CHAPTER 2

THE STRANGE GUY AND MY PAST

It’s been one week since the 1^stday of school, and I can hardly wait for Monday. Aishh!! why is the day so sluggish. I looked at the window; the afternoon sun is fading slowly. I’ve been working on my assignment, past 5 hours now after I watched my favourite Korean drama. I decided to take a break for a while so I went to the kitchen to satisfy my grumbling stomach.

“Eun Ri ah, can I ask you a favour?” mom asked me while she was at the kitchen.

“Yes mom, what is it?”

“Can you please go to the market because we ran out of grocery supply and I will cook something delicious this Sunday after noon, are you busy?”

“No mom, I’m just finishing my homework” I replied while walking towards the kitchen.

“Alright then so here are the money and the list” the list was quite too long then she pulled out the money in her pocket and gave it to me without counting the cost of all this stuff she asked me to buy.

“Okay mom, I’ll be right back!” I replied while heading towards the door.

AT THE GROCERY STORE…

“Hmm… this one and yes this one too” I said while picking up the grocery items I supposed to buy. When I looked at the list, I’m done! So I headed at the cashier.

“How much?” I supposed while picking the money in my pocket.

“300 pesos”

“Uhmm… 100, 230, what? Is this all the money that mom gave me? Haishh, I’m sorry I don’t have enough money to buy all of this” I said in disappointment bowing my head slightly. I’m about to choose the things that I will not buy and separate them in my list and then suddenly.

“Here! Just buy all of that” when I turned around I saw a strange guy, he gave the money to the cashier and all the things that I bought was paid. Oh, I’m saved!

“Thank you for that, I will pay you right away” I replied while bowing 90 degrees in front of him.

“Oh, that’s nothing! So, what’s your name?” he asked me while we’re heading outside the market. He’s wearing a blue green jacket with white shirt underneath. Denim pants, rubber shoes and headphones hanging on his neck. I think he’s a music lover just like me and a nice guy too. He bought 2 cup noodles and 2 bottles of juice on his plastic bag.

“I’m Kim Eun Ri, a senior and studying at Nowon University”                                                          

“Oh you’re lucky! I know that University is well known here, right?”                                              

“Yes that’s why I studied there, so what’s yours? I asked.

“I’m Lee Hyun Woo, I just got back here in Seoul after staying in States for 5 years, I’m living with my cousin and I didn’t have the chance to attend school last week because I just got here last Friday and it’s so sad because I just missed the first day of school.” He replied while pouting his lips.

“Oh, is that so. Well, you can still catch up, but it’s nice because I’m also adjusting my schedule, I’m just a transferee too. So where do you want to study by the way?” I laughed a little.

“I like to study at Nowon University because it’s my dream school and my cousin is also studying there so it’s such a relief when I just found out that I will be staying with him until we graduate” he replied while smiling back at me.

“Ah, so you’re indeed lucky huh? Where are you staying now?

“Uhmm... I’m here already!” he said pointing at the beautiful house.

“Whoa! Your house is so big!!” I said in surprise.

“Thank you, so I’m going now”

“Alright then, bye... Thanks! I replied while walking ahead waving my hand.

I stopped for a while and decided to peek inside their house and something caught my eye. “Is that person familiar? He’s more like Yoo Seung Ho”. I moved closely to see that person and I saw Hyun Woo calling that familiar guy.

“Yah, Seung Ho! I bought something to eat. I’m hungry!” He said while tapping Seung Ho’s back.

“Oh, that’s a relief! I’m hungry too, thanks! He replied and they both step inside the huge house.

“Well indeed they are rich than I thought. I didn’t think if that Seung Ho he was calling was that annoying yet handsome guy in school that I just met last Monday, Yoo Seung Ho or maybe I’m just mistaken” so I continued walking until I reached our house.

KIM EUN RI’S RESIDENCE...

“Omma! Where are you? I bought the grocery items you asked me to buy, Omma?” I said while searching around the house.

“Honey, I’m here” I heard mom’s voice still at the kitchen.

“Mom, the money you gave me was not enough to buy all of this and I was saved when a guy lend his money for me” I said.

“Oh I’m sorry I didn’t give you extra money because I was doing something when I called you to buy me those grocery items. Thank you honey”

“Its ok mom, I understand” I replied while side hugging my mother.

“By the way, who was that kind-hearted guy you met earlier huh?” she looked at me then I let go of the hug.

“Uhmm... His name is Lee Hyun Woo and he lives just a few miles from here, that’s why we just walked home“

“Oh I see, so you’re indeed a very lucky girl!” my mom replied as if teasing me from that guy.

“Hey, mom stop it” then we laughed together and she started cook our dinner so I went to my room to continue my homework for tomorrow. I really love my mom. She’s so sweet and caring and the best when it comes to household chores especially cooking, that’s why the kitchen is her favourite place in our house. I remembered when my dad was still alive; he always helps my mom to cook our dinner every time he comes home after a tiring work in office, well it’s their bonding moments together.

Whenever I think of those times I miss my dad, well for me he’s the best dad I’ve ever had in my life. I smiled while heading towards my room. Then I saw a framed picture, hanging on the wall; I’m wearing my grade school uniform that time with my best friend beside me; her name is Song Nam Jin. We’re holding hands together with a huge smile on our faces. It was the first picture we had when we graduated our grade school year and it was one of the happiest moments in my life.

But it changed when I became a rebellious teenage girl in my sophomore year and one of those students at the principal’s office whenever I got in trouble. I don’t know why I became like that, maybe because I want to be a grown up teenager. I felt to myself that I should be mingling with other people than to my best friend that time. I became bored being with her because she’s not that kind of girl who’s really exciting to be with, she’s shy and always sticks to me so I got annoyed at her. Even though we’ve been best friends in 2 years I’m really happy in her company and felt that she’s good to be my best friend, but there’s still something missing in my life; EAGERNESS TO BE POPULAR IN SCHOOL.

So I decided to make friends with the popular girls in our school; they accepted me to be with them. I enjoyed their company and felt that I became a grown up teenager. I wore inappropriate school uniform, make-ups that made our group a superior in school. Our target was to tease and make fun of those lowly persons in class. One of them was my best friend, Song Nam Jin. Our plan was to make fun of her and embarrass her in the whole school. I was tasked to do the bad thing to her. I refused to do it and decided to leave the group but I made the wrong choice. They threatened me that if I don’t do their plan, they will kidnap Song Nam Jin and surrender her to a maniac guy that will ruin her ity. As a friend, I’m still concern for her even though we don’t hang around a lot.

I don’t want that thing to happen to her… So I had no choice but to do what they are planning to do to my best friend. They asked me to put posters of her that will make her embarrassed to the fullest. I remembered when we had an outing when we were freshmen students; we had a photo wearing only a towel to cover up our body after taking a bath. I know that she had rashes all over her body that day because she ate a shrimp and she didn’t know that she’s allergic to it. So we took a bath to take away the itchiness that she felt. But as a result it just became worse, so when we took out of shower we decided to take a photo together to remember the day she had those little red spots all over her body. We promised that it’s a secret photo that only the two of us will know.  It was just for fun that’s why we did it. So I decided to edit our photo so she’s the only one to be seen. I printed out many copies that I will post at the corridor, classrooms and everywhere inside our school and for the total embarrassment I showed a big poster hanging inside the campus. All of the students gathered to see that enormous poster. Laughing, teasing and making fun of her. It was really an overall embarrassment for her that’s why I chose that consequence than to loose her ity to a disrespectful maniac guy.

Few days later she found out that I’m the mastermind; she became mad at me and I never had a chance to see her around the school, I went at our favourite place near our house, a tree house. We were always there doing our home works and chatting, laughing and many more unforgettable things that we did. But I never see her there neither a shadow, there’s none… She’s gone.

So when my dad died I decided to change myself and study hard so that I can have high grades, go to a well-known school and get a good job in the future. This was the scenario that still lingering in my heart but had changed me for the better. I can still remember the whole situation that hot summer afternoon, the day when my father saved me in the middle of death. I was almost hit by car while running in the street following my best friend. I saw her running, she’s well dressed that time and I think she’s going somewhere very important. My best friend and I had a big fight that day, the day when she found out that it was me who posted her photo in the campus and the day when my father died and it’s because of me. I wanted to say sorry to her because she’s my only best friend since we graduated in our grade school year. I wanted to explain the real thing behind that embarrassment that I did to her but something went wrong that time, as if it was the punishment to me for what I did to her.

I was running that time following her footsteps but when I crossed the street I didn’t notice a car coming right beside me in full speed and suddenly someone pushed me and then before I turned around facing the ground I saw my dad bleeding, lying on the ground with people around him. So I ran towards the crowd and shouted for help.

Few hours later we were waiting at the hospital, waiting for the doctor to announce the results. I was sitting at the waiting area together with my mother carrying my little brother on her lap, crying. I was still in shock; the tears flowing in my eyes never stop. I blamed myself for being so careless and rebellious child. That hour I realized the things I’ve done when I joined their group, I just only thought of me, to be popular, superior and a person to look up to. But I’m wrong. I understand that being popular is not the thing to be happy and contented. It’s when you find that happiness with your true friends, classmates and colleagues. So I promised to myself to change and be a better person to myself, my family and to others.

Then suddenly the doctor came out of the emergency room; his head was down as well as his facial expression. He talked to my mother and gave the news. Seconds later after the doctor left, my mom hugged me tight as her tears drifting down on my uniform. She looked directly into my eyes, her arms on my shoulders; she bent down a little so we’re on the same height. “You’re father didn’t make it”. Mom’s words sprang out in my mind directly towards my heart as if clenching it into tiny pieces. I hugged my mom tightly as we all cried in the waiting area just beside the emergency room, helpless and like a child crying for help.

 It’s been one year and a half since my father died and until now those memories were still fresh in my mind and heart. As well as my memories with my best friend, my rudeness and being so cold-hearted person not realizing if someone is getting hurt or being embarrassed.

Thinking of those times I didn’t notice the tears falling on my eyes, I stopped walking towards my room and brushed the tears on my face using my hands and I kept quiet so that my mom won’t hear me crying.

INSIDE MY ROOM...

I silently closed the door and sat on my study table thinking of my father and of the things that had happened last summer in that year.

“Kim Eun Ri, stop crying, dad will be sad seeing you like this” I said comforting myself. I looked at our family picture and a smile wrinkled on my lips. I thought that dad is now happy in heaven just like my mom said to both of us. I thought of my best friend after she left our school and never came back, I know it’s my fault. And I want to say sorry to her with my whole heart as well as fill the things that I had missed to be with her long time ago. So I decided that when I saw her I will never skip any chance of asking for forgiveness.