Time Difference

2. Work In Progress

When the alarm went off it took me far too long to realize where I was – another country – and what I was doing there – wanting to be asleep. The ringtone was pleasant enough, but I wasn't sure I wanted anyone pleasant whispering or playing piano to wake me up in the morning. I didn't want anything to wake me up in the morning. I wanted curtains to block out the sun and I desperately wanted to learn some appropriate swear words in Korean for cursing the morning. I reached for my phone and instead of hitting the alarm dismiss button, or even the snooze button, I knocked it down onto the floor. I sat up faster than I would have otherwise, maybe I would have been tempted to go back to sleep and tell my dad I didn't feel good and needed to take a day off. But the phone was still scolding me and I needed to see if it was broken. Luckily it was not. "Thanks, carpet." Ah, now it was inanimate objects I was conversing with. My shower went by too quickly but I was glad I didn't fall asleep in it. With today's schedule it didn't matter that I hadn't finished or technically started my work since I wouldn't have those classes again until Wednesday, but I brought the books with me. I'd need to find my locker this morning, somehow I still hadn't had time since yesterday morning. I grabbed a bag of candy from yesterday, red-green sour gummy worms but I wasn't sure what flavor. Breakfast of champions. When I turned the hall corner to the elevator I saw Taehyung slouched against the wall, waiting for me. He looked up and smiled.

"Good morning, Aria," he said, his voice rich and resonant, a lukewarm cup of coffee, like he too was still mostly asleep. His hair looked as though it had been styled by his pillowcase. I revised my thought, this wasn't slouching. He was a practitioner of a carefree demeanor, and how much effort and time he dedicated to the image I could only guess at.

"Good morning, Taehyung." I hadn't meant to pry, or even act so interested, but the next thing out of my mouth seemed less curious and more needy. "I wondered if you guys would be on the same bus with me last night but I didn't see you on the way home." Much too invested. So I kept on. "I just thought you'd have the same bus route." If he had any particular reaction to my question he didn't let on.

"Normally yes," he said, as we rode the elevator down to the first floor. "But not when we have studio time or go to work. Yesterday we'd rented some time for a session so headed downtown."

"Wow, that's so... impressive. How did it go?" We had gathered with the other waiting students, Namjoon, Hoseok, and a younger boy and girl that must be from our building. I made a small wave to the girl when she looked at me and wondered if I was being polite enough. She looked away shyly in response.

"I think it went well. This is the last step for a song, so we've done our editing, revision, rehearsal. At this point things are pretty smooth. Right, Hoseok?" In response Hoseok did a neat twirl and pop and lock.

"So smooth," he grinned. The bus pulled up and we all boarded, the two youngest first, then Namjoon and Hoseok who sat next to each other, talking quietly. Taehyung motioned for me to sit in the seat across from them closest to the window and he sat down next to me. His legs seemed much too long for the bus seats, and he extended them under the seat in front of us. Somehow I had gone from not knowing anyone to having a companion from the moment I left my front door till the moment I returned. Except for the classes we didn't share. I wondered which language he was taking. But how to ask without sounding too interested. I realized I'd have to censor myself or I might give the wrong impression, at least before people really knew me. If I knew myself. Maybe this would be a great opportunity to reinvent myself. I could be outgoing, carefree, I don't know – interesting. I wasn't sure if I could fake being interesting. Once the novelty of a new girl from an exotic place wore off and I became ordinary and mundane I'm not sure I could hold anyone's attention. I suppose that meant I should enjoy myself as much as I could before the stroke of midnight when I'd turn back into a pumpkin.