Hayoung smiles at herself in the mirror one last time before puckering her lips and applying the new, bright red lipstick her friend, Chorong, bought for her the other day. The bright color had become somewhat of a trend around the school—a trend that Naeun (another of Hayoung's close friends) had started herself—and all the girls were wearing it. Well, all the girls except for Nerdjoo, as she was called.

     Kim Namjoo was at the bottom of the social food chain. The very bottom. She was considered the geekiest of them all and by far the worst dressed out of everyone in the entire high school, including the sweater vested teachers. Hayoung and her clique had picked on Namjoo numerous times, but then again, who hadn't picked on her? There were too many things to use against her, too many things to insult her with.

     Finally, satisfied by the way she looks, Hayoung grabs her packback from its place on her bed and runs down the stairs and into the kitchen.

     "Ooo, Hayoung, did you go to the store?" Her step brother mocks, scooping a spoon full of cereal into his mouth. Hayoung grabs a banana from the fruit bowl on the table and walks to where her brother is seated.

     She smacks him upside the head, "Shut the hell up." She hisses. The young boy rubs the sore spot on his head, mumbling something Hayoung couldn't care less about under his breath.

     She leaves the kitchen and after slipping on her ninety dollar shoes, Hayoung leaves the house and begins to walk down the sidewalk toward school.

     The walk isn't long, the school is at least a block away, maybe less, so Hayoung arrives nice and early, just how she likes to.

     When she enters the enormous building, she can already see Chorong, Naeun and Bomi gossiping by the lockers. Their bright colored outfitters are hard to miss in the dull mess of gray clothed students.

     "Hayoungie~" they greet in unison with smiles that seem even brighter and whiter from their matching lipstick.

     Hayoung rolls her eyes playfully. "Guys," she whines, "You know I absolutely hate that nickname."

     Bomi giggles. "Of course we know! That's why we use it," she pinches the younger girl's cheek. "You just look so cute when you're mad!'

     She rolls her eyes for real this time. "Ah, just hush." Hayoung crosses her arms over her chest, jutting out her lower lip; pouting. "You're all just a buncha of bullies."

     Bomi begins to laugh and before you know it, all of the girls are laughing, their red lips pulled into broad smiles.

     But the laughter is controlled, along with their smiles and a moment or two after it all began, it ends. They talk of nothing with true importance afterwards, mainly they speak of the last episode of Prime Minister and I because "it was just too perfect for words" and all that.

     They talk normally for a while, but soon enough, Bomi interrupts with her over the top happiness.

     "Oh, oh!" Bomi jumps towards Hayoung in a childish way.

     She takes a step back from the hyperactive girl. "Oi!" Hayoung exclaims, "what is it already?"

     Before Bomi can reply, the school bell rings out through the halls and a collected group of sighs fill the air.

     "What a bore." Naeun shakes her head, her hands placed on her hips. "Oh, well, I'll see you babes later." She winks and turns, leaving the group of girls as the