Chapter 4: The Lessons Start

What just happened? I don’t know either. I guess the awkwardness between us has just grown a hundred times worse. 

KRYSTAL POV

The English lessons were too basic for me to stand. I said that to our instructor and she said I could sit out in few of the lessons. With that, I excused myself from the room; but not without looking at Amber’s direction.

She was hunched over the table, concentrating on learning my first language, Korean. Her boyish hair unruly and falling over her eyes. My hand was itching to get it out of her face and hold it for her.

Why I wanted to do that, I don’t know either. I’ve never had any attraction to the same before. It’s not that I’m against same relationships, it’s just that it is somewhat taboo in Korea.

All those homoual thoughts aside, I made my way out of the room and went straight to the bathroom. Locking myself inside a cubicle, I sat on toilet and go through how stupid I acted earlier.

Why did I ask Amber to come with me for a head start in training? Why did I not notice early on that she was not wearing a bra? Why did it bother the hell out of me that her s were showing through her sweat-soaked t-shirt? Why did I deliberately talked to her fully when I could have donned on a towel? Was I seducing her? Wha—

My thoughts were cut off by the bathroom door opening. Probably one of the trainees, I thought. So I resumed my sulking and self-loathing for a few more minutes. When I could not take any more of my riotous mind-wandering, I finally came out of the cubicle.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw Amber in front of the sink, vigorously washing her face. I was about let her know of my presence when she suddenly stood straight and looked at the mirror.

She said hi when she saw me standing behind her. I said hello and she excused herself from my presence, probably to avoid the growing awkwardness between us.

Before my mind could process what I was doing, I reached for her arm and stopped her.

‘Wait,’ I heard my mouth say.

‘Why?’ she said, facing me.

‘Amber…I just want to say I’m sorry for how I acted earlier. I don’t know what has gotten into me.’ I said.

Amber said that I need not worry about that. Okay, no need to worry you say. But why the awkwardness still?

‘But please wear a bra next time,’ my mouth said again. With that, I ran to the door to escape shame.

My mouth and mind does not work hand-in-hand pretty much all the time. Why it’s gotten worse in the presence of Amber, I don’t ing know either.

I entered the room again and sat with Jinri and Sun-young. I’d rather endure this redundant lesson than talk with Amber again, for today that is.

AMBER POV

I walked back to my Korean lessons still replaying what happened in the bathroom – the disaster that was my forgetfulness-of- wearing-my-bra-and-Krystal-making-a-big-deal-out-of-it incident.

Why she was so concerned of my s showing? I don’t want to think about that anymore. I just want to concentrate on my lessons and trainings. However learning Hangul was getting more confusing by the second.

Mina-unnie seemed to have noticed the loss of my attention and ended today’s Korean lessons. I thanked her for her patience and wished that the next lessons will go on smoothly. We did the respectful bow she taught and got on her way.

I remained in my seat, looking at the weird squiggles that is the Korean alphabet. This feels so weird, I need to really study this well if I was to master this language. The 3 hour lessons will not suffice, I need to study this at home and memorize a lot of things.

Song Qian cooked us dinner that night. She really is like a mother to us, always making sure we ate properly, slept on time, woke up on time, and a whole lot more. Without her, the four of us would have long gone crazy because of our clutter.

Immediately after dinner, I went into my room and opened my take-home reviewer and activities. They really are a lot. I started to dig in the mountain of work, hoping to finish before 10:30, our scheduled lights-off in the dorm. But 11pm in nearing and I am nowhere near half done with all my work.

Knock. Knock.

Who could it be? It’s way past lights-off.

I opened the door and was surprised to see Krystal.

“Hey, it’s late, what are you doing here?” I asked, leaning slightly on the door frame.

“I couldn’t sleep so I decided to grab some snacks. I saw your light still on, I was wondering if you’d like to join me?” she said, holding up a few bags of chips.

“Sure, but can we eat in my room? I kind of still doing my homework.” I opened the door to let her in.

I motioned her to sit on my bed where all mess of my homework was. She sat at the very edge, probably to avoid rumpling the paper. I quickly cleaned up the mess and tapped the space beside me in the middle of the bed, telling her to sit beside me.

Opening one of the bag of chips, she looked at me and offered the food.

“What are all these?” she asked.

“Some activities my instructor had me do at home.” I replied.

“Do you need help?”

“Ummm, sure. It that’s okay?”

“It’s okay. Besides, you’ll finish faster if I help. Scoot over and let me see.”

I gave her the last stack of papers that I need to finish.

“This is quite basic. Here, let me have your pen…” she started writing the letters and passed me the paper.

“Oh, it’s like that! I never understood what Mina-unnie explained during class. That was much clearer! Thanks!” I said with so much excitement that I spilled the open bag of chips all over my bed.

“Yah! Yah! Calm down. This is just the start. This part is the easiest part…” she picked up the next paper and started teaching me again.

For a while, I just stared at her serious face, listening to her soft voice as she patiently taught me Hangul.

“…so this character goes here if you need to say…” she stopped and looked at me. “Are you even listening, Amber?”

“Yes, yes. Sorry, I was just absorbing everything I learned so far. This is quite tiring, y’know?” I answered.

“Right, so just one last thing and this will be over and we both can sleep.”

Sleep, right. I lie down on my stomach and started reading out loud the words Krystal has written as practice.

“An-nyeong, kam-sa-ham-ni-da, han-gul, ne, a-ni-yo, mi-an-hae…” I read each, emphasizing each syllable and looking at Krystal occasionally if I have a hard time pronouncing any words.

Krystal gently clapped her hands the moment I said the last word of the day.

“Great job, Amber! Now, we’re finished.”

“Yeah,” yawn. “Thank you for teaching me, Krystal,” yawn. “You should go to your room, it’s almost 1am. We have an early training tomorrow,” yawn.

Krystal arranged the papers on my bed and placed them at the nearby desk.

“No problem. Good night.” She said, ruffling my hair in goodbye.

“Good night.” She turned the lights off and tucked me in.

“Sleep tight, Amber.” She said as she closed the door. That was the last thing I heard before I went to dreamland.

And a good sleep it was.