Jung Taekwoon had always be a quite child, he didn’t remember a time when he had spoken out loudly, not even when he was truly passionate on a subject. It wasn’t that he really meant to be silent; he just felt that actions spoke louder than words. He believed that he shouldn’t have to threaten someone in order to get them to stop being annoying, instead he would just count down slowly, patently… If they persisted, brute force would be used. Not excessively, just enough for them to learn. Taekwoon believed that this was the best way to get his point across, that why he would only offer a few soft words.

That and he didn’t like people. They made him feel awkward and shy. He didn’t like feeling that way, and so he didn’t like people.

Taekwoon would prefer books and music to people any day. He loved to play his piano every afternoon and read the weekends away. Fiction books created better people, more likeable, reasonable people. Non-fiction though, was his favourite; he loved reading about animals and learning new things in scientific journals. But because of school, he never really had the chance to read about the things he loved unless it was the weekend.

Recently having entered his second last year of high school his reading hours had become less and less due to the fierce study load he was given. He still practiced the piano; he had to if he wanted to enter a degree in music and literature. But in order to get the grade he wanted to study at one of the most prestigious universities in Korea he had to cut back on his leisure time.

Normally, it wouldn’t have bothered him that much, but then there was the news of his parents going abroad to work for their company. This was what had been torturing his mind for the past four weeks. He would gladly live alone, go to school, see the few people there that understood his shy silence, go to his after school lessons and come home to study eat and sleep. However, his parents didn’t seem to think that it was a good idea for him to stay in Seoul alone.

“You are going to stay with your grandmother.” His father had said, sipping his coffee, it was his third one that morning, Taekwoon didn’t have to ask twice where he got his coffee addiction from. “She would love the company.”

Taekwoon had sighed; looking at his father with a bored expression which he felt told his father everything he needed to know. That he was old enough to at least stay home by himself, even if one of his sisters had to come and check in on him daily. His father, although used to his son’s lack of words, did not always fully understand him. He thought all his son felt was boredom, anger, slight murderous intent and occasionally – when he cracked a smile – happiness.

“You are going to enjoy it. Trust me, it may not be as busy as Seoul but it is a nice community.” His father put his cup down, “We have already organised the school for you and your grandmother is looking for a piano tutor.”

And that was the end of that. Two weeks later and his mother was packing his bags for him, seeing as he silently refused for an hour.

“Honey,” she whispers, sitting next to him on his bed. Taekwoon sets down his novel, already towards the last few pages even though he had only started reading it that day, looking up at his mother with a sad expression. “I know you would prefer to stay here, but you should go to your grandmothers, the school there is really good, I mean look at your father, he got really good grades and managed to find a wonderful woman like me when he came to Seoul for university.”

She reaches out to pinch Taekwoon’s cheeks, and he can’t help the smile pulling at his lips. “He got you and your sisters out of meeting me. Honey, you might think that this is the worst thing that could happen to you, and I understand that it is hard being transferred during your senior years, but it could be the best thing that happens to you. Trust me, okay?”

Taekwoon nods, “Okay mum.”

“Now, honey, help me pack your bag okay?” She stands, holding out her hands for him to take.

A day later Taekwoon arrived at his grandmother’s house in Changwon. He liked his grandmother, she was like him, a reader and more quite than others. Although, over the years her voice got louder and she learnt how and when to be loud. While Taekwoon loved his grandmother, he didn’t like her house, he didn’t like the town. It was too close to the sea, too far from Seoul. Too far from the best book stores there were.

The first few hours he spent in the spare room unpacking his things, organising it the way he considered to be perfect, while his parents entertained his grandmother. Lining the shelfs with his books in alphabetical order, and then putting all his clothes away in their respective draws, he didn’t bring much else other than his school books, in hope this new school he would be entering would have the same study materials.

After he was done his parents bid him farewell and left to return to Seoul. His grandmother prepared dinner while he set the table and cleaned the lounge room for her. They didn’t speak much until the food was ready, each knowing that it wasn’t necessary for words just yet, as they would have several months to talk about everything. To learn what the other liked and disliked.

During the meal only small words were exchanged, during which his grandmother offered to drive him to school the next day. Taekwoon, not wanting to be rude – or to have to catch public transport – accepted the offer gracefully. Barely two hours later, with the kitchen cleaned and table unset, they were both doing their own things in their respective rooms. Taekwoon was reading to himself while his grandmother was in her room watching the latest drama that was on.

The next morning Taekwoon got ready for school, dressing in the uniform his grandmother had picked up for him a before he had arrived. At exactly seven twenty his grandmother was at his door telling him to grab his bag because they were leaving. Rushing to brush his teeth Taekwoon took his bag and ran out the door to the car before they left for school.

The school wasn’t too far from his grandmother’s house. Not even a five minute drive and Taekwoon committed the route to his memory. He knew that this would be the last time his grandmother would drive him. She, alike him, didn’t like to have to tell people twice.

After bidding her goodbye he walked through the school gates and straight to the administration office, following all the signs. Shyly he greeted the office workers, stating his name and asking for his class details.

“Ah, yes, Jung Taekwoon, you are really far ahead according to your school transcript… Um…” the woman behind the desk starts shuffling some papers, moving around trying to find the transcript and class schedule for Jung Taekwoon. At any other school it would have been easier to find, filed in the right spot and tucked away with the rest of the transfer files in a cabinet across from the desk. However, here the entire contents filing cabinet was spread across three desks in hopes that one day it would be organised in a more fashionable way.

Taekwoon shuddered at the mess.

“Ah!” she says, pulling out three stabled files with a red stamp stating transfer across the top, “Okay, normally we would have space for such a talented young person as yourself in our top class for your grade,” she reads off the paper, “However, at this point in time all our seats are full for your grade.”

Taekwoon nods, he knows where this is going, he is either going to get put in a lower grade and told to study on his own, or get put up a grade and get given easier work. Neither option was appealing to him. Taekwoon was the sort of person that either exceeded or didn’t bother. He would always try his hardest, no matter how he felt towards the object of achievement.

“So we are going to put you in one of the lower level classes for our final grade.” She says, looking at Taekwoon’s stoic face. “You seem like you want to prove that you can do this work, so if you feel that way, just let your teachers know you don’t want special consideration.”

“Thank you,” he mutters softly, taking the school map, class timetable and book list from her. He bows before leaving the office to study the map out side in the fresh air.