It was a clear day. A clear, ordinary day. Through the windows of the bus, rays of the morning sunlight, sweet and warm, comforting the cheeks. The rain of th day before has let puddles all around, just like little swimming-pools with random depth. In the middle of the buildings peaking up farther, majestic symbols of the big Seoul, more modest houses were appearing. Some were stretching linens at the dawn, dogs were looking the cars passing by through the railings of gates with paint flakes. An ordinary day.

Behind Juhyun, some girls from her class were heckling. They were wearing the uniforms as well. Marine blue sweater on a white shirt, black tie, gray pleated skirt, black knee-high socks. Everybody had the same treatment, no exception. Her hand put against the armrest, daydreaming, her eyes staring on the landscape that she was seeing but not looking at, since it was printed in her memory anyway, Juhyun was thinking about the day she would get the chance to break away from the herd. To be like the others was a comfort, yes but it was not what she was aspiring, deep inside. To be finally able to express her own desires, her own choices... To be finally able to show who she really was inside. It was not for the immediate future. High School has barely started for her, after all. But, already, she couldn't wait for the moment where she would be able to, finally, give up her uniforms forever and to throw herself with all her might in all that she wanted to start.

Her mind lost elsewhere, the young teenager was dreaming about fashion... At her age, young girls has their minds set on boys only and besides, the ones behind her couldn't stop heckling about this or that babe out from the last trendy boys band. Logical, in a girls-only school... But Juhyun was not that kind. Her, she had been taught that attraction for the other , if that's sane, had to be held back. First, the studies, then, love. And, respectable girls can't date boys. The truth was, being a respectable girl, she didn't care. All that she wanted was to realize her dreams. Who cared about the rest? The rest was what ones takes to fill in, to wait patiently. And she didn't want to fill in.

The bus stopped. Behind the row of low-rise buildings, a splendid house. In a private school like hers, that only girls from good families or executives were going to, to show off to everyone's eyes the gorgeous house in which we are living is felt just like a glory, something extremely enhancive. To show the world that we've got that special something. I've got so I am. Yet, every morning, Yoona, Juhyun's best friend, kept on taking the bus in front of those row of low-rise buildings, sad and gloomy even under the sun. Because her house was embarrassing her, oddly. And, it was not as if she couldn't be noticed, even without this. Tall, slender, pretty, smiling, smart... The dream of any parents. But with Juhyun, she was not so popular in a all-girls school where the other girls are the only judges. The beanpole duet was the nickname the others liked the best for them both.

It was needed not to take Juhyun or Yoona for what they were not. No bully and no persecution towards them. Just a little mean nickname because girls between them are often guided by jealousy and liked to ridicule what is the others' strength, what provokes envious behaviors. But never obviously going farther. There was no reason for that.

Yoona climbed the stairs to get inside the bus, which, quickly after, kept on going to school. Her way back home was different. But the way to it was always the same, every morning. And the rituals were always the same, every morning. Comforting... for a while. But tiring at length. And Juhyun didn't need a lot to get tired. Yoona made a few steps, stopping to try to identify her friend. The seat next to her was still free... She smiled as she saw her, still the same : her hair black and straight, a pink hairband, her fringe her eyebrows. Tall, shiny, dreamy. She was Juhyun.

At the free seat, Yoona sit down like every day. The two teeangers started to talk together, naturally. Some things and others... Homeworks for today, what has happened in the last episode of heir favorite drama and how the two protagonists had to fight to get together, even if their feelings were obvious. Ordinary conversations for an ordinary day. Convinced as they were that nothing more could be happening, and nothing less, neither.

It was forgetting how life can be unpredictable.

"Changmin? Could you please meet me in the classroom, please? I have to talk to you..."

It was no habit of their main teacher to cut down what has been started in the middle of the school festival preparations. It was not the Parents' Day, nor the Mothers' Day, Nor the Children's Day, nothing but a cultural festival. With a group of students having a stall of their choices among those decided at the council. Copied on the Japanese model which a lot judged as out of date or shameful, yet his school kept on carry on the tradition. Rightly because it was a tradition and it was too much rooted in the school folklore for anyone to think about cancelling it. And, the students would never accept that. For them, boys, it was the best way to meet girls, since their school was not co-ed. And girls knew it and came in groupes to meet those who had the reputation of being the cutest boys of Seoul. Well, following the legend...

Changmin, didn't really care about meeting a girl. He liked to watch them from afar... Sweet and delicate or more aggressive, even, it didn't matter. But a girl with all it takes. There was a world between that and doing the first step. And it was not because he was shy, not really, at least. He has convinced himself since one year that he had best to do. To have to live on his own when you are so young is no easy thing. Never. But he didn't have the choice.

He crossed the playground, full of young boys in uniform busy building their stalls and stepped inside the establishment. The school was different in this festival morning. The corridors were empty, from sounds and screams or laughters which were usually all over the place. The doors were closed, the lights were almost all turned off. It was as if the place was ghostly, gruesome... Only one door was cracked open.

Changmin knocked the door shyly. Here the teacher was, by the window, busy watching through the shutters. He introduced himself and, immediately, the old mister with white hair turned around, giving a warm smile to him. He was this race of teachers like there isn't much left, those whose pupils' wellfare was more important than the results. He would left for his retirement by the end of the year and everyone knew he would be regretted. Changmin would regret him, even if...

"You wanted to talk to me...?"

"Yes. I have seen your school file, your wishes... You say you want to drop school by the end of the Senior High. Why? You always have been some brillant student, you even had skipped classes. I can't get it..."

Obviously. No one could understand. But he didn't have a lot of options. Since his parents were dead, his life was this way. He didn't feel himself as a victim. He had to do with it and to go forward, what he was trying to do. But, universities fees were way too much high and he didn't have enough money. The only other choice left was this one. Dropping school and earning your life. Yes, he had dreams and ambitions before, but it was over.

"I can afford myself to keep on studying. Without my parents' financial support..."

"But I think you would easily get a scholarship."

"I know, but... It's still a personal commitment that I can't afford myself."

He knew what his teacher was thinking. It was a pity. A great pity. It was wasting all a potential. But trying to convince him would have been useless and deep inside, even the teacher knew it. One couldn't go back on a decision such as this one. No more now. If only life would have been different...

It was forgetting how life can be unpredictable...

********************************************************************************

Yes, first chapter is not full of action but I think it was needed to settle the mood, first. Don't worry, there will be more real ChangSeo any soon!^^ Hope you will like it anyway!

Thanks a lot for subscribing, reading and for any kind of support you guys would give to me! ♥