First day.

I nervously introduced myself to the class as Kyouko Lee, said nice to be part of the senior class and to please take care of me.  I heard a few snickers and Young Do looked mighty bored to me.  Only one pretty girl smiled at me.  And her handsome seat mate looked on silently.  Later, I knew from the others that they were a couple.  And would you know they're just like mom and dad.! I so love them both already.

There was only one empty seat and it was beside Young Do.  I was secretly delighted!  Clueless, I went over and a hush fell over the class.  In a very faint voice I heard someone say, "Sit there and you'll never walk again."  Taken aback, I froze and said "Excuse me?"

The pretty girl earlier asked me instead "Hi Kyouko, would you like to be my seatmate?  I am Cha Eun-Sang. It's the first time I've met someone who was homeschooled."

I replied hesitantly, "Ah sure, but you already have a seatmate.  Besides, this is a good seat too.  We can talk later."  I then felt that I have to stand my ground and not chicken out.  Little did I know that between her boyfriend, Kim Tan, and Choi Young Do there passed a silent glaring match.

The two alpha males were former best friends turned enemies for some unknown reason and later complicated by a love triangle.  The girl in question is pretty Eun-Sang.  Potential love rival but I won't hate her, she obviously loves Kim Tan and she's the first person to offer a helping hand to me.

After class, some girls asked me this and that.  But upon knowing my middle class background lost interest and proceeded to ignore me.  I spotted Eun-Sang and was about to call out to her when suddenly my phone rang.  "Onii-Chan!!!  Ahh yes, I'm at the mall.  I'll be home soon."  Drat.  I need to go home quickly before brother finds out.

"Onii-chan?  I thought you were an only child Kyouko?"  I jumped in surprise.  This guy though tall is quite stealthy.  I didn't hear him approach at all. I stammered, "He's an older cousin whom I'm very close to."

"Hmm...Why did you say that you're in the mall?  Kids lie all the time that they're at school when they are not.  Are you not supposed to be here?"

"So we're good now?  Earlier you didn't want to be seatmates.  And now you're talking to me?"  I challenged him to divert his attention.

"Is that why the girls in class shunned you?  Because you don't get your stories straight?"  He countered.  "Suit yourself.  It's none of my business anyway."

"Young Do, can we be friends and hang out sometime?"  I shored up my courage and asked.

"I don't do friends with little girls."  With that he sped off.

                                                                                 -----***------

After a few weeks... 

                "Whatcha looking at?"  Young Do growled. 

I smiled and replied "You."

                "Don't you ever get tired of looking at me?  You must like me a lot."

                "Nope, I won't ever get tired of looking at you and yes I do like you a lot.  In fact, I came to this school because of you."

Young Do squirmed, clearly uncomfortable at the turn of the conversation.  He tried to be sarcastic and said "With a face like that and your infatuation, How are you going to get yourself a boyfriend?"

                "I know right?  You ruined me for other men. That's why you are going to take responsibility and marry me after high school." I shot back.

                "Are you up for a survival game in Gyeonggi-Do this weekend?"  When I say things like these, he doesn't know what to make of it and just abruptly changes to random topics.

                "Yeah sure.  I just need to clear it with mom first."

I entered Apgujeong Academy as a junior but upon knowing Young Do is a senior, decided on acceleration.  Otou-san permitted me only one school year and I am determined to make the most of it.  I hate using the mom card with dad but he left me no choice. I didn't expect to meet someone I'd like to bring home to dad.  I thought that this is going to be a simple school experience for me.  Growing up sheltered, I envied all my older brothers.  All three of them went here, about five years ago.  And they ruled it.  The students still talk about the Moon brothers with reverence.  Choi Young Do filled the vacuum of authority when they finally graduated. 

Despite precautions to project an image of being average, acceleration in an elitist high school was something that made the students a little bit curious about me.  My background was well scrutinized but because I came prepared they did not find anything. To everyone else, I appeared as the daughter of single-mom Secretary Lee, aged 35.  Father unknown. Sponsored by Toma Corporation.  Previously home-schooled with advanced learning.  Actually, I would have been shipped to college by now if mom didn't intervene.

As for Young Do, I don't know why he didn't single me out for bullying.  I should have been, I was a new student, sponsored and socially awkward with my peers.  Not that I would have allowed it to happen.  This my one and only shot at independence.  My first taste of freedom and I'd be damned if I let anyone take it away from me.