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The sudden brightness hit me. Everything was blurry for a few seconds at first, then my vision focused on the figure standing in front of me.

A frustrated Jeon Jung Kook.

“School starts at 8. We have at go 7:30. It’s 7 now, get ready. Your uniform is in the cupboard.”

Without another word, he stalked off – again.

I flipped off my bed and practically crawled to the bathroom. Yesterday, I was busy reading “Within These Walls” by HopeAdon on WattPad. I tucked myself into bed only at 2am in the morning.

While scrubbing my skin, many things went through my mind.

If I was in Singapore… I’d probably be eating breakfast with my parents now. Bidding them goodbye, preparing to be a “ghost” in school. Same old routine.

How will I fit into the Korean school? My name might, but my skin will not.

I stared at my own skin colour. It will stand out in Korea, as my skin shade is definitely darker than the Koreans. Both my parents are Koreans, it’s a mystery why I have dark skin. I’ll never fit in. Not in Singapore. Maybe not even in Korea.

The steamy shower had caused the mirror to fog up. With my towel, I wiped off the fog and looked at myself in the mirror.

“Go For It, Yoon Mi.” I told myself and prepared for the day ahead.

*

White, sticky and thick oatmeal was for breakfast. I was still swallowing my portion of oatmeal just when I heard the gate rattle. Bam! The gate shut close, the impact of the slamming had the gate still vibrating.

What was that?

“Uh, Auntie? How do I go to school?” I placed my bowl in the sink and started washing it.

“With JungKook.” She hummed happily.

“He’s... Not here?” I dried the bowl and left it on the drying rack.

“HE JUST LEFT! HURRY CHASE AFTER HIM!” Auntie dropped the utensils into the sink and shocked me.

“Oh.. O, alright!” I scrambled to dry my hands with a towel while Auntie was behind me shooing me to go.

I slung my bag over my shoulders and rushed after Jung Kook.

My soles were burning, legs were aching, hair tangled in a mess. The 300m run  sprint was exhausting. Sweat dribbled into the my collar. Just as I reached Jung Kook, I clamped my hand on his shoulder for support.

“Wait... Wait for me.” I panted, bending down in an attempt to catch my breath.

Jeon Jung Kook twisted his neck to look at me and gave me a stare that I wasn’t able to decipher. With my free hand, I pulled my waterbottle out.

I didn’t realise I was putting all my weight on Jung Kook’s shoulder until I fell. Jung Kook continued walking away as the ground hugged me. I had nothing to break my fall with.

A sharp pain shot up my ankle, it lingered there for a while before disappearing and leaving me with numbness. I tried to stand up, but the pain shot up my right ankle again. Bearing the pain, I leaned my left hand against the wall and tried to walk.

Jeon Jung Kook wasn’t that far away, so I trailed behind him, making sure I memorise the way to school so I wouldn’t have to depend on him.

*

“Yoon Mi. Shin Yoon Mi.” I told the admission lady at the General Office.

Behind her thick-rimmed round glasses, she squinted her eyes at me and shuffled the papers in her hand.

“Here’s the map. Uh, here’s your schedule. You’ll be attending class 3PE.” She passed me several papers that were slightly crumped.

The phone rang, the admission lady picked up the receiver and spoke into it. She wore a wedding ring on her fourth finger, and several other rings on the others.

Address her as “Mrs”.

“Thank you Mrs.” I greeted her politely before making my way to my classroom.

It took me a few seconds to figure out the layout of the school. My head was buried in the map that I rotated so many times to locate my classroom.

Go forward...

I winced at the pain in my right leg. Before I knew it, I was bumped onto the floor again.

This time, I landed on my .

“Ouch!” I exclaimed as I had another contact with the ground.

“Sorry! Are you okay?” A male offered me his hand. I lifted my hand up and he tugged me up.

“Sorry.” I muttered, turning away to walk to my classroom.

“Hey!” He grabbed me on my elbow. I jumped in shock at the sudden contact.

“Sorry.” He said again.

“Are you the new girl? Yoon Mi-ssi?” He furrowed his brows and looked at me intently.

How do they know?

“Yeah. How do you know?”

“Well... We know that you are Jeon Jung Kook’s cousin. And he’s really popular here, so yeah, everyone’s been waiting to see you. I’m his friend. ” He told me, gesturing to our surroundings.

That’s when I realised that there were 3 girls, who looked as though they just came out of a magazine, staring at me. They were exchanging whispers, and seemed... Intrigued, by me.

Jeon Jung Kook’s cousin? I doubt so. We aren’t even real cousins. And it’s the first time I knew he existed. Of course, I didn’t voice that out.

“Oh... Uh...” I didn’t know what to say.

“I’m Nam Joon!” He introduced himself ecstatically, holding out his hand.

I shook his hand and grinned a little.

Ring....Ring... The school bell rang. I fumbled with the map on my hand, still looking for 3PE.

“Are you in 3PE?” Nam Joon asked, peering over me shoulder.

He was too close, too close for my comfort. I stepped forward and widened the gap between us.

“Yeah. Do you know where -” I wanted to ask him for directions, but before I could finish my sentence, he said “I’ll walk you there! Its just beside my class.”

At least there’s someone nice here.

*