Today is my first day of school. It has been a few days since I've officially met that person and, consequently, it's also been a few days since Sandara had scolded me for my irresponsible behaviour. Overall she told me how she was worried and how I should never do things like that again. It felt like a déjà-vu scene, having heard these kinds of talks before.

   However, the scolding was directed to me this time, and I felt that maybe I wasn't taking life as seriously as I should. I remembered how Dara called me reckless, self-centered, and any other venomous words that were linked to my irresponsability. Not that it shocked me, but indeed, I haven't been thinking about all that could happen if I did this or that. I haven't thought of how I would normally act or how Dara would feel if I disobeyed her. I suppose that, as any responsible adult, Dara just wishes the best for me.

   I remember at that morning, Dara had instructed me the way to go from the bus stop. I did as I was told, and arrived in front of the opened doors of a large gate with the same crest my uniform had. I hesistantly entered, scared of what could happen next. But nothing could go bad at school right?

   I had confidently made a few steps and it became clearer to me as to how big the school was.  It wasn't as tall as the skyscrapers I had seen before, but it was decently tall and very large. Many students had already arrived and were all gathered in small groups.

"Boo!"

    I felt a pair of hands grabbing on my shoulders from behind. The person quickly came before me after pulling me a bit towards the back. It was Jieun.

"Hey Sanghyun!" she said as she lightly hit me on the collarbone. "You didn't come that day!"

"Ah right...," I said. I actually didn't meet her that day at all. I had completely forgotten about her since the incident with that person. Come to think of it, the thought of her hasn't even come up in my mind. I feel so bad. She's my friend and I'm not even doing anything to prove that. "I'm sorry, Jieun."

"Nah, it's ok. I forgive you," she said in a haugthy and teasing voice. Jieun told me to follow her, and we sat on a bench nearby. Stretching out her legs and arms she said, "By the way, we're in the same class!"

"Really? That's great!" I said, not to sure about how great it was to be in the same class. Well, she is my friend, so I should be happy.

"Oh and Yang Seungho is in our class too!" she exclaimed, quickly retreating her limbs. Her eyes were round as they stared into mine. She smiled, happy and excited, while I was left taken aback.

"Yang Seungho?" I said surprised. I cleared my throat, looked away and asked, "Who is he?"

"You mean you don't know him?" she asked. Her tone clearly stated her shock. "Tsk tsk tsk... If there's someone you should know here, it's him! He's a multi-talented guy, you know!"

"Well, I guess I don't know him... personally... as a person."

"As a person? Hum... I guess no one actually knows him. He barely has any close friends. Oh well. We'll get to know him sooner or later right? I mean we will probably working together, talking, and whatnot."

"Do you expect me to be sociable? You were my only friend, no?"

   My question was maybe unexpected for her, so she didn't answer automatically. She looked at the sky and then said, "I guess I was... " 

   She took my hand and made me follow her accross the vast yard before the school. "Anyway, let's go before we're late!"

   Jieun and I were both new students, and the teacher felt like he should introduce us to the students that had attended this high school last year.

   While we waited, I heard that person's voice ordering to stand up and the class greeted the teacher as he came in.

"Good morning, teacher!" I heard the students say from the hallway.

"Good morning, students," the teacher replied. "We have two students from Seoul whom I'd like to introduce." He signaled us to come in.

"Hello, my name is Lee Jieun," Jieun's bright voice charmed most of the male students. She smiled and slightly bowed. "Please take care of me!"

   The class applauded and cheered, and the teacher directed her to her seat at the back. I was left alone in front of the class. It felt nerve wracking to stay standing there. I saw that person sitting among all of the students. He seemed to stand out more than the others. I looked at him, and he looked back. He was surprised, by the look of his face. The feeling was mutual I guess. 

"Good morning, my name is Park Sanghyun," I shyly said. "I'm the new student. Please take care of me."

   As I received a not-so-enthousiastic applause, the teacher told me to sit at the desk in front of Jieun. I made my way between the row and caught that person smiling and mouthing something as I passed by his desk. I barely heard him say "Hello". Seeing him face to face reminded me of that night. I mouthed "Thank you" and went to my seat.

    I sat down and the teacher started  his introductions.

"Hey you sneaky liar!" Jieun whispered and evilly laughed behind me. I didn't turn back though. "You told me you didn't know him, but you actually did!"

    I took a small piece of paper and wrote :

    No, I don't...

    Then, why did you guys greet then? She wrote back.

    It's nothing. I just met him once, but I didn't know he was Yang Seungho.

"You did?" she whispered. "When was that?"

"... Recently," I replied.

"When? When?" she asked repeatedly as if she never heard me.

    I sat to the back of my chair in order to get closer to her and shushed. "We're in class... Let's talk about it after."

"Why not right now? The teacher is only introducing himself. Come on, Sanghyun, I'm curious," she insisted.

    I turned back completely, putting my index finger on my lips. The reason I did so is that I wanted that person's meeting to be a secret. I wanted him to be the only one who knows about my incapabilities. I looked at her as she was bent towards me.

"Aigoo, you're so tall," she teased, answering something that was completely unrelated to the conversation, and shuffled my hair. I looked down, and saw a little keychain on her pencil case. It was written "BEST". Unfortunately, I supposed it was in English, and I hadn't had the time to study the language.

"Park Sanghyun!" the teacher said. "Face the front and sit properly. This isn't a good way to start school, no?"

"I'm sorry, sir," I excused myself, slightly looking down.

    Students laughed a bit at the situation, at me most probably , or maybe at my slightly messed up hair.

"So tell me." Jieun started, slyly smiling, once class was over and we were walking in the hallway. "What's your relation with him?"

"I have no relation with him," I simply replied, remembering about our recent conversation.

"If you say so then. I can't force the answers out of you."

"Hey, Park Sanghyun!" Damn... It was that person's voice.

    Jieun stepped back and raised her eyebrow, probably thinking things. "Mind to explain?" she seemed to say.

    I turned around and looked at him. "T-Thank you for that time." I had to say it, or I would seem too rude.

"No problem," he said, "I didn't expect you to attend this school. Seems like we'll see each other often."

"Y-yeah... I suppose we are."

"Who's she?" he asked, looking at Jieun.

"She's... eum... my friend."

"That's good to know," he replied, never stopping to evoke a bright personnality. He patted my shoulder and said, "Anyway, see you around!"

   As he left to join a group of boys, Jieun came closer to me. "Wow, doesn't he seem charismatic?"

"Yes, he does," I said, stating my thoughts. He was so different though. He was so much brighter, so much more carefree... He was different, even too different than what I was used to. I mean, at the last meeting we had...

    A thought struck me suddenly. The conversation I had with Jieun in class became much more important.

"Speaking of him," I started, "can I see your keychain?"

"I really don't see the link, but ok." She brought up her pencil case and I looked at the letters.

"You do remember about it, right?" she asked. "It's the keychain you gave me many years ago."

    So then it's THAT keychain?

"Do you remember what mine looked like?"

"You mean you lost it?"

"I guess I did... Anyway how did mine look?"

"Well, I had the 'BEST' and you had the 'FRIENDS'."

"Feu-ren-deu-seu?"

"Yes, friends. Like in Best Friends," she awkwardly stated. "Are you ok, Sanghyun?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Well, maybe it's just me imagining things, but you used to always nag about my 'improper English pronunciation'," she pouted, eyebrows frowned, "and now you seem to not know the language at all."