ONE

“Spring”

I like you at my first heartbeat

The school after spring break; opening ceremony, new classes, new people. But being a second year, I don't have any worries. I woke up pretty early today. Mother was preparing for breakfast when I finish taking my bath, and my father just woke up. My older sister is probably still sleeping at this hour since she's a college student. Her classes usually start at noon, so she spent all day sleeping. 

I pulled up the last strand of my hair and tied it into a tidy ponytail. I stared at my reflection at the mirror wearing Gwangju High School uniform; navy blue blazer and black checkered skirt. Wow, I really love school didn't I? 

“Soojung-ah, breakfast is ready!”

“Coming!”

I run down the stairs with my cellphone on hand. I saw my mother shook her head and chuckled a bit when she saw my clumsyness early in the morning. I started to text my best friend, telling her to wait for me. Father took the place next to me and when he saw I was on my phone, he took the phone from my hand before putting it away from me.

I was startled.

“D-dad! That's my phone!” 

“It's breakfast time you should quit staring on your phone the whole time.” He said noncholantly like nothing is wrong, “Your table manner is the worst, Soojung.”

I clicked my tongue at him and shut myself before another big arguments occur. I really hate this thing happen first in the morning. I thought my father never bother about me playing my cellphone in front of him? He's such an insensitive guy. How did mother fall in love with him anyway? I don't understand love.

My phone vibrated after I finish my last piece of bread and I quickly got up from the dining table.

“I'm going first! Bye!” I left a little peck on my both parent's cheek and left the house. I stumbled on my older sister who just woke up and I gave her a rushing, “Morning, onnie!” and shut the door behind me with a loud slam.

“What's wrong with Soojung being so rushed like that?” Father ask when he realized Soojung has been in rush today.

Mother shook her head and smiled warmly, “It's a youth thing, honey.”

“I've been waiting like ten minutes, you know. It's freezing out here.”

I tap my both palm together like a prayer and apologize, “I'm so so sorry, Sulli! My dad took my phone and I can't read your text! I'm so sorry!” With puppy eyes and crying like face, Sulli forgive me without any second thought.

“Whatever, it's a good thing you didn't woke up late.” Sulli pat my head for a few times before she gave me a warm smile. I smiled back at her and gave sisterly hug back in advance.

Sulli has been there for me since our childhood. She's my neighbor next door (until today) and my very first childhood friend. We both go to the same elementary school, middle school, and high school. We have been together like forever and she always protected me like an older sister would. My sister and I goes to different schools because she really like private school and all her friends are there. So, I can't help but to rely on Sulli everytime the bad times come. 

How to say it, I'm an introvert person. I'm awkward when it comes to socializing and I don't like boys. They're so noisy and they always said I'm cute. I don't hate the words but they made me hate the way they talked to me. Ever since elementary school, lots of boys tried to flirt with me. That's why Sulli have been protecting me since. She dislike boys too. I don't know why. She never told me the reason. To get rid of the boys, we both goes to an all-girls middle school. It was actually save there, but the neighborhood school boys would oftenly sneaked secretly to our school. In my first year of high school, it was the worst year for me. It's my first time in forever since I last socializing with people other than girls. Because of the co-ed school is only 500 metres away from my house, my father decided to put me here instead of the all-girls high school which 1 km away from our house.

Since my bad experience with boys, I never talked to the boys in my class. Even to the guy who sit next to me the whole year. I can't take it when they called me cute and pretty and all such things! It's disgusting. Lots of the boys, even the seniors, confessed to me but I turned them down. I'm sorry, I'm not good with handling boys.

“Oh, we're here!”

I snapped out from my thought and stop my tracks in front of the gate. Gwangju High School. It's already my second year here. A sophomore. The spring breeze blew softly, causing the cherry blossom petals scattered everywhere on the road.

“Yosh! Let's target for a good year!” Sulli enegertically stepping inside the school compound, leaving me behind.

As I entered the gate, silently, I prayed for a better year for me too.

“Ah, the opening ceremony was boooring~! I should skip it and sleep at class.” Sulli said as she yawn.

I giggled at her words, “Indeed. But Sulli you should close your mouth when you were yawning.”

Sulli clicked her tongue at me and I can see a light shadow of blushes on her milky white skin. I giggled again. Sulli's character is just like a boy, but she's still a girl in heart. 

We stop in front of the notice board where everyone was gathering to see their classes for this year. Sulli dug inside of the crowd and pushing everyone away from her sight, finally getting a better spot to view the notice board. I sighed softly when I saw that. As expected of Sulli. She never cared what everyone thought of her, she's a carefree person. I waited for her behind the crowd until she come back with a wide grin on her face.

“SOOJUNG-AH! WE'RE IN THE SAME CLASS!” She shouted, almost like a shriek

“REALLY?!”

My eyes went round and I pull her into a hug as everyone was watching us jumping around the corridor. I broke the hug and jogged to our way in class when suddenly, my feet froze in the way. Sulli who was leading before me, stop immediately when she saw me standing frozen behind her. She walked back to get me and ask what's wrong.

I shook my head.

I don't know why. I saw a lot of people inside the classroom and I can't move.

I'm scared.

I feel Sulli's hand wrapped around mine, comforting me, “Don't worry, it'll be okay.” She gave me a promising smile and lead me behind her as we entered the class.

All the eyes were on us.

“Hey, isn't that the ice princess Soojung?”

“Ah, no way! She's our classmate?”

“She's cute. I wonder why she wouldn't talk to boys.”

“Ehh~ too bad! She got a really cute face.”

I heard the whispers already. Bear it, Soojung. Bear it for dear life. You wish for a good high school life, right? Ignore them. Ignore them. I kept chanting the 'magical' words for me everytime I heard the whispers around me. It's not only the boys, but the girls who didn't know me too. Most of them aren't my classmates from the first year, I don't know their names. I turn my sight next to me, and sighed in relief when I still can see Sulli sitting next to me.

At least I'm not alone.

“Geez, these guys won't stop talking about you, Soojung.” Sulli looked bored as she leaned her chin on her palm, “So you do have the ice princess title going around the school, huh? I thought it was just a rumor.”

I looked up from the book I was reading to meet eyes with Sulli, “Rumor?”

“You don't know? The students called you an Ice Princess since you were so quiet and only talk to certain people. But mostly, you don't talk to boys and even turned down every confessions you received.”

I blinked in confusion. Damn it, I never knew people thought of me like that. Am I really that cold?

“But don't worry. They don't know better than I am, right?” Sulli grinned and