“Cathy!” I heard my mom’s voice from downstairs.

“I’ll be there soon, mom!” I rushed to my bedroom door and reached the stairs immediately, down to kitchen to eat my breakfast with my little brother. “Mmm looks yummy...” I rubbed my hands and smiled.

“It IS yummy, honey. Go eat your breakfast or you won’t catch the bus.”

“Yes, Ma’am!” I laughed to see my mom’s expression after I said that. She almost always overacted (in a good way) in facing something, because she is probably the most caring woman in this whole world.

“Your dad has hired few people to help him in the restaurant yesterday.”

“Hmmm.. Really?” I keep chewing my bread.

“Two boys and a girl, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Mmmm..”

“One of them goes to the same school with you.”

“Give me the jam!!” I yelled to my annoying brother, he’s been a minute teasing me with the jam when I want to add more in my bread. I believe my mom said a name when I yelled, but I didn’t listen to her anymore, this kid ruined my mood and I just want to finish my breakfast as soon as possible.

“I’ll never been bored to tell you to be more patient, Cathy.” My mom exhaled a breath. “That’s for your good anyway.” I pouted. Why always me? He’s the troublemaker and she blamed me for that tiny commotion in the kitchen.

“I go, tell dad I love him. Bye.” Finally I went to school with a bad mood, walking slowly to the bus stop near my house.

~~

    It’s been 5 days since I entered this High School. I love it anyway, everything’s going fine so far. Although sometimes I had a trouble with the language, but I think it’s getting better in time, I’ve spent 3 months to learn Korean and I had a good improvement.

“Annyeonghaseyo,” a girl greeted me. I remembered she was in my Mathematic Class.

“Aah, annyeong, Seoyoon! Mind if we go to the class together?” I smiled. She shook his head and laugh.

“No, of course not. Come on, that’s Minjoong, remember her, right?” Then three of us walked to the Mathematic Class, ‘Well, at least it’s not a bad start for a day’, I thought. But when he headed to our lockers, a crowded blocked that small corridor.

“What’s that?” I asked Seoyoon curiously. Those girls seemed so excited.

“Gaaah. Not again. They’re his fansclub members.”

“WHAT?!” ‘What kind of guy who had a fansclub in a school?’ I said quietly in my mind. “Who is he? Must be very popular, huh?”

“Yeah, kind of that. Me myself won’t be able to stare at his eyes.”

“Huh? What’s wrong?” I didn’t get what she said.

“I’ll melt.” After heard her answer I can’t help but burst into my deafening laugh. I keep laughing until finally I’m able to manage some words from my mouth as a response of her answer, my stomach hurt a bit.

“You.. *laugh* must be kid....” I didn’t continue my sentence after I really saw him. Yes, a guy who had a fansclub in this school.

He came out from those girls, sent out his charming face and aura to every corner of that corridor. He’s very tall, skinny but absolutely dashing. His black hair was definitely one of the most beautiful chaos I have ever seen. He didn’t need to make it neat like another people, and it’s perfectly framed his handsome face. He walked and smirked. Oh, wait, no he’s not smirking. That was his smile. Evil smile. And he smiled to me. I believed I just blinked and opened my mouth. Now I understand why Seoyoon said she will melt because of this stare.

“Hey, you are that new student, right?” He stopped in front of me and scanned from top to toe. “An American? Well, not bad..” He gave me that deadly smile once again and clearly said, “I’m Kyuhyun.”

I gulped. “I’m Cathy.”

And that’s all our very first meeting. I thought I haven’t breath properly for few seconds and started to gasp for air after Kyuhyun walked again, followed by some of those fansclub girls. Speechless, I turned to face Seoyoon and Minjoong.

“Wow.” Three of us whispered at the same time. Just then, one of those fansclub girls walked towards me and said,

“Don’t get it wrong, he’s always like that to girls. I’m not going to consider that was special, if I were you.” She furrowed her eyebrows and tried to act cool, which I noticed it was failed. She looked a little bit nervous in front of me and immediately follows her friends, leave me shocked for the second time in this morning.

“Well, thank you for the suggestion..” I shook my head and smiled to two girls beside me, “Let’s go.”

We went to our first class today. Seoyoon and Minjoong keep asking me if I were okay with that girl’s words earlier. Actually I almost completely forgot about that girl, but for another one’s words, I’m not so sure I’ll forget it soon.

“I’m Kyuhyun.” I laughed quietly and thought ‘how silly to repeat this word again and again in my mind’.

~~

    Time passed so fast and I’ve been here in Korea for about 2 months. I missed Boston but Korea is not really bad, I think. Beside facts that I haven’t had a friend that really close to me. I spent most of my time alone, but didn’t mean that I don’t have many friends. I sat in different tables at lunch and all of them are my friends. Actually I’m quite popular in my High school. Oh my god, I never get this popularity before, and maybe that’s one of the reasons why I started to love Korea. I laughed when I realized this. But still, I felt lonely inside. I joined some activities: volleyball and singing. Volleyball every Saturday and Sunday morning, while singing every Wednesday after school. I wasn’t in team but I just loved volleyball, and so with singing. My voice was not really good but I enjoyed every meeting.

    One night I was home alone. Restaurant had closed earlier than usual and my family were out to buy few things in the city. I tried to finish my assignment absentmindedly. Gosh, I couldn’t restrain myself from thinking about that handsome guy again. I sighed. I have no reason why I should keep thinking about him. We have nothing to think for. I emphasized those words in my mind. It’s not even a relationship, he only gave me his evil smile every time we met in school, and sometimes added ‘Hi’ or ‘Hello’. No more or less. He never absent to greet me but we never talked even once. And it’s been two months already. I tried to bring my focus back to my assignment when my backdoor bell rang. I looked at the turtle clock on my desk, ten o’ clock at night. ‘Who’s gonna be a guest this late?’ I wondered.

“Wait a minute!” I put on my red sweater and down to the stairs. Our ‘house’ is upstairs, while the kitchen and a not-so-big Italian restaurant fill the downstairs of this building. My daddy owned the restaurant.
I peeked a little from the kitchen window to see a boy standing behind that closed door. I didn’t know him. Then I opened the door, small enough just to make my head peeked from it.

“Yes?” I asked doubtfully. He looked like a normal boy, taller than me, but I believed his height was under the average of boys’. His face was chubby but he’s not fat. His expression changed when I asked him. I couldn’t explain why but it was funny, he looked so...

“I’m sorry, is Mr. Chiariello around?” He asked in English. I doubt for a second, whether I should answer in Korean or English. But to respect him because he had tried to use my language, I use his language.

“Ummm, no, he went to buy something in the city. But I’m his daughter, can I help you?” I smiled. He smiled too, I think it was because I answered in Korean.

“Well, I’m the new employee of your restaurant, and I want to pick up my uniform. Your father has told me to pick it today but I have something to do this whole day and I think.. well, because it’s still Thursday, I won’t betrayed my promise to pick it today.. I’m sorry for disturbing you, it’s already late..” He rubbed his hair in nervousness and grinned guiltily.

“Oh, no, no, it’s okay.. Mmm, you may come in. I think I know where my dad put those uniforms.” I fully opened the door now and he came into my kitchen. I went upstairs to check his uniform but came back again because I haven’t asked his name yet. “Aaaah, I forgot. Your name is...”

“Ryeowook. Kim Ryeowook.” He smiled once again, not the kind of evil-but-charming smile owned by Kyuhyun. This smile seemed too cute for a boy, and what’s going through my mind was only ‘This guy is beautiful. No way’. I shook my head and started to look for a uniform with a badge inscribed ‘Kim Ryeowook’ on it.

~~

    I’ve been searching for that uniform for about twenty minutes and found nothing. I went to my parents’ bedroom, living room, warehouse, and even my own room and brother’s. Must be somewhere here, I remembered I heard my mother put them few days ago when I was playing with my video game inside my bedroom. So I don’t know where were they, that’s the problem. I cursed myself for being so selfish lately and didn’t pay so much attention to my environment. Pity Ryeowook down there, I thought. Gave up, finally I only sat down on the couch and doing nothing. Five minutes had passed and I knew maybe I have to tell that boy to come back again tomorrow. I sighed and down to kitchen, where he was still waiting patiently.

“Ermmm..” I started, just stood in front of him and scratch the back of my head.

“Is everything okay?” He asked. I just knew from his eyes that he understood if I failed in finding his uniform up there. I bit my lower lip and have nothing to say except,

“I’m sorry, Ryeowook. I thought I knew where it was but I had searched all over my house and yeaahh...” I didn’t continue my words and forced a guilty smile.

“Ah, it’s fine. Would you tell Mr. Chiariello that I’ll be back tomorrow to pick it up?” He stood up and walked towards the backdoor. I didn’t know what’s going on my mind but I just don’t want him to leave now.

“Wait!” I said. “I’m so sorry for making you waste your time here, and I think my parents will come back soon. Don’t let yourself go home with nothing. Just wait a little longer and you’ll get your uniform, I promise.” ‘What are you doing?’  my mind screamed as his face looked a little bit confuse, but then he smiled and nodded.

"Well, okay. I think i'll wait until eleven?"

"Sure." I answered immediately. "Take a seat, please. I'll make tea for us, it's quite cold, huh?" He smiled politely and I'm starting to take the pot and tea box from the drawer. I keep my hand busy with those things until I thought I've been ignored him, and feel bad because of that.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I even haven't told you my name." I laughed as I leaned to the cabinet, waiting for the tea to mix perfectly with the hot water.

"I know." He surprised me. "You're Catherine." I only opened my mouth and he grinned even wider. "We go to the same school, everyone knows your name, don't worry."

"Ahhh.. I see. Anyway, just call me Cathy." I finally spoke, smiled, really confused about what I'm going to say in this situation. I continued my work, took two cups and poured the tea. "I hope it won't taste plain or what~ I'm not really good in the kitchen, you know." I said awkwardly as I put the cups and the pot on the kitchen table.

We sipped our tea silently, this boy seemed fine with the silence. So (again) I tried to broke the awkwardness and asked,

"So, how old are you?"

"Seventeen, towards eighteen this June."

"A year after me?"

"Yep." When he formed his lips to answered that, it remained me to someone. I knew this boy. I tilted my head and tought for a while.

"Hey..."

"What?"

"I know you!" I pointed to him unconsciously. He looked like wanna laughed.

"Really?"

"Yes! You're that piano boy!" This time he really laughed.

"Piano boy?" He asked in disbelieved.

"Yes! Yes! You're the one who played piano during the singing class, every Wednesday after school!" I remembered him even I was only took the class for the fifth time yesterday.

"Oooh, yes, I am. You attend that?"

"You know my name but never realized I was in that class??" This time I asked in disbelieved. We looked each other in an indescribable expression and suddenly both of us laughed out loud. I didn't know why I laughed this hard, and I was pretty sure he also felt the same. I missed this laugh, with my bestfriend in Boston. We keep laughing until my laugh stopped as I was starting to let out hiccups.

"Oop *hiccup* s" He laughed even louder. I wanna laugh too but it's difficult between my hiccups.

"Aaah, *hiccup* o *hiccup kay, stop it *hiccup*" I gave up, my stomach hurt but I'm very happy.

"Okay, " He ended his laugh in a cute smile, without any intention to do so. After few minutes or so, I could controll my hiccup and asked again some questions to him,

"How will you work, while you have to go to school?"

"Only in weekend, lots of my friends also do that."

"How long?"

"Well, from the agreement with your father, I'll start from nine o'clock in the morning, take a break from twelve to half past one, and will finish my job at five."

"My mom said my dad hired few people, but it was 2 months ago," I confused.

"He hired me 2 months ago, but what did you expect from a high school student who had no knowledge about Italian foods? I love cooking but Italian foods is still new for me.."

"So?"

"He trained me."

"Huh? My dad trained you?"

"Yes, why?"

"Where?"

"Here, where else?"

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

"I've never seen you."

"Well, you never take a look at the restaurant's kitchen, maybe?"

"Not really. Were you there everyday?"

"Noo, of course not. Only on weekend."

"Omigod."

"What?"

"I think I should open my eyes. Seriously." I stared at my lap and he laughed again. A warm laugh. Which I really like it. I smiled as a respondence.

"Hey, that's my dad's car." I stood and looked outside. They finally went home.

"Good." Ryeowook showed his cute smile again.

Soon, Ryeowook got his uniform and went home. That bloody uniform was inside the cupboard in my parents' bedroom.

"Well, thank you, Cathy.." I didn't know why I feel special when he said that goodbye words to me, only for me, "... James, Mr. and Mrs. Chiariello.. See you on Saturday." I sighed. I thought...

"Bye, Ryeowook.." I said, waving my hands. He walked, but then looked back to me.

"Actually, you call my name wrongly."

"Huh?"

"In the name of politeness, you should've called me Ryeowook Oppa." Then he smiled and walked again. I can't help but laugh. 'In the name of politeness, what kind of reason is that?'

"Okay, Ryeowook Oppa!" He waved his hands and I closed the door behind me. I think I'm going to have a nice dream tonight. ^^