» Paper Stars : Part 1 — ❝ Parallel ❞

Parallel : Lying in the same plane but never meeting no matter how far extended..

Friday

August 30

14:12

Classroom A-120

Go Jiwon kind of liked Biology. That was the main reason she was taking it every year, being at her third and last class of the full course. While she was in the Visual Arts Department and wasn’t forced to take any of the Natural Sciences classes, she always took Biology. She never liked studying in particular but maybe she was a tad bit good at it so she had it easy.

Jiwon caught herself lazily listening to what was actually being taught, head leaning against the back wall of the room. The privileges of being in the last row… Teacher Kim Sunggyu was known for his very soothing voice and the fact that few students were actually sleeping behind the cover of their open books was of no surprise to Jiwon. In fact, she did want to do the same. The week had been quite difficult and the girl had had a harder time than she thought adjusting to both the working and the studying life.

Opening her books in front of her she was about to cross her arms on the desk and drop her head on top of them when someone dropped a manual. Biology manuals were known to be big. But this particular class was Anatomy and ‘big’ didn’t suffice anymore, ‘huge’ was more like it thanks to the numerous figures of every nook and cranny of the human body. Students that were asleep or dozing, were suddenly – and cruelly, thought Jiwon – jerked back to reality by the noise. Even teacher Sunggyu practically fell on the side, dropping his piece of chalk. Clutching his hand on his chest, were his heart would be, he turned to the source of the noise like every one else in the room.

“Sorry,” a reddening guy said with a series of bows that practically made his head hit the desk in front of him.

Given the fact that Jiwon had worked with people all her life, she would say she was a pretty good judge of character. Just like that, she was able to notice how a girl in the second row was using her cellphone as a mirror to spy on the guy behind her, occasionally playing with her hair and trying to show of the nape of her neck. Jiwon would say that girl was hungry for attention and probably convinced herself she was in love when really, she wasn’t.

“A single child, most likely coming from a middle class family and she has a dog,” Jiwon guessed in her head.

Turning her head to the front, she was also able to notice how the teacher was back to his lecture, not noticing the chalk powder he had smeared on his shirt few minutes ago. “Definitely single,” Jiwon thought.

Her years of work and her great memory also enabled her to remember the names of the people she met. That was how she knew that the guy who had dropped his book was named Kim Joonmyun, that he was part of the soccer team and that he most likely wasn’t used to having the attention. “A Mister Prim-and-Proper,” she deduced.

She let her eyes wander until they reached the clock in front of the classroom. She found herself counting the minutes. Once the hands of the clock pointed 2 and a half, she rose of her chair and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

All the heads turned her way, that time but she didn’t even bother acknowledging the stares.

“Miss Jiwon?” the teacher questioned. “I was warned you might do that so I prepared a question for the occasion. If you have it right, you can go.”

Jiwon blinked. Well, that was new. Usually, teachers ignored her when she left. Turns out having a talk with the school’s principal about her circumstances really did bear fruits.

“What kind of membrane is the peritoneum?” Sunggyu asked with a smile.

“It’s a serous membrane in the abdomen that recovers most of the viscera,” she said tentatively, unsure about what kind of answer he wanted.

“Very good!” He seemed happy she knew the answer. “You can go now.”

Jiwon didn’t wait for him to repeat and slipped out of the classroom. Kim Sunggyu was a weird teacher… but she liked him!

Friday

August 30

15:01

Paper Stars Daycare

“Just in time!” her colleague said when Jiwon dropped her things in the appropriate closet. Taking an elastic band from her bag, she proceeded to tie her hair in a high ponytail that left her forehead bare.

“So, where are my little monsters?” Jiwon asked the other girl with a smile.

“Today you are taking care of group C. They are drawing now, it should be calm.”

“It should be…” Jiwon repeated with a side smirk.

Entering the room for group C, she looked at the mess of paper and pencils that covered the floor and sighed. Picking up whatever was closest to her, she tried to tidy up a little.

“Jiji-unnie,” a little girl said, tugging the hem of her jacket. “Can you help me draw a giraffe?”

“Of course sweetheart,” Jiwon cooed at the kid, who took her hand to led her toward a table.

The older girl glanced around the room and noticed how there was another girl present which made it okay for one of them to be sitting down and drawing instead of ‘monitoring’ the kids. Besides, there was only 10 of them, nothing two girls couldn’t handle. She waved at Jung Eunji and the girl waved back with a smile. They both went to the same school but had no classes in common and barely saw each other outside of work. Saying they were friends were pushing it, but at least they were friendly.

“Let’s see… A giraffe…”

Taking a few coloring pencils in her hand, Jiwon picked an empty sheet of paper and began getting the shape down. The little girl was watching carefully, intrigued by the fact her giraffe-to-be looked more like a pile of circles and rectangles than an animal. Jiwon could sense the girl’s excitement with each stoke she made, the drawing rapidly coming to life.

“There you go!” Jiwon handed the girl a cute and stylized version of a giraffe. Spinning the brown pencil between her fingers, she got up and walked between the tables, watching the other children.

“Teach me how to do that!” a voice said and Jiwon looked downward to see how was talking to her.

She stared at the boy trying to figure out how she could teach him and if it was safe to do so. When she realized she had been looking at him for too long already, she figured he’d get scared like other students would when she watched them but he held her gaze expectantly. Jiwon smiled. This was why she loved being with kids. They never judged her for the way she looked or how she seemed, but rather wanted to know her. And working at the daycare, Jiwon felt that children were purer than most adults.

“I’ll teach it to you if you promise not to hurt anybody,” she bargained with the boy.

He nodded and she decorticated the way her fingers moved so he could follow. She patted his head and left him to his practice. He looked thoroughly confused and she had no doubt he wouldn’t even attempt it before giving up or be distracted by something else.

Noticing a little boy who was busy scribbling on a notepad with colorful pencils, she walked toward him with a smile.

“Joowon, that looks pretty. What is it?” she asked.

Lifting his head, the little boy saw her leaning over his shoulder, trying to see what her favorite child was up to. With a big smile, he showed her a drawing he had made of a heart.

“I’m writing a love letter!” he proudly stated. With raised eyebrows the surprised girl watch him go back to drawing and writing, or what seemed like writing but was in fact closely resembling archaic cuneiform writing.

“Where did you hear about love letters?” Jiwon asked, curious.

“On the TV shows my brother watches,” the boy stated. “He’s great, you know!”

Oh, dramas… With a smile, she ruffled the boy’s hair and straightened up. She was about to leave when she felt a small tug on her pant’s leg.

“Wait!” the boy said. “This is for you!”

And he handed her the love letter. Blinking, the surprised girl took the paper before lifting the boy in a warm embrace. She was quite touched by the gesture. If only her classmate could see her, they wouldn’t believe their eyes at the fact that she was smiling so truthfully. They never really knew her anyway… Twirling the child around, she heard him giggle. Oh how she loved this little bundle.

“Thank you,” she said, putting him down. “I love you too!”

“Does it mean you’ll marry me?” he asked looking at her with his big questioning eyes.

She smiled before answering: “Of course. When you’ll be older, okay?”

The happy little boy ran to his friends and she walked up to Eunji.

“I think I’m engaged,” Jiwon said with a smug smile.

The rest of the day went peacefully until Jiwon was asked to replace one of her coworker that had to go home. Now affected to group B, she went outside under the sun and watched the children play. Between the cries, the laughs and the injuries, she thought she preferred drawing to playing in the backyard.

Friday

August 30

16:47

Paper Stars Daycare

Joonmyun was the kind to help when asked to. A friend would come to him and ask for his homework and Joonmyun would gladly let him copy and would even stay by his side in case he had questions. A teammate had a hard time with one particular move and Joonmyun would stay behind after practice to help him get better. His teacher needed something photocopied and Joonmyun would gladly stand beside the machine and even paying for it – after all, what were 100 wons? – or share his documents with the unfortunate student who had none.

So when his mother announced she was going to be working late on a new project a few nights of the week he naturally offered to help her by going to the daycare center to pick his baby brother. It didn’t matter that he was missing soccer practice or studying time because Joonmyun was glad he could help. He was hoping helping others would get people to notice him more. He wasn’t exactly known at school and the only people who remembered him where the one he hung out with. Other than that, he was usually known as ‘Ken and Ravi’s friend’ or ‘a guy on the soccer team’. Deep down, he really wished for some recognition.

Entering Paper Stars, Joonmyun was met with a guard and after he proved he truly was who he said he was and they made sure his mother called to warn of the change – they couldn’t just let anyone waltz inside a place with young children – he was granted access to the daycare center. Bowing to the employees, he waited by the door until a woman brought Joowon to him. Babbling, Joowon started putting his shoes and his coat, assuring his brother he could do it by himself, even if it took five times younger than usual. By the time they were finally ready to leave, it has started raining a little. Luckily, Joonmyun was always thinking ahead and he reached for a pair of folded umbrellas inside his bag. He gave the smallest one to his brother and bowed one last time before going out.

“Did you have fun?” Joonmyun asked Joowon.

“Yes! I was drawing and playing. It was fun!”

Friday

August 30

16:55

Paper Stars Daycare

As soon as it started raining, Jiwon knew she had to do something. Gathering the children in a line in front of the door, she made them stand in a line and counted them. Once she was sure she wasn’t missing anybody, she made them enter the daycare center as calmly as possible.

“Eunji?” she called her coworker. “Since it’s raining, is it okay for us to join your group?”

“Sure,” the girl said and she helped her friend with the wet shoes and coats.

Once group B was shuffled in the room with group C, Jiwon sat on a bench to remove her own shoes. Walking in her sock-clothed feet through the long hallway of the center, she was about to open the door to join groups B and C and Eunji when the front door opened.

“Sorry! It seems my brother forgot something,” a familiar voice said.

Lifting her head, Jiwon was met with someone she knew.

“Kim Joonmyun?” she asked.

The guy also seemed to recognize her. “Aah… Go Jiwon? You work here?”

Jiwon was speechless. She would have never thought a classmate would find out she was working there.

“Yes, I work here,” she managed, regaining the ability to talk after few seconds. “What are you doing here?”

“My brother goes here and I’m the one who has to pick him up today.”

She nodded.

“I’ll see you at school, then.” Joonmyun grabbed a toy his brother had left on a chair by the entrance and bowed before going out.

“Hum… Yeah,” she answered a tad bit too late.

Well, that was awkward…

Friday

August 30

17:02

Paper Stars Daycare

Giving his toy to Joowon, Joonmyun smiled. She knew his name…

Author's Note :

» LOL! One scene is from the teaser. I like it, so I'm using it. XD

» On another note, I am so touched by Joonmyun's pure soul... >.<

» I also found deep meaning within the title. Both characters have been perceived one way and so they are quite similar in the fact they aren't exactly satisfied with the way people see them. So they are similar, but don't know it themselves, kinda ike two segment on a plane that are parallel.