By the time I finished unpacking my stuff, two of my sisters’ friends dropped by our house. My mother, always trying to help me along with my social life, had been holding back the snacks for our visitors, waiting for me to come down. MOTHERS!

When she asked me to carry them into the family room, I knew she was hoping I’d stay and talk to my sisters’ friends. The fact that I was the Vice-President of the senior class and co-captain of my soccer team at Busan didn’t reassure her. I had to have friends at home too.

My sisters introduced me to Hyuna and Hara. I placed the tray in the center of the group, fully aware of the two girls studying me.

“Stay,” Bom said, catching me by the hand as I turned to walk out. “It’s Christmas vacation. Party down, Dara.”

Before I could reply, Hara said, “So you go to boarding school.”

“Yes.” I answered, then took a tentative step toward the door.

“An all-girl school.” She continued her dark eyes full of curiosity.

I felt like a strange species she’d just discovered. So this is how the goldfishes feel when people staring at them. “The same one my sisters went to,” I told her.

Chaerin yanked my hand, pulling me down into their circle. I sat on the floor, figuring I could leave as soon as the questions were over.

“I can’t even imagine what that is like!” Hara exclaimed.

“I told you what it’s like.” Chaerin reminded her.

But Hara shook her head. “Mostly you told me about the guys at the boarding school three miles away.”

Everyone laughed.

“Three miles, is it?” Hyuna mused, munching on some of the chips I’d bought in. “Well, that’s a mile and half for the girl and a mile and a half for the guy. DO you ever have secret late night meetings in the woods?”

“Uh, no,” I responded. Is this girl for real?

“For that kind of meeting you’d have to get across a river and up a steep hill, almost a cliff,” Bom said.

“I tried it once with a guy named Suho,” Chaerin added, “but he got lost. How is Suho?” She asked me.

“I don’t know.” I reached for a pretzel. “I haven’t seen him since last year.”

“You’re kidding, unnie!” Chaerin sounded genuinely surprised. “But you two liked to talk. You always kept him company for me down in the waiting parlor.” She explained to her friends, “when the guys came to pick us up, they had to sign in and stay in the waiting parlor.”

And guess who used to be sent down to keep all those guys company? While Chaerin would finish dressing, Suho and I would discuss an entire week of sports.

“You know,” Chaerin said, “I thought with me gone, he’d be sure to date you.”

I gritted my teeth. “Guess not.”

“Are you an actress too?” Hara asked me, her dark hair swinging forward.

“Hara is going to be the director of our spring production, Dara,” Bom told me. “She is so, so talented.”

“Oh, you drama club types.” Hyuna said, laughing at them. “The way you up to each other, telling each other you’re wonderful.”

“But I am wonderful.” Hara teased, stretching back into the luxury of a leather chair.

Bom playfully poked Hyuna. “At least we’re fans of each other and not just the guys’ team.”

“Hyuna is captain of the cheerleading squad,” Chaerin explained.

“But Chaerin should be,” Hyuna told me. “She cheers louder than any member of my squad when Hyun Joong takes the floor. What a defection! Our number one jock interested ins omeone from the drama club rather than the cheerleading squ