Off Key

7|8

Yang Jeongin

"Jeongin, it's time to wake up!" My aunt calls for me and knocks on my door. She silently opens the door and comes sit on my bed. "Jeongin, wake up, you have to go to school." She caresses my hair, and hugs me tightly. "I know it'll be hard, since they're gone but I'll always be here" she says as she rubs my back.

"I know, auntie" I hug her back tightly. I was already awake before she came in. It's hard for me to sleep anyways. "Jeongin, get ready and then head downstairs for breakfast, okay?" I give my aunt a smile and a hug. She kisses my forehead and walks to the door and shuts it.

I get up from my bed and I look around my room for my manga. I had stayed up late, because I just started a new anime last night, and I was so close to finishing it but I fell asleep. I go to my shelf and choose my current favorite manga to bring to school. I always read at lunch since, my friends have lunch at a different time.

I quickly place my manga in my bag and I start to look through my closet for something to wear.

I get dressed and look at myself through the mirror. Make sure to smile for Mom and Dad. I grab my stuff and hurry myself downstairs to eat breakfast with my auntie. I see my aunt looking at her phone while drinking some coffee. "Oh Jeongin, sit down and eat, I'll go get your plate right now." My auntie gets up and starts serving me some food. I sit down at the table and scroll through my phone.

"Okay, off your phone, now eat." My auntie says as she places a plate of food in front of me. I place my phone in my pocket and look at my auntie. "This looks delicious auntie, thank you." I give her a big warm smile, and she gives me one in return.  As I eat my food, me and my auntie talk about a manga we both read or an anime and we both have seen.

I finish all my food and I set my plate in the sink. I walk towards the living room where my auntie was waiting for me. She pats the couch, signaling for me to sit and I sit. "Jeongin, I know everything must be hard, you know, with your parents but just know, I'm here for you, okay?" I give her a reassuring smile and a hug. I wish she didn't worry so much for me. "Auntie, I'm fine, you don't have to worry." "I don't believe you Innie." she says as she crosses her arms.

"Then what can I do to make you believe me?" She sighs and pats my head. "Sing your mother's favorite song.." I look at her with wide eyes. I haven't sung or heard that song since she last sang. "o-okay, I can do it." I start singing 'If it is you' by Jung Seunghwan and by then end, my auntie is in tears.

"She always loved how you sang this song..." she says wiping her tears with the ends of her sweater. I give a smile in return and hug her. Don't cry, don't cry."Auntie, I have to go to school now, love you." I start grabbing my backpack and she gives me a kiss on the forehead. "I love you too." She sends me off and she closes the door.

As I start walking to school, I decide to go to sit on the field. It was early, so nobody was really there yet. I pull out my manga and start reading, I eventually doze off, until someone taps my shoulder. "Hey, you should wake up.." I slowly open my eyes only to see the manga covering my face. I take the manga off and start packing up. "Hey, thanks for waking me up." I say to the guy. "Oh, it's no problem, but I have to go now, goodbye." He waves off and starts heading back into the school.

Wow he was so nice and attractive, he would never fall for a guy like me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bang Chan

Out of nowhere, my phone starts ringing loudly. I wasn't asleep in the first place so I pick up.

Mom and dad FaceTime
Answer           Decline

"Hey Mom, hey Dad!" I bring my phone closer to my face so I can see them better. "How's Australia?" My parents sigh, and show me the outside of the house their staying in. "Oh, Christopher, it's beautiful, we really wish you would've came with us.." "I know mom, I miss Australia too, but I want to stay in Korea with my friends." My dad comes back into the frame of the phone.

"Chris, no offense, but are they even your friends?, I mean we've never met them before and you always say they're your friends..." my dad asks. I guess I don't really have friends. "And you were really good friends with BamBam." My dad asks as he breaks me out of thought. The thought of BamBam reminds me of when I was just a kid. "Dad, remember, BamBam moved to Thailand, and we still do keep in touch, and also everyone's nice at the school and they all like me."

"Alright honey, if you say so, we'll let you get ready for school, bye we love you." My mom tells me as she interrupted my dad. "Bye love you guys too." I end the call and set my phone down next to me. I wish this year can be different, I wish I could get genuine friends and maybe date someone. I get up and start to head to my closet and I start looking through all my clothes. I really want to wear black but I have to wear what society wants me to wear, right?"

I put on my outfit and start to head downstairs. I start packing all my things and I grab my notebook full of lyrics. The only time I'll actually get to write in it, would be at the end of the day, during extracurricular activities. If people knew I wrote songs, or sing, the would immediately put me down on the social ladder. I look at my clock and notice that I still have some extra time before I have to head to school, so I plop myself down at my desk and just write whatever I'm feeling.

After a solid 15 minutes, I look at my phone and notice I'm running late. Oh shit. I grab all my essentials and stuff it into my backpack and I run out of my house, locking it behind me. I hurry myself to school, looking down at my phone every 2 minutes seeing the time.

After running a long ways, I breath heavily and set my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. Damn, I'm never doing that again. After my breathing becomes normal, people start to approach me and give me high fives and hugs saying that they all missed me during the summer. Yeah, sure. After walking we pass the field, and I notice someone on the ground with a manga book covering their face. "Uh, hey guys, I'll catch up with you guys real quick.." I tell my friends as I start approaching the guy.

At first I notice his outfit. Damn he's got some style.. I tap his shoulder to wake him up from his slumber. "Hey, you should wake up.." I start hearing him wake up and he starts grabbing his manga and packs his things. As I was about to leave I hear him speak. "Hey, thanks for waking me up." I smile slightly. "Oh, it's no problem, but I have to go now, goodbye." I wave at him and start heading back into the school.

He was so cute... but, he'd probably use me anyways.