Announcements: Sorry if you find this chapter of our story too long; they'll definitely be a bit short in the future. Anyways, enjoy the read, lovelies~!

 

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Today was the day. Finally, I would have something to do with my life. Of course, it was only going to be more school work, but that beats folding and organizing clothes all day. As much as I love organization, I can’t stand my job. I woke up and went through my normal routine including the everyday battle with myself concerning what should be done with my hair. I always want to do something different, something people might actually consider pretty, but in the end, I decided to go with a ponytail as I have for the last ten years. Once I was dressed and my make-up was done, I grabbed my bag and a book I was reading just so I could look sophisticated and was on my way.

I was a tad surprised when walking out that it was so cloudy outside. The sun showed itself every once in a while after a horde of clouds passed, but it wasn’t as pretty of a day as I expected. It was a bit of a damper on my mood, but I couldn’t let myself get down. Not today! Once I had climbed this hill, my new school would be in sight and there I could really get a start on a life on my own.

It was when I had made that decision that I heard someone yelling out behind me. “Hey! Hey!”

I didn’t know if they were talking to me or not, but I couldn’t ignore someone so loud. I turned and saw someone running my way - a boy, a cute one about my age wearing my school’s uniform. He seemed a little too happy for the first day of school, but then again I was too. I could only assume he had some funny story to tell or he was one of those effervescent types I’m not particularly fond of.

When he had finally caught up to me, he was able to catch his breath too. He nearly fell over with his hands on his knees as he panted heavily and I stood over him a little confused just hoping he wasn’t going to flip up my skirt or something else erted. I backed away a step before he got the chance then trying my best to be polite asked, “Are you okay?”

Finally having caught enough breath apparently, he straightened out and replied, “Yeah, just a little out of shape, I guess.” He chuckled weirdly when he looked at me bringing me to take another step back. “You’re coming this way too, right?” he spoke up again. “You go to Yookwon’s?”

He was right! It was a nice reminder that I had somewhere to be and a good indicator that he was either oblivious to the obvious or someone who liked to state it. “What gave you that idea?” I said as I started back on the path along the sidewalk. “Was it my uniform or the fact that I was coming the same way as you?”

He picked up his pace so he could continue on beside me. “Ah! Why are you like this? I was just wondering! Hey! Hey!” Was that his catchphrase or? I turned to see what he wanted. He bowed to me as he introduced himself sweetly. “I’m Park Jimin. What’s your name?”

I just stared at him for a second then bowed back in cooperation. “Lee Hyojin.”

“Nice to meet you!” I obliged him and returned the conventional phrase, and we continued walking. There was a pause just then and I was hoping he’d give up and walk ahead of me or something, but instead he persisted. “So, what are you in for?”

“Don’t say it like that!” I wasn’t meaning to, but I groaned at him rather crossly just then. “You make it sound like we’re going to jail - I’m not a criminal!” And I don’t plan to ever become one.

I could tell he was taken off-guard by my sudden outburst, and as a matter of fact, it was because I was such an awful conversationalist that most people would be turned off from me by now. “Yeah, you’re probably, right,” he said with a bit of a fidgety voice. I was surprised he was able to agree with me or even admit I was right. I was the one caught off-guard this time. He continued talking, “I meant: how did you get into Yookwon’s?”

Clearing my throat a little and brushing away a strand of hair in my face, I composed myself to answer. “Since you really want to know, I took the entrance exam and scored among the highest of the others who took it too.” I never meant to brag, but I couldn’t help but include such valuable information – or, at least, valuable to me.

“Wow, that’s cool!” he replied with a superb amount of enthusiasm – which again took me off guard. “You’re pretty nice for a genius girl, y’know?” Did he really think that? For the most part, I hadn’t shown him any particular kindness or ill feelings. “We don’t have a lot of people like you at Yookwon and the few really smart people aren’t too open with a lot of people, but you’re different.”

Well, that was for sure. I’m definitely not like typical girls which is probably why I never fit in anywhere. There wasn’t a single person or clique that accepted me for who I was, and it’s been that way for so long that I’ve actually gotten used to people shutting me out. Maybe that’s why I was so quick to start icing out Jimin. It was unfair of me to do that so I wanted to be more open to him that and I wanted to stop thinking about that.

“So,” I said nervously looking for another topic that would prolong the conversation. “How did you get in?” It was the only thing I could think of.

“I auditioned just a week or two ago with a few other people and I got the last spot they had in the whole school!” That’s sort of impressive. “I was surprised they had any more space at all considering how late it was, but I sure am glad I made it.”

“Me too,” It slipped my mind that I was trying to be nice, but my comment had already been made. I thought if I said something quick enough he wouldn’t have the chance to notice. “What did you do for your audition?”

A light seemed to spark in his eyes after I asked that. “I danced!” he replied happily. A little too happily. He went on into more detail about the audition process and what all he did in preparation for his dance, but I only half-listened because in all honesty I didn’t care. It’s hard being nice. No one can say I didn’t try though!

On the bright side, before Jimin had finished his story, the two of us had finally made it over the hill. As I stood atop it, I looked down and beheld my new academic residence. I had timed it perfectly too; the sun shone through the clouds just as my eyes descended upon the building reflecting off windows and cars as they pulled away. It was just like a movie or something. The building looked just as prestigious as all the local neighbors claimed it was.

Jimin was still going on with his book-worthy story (and I admittedly could’ve stayed behind to listen to the rest of it), but my excitement combined with the downward incline lead me to increase the pace at which I approached my new school.

Just behind me, I could hear Jimin calling out, “Hey! Wait up!” and could feel his hard footsteps as they pounded behind mine. For whatever reason, I decided instead of waiting I would just walk faster. And, obviously by “whatever reason,” I’m meaning to say that I wanted to avoid drawing out a conversation with him any more than I needed to. Ironic given that moments ago I was doing just that, but hey at least I tried.

To be completely honest, I think the only reason I ran was because I was nervous of facing him or people in general. In realizing that, something else rang in my head. Didn’t I just tell myself that I wasn’t going to icing people out? That I was going to do something different this year? I had to stop. And for more reasons than one.

Just as I reached the edge of the sidewalk leading into the school through its gate, a car swerved inside only inches away from hitting me. In fact, if I hadn’t stopped just then, if I hadn’t had that epiphany, it might have hit me. I could’ve been struck dead right then and there! Nerve-wrecking, really! I could barely take the thought. I turned my head so I could catch the license plate, but my vision was blurring. I don’t know why but it was, and suddenly, I was feeling light-headed.

“Are you okay?” Jimin said as he caught up and tried to help me stand tall. It was a kind gesture, but just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean something like that would fluster me, right? I’m a strong woman! I don’t need help from a man.

I pulled away to let him know as much. “I’m fine,” I said and started on my way with my head held high. As if I was going to let something like that ruin my day. Moments after my personal affirmation, I felt and heard the thud of something next to my foot. I looked down and found that I had dropped my bag. Additionally, I found myself surprised that I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t surprised because I couldn’t even feel my fingers.

“Hyojin,” Jimin’s voice glided gently behind me. I didn’t need any help. As if I couldn’t pick up a bag at my feet. All I needed to do was bend over and reach down and grab it in my hands. It was around when I tried to do just that I started to feel dizzy, top-heavy even. I collapsed face-first into the concrete and just laid there as the horizon continued to blur in my eyes. Jimin was calling out to me and to others for help while I out.

I could hear a fair share of things while I was unconscious, but words were about as clear as the alien language the adults on Charlie Brown spoke. It was after hearing the bell ring that I realized that I really needed to get up. I could feel myself budging around my limbs, but I wasn’t in full control of my body. Steadily, I could feel my eyes start to open, and once I could see, I started hearing clearly. The pledge of allegiance was being done by the head of the school which meant class was going to start soon. I’m going to be late!

Struggling to simply sit up, my eyes scanned the room for my things which hung on the wall behind the nurse. I now knew I was in the infirmary; if my vision wasn’t so blurry, I might have been able to see earlier. Said nurse was trying her darnedest to coerce me into staying in bed “for my own good,” but the last thing I was going to do was show up late for class even if my head was throbbing. I rushed a little too quickly to my fit nearly falling over again from another dizzy spell. With the wall to prop me up, I went on my way grabbing my bag and books on the way out.

I memorized my schedule before I left home so I knew where I was going. The problem was with clear as mud vision I had no idea where I was. I thought it would help clinging to the wall, but after a while, I realized how strange it must’ve looked for someone else. Since when did I care about what other people thought about me though? My vision was slowly but surely clearing up so I’d be able find my class eventually.

Around then, I could feel a breeze and a certain openness in the hall. At first, I thought the door had been opened in front of me, but a moment after stepping out I realized I had thought wrong. Someone had run into me from the side. The openness must’ve been an intersection in the hall. Assuming the breeze came from outside, I came to the conclusion that someone had, in fact, opened the door, was rushing inside because they were late, and in the process, ran into me.

“I’m so sorry!” a boy’s voice. “I was in a rush! I didn’t see you!”

If not for the now worsened throbbing in my head, I might’ve accepted his apology, but instead, “If you had been paying more attention, this might not have happened.” Strangely enough, upon opening my eyes, I realized the collision had brought my vision back. That same collision also brought my books across the floor. I was already late so I hurried to grab them all.

“I know, I know,” the guy said. “I’m sorry. Let me help you!”

It was so unlike guys to want to help that I didn’t like discouraging the few kind ones, but I reacted too quickly to his offer to realize that. “I don’t need any help!” I snapped at him as I went to collect the school supplies that had been sprawled across the floor. I regretted it a moment later when I realized that even yelling made my headache worse than before.

The boy held his hand out to me as I grabbed the last of my books. “At least, let me help you up,” he said gently. I looked up ready to glare at him, but when I actually saw him I was regretting my earlier coldness twice as much.

The guy was handsome, and I could tell by the look in his eyes he was truly penitent. His bangs had been swooped over to the side and his jawline was strong. Yet even with a jawline as strong as Michelangelo’s stone David, he still had a soft boyish face which was highlighted by his cheekbones. Those cheekbones – they were perfect like a Greek god’s and bold like a sculpture while still soft and youthful.

I brushed my hair aside just to hide my blushing face with my hands. I might have accepted his offer to help me up if I hadn’t given him the brush only moments before. The only thing that would do is embarrass me. So, again, I clung to the wall as I rose from the ground. “What part of ‘I don’t need any help’ didn’t you understand?”

Almost as if in an attempt to prove me wrong, the universe saw it fit to douse me with another dizzy spell. I thought I was going down again, but he grabbed me. It could’ve been more romantic if he had went for the princely save, but he just grabbed me by the arm and kept me steady. “Sure looks like you need help to me,” he replied with a slight chuckle.  Talk about embarrassing. “Let’s start over,” he offered. “I’m Park Jin-young – most people call me Jr. How may I help you today?”

“So, you’re a waiter, now?” I questioned sarcastically as he pulled me up straight. His hands were so warm then.

“No,” he answered. “Just someone who wants to help.” He courtly offered me his arm as if he were planning to me to some distant fantasy’s kingdom. I might have declined his offer to help me, but that would be too in character. I was taken with a sort of infatuation I had only felt for book characters and a good flower arrangement, and soon after, I was taking his arm.

“Just help me get to class,” a mumble crept from my lips. “Mr. Cho, Room 2B.”

Jin-young hissed as he tried to keep from laughing and, of course, I glared at him trying to figure out why. “It might help if you were facing the right way.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

He pointed at the tabs that marked the classrooms in this hall and continued with his snickering when he extended his arm in the direction of the stairs. “You can’t find Room 2B because 2B is on the second floor and you’re on the first.”

I could’ve bitten his head off, but I just told him the truth of the matter albeit growling like some mutt while doing so. “Well, I’ll be honest. Up until I ran into you, I could barely see the floor under me.”

The sweetheart continued to help me as I stumbled off the insides of my feet climbing the stairs. “You need glasses?”

“I have contacts. I fainted earlier though so I guess when my face smacked the ground, they got misaligned.” After my saying that, he realized the same thing I did and was ready to start snickering before I beat him to the thought. “I guess that means I owe you.”

“I guess that means you do,” he teased as he helped me up the last step.

His tone was nothing short of unsettling, but I was hoping he was just as sweet as he seemed to be when I met him a few moments ago. Just in case though, I wasn't interested in racking up my debt to him so I pulled away saying, “I think I can find my way from here.”

“What’s your rush?” he asked. “We’re going to the same homeroom, anyways. Might as well walk together.”

We’re in the same class? I might’ve questioned it aloud if I was one of those girls, but I guess I wasn’t that shocked. Rumors will probably start spreading if I walk in with him now. “No thanks.”

I picked up my pace hoping to leave him in the dust and tried not to fall in the process. He could’ve easily walked up to my speed if he wanted to, but he stayed behind. It was a little disappointing, but I didn’t care. Really, I didn’t. He probably wasn’t any different than every other guy, anyways. A low-life, immature, unintelligent, lying slob – or, at least, that’s what all the guys I’ve ever had the displeasure of knowing were like.

In any case, my first day of the school was really starting now. I took a deep breath as I stepped into view of the rectangular glass window of the door. As soon as I stepped inside, all eyes were on me. I guess this was to be expected though. The one person who was late on their first day – I never thought that would be me, but it happened.

“Lee Hyojin?” the teacher, Cho Yunsik, mumbled in disbelief. “I thought you would be in the infirmary?”

“I’m feeling better now,” I fibbed continuing to act balanced in step and refined in person. “Don’t worry about me.”

He seemed skeptical at first, side-eyeing me as I made my way into the room, but went on to say, “If you’re sure, take a seat; your classmates were just getting ready to do their introductions.” I hurried to find my seat and avoid causing even more of a scene. The front row, center of the room – normally, I would be happy to have a seat like that, but now I felt like everybody was watching me and whispering. But what do I care about what other people think? Nothing – it means nothing at all to me.

As I was taking my seat, the class began with the usual self introductions starting with the back row. I might’ve paid them more attention if I actually cared, but it wasn’t as if I were going to become friends with any of them let alone remember them after high school was over. I tried to keep myself together so I wouldn’t collapse again or something. Everyone went on standing from their desks, telling each other their names, and bowing while I sorted through my bag to make sure I had picked up everything that had spilled earlier.

It was while I was doing that I heard a very familiar voice next to me. Shocking that I hadn’t noticed before, but sitting right next to me was the guy I met this morning. “Hey everyone, my name is Park Jimin,” right, Jimin that was his name. “And I like to dance!” A rather uninteresting fact that he seemed obsessed with, but I was still taken aback by the fact that he was even here. I mean I knew we were going to the same school, but I didn’t think I’d actually have to see and deal with him every day. When he sat back down, he caught me staring with the perplexed expression I could feel was slapped across my face, and he smiled at me.

I didn’t oblige him with a smile back rather I turned face front. Just because I saw him every day wouldn’t mean I’d have to deal with him – I was going to ignore him. One thing I couldn’t ignore though was my next surprise of the day. “Hi, I’m Park Jin-young,” he said from the back of the room. I was quick to turn around. “But you can all call me Jr. if you want,” he finished. His being here meant he wasn’t lying after all…then again why would someone lie about that? I was still surprised; I hadn’t even seen him come in!

Impressive, but at the same time, I wish he could’ve been embarrassed in the same way I was when I came in. Before I knew it, I was the one bowing and introducing myself. Unlike everyone who went before me, I had nothing particularly special to say so I kept it simple. “I’m Lee Hyojin.” And back down to my seat. I sighed at the thought of having to attend to both of those boys for the stretch of the year I’d be in class with them; something tells me it was going to stress me out.

A tap on the shoulder let me know, the stress was getting ready to start. I turned to Jimin unintentionally glaring when he only wanted to ask, “Are you sure you’re feeling, okay?” He was genuinely concerned and it showed in his sparkly eyes. I couldn’t help but be annoyed by his asking me though.

“If I wasn’t sure, why would I be here?” was what my choice reply. I didn’t know how else to. I guess I’m just a naturally cold person. He didn’t seem too bothered by that though.

“I guess you’re right,” he said. It was my hope that the conversation would just fall off awkwardly there, but things never go my way. After a short pause, Jimin was back to running his mouth. “Well, how cool is it that we’ll be in the same class all year?”

I didn’t want to be rude, but I was truly curious so I turned back to him and asked, “Do you not have any of your own friends?” Perhaps, it was the way I asked or maybe the fact that I asked at all was some grand faux pas in itself, but it seemed to have stricken him some way.

He looked into my eyes for a second as if trying to figure out what I meant, my reason for asking, maybe even my reason for being then turned back around and faced forward. I think I hurt his feelings, but I’m really not sure how. It was an honest question. Most people don’t talk to me unless their desperate for human interaction, and even then, I honestly feel as though I’m not what they were looking for.

I was going to ask him if I had said something wrong, but Professor Cho reined in the eyes and ears of the class with a call for attention after the last person had introduced themselves. He formally introduced himself as our homeroom teacher and professor for calculus. I always hated taking math first thing in the morning, but it couldn’t be helped. We were all called up one by one to get our text books, and right away he went into our first lesson. He told us that he’d take it easy since it was our first day, but I didn’t see why that was necessary. I hated math, but I found the concepts, formulas, and calculating process extremely simple. He would’ve done better to try and teach like normal.

In any case, our entire first period was spent on review – a waste of time in my opinion – and when the bell had finally rung, I was practically jumping to open the door for him on the way out. The room was empty for a while as the teachers made their way to their next classes. My classmates were all pretty warm around each other. It gave me the impression most of them had known each other previous to coming to the school. Then there was me who had no one to talk to.

Well, no one except the one I had turned away before. When I turned to look at him, just like me, it seemed he had no one to talk to. His head was buried in the calculus book. He seemed to have been completely taken by the lesson we just had, reading over his notes and everything in the book as if there were a test on it tomorrow.

I leaned in ready to give him a helping hand, but around that moment, I saw Jin-young approaching me out the corner of my eye. “So,” he said casually sitting on the girl’s desk behind me. She didn’t seem to mind (in fact, she was practically swooning). “Did you get any of what he just said?”

The temptation with answering that question was going through the whole lesson in less than 5 minutes. It was just reviewing the basics so I couldn’t understand what he didn’t understand about it. I was going to watch my tongue this time. “What was there not to get?”

He laughed really heftily, but I wasn’t joking. “You really are one of the coldest girls ever, you know that?” I fakely smiled at him trying desperately again not to bite his head off right away. It was nothing I hadn’t heard before – I told him that. He seemed frazzled by my saying that, but he recovered quickly with a rather direct and smooth one-liner. “Well, I like you anyways.”

“What?” was all that I could manage to say. He liked me? That was the first time anyone had ever said that. And to think it would be a boy who said it! It took me off guard, but I wasn’t going to let him twirl me around his finger like a yo-yo or some toy. “I guess that would make us friends then?”

He smirked at that comment then got to his feet. “You could say that,” he replied teasingly before walking off. It kinda pricked me the way he had twisted his words in that conversation, but there was something charming about him that I couldn’t get passed either. He was the kind mother always warned me about – the sneaky kind of guy that end up taking advantage of me, the ones that would leave me hurt and alone.

As if! I wasn’t going to be manipulated by a handsome face or smooth as molasses remarks. I’m too smart for that. With my resolve solidified, our next professor made her way inside. Our English teacher, Wendy Oh, had a pretty face, but was stern and immediately demanded everyone’s attention calling them to return to their seats.

I turned back to the front thusly and in the process caught a glimpse of Jimin. I looked back, and he was eyeing me with his cute, youthful face just staring blankly. I don’t know why, but it made me feel some way I couldn’t describe. It wasn’t simply that I felt bad, no more complex. I was apologetic. I wanted to tell him sorry, but I didn’t know why. Before I could figure it out, of course, Miss Oh was once again calling for us to give her undivided attentions. I had been to America and held my own for a year without any other foreigners to turn to; English class was going to be a breeze. I just wanted it to end so I could talk to Jimin.

It was actually strange now that I thought about it. I had never wanted so bad to talk to a guy before or to anyone really. Even when it came to my family, I rarely shared more than a few words with them. What was there to say? It wasn’t as if there was anything I needed from anyone. I’m innovative, I have a killer intuition, and my resourcefulness made up for everything I lacked. I had been my own person for so long I could never imagine needing anyone, and if I didn’t need anyone then there was no point in talking to them.

I paid no attention to anything going on that entire class. Once again, our teacher talked to us as if we were incompetent children for most of the time we were together, and our class time was squandered with review of what we should have known from last year. As for me, I had such a firm grasp of the language that when I went to the states most of my classmates and teachers there had no idea I was foreign. This class wasn’t a blip on my radar.

Instead, what time I could’ve been spending trying to glean something from class was used up with day dreams and thoughts of how to face Jimin concerning what I said before. Actually, even after that class was finished, I couldn’t get it off my mind. I was so in my head all the chances I had to talk to him slipped through my fingers, and before long, it was lunch time.

The time to act was now. I couldn’t take forever trying to decide what the right thing to say was or I would never get to say it. I knew that, but even while I watched him unpack his boxed lunch, I couldn’t bring myself to speak up. That was until I saw how similar our lunches were – kimchi fried rice, an excellent delicacy.

Perfect! I could start the conversation off casually and then work in some kind of apology. “That’s a nice lunch you packed,” I said in an attempt at friendliness. My warmness was awkward – comparable to the same kind you feel when someone pees in a pool.

“Yeah,” Jimin replied. It was a bland reply that I didn’t expect from him. It was a chill I hadn’t felt before. Maybe this is what people meant when they said I was cold. I didn’t want Jimin to be like that because of me. Being coldhearted can be lonely.

Another attempt at conversation was necessary. “Did you cook it yourself?”

“Yeah, I’m not very good at cooking though,” he answered. With way more words than last time, too! Progress! “I’m pretty sure I overcooked the rice and shrimp.”

An amateur mistake, but if I say that to his face, it’ll only put him down. What better way to bring him up than to try his food and tell him it’s good then! I’m a genius. “I’m sure it’s not that bad,” I said as I got into his lunch with my chopsticks. A few moments later, my hand was cautiously stuffed a bundle of the rice into my mouth.

He looked at me anxiously waiting to hear my opinion. If I was honest with him, I would’ve told him how right he was when he said he had overcooked everything. I had never tasted something so completely off and disgusting in my life, but that wouldn’t be the thing to say in this situation.

I swallowed down the food and inconspicuously took in a gasp of breath as if that would wash away the taste quicker. “Wow!” I managed to say with only a bit of a struggle. “That wasn’t anywhere near as bad as you said it was.” It was much, much worse – I didn’t lie, at least.

Jimin laughed. I thought maybe it was a sign that he was proud of his cooking at first, but it wasn’t that kind of laugh. Then I realized it was because he could totally see through me and my attempt at being sweet. “You don’t have to lie; I know it’s bad.”

There wasn’t a need to argue so I didn’t argue him and try to insist that my words were true. “I’m sorry.” I wasn’t, but it felt like the right thing to say.

“You don’t have to say that,” he said shaking his head. “It’s my fault for cooking it badly.” After that last bit, it seemed he was going to fall back to that same seemingly depressed state as before. I didn’t like it. It was much different from the guy I had met this morning.

I had hoped maybe I wouldn’t have be bothered with this whole process considering how awkward TV shows and movies made it seem, but I guess there was no way around it. “Jimin,” hearing my voice, his head popped up – all ears like a loyal pup. I couldn’t believe I was about to say this. “I’m sorry for earlier. People tell me I’m cold, and I guess sometimes what I say can be hurtful. I didn’t mean to hurt you, really I didn’t.”

For a moment, when I looked at him, I read on his face that he had no idea what I was talking about. I couldn’t figure out what was causing him to make that expression. I hadn’t had the need to apologize to someone in so long I almost thought I did it wrong. He finally responded, “I don’t know you very well, at all. Even though I was only going off my first impression, I never thought you’d be a person who’d apologize so easily.”

I chuckled at the comment. “Oh, it wasn’t easy at all,” I replied.

“Really?” he said. “You seem like such an apologetic person suddenly though.” He started laughing again before digging into his food making me realize just how bright of a person he was. It made me smile. I genuinely smiled for the first time in a long time. It felt weird honestly.

“Well, you were right about one thing. You don’t know me at all.”

He stopped laughing then looked at me with his mouth full of food. It was a strange moment until he looked away to chew it all and swallow. After that, he looked back at me, and I’ll never forget the sort of innocent glint in his eyes when he said, “I hope you’ll let me change that.”

For a moment, I was stunned by his visual prowess and couldn’t help but admire him. Even though he was really cute, I wouldn’t say that was the reason I didn’t know how to respond to him. I nodded and said, “Yeah, sure,” and he smiled at me.

With that, I turned my attention back to where it belonged – my lunch. I almost felt bad that Jimin was left to eat the disgusting slop he brought, but it was his own fault for not being able to cook. Besides, I had already apologized for hurting his feelings so there was no longer any need to waste any extra emotions, energy, or time on him. There was only a few more minutes of lunch left anyways. How unhealthy it would be if I skipped meals just for the purpose of engaging more in every sentimental pitfall life had set when I came across them! I was already plenty skinny so there would be absolutely no benefit from doing something like that.

In any case, I ended up only eating about half of what I had packed which isn’t abnormal for me. The reason why I was so skinny was because I ate slow and got full quickly. I didn’t stay full, but I always had really healthy snacks to last until my next half of a meal. My goal for the year was to try and change my eating habits so I wasn’t so shrimpy and pathetic-looking, but the bell rang thusly ending today’s opportunity to see that through. It can’t be helped, I guess.

The rest of our classes went by much quicker than the first periods leading me to believe they had been shortened. I was right, of course, and the confirmation came when the student body in its entirety was called to the school’s auditorium for an assembly. It was when I had arrived and was watching everyone getting seated that I realized just how small our school was in comparison to the others around the country or even the one I had gone to in the states. The fact that we even had an auditorium was in a way a sort of testament to that. I guess that could be contributed to the fact that this was a private academy for the rich, talented, and academically privileged like myself, but I was still very surprised.

Around the same time I was empty-headedly analyzing my surroundings, a shove came at me slightly from the shoulder. A prissy giggle yanked my ear with the same sort of force a toddler innocently yanks your hair. I turned to see a group of girls walking my way. The one who had pressed passed me with her shoulder was a pretty little thing and beside her stood a similar looking girl with a darker look in her eyes. The first’s eyes sparkled brilliantly as she smugly remarked, “So sorry, didn’t see ya there.” The comment was covered in a mocking amount of insincerity.

“That’s fine, I guess,” I replied. “You shouldn’t make a habit of this sort of thing though. I don’t imagine others being as okay with it as me.” She didn’t seem to like that response very much. Maybe I wasn’t picky enough with my words again, but I had already said them so there. What was she going to do about it?

“I remember you now,” she said brashly. This being the first time I saw her in my life, I questioned what she meant. “You’re the one I almost ran over this morning!” My heart hung off a cliff when she said those words especially with a tone as casual as that. She went back to giggling for a moment before she asked, “How did that go?”

It was a weird question, and I wasn’t sure if she was meaning it seriously or if she was trying some sort of new school sarcasm. Her friends seemed to find humor in the question though. “Well, I didn’t get hit and I’m obviously standing here just fine.”

I answered them how any normal person might have, but suddenly they stopped laughing and looked at me with the most perplexed faces I had even seen. The first girl smirked at me again. “Maybe I would’ve been better off hitting you – seems like you got a few loose screws.” A few of the girls quietly snickered behind her, a few of them oooh’d, while the others looked just as taken aback by the comment as I was.

“Excuse me?” I questioned her crossly. She seemed pretty satisfied with herself, and I felt my fist ball up with rage. Should I hit her? The whole school was here; there would be plenty of witnesses. How would they punish me? Would it be worth it?

My hand rose as I stepped toward her in a sort of teenaged hormonal anger, but luckily, before anything regrettable happened one of her friends stepped in between us. She was a looker, too. She smiled nervously as she spoke showing me what I knew was considered her prettiest feature – a gorgeous eye smile. “I think it’s in everyone’s best interest if we all were to walk away, now,” she said.

“Oh, don’t worry,” the first one replied before turning her eyes back toward mine. “We’re done here.” And there, she turned her frigid shoulders away from me and made her descent to the icy tundra version of hell – or more accurately the seats closer to the front. The entire troop followed her while the intervener looked back remorsefully silently messaging me with her lips, “I’m sorry.”

I sighed and shook my head as the first burst of that much anger quelled to a dully lit ember. Like clockwork, I was approached by another girl after they had gone. “I see you’ve met Soshi,” she said. I turned and found that her hair and clothes were rather boyish looking in a very charming way. The aura about her was very relaxed and comfortable.

“Soshi?” I questioned.

“That’s what they called themselves,” the girl replied. “The mean one calls herself Jessica Jung, and the one beside her was her sister – she calls herself Krystal. They’re all cheerleaders and the Jung sisters are the most popular girls in school.” Suddenly, something clicked for her as if she had forgotten it before. “Oh! And just in case you were wondering, I call myself Amber, Amber Liu.”

She bowed at a perfect right angle. Meanwhile, I was just astonished at the peculiar character she turned out to be. As per custom, I bowed back to her and introduced myself, “Lee Hyojin.”

“Nice to meet you!” I wasn’t sure what else was to be said after that so we just stood there looking at each other silently for a short while before she spoke up again. “We should probably grab a seat before the assembly starts.” I agreed, of course, and we found our way to what seemed to be the last two seats in one of the rows farthest back from the front.

Shortly afterwards, the assembly would officially start. I half-expected for it to be about something important. “Maybe it was an honoring of the highest scorers on the entrance exams,” I thought; I would have loved to go up there and make my superior intellect known to the masses. In actuality, however, the head of the school had only done what Amber said was “the traditional ‘state of the school’ address.” He brushed over a few changes in the school handbook, basic dress code and uniform rules, and finally explained for the new students what the school was supposed to stand for.

Following that long and unnecessary portion of the lecture (assuming any of this was necessary at all), he reminded everyone of the deadline to turn in their applications for student council representatives and class presidents. The ‘election season’ would be soon and they needed to get a head start on things. I thought about grabbing an application because being on student council would look excellent on a college resume, but shortly afterward I realized how little time and interest I actually had for such a thing.

Next, our head of school introduced the new staff members, and those staff members got the chance to explain what they taught or supervised and advertise for their class or elective. Very few of the clubs and courses interested me, and the few that did still sounded pretty dry all in all making this entire assembly another waste of time today.

If there was a silver lining, at least, I had befriended a down-to-earth type. I enjoyed Amber’s company, but I was unsure if I’d actually have the pleasure of sharing any classes with her. In any case, with the day over, I realized this school was full of eccentric characters. Everyone was about getting their day shoes from the cubbies while those with extracurricular activities or sports stayed behind while others only came to bid friends farewell. That, of course, meant I had no one telling me to “Be safe!” or assure me that they would “See me tomorrow!” It wasn’t anything new so I wasn’t bothered by it at all. If anything, it annoyed me hearing them all say the same thing and talk all over each other’s voices. Everyone was smiling. It pushed me farther and farther away. When I stepped outside, everything was blue.

I sighed and realized that I still needed to go home and get ready to report to my job. Luckily, my apartment was right down the street, and my job was only a few blocks away from there. I could afford to dawdle.

Just when I had made that realization, I heard that familiar voice again. He called out from behind me, “Hey! Hey!” – his signature catchphrase. I turned to see him running toward me and smiling childishly like he did when we met this morning. “Are you walking home?”

Here’s where my sarcasm had to take control. “No, no,” I said. “I was just getting ready to sprout wings and fly away. No one ‘walks’ anymore, don’t you know?”

“So, you’re a fallen angel?” he questioned. I almost thought he was serious until he continued, “I wouldn’t be surprised.” A slick line, but not slick enough.

I sighed and shook my head. “This is where I walk away,” I told him as I started to make my way down the sidewalk.

He chuckled and caught up so he could walk beside me. “I was just kidding, you know?” I nodded because I knew good and well what he meant. “So, you walk home then? How far away do you live from school?”

“You saw me outside the apartment down the road this morning, right?” I asked him. He took a second to think back and remember it then nodded. “Well, there’s your answer. I live in 32C on the third floor.” Perhaps a little too much information to be so readily giving away in retrospect, but it wasn’t as if he would show up with his gang members and break in or something.

“Wow, that’s cool!” he said overly excited in my opinion. “I actually live about 10 miles away.”

I was surprised at that. “You actually walk 10 miles to school?”

“No, no, no,” he laughed nervously. “I took a taxicab. My dad couldn’t drive me cuz he had to go in early for work this morning so I got money from my brother. Thing is, he only gave me enough to go three blocks away from where the school actually is.”

I wasn’t as impressed anymore, but I almost felt bad for him. “Ah, I see.” I didn’t really care much more for the conversation after that now that the apartment complex was only a few more steps away, but of course Jimin had to keep it going. I tried to be nice and listen, but it pained me so.

“Hey!” he exclaimed suddenly. “You want to come to the arcade with me! The clerk always lets me play for free; I bet I could convince him to let you, too!”

It was everything short of a tempting offer, and I didn’t have enough of a thespian within me to pretend I was the least bit interested to begin with. “I can’t,” I told him straightforward. “I have to be at my job in 15 minutes. I don’t have time to play games with you.”

“Oh,” he replied; he didn’t have to pretend to be disappointed either. “Well, maybe next time?”

I sighed and looked back at him as I stepped up the first stair leading to my apartment. The innocent glint in his eyes I saw before glistened hopefully in his eyes. I wouldn’t smother it this time. “We’ll see,” I humored him.

He smiled at me gently then watched me ascend to my humble place of residence. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow!”

I looked over the rails to give him the courtesy of a direct response. “Bye, Jimin.” He smiled again brightly, childishly then waved and went on his way. It was tiring being around him for sure, but I guess it couldn’t be helped. He was my classmate, after all.

“Click, click!” said the door as I unlocked it with my key. A deep inhale of the scent of my familiar surroundings. It was the freshest air I had breathed all day.

It was a long day and it wasn’t over yet. I dressed in my uniform for work and readied to leave. I had been working there every day since moving into my apartment at the beginning of the summer, and at this point, I had reached a place where as soon as I got there I felt it was over. On the bright side, at least, I wasn’t there bored for hours. In any case, my shift ended quickly as ever, and before I knew it, the moon had sent the sun to rest and I was on my way home to do the same.

I lied in bed for hours that night thinking of what was to become of me the rest of the school year. If the first day was this tiring, I felt as though I probably wouldn’t survive. One thing was for sure though; if I didn’t get to sleeps soon, I surely wouldn’t even live through tomorrow. I sighed and shut my eyes tight hoping if I pretended to sleep long enough I would actually fall asleep, and by some miracle, I turned out to be right. The nighttime air kissed me goodnight, and my first day of school officially met its end.