” suddenly you heard Lee Dong Wook sonsaengnim came and shouted from behind, “Seems like you’re watching something. Any blue movies?”

                “Of course no, sonsaengnim,” Jong Hun answered.

                “I have watched some adult movies, don’t be wrong,” said Lee dong Wook. And the rest of the band room shouted “What?” and let their jaws open of shock.

                “Of course I’m kidding,” said Lee Dong Wook, “Anyway we’re going to have an assessment next week, so prepare any song to perform for next week. Or maybe you should try performing first today. For that, who wants to try?”

                No one raised any hands. Then Lee Dong Wook asked every bands to send one member to draw who to perform first. Unfortunately, the draw fell to Hong Ki who was the representative of your band so you need to prepare for this sudden performance trial. Then the whole of your band agreed to perform A.N.JELL’s Still As Ever, the song Hong Ki auditioned before.  Your band set the amplifier and the instruments, then you started performing. In the middle of the performance, suddenly Lee Hyungnim asked you to stop.

                “Hey, the drummer, what’s your name?”

                “Choi Min Hwan, hyungnim.”

                “Notice your tempo. I heard it went inconsistent as the song progressed, so starting from today please start practicing using metronome.”

                “Ok, Hyungnim.”

                “Then, for the musicians and vocalists, your tempo was also a little bit untidy. Vocalists should follow the drummer’s tempo.”

                You just nodded in shock as you were blind about tempo and detail things in music. Suzy looked at you in confuse. Then Lee Dong Wook allowed your band to sit down and the next band to try performing. That day, tempo became the main problem. But as the bonus, Lee Hyungnim gave a brief lesson for guitarist, and luckily that day you can see his little long fingers playing with the guitar’s strings and his face focusing on the melody that he played, and you found it cute although you didn’t understand anything he said as you didn’t understand anything about musical instruments. When the class finished, you approached Lee Dong Wook.

                “Lee hyungnim,” you said, “thank you very much for accepting me into this band class.”

                “Me, too!” Suzy added.

                “Anyway, hyungnim,” Lee Hong Ki also added, “may I know is this your first time to teach in the band class?”

                “Exactly,” answered Lee Dong Wook, “Before entering this school, I was just a fresh graduate from a music college. I remembered when I opened this school’s site and I saw job vacancy for band teacher. and I was looking for a job that time. At first I felt curious about this school so I decided to send CV and without my expectation, I was accepted. I am major in guitar, so don’t be surprised if I master more about guitar than the others. But during my college year, I used to join the college band.”

                You and Hong Ki listened to him keenly. Then Hong Ki asked Lee hyungnim to try to sing, but he refused.

                “Later, if I’ve found the right time. OK?” said Lee hyungnim shyly.

                “Aigoooo,” both you and Hong Ki grunted.

                “Ok… ok.. ., later. At the farewell time ok?”

                “Ok, and play the guitar too, Hyung,” said Hong Ki, “I loved your performance.”

                “Me too,” you added.

                Lee Dong Wook again grinned and this time he blushed as he became a little bit ashamed. You laughed as you watched that red radiance on his cheeks.

                “Ah, I’m so ashamed now. Both of you reminded me of my friend in the college who asked me to sing in the prom.”

                “Hah?” you exclaimed, “Did you fulfill it?”

                “Not your business,” Lee hyungnim answered with a joking tone.

                Hong Ki and Suzy hooted at you as now it was your turn to be ashamed. You apologized for being overly curious, and Lee hyungnim said that it was okay and you don’t need to be over serious like that.

                “OK, thank you and bye-bye!” said you, Suzy and Hong Ki before leaving. Lee Dong Wook then said goodbye  and both of you walked out of the band room.