I can’t believe we are here for about a week already! I thought it’s going to be hard to get comfortable in this place. I thought its’ going to be hard adapting to this new environment but obviously I’m doing great than I used to be. “Oh shoot!” I blurted out. It was Saturday afternoon; I was sitting in the table in the garden when I suddenly think about Amanda. I didn’t call her back yet. Oh my! She’s going to be so angry now. I search my phone that is under my notes. I quickly dialed her number. Ring. Ring. Ring. She picked up. “Emma! You need freaking explanation right now!!!” I had to put a way my phone from my ears a bit. She was screaming and half crying. I smiled. “I’m sorry. I forgot to call you back earlier. Don’t scream! Gosh my ears!” I kid. “Where the hell are you? Are you still inside planet earth or what?” She said. “Of course I am! It’s just that I’m no longer in Philippines. Hep – don’t shout, I didn’t know he are heading in this country, mom and dad lied to me.” I pleaded. “What do you mean? You are not Philippines? Where exactly are you?” She freaked out. “Seoul, South Korea. We went here. Dad’s next project is based here, I overheard mom. He will be staying here for few years.” I said. “How could you do this to me? I’m your only friend why? Why? Why?” She is crying now. “Don’t cry Amanda. Please. Oh god, I’m so sorry this happened. I’m still going to be in touch with you. I promise. We can still communicate through social media right?” I assured her. “Promise?” she asked. “Of course!” I answered. “So how was everything there? Are you okay? Are you doing fine? How about school? Does your mother enrolled both of you and Caleb to a new school?” She asked nonstop. No wonder we are friends she have lots of question too. I smiled. “Okay! What’s with the questions?” I laughed. “Do not try to be funny now.” She said. “First of all, I’m okay and doing fine. I’m not a small kid who will sulk in the corner forever – I’m grown up now and I’m trying to understand everything. Second of all, yes I have new school and Caleb too! Third of all, yes I made friends also. Youngjae, he is student council president, he is nice and super fun to be with. He teaches me everything that I need to know here. He is friendly. Don’t worry.” I said without breathing. - Kidding! “It seems you are blending in now. I wish you all the good luck in the world and if you know handsome Korean, please introduce him to me.” She giggles. “What the! Alright alright..” I said laughing. “I have to go now, mom asked me to accompany her to the grocery. I miss you big time! Say hello to your dad and mom and that brat Caleb too.” She said. “Okay. Say hello to your mom also. I’ll call you soon. Love you~”. “Love you too. Bye.” She hung up.

I stretch at my seat after that long talk with Amanda. That was tiring I said to myself but smiling.  

I decided to go out the house and buy ice cream in the store next to the Korean restaurant around the place. I walked around the neighborhood yesterday, checked it myself to get familiarized with the streets, after all we will live here until I don’t know when. I was walking toward the store when I sense some familiar presence.  I looked at the direction, I notice the man I collided the other week. – I stopped. My heart beat raising fast. What’s going on? Why my heart is beating like this? The man smiled and is now walking towards me. He is smiling again. I’m freaking out! “Hi! We meet again.” He said. “Yeah”. I answered timid. “I saw you... going out on that house”. He pointed at our house direction. “It’s because I live there”. I answered back. He laughs. Wait – his laughs is unusual. It was high pitch hyena-like laugh; it was kind of cute laugh! Wake up Emma! I looked at him. “Hahaha You are so funny”. He said. “Well, I am no clown, so why?”. He look at me amusingly. “I don’t know, you are funny to me, I’m Jackson by the way”. He lends his hands as if he is going to shake hands with me. Holy cow! He is! I panicked. “Glad, you find me funny”. I hope he didn’t notice my sarcasm. I don’t know what to do. I’m so nervous – It’s not like I have crush with this person but. “Your name?” He asked me again, his hands still waiting for me to shake hands with him. I accept his hands, feeling all so nervous. Wow. That was so soft! – I’m not being erted here. I swear to God! “Emma. I’m Emma.” I manage to answer. He doesn’t let go of my hands yet. “Ahmmm, can I have my hands back?” I said. He laughs. High pitch laugh again. “Ahh, yes, yes.” He smiled. He let’s go of my hands. Finally! “Are you new in this neighborhood? I barely saw you around before.” He said. “Yes, we just move here, we came from Philippines. My dad’s new project is based here; he doesn’t want to leave us there so he brought us here with him and start new again. I already enrolled in new school, my brother too. I have friend in my new school also he is nice”. I said. - Wow. I’m so talkative! He’s smiling again. “Ahh figures. I live in this neighborhood too, the street next to yours house is our dorm.” He said. “Really? We are neighbors then, our? So you mean you have dorm mates?” I asked. “Yes. We are 7  boys”. “7 boys? Who takes care all of you though?” “We take care of each other” He smiled. “Ahhh, 7 is quite a lot! I wonder how did your mom took care all of you” I smiled back. “Oh no! we are not blood related, We are just friends, we have different parents. You know. We only live together”. He explains. “Sorry, I thought..” “It’s okay.” He said. “Where are you supposed to be going anyway?” Oh shoots! I forgot the reason why I go out, I wanted to by ice cream! I looked at him. “I’m supposed to buy Ice cream”. I said shyly. He laughs. “Really? I’ll treat you then, my first gift as your new neighbor”. “Oh no! don’t bother. It’s fine”. “No! I insist”. He Said. “Okay. Thanks”. He hand me the strawberry ice cream I pointed out that I wanted to eat. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome”. He said. “Friends?”. He asked “Friends!”. “See you around Emma”. He waves. “Bye Jackson”. I waved back.