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CHAPTER 3

- Sohyun -

After finishing some of the packing, Sang Hyuk tells me that Sungmin called in specifically for me. I wish he hadn't spared so much details.

I'd known the boy from school. He was almost muscular but lacked the willpower to look better physically. We had never known each other personally, though the facility was relatively small. We talked a couple of times at most. We paid no special attention to one another until one some afternoon.

The halls were certainly dirty that day. We had no janitors in school, as most teachers deemed it to be a waste of funds. Students were required to clean classrooms on certain days as result of violation of school rules. Other times, we were instructed to clean for the sake of it.

He mocked my sweeping. "Don't you know how to use a broom properly?"

"I'm trying to do my job." I felt a little embarrassed by his comment, but my face showed otherwise.

"It's not a job if you don't know how to do it. Let me show you."

Kindness was the first light I saw in him. His smile was mocking, but in a way that made you think he didn't know what to do either. Contrary to what I thought, he was very efficient with the broom. He instructed me briefly and his voice was very small.

After I did my job across two classrooms, I noticed him peering over the window. It was around half an hour since we began, and his hair was already so ruffled. I noticed the grime on his face after he tried to clean through some dusty shelves.

"You need help?" I mouthed.

He shook his head.

I walked out the room and used the back of my hand to wipe my perspiring face. "Hey, I'll drop off the cleaning materials downstairs. Are you coming with me?"

"Sure."

Quietly we made our way to the supplies room. The extra weight from our backpacks got us restless by the time we had reached the end of the basement. A clock by the wall read six o'clock in the evening. I knew my mother would be expecting me.

"I'll head off now," He said, and I felt like following him. I simply could not stand the dark. I suppose he knew by the way I scratched my leg with the opposite foot.

"What's your name?" I asked him as we passed by another one of the school's streetlights.
"We've met," He says after a short silence. "but if you don't remember, I'm Sungmin."

I bowed in apology. "I'm sorry, I was probably distracted when we first talked."

"Well, I don't know your name so don't apologize." He chuckled and I let out an uncomfortable laugh.

"Sohyun."

"That's a nice name. Are we in the same class? I'm in the fourth section."

"I'm in the second."

(Most asian institutions do not switch classes, and it is the teacher who makes his or her way to class.)

I bid goodbye to Sungmin because he mentioned his mother was worried sick. I expected the same of mine, as she was only a single parent with two children.

I finally got to my house and placed my shoes on the porch. As softly as I could, I opened the door but saw my mom sitting parallel to the entrance. She was finished cooking dinner and I almost knew that the food would be cold.

"Where were you?" She sharply asked me. Her voice sounded genuinely worried yet outraged, which made the hair on my neck stand up.

"I was cleaning because my teacher asked me to..."

My mother eyed my hair suspiciously. "Fine. Go take a bath. Tell Jin Sook that dinner is ready."

Her name is Ga Eul. My mother, I mean. She was born with very observant eyes and a tongue worth blunting. I never understood why she never laid a finger on my father even when she caught him with another woman. Her whole body spoke of being tired yet she refused to show her weakness. I always wished to be like her, even in the smallest ways. I think I showed it earlier that day when I did not admit how clueless I was in using a broom.

While I prepared my night clothes, I called on my older brother to eat. "Jin Sook, go eat some food, you will be starving if you don't!"

"Later, later..." He grumbles, stirring from his initial sleeping position. His college years really messed up his sleeping pattern.

"Alright."

I finished dinner and retreated to my room. The dinner that day was a beef dish. Brisket, I think.

The pages of my diary wrote a simple message that I remember clearly.

- - - - - - - - - - -
i made a new friend
and he smiles so enthusiastically
- - - - - - - - - - -

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Did you guys notice the " ` " ? It's for flashbacks. You sorta might get confused I guess. Lesson for today: The story has a non-linear plot, which means I'm a time machine collector and I can jump from any part of the plot I wish. Just kidding. But I'm really going to do a lotta jumping! ): Wow I feel like I'm describing a work out video. LOL

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