The incident in the soccer field was the last encounter Krystal had with the infamous Choi Minho. She hasn’t seen him for days. Thank goodness, she thought. But she couldn’t help wondering why he was absent for quite some time now.

“Did you hear about Choi Minho?” Krystal overheard one female student while she was walking to her music class.

She stopped walking and stood there for a while, pretending to fix her hair and examine the soles of her shoes.

“I heard he was detained. He’s in prison because he had beaten someone. He almost got the guy killed.”

Krystal gasped loudly and the talking girls turned to look at her.

She saw them staring and continued pretending to examine her shoes. “Omo, there’s a gum stuck on my shoe. Ottoke?” she sat on the bench across the girls and pretended to look worriedly at her shoe. She listened as they continued their conversation.

“Is he going back to school?” one girl asked another. “Would the school allow him?”

Krystal strained her ears to hear the answer.

“Maybe not. Isn’t what he did sort of a crime?” the other girl answered.

“I guess. What a waste. I really find him cute,” the first girl said, shaking her head.

“Yeah, me too. And he’s so athletic,” the second girl added.

Krystal didn’t know why she felt disappointed. She should be happy she wouldn’t get to see the scum, right? But most of all, why should she care about anything concerning Choi Minho? He’s disgusting, she thought.  She stood up and with heavy footsteps continued her way to her music class.

“Krystal-ssi,” a male voice called from behind her.

She turned and saw Kim Kyoung Jae. She gave him a weak smile, turned around again and continued walking.

“Hey, wait up,” Kyoung Jae jogged toward her until he was walking beside her.

“Hi, Kyoung oppa,” she greeted politely, never slowing down her steps.

“Why are you such in a hurry, beautiful?”

“I’m late for my next class,” she answered curtly.

“Here, let me carry your books,” he offered and before Krystal could even answer, he took the books from her.

“Thanks,” she said, glancing at him.

Of all the boys who pay attention to her, Kim Kyoung Jae is probably the most worthy candidate to be Krystal’s boyfriend. In her parents’ opinion, that is. He was handsome, tall, well-built and athletic. He was also intelligent and most of all, he came from a rich and influential family. He was older and more experienced and was one of the most popular guys in Incheon University because of his looks and social status. What more could a girl ask for? Krystal mentally shrugged. She would probably end up with Kyoung Jae someday since their dads are good friends but for now she just didn’t want to be tied down to anyone.

She reached for her books and thanked Kyoung Jae. They had reached the music room.

“How about I take you to dinner tonight?” he lingered for a while at the door.

Krystal hesitated.

“Come on, I know your dad will allow you,” Kyoung Jae coaxed.

“I can’t promise, but…”

He lightly pinched her chin. “No buts, sweetheart. See you tonight.”

With that, he turned and left.

Krystal sighed. Maybe she should listen to Sonyoung for once and pay attention to a real guy. And Kyoung Jae isn’t that bad at all. 

…………………..

“I saw you,” Jinri said to Krystal almost accusingly.

“Hmm…?” Krystal answered absent-mindedly.

“I saw you and you could not deny it to me. You were with Kyoung Jae last night. I saw you getting in his car. Are the two of you together now and you’re not telling us?” Jinri demanded.

Krystal looked at her friends’ faces. Amber’s was expressionless, Sonyoung’s was glowing with excitement, while Jinri seemed to be a bit upset.

“Yah, spill,” Sonyoung prodded.

“Aish, it was just a date. And it happened just once. Last night was the first one,” and probably the last one, Krystal added in her thoughts.

“You never accept invitations for a date before,” Amber pointed out.

“True,” Krystal agreed. “And as I’ve said, last night was the first.”

“I wouldn’t ask you why you chose to accept his invitation, Soojung-ah,” Sonyoung grinned. “He’s quite handsome. I’ve heard half the girls in the college department are swept off their feet. You’re so lucky.”

Krystal didn’t answer. She recalled their date. Kyoung Jae bragged about himself, his hobbies, their family’s business and everything they owned until her ears bled. She could see that he was trying to impress her. Well, maybe she should be impressed but, she just doesn’t know why. She couldn’t help thinking that Kyoung Jae just likes her because she is Jung Jae Hwa’s daughter.

“Krystal,” Amber elbowed her and pointed at Miss Park, their class adviser who was standing in front of her. She was looking right at Krystal.

“Jung Soojung, I want to talk to you,” Miss Park told her. “Would you come with me?”

Krystal began to wonder, and she also began to feel nervous. Whatever Miss Park wanted to talk to her about seemed serious…and urgent. She nodded and stood up, following Miss Park to the faculty room. They reached her cubicle and Miss Park motioned for Krystal to sit down on the chair in front of her table.

“Soojung, I know you’re aiming to be on the honor’s list when you graduate,” Miss Park began without ado.

Krystal nodded.

“I’m afraid you’d have a hard time reaching your goal, especially that you’re a transfer student. You must be proficient in all areas, and I mean not just academic subjects but also arts and sports,” Miss Park scanned the contents of the folder in front of her: Krystal’s files. “You excel in academics, and for the arts you have music, but…you don’t have anything under sports.”

“Tell me, what are you good at?” Miss Park asked, turning her gaze back at Krystal.

Krystal thought for a moment. “Uh…I don’t know. I know how to swim. I’ll join the swimming team, perhaps?”

Miss Park smiled. “I’m afraid the slots are already full in the swimming team,” she ducked and opened one of her table’s drawers and fished out another folder. “Let’s see…” she began to scan the papers on the folder. “How about track and field? You know, running, hurdle, high jump…I see that they still need a few members.”

Krystal cringed. Sweating under the sun? Running and ruining her pedicure? No way. “I don’t know. I might at those. Aren’t there any other options?”

Miss Park looked at the papers again. “Oh, yes, there’s another one open. The girls’soccer team.”

Worse. “And?”

“And that’s all,” Miss Park answered.

Sheesh. Why didn’t they tell her earlier when there are still many options? She voiced her concern.

“We did tell you that in the beginning of the semester,” Miss Park claimed. “Have you forgotten?”

She shrugged. “I guess. So, I don’t have much choice but to choose between the two options, right?”

“Right.”

Or, just give up trying to get in the honor’s list. No, it couldn’t be. Her father can be quite a hard man, especially when it comes to his daughter’s education. He wants them to excel. And Krystal’s older sister Jessica was a very good example of an excellent student. The pressure was on Krystal to be like her sister, or better yet, surpass her sister. She had to do this.

“Well?” Miss Park asked when Krystal kept silent. “Don’t worry, you need not to do it for the rest of the school year. Just participate once so that we could put it on your record and add extra points. And it doesn’t matter if you win or lose.”

Krystal bit her lower lip, and then finally opened to answer. “Okay, I’ll join track and field.”

………………………….

Krystal looked for Coach Song and enlisted herself in the school’s track and field team.

“Okay, we will have training tomorrow. Be at the school grounds at exactly six in the morning,” Coach Song instructed her.

“What? On a Saturday?” Krystal whined.

“Yes, dear, on a Saturday,” Coach Song answered, pulling up her hair into a ponytail. “And don’t be late.”

Oh. My. God. What have I gotten myself into? But she really doesn’t have a choice, does she?

“Oh, poor baby,” Sonyoung said when Krystal told her friends the news. She hugged her. “Be careful, all right? We all know that Song Qian is very strict,” she said, referring to their P.E. teacher and the track and field coach, Coach Song.

“Ottoke, Sonyoung-ah?” Krystal asked miserably, leaning her head on Sonyoung’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, you’re Krystal Jung. Of course you can do it.”

…………………………..

But it was easier said than done.

Saturday morning and Krystal arrived at the school grounds at around seven a.m., looking very pretty in a baby tee, a visor and short shorts. The students who were practicing all turned to look at her.

“I said six, Krystal-ssi, not seven,” Coach Song s