날 미치게 해 (Nal-mi-chi-gae)

"You are driving me crazy"

Summer went really fast when it was spent with Sulli, and sometimes, even Sungyeol. We went to different public parks located in Seoul. We fed countless ducks, and walked countless miles. There wasn't a day out of fifty-seven when we lounged inside the house, well, apart from the day before school started. Han River became my best friend, we flew kites, had picnics, ate several ice-creams. Sulli and I even bought a couple lock and hung it at Namsan Tower, while Sungyeol sweetly carried our bags.

I even got to meet two of their close friends, Sunggyu-ssi and Woohyun-ssi. They're in the year above and described themselves as the 'kingkas' of the school, whatever that is. "You've never seen Boys Over Flower?" Sulli asked when I asked her what they meant. I shrugged. "You're really like an alien." She noted and we left it at that. We also went to a house party which was hosted by Sulli's friend, Krystal. Through the event, I met several girls who thought the same way as I- this girl called Min being the most memorable, she told me 'kingkas' were actually a bunch of obnoxious guys I should stay away from- I thought back to Sunggyu-ssi and Woohyun-ssi, they must've been joking with me.

Summer finished perfectly as on the day before school started, rain took over Seoul. It reminded me of the rainy summers I've had in Canada; It also made me reminisce over my friends I left behind and how we'd foolishly get wet just to catch a movie in the cinema, or swim on the beach that contained ice-cold water, or endlessly swap between McDonald's and Subway, our choices of shelter when it suddenly rains when we're out.

"How can we do anything in this weather? We were meant to go to Bukchon Village today, ugh!" Sulli slumped herself back down on the sofa.

"That's enough, geez don't you ever get tired? I bet Suzy's tired, you're tired aren't you?" Sungyeol came over to the lounge handing us our hot chocolates before settling himself down on the floor with a cushion. I shrugged. "Aw look at her she's too exhausted to even answer aw." He cutely pouted at me making me laugh.

"Shut up," Sulli threw another cushion at Sungyeol. "I thought you had plans with L what are you doing here?"

"This is my house too..." Sungyeol muttered while clicking over the channels and finally deciding to put on a DVD instead. "He sold me out again the little scum." He responded to her question.

"With who this time?" Sulli chuckled. "Amber, Jia, Fei..."

"She's called Jiyeon."

"Ooh, a second Jiyeon?"

"Second Jiyeon called quits this spring can't you remember?" He frowned.

"Oh yeah! Wow. We've never had thirds." Sulli, too frowned over the situation. I didn't get what they were talking about but it seemed like an inside joke. "He must really really like that name." She concluded making both of them chuckle.

What I've realised over the summer holidays is that these two are living in their own little world. It's true that I spent the summer with Sulli but whenever Sungyeol tagged along with us, it felt like I was tagging along with them instead. I've watched them communicate without even talking and it honestly feels like I'm living with a married couple. Sulli's so compatible with Sungyeol that the reason they're not together seemed really pathetic now that I think about it.

"By the way," I started, "Where's the third person of this house?"

"He's still got his actual house to go home to, I don't even know why he rented this place at all." Sulli shrugged.

"As if you don't know, this place just acts as his house whenever he wants to bring girls home." Sungyeol added. "That's gross Yeol-ah." She made a face before hitting him with a cushion. "What'd I say?" The latter blinked innocently. "You're gross for thinking whatever you're thinking right now." He stated before getting up to tickle her. Sulli was giggling like the little girl I befriended 10 years ago, it was nice to hear that sound again.

∞

Woollim High was so much different from what I had expected; It seems like schools in here have evolved over the past years too. Its modern exterior was impressive - the buildings were covered with wide glasses and there were ponds all around the area. The orange, red, and brown leaves on the trees and ground filled the outside with colours, Suddenly, I didn't mind autumn at all.

Sulli guided me to the main office and before I knew it, her and Sungyeol were arms-in-arms with me towards my homeroom. "You're making her feel more nervous." Sulli glared at Sungyeol who innocently pointed at himself. "Me?" He mouthed before stopping in his track. "I'm just so glad to see her in our uniform" he began, "Look at her! Suzy-yah if there's any problems- no, there won't be any problems but-"

"Will you stop it?" Sulli unlocked her arms from mine and pointed at me, "She's fine, talking about problems will-"

"Speaking of problems we should probably tell her to stay off Key-ssi, Minho-ssi, oh god-"

"...Dammit! We should've done this yesterday! Why did you even put a movie on?!"

"Because you were complaining about the weather why else would I-"

"Guys!" I cleared my throat out loud finally getting their attention. "I'll be fine okay? I know how to handle this, I've changed schools several times this isn't-"

"Don't slouch." Sulli gave my back a little push to stand me up-right. "Her top-button's not even done." Sungyeol sighed getting Sulli to quickly fasten them herself. "Yeol-ah did you even put that sandwich in her bag?" 

"What sandwich?" Sungyeol quickly asked. "Are you even kidding me right now I told you this morning to-"

"Sulli-yah! Sungyeol-ah!" I cried finally stopping them from bickering again. With that, they led me in front of my homeroom and wished me luck. Unfortunately, neither of them are in this class, which was just my luck. I was just about to open the door when I felt a hand on my shoulders. I turned around and saw a woman in her 30's, "Are you Suzy-haksaeng by any chance?" She gave me a smile. "Yes seosaengnim."

The classroom became quiet as soon as we entered and I felt all the eyes burning through my skull. Still, what else did I expect, transferring schools in Korea is a rare case. "We have a new student joining us today, I've been told that she came all the way from Canada...Introduce yourself." She gave me a warm smile and pushed me to do a self-introduction which was what I hated the most. 

"Hi, I'm Suzy, Bae Suzy..." I stopped suddenly not being able to think of anything else to say about myself, I looked back at my teacher and her eyes told me to keep going, I looked at the rest of the class and they too were still anticipating something. "I, uh...um...I grew up here but moved away when I was little, now I'm back and I hope to learn a lot in the future. Please treat me well." I bowed down.

They gave me an applause which I found weird, it's not like I did anything to deserve their claps, but I suppose it made me feel welcome too. "Seosaengnim can she sit here?" A really cute boy near the front held his hand up. "Would you like to sit next to Sungjong-ah?" The teacher asked me. "No sit here, Suzy-yah!" I looked at the back and saw Min pointing at a seat in front of her.

As I arrived by my seat, I winked at Min who looked ecstatic to see me, "Yah Sulli didn't tell me you were staying past summer."

"You didn't ask." I playfully stuck my tongue out at her making her hit me on my arm. As I settled on my seat, I suddenly felt a glare coming from the person to my right. I decided to ignore it until they spoke up, "Yah, you..."

I looked beside me and there he was, the very same person from the plane that left Canada. What the hell, he's my age? I tried my hardest to stop my jaw from opening. I cringed remembering the incident at the plane too, okay, maybe I was too close, but that was only because he had the seat next to the window and I wanted to see what Seoul looked like from up there. And anyways, it didn't give him a reason to act that way.

"Don't you think you're too close miss?" I tightened my fist remembering the jerk I met back then.

"So Bae Suzy's your name huh..." he left the sentence linger around the air for longer before saying, "It's a pretty name." He smirked. I decided to ignore it since I didn't know how to reply anyways. Seriously, how is one supposed to reply to that? 'Thanks, my mum gave it to me', or 'Thanks it's mine' I just don't even know where to start with receiving compliments.

Before he could comment on how long I'm thinking of a reply, the lesson finally begun. Just my luck, Maths was already hard for me in Canada and now learning it over here, I may as well be learning it in Latin. Our teacher faced the board the whole lesson so while some were busy taking notes, others were sleeping. I was doing neither. I would've bothered to learn if it wasn't for the pen-clicking sound next to me.

"Will you please stop?" I muttered beneath my breath to the guy next to me. 

"Does it bother you?" He returned with a cheeky grin and started clicking the pen faster. "Yah." I glared at him.

"You know what bothered me?" He finally stopped and rested his head on his table. I didn't say anything and instead tried to  concentrate on the board in front of me at last. Despite the pen-clicking sound stopping, I still couldn't concentrate because of the pair of eyes staring at me. "What?" I finally put my pen down to hear what he has to say. 

"You didn't tell me your name at the time." He grumbled. "Bae- Su-zy. Three syllables." He sat up, "Was that so difficult?"

I looked at him thoroughly confused as to why he's having a go at me about it now. It's been more or less two months since we first met each other, even I've forgotten his name. "You forgot my name didn't you?" He suddenly said as a matter of fact. I was stunned at his words, it seemed as though he could read my mind.

"You forgot my name and here I was going crazy just to know yours the whole summer, Bae Suzy."