DAY 0120

The halls of Jellyfish High were starting to get noisy again. After two weeks of Christmas vacation, the students are finally back to gather themselves and study for the rest of the school year. Half of the students are chill, asking about other students on how they did during the break. The other half? Probably cramming their requirements at the moment, or probably crammed the night before.

The guys of VIXX had their Christmas separately. Each of them went home to their families to spend the Christmas and New Year. But before they parted, they had a mini Christmas party in their dormitory. Sadly, Hongbin wasn’t able to celebrate since he already flew to the States the day after he had his date with Youngji.

Youngji had her Christmas with her family at home. Aside from that, she met new friends—Jackson and the gang of GOT7. She probably spent her break with Jackson, if she was outside her house. But if she wasn’t, she probably became a couch potato watching dramas or movies.

Youngji was one of the earliest who went to class. She was in the middle of reviewing her History class notes when she felt the urge to go to the comfort room. When went out, she saw Ken and sked, “Oppa, is Hongbin coming to school today? I haven’t heard from him since our date…”

Ken chuckled at her. “Still can’t get over it?”

Youngji nodded.

“Ah, I have no news from him either. He hasn’t sent a message since the weekend.”

“What did he last say, then?”

“Hongbin told us he’s flying that day, that’s it. You miss him?”

She blushed at that question. “Of course, I missed you guys. I thought we would hangout as a whole…it turned out that Hongbin already ditched for the States.”

He pinched her cheek. “Alibis, alibis. We all know you miss him, except for him of course.”

She rubbed her pinched cheek. “Oppa, that’s mean. Anyway, I better go back. I need to study for a pop quiz later.”

He shrugged. “Things I hate after a long break. See you later, whether he’s there or not!”

Instead of replying, she walked back to her room. When she arrived, she saw her classmates gossiping about something.

“Hey, the exchange student program will happen today, right?”

“Oh my…I forgot! I heard that the students came from Yedang High School.”

“What? They came from Yedang?! But that school is known to be—“

“I know! Gosh, I hope they chose the right students! Do they even have those kids?”

“I guess. I can manage being with nerds, but not mean people from a mean school.”

Youngji sighed. She totally forgot about the exchange student program.

The Seoul Exchange Student Program (SESP) happens every January, wherein 15 students from different high schools get transported to another high school and will study there for a month. For this year, Jellyfish High students get transported to Happy Tree High while Yedang High students get to study in Jellyfish High for a month.

Every year, students of Jellyfish high get excited to meet their exchange students. Unfortunately, this year doesn’t count since students from Yedang High are known to be mean—no, extremely mean. Parents don’t want their kids to enroll their as much as possible. If Yedang is only the available school, they enroll their kids to home schooling instead.

But why are there still students in Yedang if that is the case? That’s because it’s the cheapest high school ever having only 5,000 won per month. That’s basically it, really. If you can’t afford the best high school for your child, then this is the only choice.

Since Youngji isn’t in favor of Yedang students as well, the only hope she has is that there won’t be students coming in to their section. That’s the only thing she (and her other classmates) could wish for.

“Okay students, please calm down,” Mr. Choi said when he arrived in Youngji’s classroom. “I have a good news and a bad news in store for today.”

“Is this about the Yedang Students?” Hara, Youngji’s friend, asked.

“Yes, you’re right.”

The students sighed. They have a hunch about Mr. Choi’s news for them.

“Alright, settle down. Let me tell first the bad news. The exchange students will stay here in your room for the whole month of January.”

The whole room was in chaos. Some students were boo-ing Mr. Choi for the news. Some sighed. The rest had no reaction at all. But they all started to feel hopeless. They didn’t want to be with those asses for a month.

“For the second year, there would be five students coming from Yedang. The plan from the start of the school year was that each student would be distributed over the year level evenly. Unfortunately, Yedang sent a memo that they would want to keep their students intact, as they know their reputation in the city.

“But the good news is, four of you will be transported to the other sections. This means that four lucky persons would avoid the Yedang students. But please, don’t make them feel unwelcome. The council wants the students to feel how it is in a normal school with no bad reputations. Are we clear, Year II-E?”

The students nodded in agreement. It would be a rough one month for them, but they’ll do their best to treat the exchange students in a normal way.

“The students to be transported to the other sections are Hara, Junho, Hyungwon, and Youngji,” Mr. Choi said without pausing at the names.

Youngji smiled when she heard her name. Although she knows she’ll avoid the Yedang people, she still wonders what her reaction would be if Mr. Choi paused name after name. At least she’s safe, or so she thinks.

“The lucky four, please proceed to the front so we could select your destined sections.”

Youngji, along with the other three, stood up from their seats and went to the front. When Youngji saw the fishbowl, she knew that it would be a random selection of section. It doesn’t matter to her anyway, as long as she’s away from those Yedang students.

“Class II-C, a student from II-E is going to join us for a month. Is that cool with you,” Ms. Lee asked her pupils. “Honestly, be thankful because the Yedang students won’t be joining us for the whole month of January.”

“Really? Ah, that’s a relief!”

“Wow, I wonder why Mr. Choi agreed with that setting. Anyway, we’re safe!”

“I wonder who that student is…well he’s not from Yedang so that’s fine.”

“I want to meet that II-E student! Maybe she’s cool!”

Unclear murmurs came from the students from the class. Curiosity and relief were evident with the students’ reaction to Ms. Lee’s news. All of them chatted and started having certain guesses for their pseudo-classmate.

Except for one guy who came straight from Incheon airport.

“Hey, aren’t you going to react to the news?” Hyunwoo asked his seatmate.

“Hyung, I still have jetlag. I wasn’t aware of the SESP this year! Or maybe I entirely forgot about it. Please, let me have a rest first. I need to sink in everything,” the guy from the airport said.

“Fine, at least you came in time for school.”

He sighed. “My parents told me to just skip school today, but I miss her. I miss my friends too.”

Hyunwoo chuckled. “I bet she’s the only one in your mind when you were outside Korea.”

“Not really, hyung. I had a lot in mind too. It’s just that I haven’t talked to her after I took her to her favorite place.”

“Why? I thought you were cool with each other,” Hyunwoo said in disappointment.

“Hyung, I know were cool. It’s just that, I had to reflect first. I just wanted to be sure that if I pursue her, there would be no regrets in the end, whether she likes me back or not.”

“Is that what the States made you?”

He chuckled. “No, this is what she made me.”

Hyunwoo was going to say something when a knock was heard from the door. Everyone stopped chatting and started to wonder if that knock was from the student from II-E. Before anyone could reach for the front door, Ms. Lee took a peep to see who knocked on the door. She smiled after seeing the student’s jolly face.

“She’s here, our new classmate for the whole January,” Ms. Lee said as she opened the door.

The II-E student stepped inside the room of II-C. When she noticed someone from the bunch, she realized that she was inside his classroom.

She smiled.

When he saw the new classmate, he smiled.

This is going to be a good month for the two of them.

“Miss Park, why don’t you introduce yourself to the class,” Ms. Lee said.

She bowed to the whole class and greeted. “Hello, II-C! I am Park Youngji, your one month classmate from II-E! I hope we have a great month together!”

Everyone smiled at her. She wasn't sure if the students are smiling because they like her, or they're smiling just because she's not from Yedang High.

Nevertheless, she's classmates with Hongbin for a month. It's the best thing she could ask for.

"Youngji, please sit beside Hongbin," Ms. Lee instructed after her introduction.

Act normal, Youngji, she chanted in her mind. Don't freak out. Don't be so hyped up.

"Hey, happy holidays," she whispered to him when she finally settled down.

"Hi, it's been a while," he replied.

"I know, since when did you come back from the States?"

"Ah, I just—"

"Hongbin, are you sure you are ready to attend your classes?" Ms. Lee asked out of the blue. Speaking of coming back.

Hongbin just gave a nod. With that, II-C's new day started. Of course, with Youngji. 

"So, how's the first day so far?" Ken asked while eating his cookies. He's in the canteen with N, Leo, and Hyuk. 

"I don't think the Yedang students are mean. Jiae's actually a cute girl!" N exclaimed. N and Jiae are classmates, while Leo's classmates with Babysoul. Those two are exchange students from Yedang.

"No way, are those two from Lovelyz? They're Yedang's muse!" Hyuk said with glee. "Sujeong and Yein are awesome!"

"Wait, aren't the Yedang kids gathered in one section? That's what our adviser told us this morning," Ravi asked as he sat down with the gang.

"No, why?" Ken asked. "Jisoo and Mijoo are in our room, while two guys are in another section."

"That's strange. I wonder what's with the second year Yedang students," Ravi said. "Anyway, instead of a Yedang person in our room, a student from II-E moved to us today. Youngji's from II-E, right?"

"What? II-E students moved in to other sections just because of the Yedang guys?" Ken nearly freaked out.

"Correction, student."

They all looked at the person who interupted them. It was Hongbin, who was with Youngji. Youngji just chuckled at the guys who seem to be in a trance. It looks like they all have the same thought in their heads.

N slowly pointed Hongbin, then slowly shifted pointing to Youngji, and repeats the same two things for a couple of times until he asked, "Did Youngji move to II-C?"

Hongbin and Youngji chuckled at their confused faces. "Yes, I did move," she responded. "And Hongbin here came straight from Incheon Airport. Get a grip, guys."

Instead of going back to normal, the guys remained in their shocked faces. What was happening with the world?!

"DID YOU JUST DROP THE HONORIFICS?" Ken truly freaked out this time.

Youngji shook her head and said, "I'll answer that question after we come back from the cafeteria. You guys seriously need to fix yourselves."

With that, the two left. Hongbin almost laughed his off as he saw his friends buffer with everything that's happening at the moment. Youngji couldn't get over on how much they looked dazed, as if something has happened between them. I didn't drop the honorifics though, she thought while laughing.

When they got in line for the food, she noticed the Yedang students who were getting their food. One Yedang guy sported pink hair, which was unusual in Jelpi. She suddenly remembered one friend that could possibly be the pink haired guy.

"Bambam?" She muttered.

Hongbin, who was infront of her, turned back and asked, "Bang bang?"

She was flustered at the sudden reply, but felt relieved he heard it wrongly. "Ah...Bang bang into the roof..." She awkwardly sang the line.

Hongbin patted her head and just smiled before looking in front. She just let out a sigh of relief when his back view faced her again. That was sort of awkward, she thought.

After getting their food, Hongbin and Youngji went back to their table, only to see that half of the long table they sat was occupied by the Yedang people. VIXX casually looked at them and went back to eating, while someone from Yedang spoke.

"What do we have here, it's Youngji!" The guy exclaimed. "I knew we would see each other again! I never expected it too soon, but what the heck! As long as I see you, I'm going to enjoy the SESP this year!"

The other Yedang people smiled at her, as if they're excited to see her too.

Oh noes, oh noes. Youngji freaked out in her mind. I thought this guy would vanish already!

While Youngji was still (inwardly) freaking out, VIXX gave her the we-need-answers look. Especially Hongbin.

"This isn't happening," she whispered. "I'm doomed."

day 0120 | 06:20 by multipaenida

Happy New Year, readers!

I'm sorry I wasn't able to update as soon as our vacation started. I was in our province and sadly, the net there was slow. The only productive thing I did was watch Emergency Couple (Choi Jin Hyuk!!!), paint in my adult coloring book, have rest, and spend time with my family. I had this in mind since then, but I didn't know how to write it down. Anyway, it's here! I hope you guys like it. :) Sorry if the end is a cliffhanger though, I purposely did that because an update is coming to your way! *claps like a seal* Hopefully I could post the next one within the weekend (because I'm halfway through!).

So the $1000000000000 question is, who were the Yedang students who knew Youngji?

Feel free to comment down who they are, or any thoughts about this chapter. :)

And, thank you so much for staying. I hope I still have readers, though! Hahaha, kidding! :)

xoxo, jays