As my eyes fluttered open, I could feel the warm of the sunlight that slips through the curtains covering the window right next to my bed. For a moment I stayed still to regain some senses into my mind, then I realized about this annoying, constant noise, loud enough to cause headaches. I turn my body around and reach for my alarm clock placed on the shelf connected  to my headboard. Heaving a sigh, I crawled out of my bed and sit on the edge. Looking at the pictures beautifully framed on my nightstand, I smiled "Good morning mom, dad"
As my eyes flutter open, I can feel the warm of the sunlight that sips through from the curtains covering the window right next to my bed. For a moment I stay still to gain some senses back into my mind, then I realize, there is this annoying constant noise enough to cause headaches. I turn my body around and reach for my alarm clock placed on the shelf connected  to my headboard. Heaving a sigh, I crawl out of my bed and sit on the edge. Looking at the pictures beautifully framed on my nightstand, I smiled "Good morning mom, dad"
7:30, I still have sometime to spare before I have to leave for school. Taking another spoon from the plate, eating the dish gratefully as I watch the morning news. 
"Oh you've prepared breakfast for me as well? They smells good!!" My head turns gently to the source of the voice. A figure of a woman who is now bending to smell the dish on the counter.  She looked as beautiful as always, even with her tangled hair and night robe. She has this pretty smile plastered on her face whenever she's around me. She bears the same black hair and fair skin as mine, but her charisma and her aura and her everything were so different from me. If we were to stand next to each other, it would be hard to tell that we are related without the hair and skin. "Thank you, aunt Adeleine, aren't you going to get ready for work?" 
"Ah, in minute!!" she said coyly
The time shows 7:45, if I don't want to be late might as well leave now. Dirty dishes washed and tv turned off, "Aunt Adeleine, I'm leaving!!!" I shouted towards her room since she was no longer seen in the kitchen, leaving the plate of omelet I made on counter slightly ruined, she probably had a little taste before going back to her room.
The walk to school is as usual, a little uncomfortable yet quite. The looks and some stares from people on bus stop and the sidewalk never seemed to cease even when those people were different from day to day. Perhaps it's because of the face features I had didn’t resemble their own, but my skin is much too light to be called a foreigner. However their stares and looks normally soften when I put a smile as genuine as I couldon my face. Many students have arrived already, judging from the noise coming from classes I passed by before I get to my own. 2-A, the board hanged above the door shows. Glances are casted on me as I walked by. "She looks so pretty today", "I wonder if I can ever get close to her", "Ah! Unnie looks so pretty!! I feel like my day is gonna be good today!", "But she's so cold! Why would you like her?!", "But she is nice when you actually try to speak to her!!", "Like heck I want to speak to her! I don't even know her!" are what the whispers sounded like, or something close to that. I got settled on my seat next to a sleeping girl, "Rae, why are you sleeping already..." I said to her. Straightening her back, she turned her head towards my direction, smiling. "Good morning to you, pretty you! I was waiting for you! I have so many questions from the homework I haven't answered!! Please help me, oh miss the-smartest-girl-in-school!" a chuckle escaped from my lips and I gave her my book.

School bell rang at 3:30 and various noises signaling other students' joy can be heard. "Please study your notes at home! We'll continue to the next chapter next week! Have a nice weekend~!" my physics teacher said. "Ne!!" We replied. As easy as studying comes to me, no one enjoys being held in place as boring as this for too long. "Rae Lee! I'm so bored! Can't we do something for fun?" Laying my head on the table waiting for her to finish packing her stuff. "I'm so so sorry Chaerin! I promised my little brother that I would cook him his favorite cake since he won that competition two days ago.... Do you wanna come to my house?"

Not wanting to bother their rare family moments, I declined saying I wanted to finish the book I’ve been reading in the public library. Rae is so cheerful and full of energy while her brother always finds something to prick her peace, they usually have fights whenever they see each other.

So here I am, walking swiftly from shelf to shelf until I find shelf I was looking for near the back to find the book I wanted to read. I’ve never really like reading at home, because the bed is usually too tempting for me or whenever I felt like reading or laying around idle, my aunt comes to me to talk about things, random things. I love her but I love my peace. So the spare time I have is spent in libraries either with my school studies or just reading random books.

By the time I’ve reached the last page, harsh thunder was heard from outside. The downpour is too heavy for me to breakthrough without being sick later, so I decided to open my chemistry book to review and learn some more about the chapter, Mrs. Ahn is a fine teacher but her sudden quizzes are not fine. I want to have good score later when she would give the class the unexpectedly-expected quiz.

Auntie, the rain doesn’t show any signs of stopping. I’m at the library, I’ll go home as soon as is stops. How you doing?

Alright then, I’m fine and I’m at home, sipping a cup of hot coffee. It’s dark already~ Just take a cab if it doesn’t stop by 8!!

Yes~ Yes~

I flipped my phone and put it back in my pocket. Switching from English to Korean comes easy for me but meeting the people who are not accustomed to talking to a half european and half korean is kind of hard. They stare at me in an awe or sometimes bewilderment. I recalled the memories I first step into this land. My first bus ride. That time when I stand in front of the class introducing myself. My first jog in the neighborhood. Not they bear any ill-will towards me, but being a little too different from them makes me feel a little uncomfortable being in a big crowd. Too engrossed in my own memories, I didn’t realize the rain has finally stopped.

It’s a quarter past eight, I quickly gathered my things and rushed home. I’ve passed this road numerous times but never the air felt so… tense. Feeling endangered I haste to  the left turn that’s leading to the street to my house. The strands of hair on my neck stood up. Something or some things are clearly moving around, as swift as the wind, behind my back. I started  jogging after I made that turn, whatever that thing that was following me started getting closer. Not wanting to run anymore, I turn my body and prepared for whatever that is gonna come my way.

Nothing.

There’s nothing there.

The tension that the air carried wasn’t as thick as before. I tried to steady and control my breathing after being relieved from danger. I made my way home safely after that. I hugged my aunt who was sitting on the couch tightly. “What’s wrong Chaerin?” She averted her eyes from the drama on tv to me. “….I was so cold! And It was so dark it scares me~~” I tried to hide my fear but I just can’t. My body shivers lightly and my heart thumping in my chest. I just hope my aunt would believe my words. “Here, the warmth will make you feel better. I’m gonna prepare you some warm soup and food” She gave me her coffee cup and head for the kitchen.

I’m so scared, I’ve never felt so scared before.