Fire and Ice

Chapter 4

 Sulli got up from her seat and went over to Amber just as soon as their fourth instructor for the day went out.

                “Hey Amber,” Sulli stood next to Amber’s table, or to be more precise, she towered over Amber. Standing at five foot five, Amber had to look up from her seat to look at Sulli.

                “Oh hey, Sulli.”

                “Do you think you can show me to the school’s garden after lunch? Miss Victoria said the school has a big one.” Sulli asked with a big smile.

                “Yeah, sure. I should warn you though even though it’s a big garden, the students haven’t been able to keep any of the plants alive for more than six months,” Amber looked at Taemin for confirmation.

                “Yeah, even the school’s gardening staff can’t make the flowers bloom to their full potential.” Taemin added.

                “Oh, it’s okay. I just wanted to see what other places the school has,” Sulli said with an even brighter smile that almost melted Taemin and blinded Amber.

                “Uhm, okay then. Let’s go to the cafeteria first and have our lunch. You can seat with me and Taemin.”

                “Okay!” Sulli said enthusiastically.

                After having lunch, Amber and Taemin showed Sulli around campus and finally to the school’s garden.

                “Guys, I don’t want to take all your free period. So, if you need to go somewhere you can go ahead and leave me here. I’m sure I’ll find my way back to our classroom,” Sulli said to Amber and Taemin who just looked at each other.

                “Are you sure you’re gonna be alright? I mean you might get lost. President will kill me if you get lost and gets in trouble.” Amber reasoned even though she and Taemin wanted to go play.

                “I’ll be fine Amber,” Sulli said, “besides, this is just the garden. I think I already remember the way back to the classroom.”

                “Okay, if you say so. See ‘ya back at the classroom then,” Amber and Taemin waved leaving Sulli alone.

                The school’s garden was indeed in a bad shape, but nothing that can’t be fixed with a little more care for the plants. Sulli then went to find some gardening tools from the school’s janitors.

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                Some students were seen walking to the school garden after lunch period. It was still free period after lunch and students were allowed to do whatever they wanted with their time. The group of students always spent their time in the garden even though it was not much of a view and because few students linger and stayed there.

                They saw an unfamiliar student trimming and breaking the ground around the plants. She was also humming and sometimes talking to the plants. The student were curious as to who this person is so they tried to approach her. But before they could reach her they noticed that a soothing breeze just passed and it seemed like the flowers around the garden bloomed. The garden’s atmosphere was different than before. It was like this unfamiliar girl was making the whole place livelier. It seemed like the whole garden was happy to be around her.

                Sulli finally noticed the students and stood from where she was trimming a plant. “Hi,” Sulli greeted them.

                “Hi. You’re the new student, right? What are you doing here in the garden?” asked one of the students.

                “Oh, I was just talking to the flowers over here. Plants like to listen to people when they are being taken care of,” Sulli answered with a smile.

                “Yeah, I guess you are right. They look more alive than before.”

                Sulli hummed in agreement and then said, “I’m sorry, I’m being rude. My name is Choi Sulli and you boys are?”

                “Oh, my name is Li Kevin, this here are my classmates Huang Zitao, Byun Baek-hyun and Kim Jong-in,” Kevin introduced his companions. “Me and Zitao both transferred over a year ago, just like you.”

               “Really? I guess I’m not the only one who feels like this garden is like a sanctuary,” Sulli said while studying the boys’ features. Something about them seems to be odd. Must be their eyes, Sulli thought, but foreigners can have different eye colors. Sulli just shrugged off the weird feeling she was getting from the boys.

                “Yeah, me and the guys always hang around here on free period even though the place doesn’t seem to be more like a garden, but we make do since few students come here,” Kevin replied.

                “Well, I like these plants here so maybe I can help re-grow this garden into its real beauty,” Sulli started to gather her borrowed tools and said her goodbyes to Kevin and his friends. “It was nice meeting you guys. I hope you won’t ignore me when we see each other inside the school building,” Sulli said starting to leave.

                “Of course not Sulli. It was nice meeting you too,” Kevin and his friends bowed and said their goodbye to Sulli. Just as Sulli turned her back to Kevin, his eyes glows which Sulli caught a glimpse of. A trick of the light maybe, or was it just her imagination?