Dance Around You

Black Swan

Jihyo couldn't believe what her life was like now. Junior year had just started and her parents decided they should send her to a private school, all because her dad had gotten a new job that paid four times his last salary. Jihyo was perfectly fine at public school (even if the dance team was in shambles and hadn't won since the 80s), but now here she was. She was getting ready for her first day there. Most of her things were still in boxes as her father's company had them move to a house closer to them (paid for by the company as well). Jihyo opened up a box to find her favorite denim jumpsuit. She figured the school was getting enough money for her tuition that they wouldn't care much if her shoulders were showing. After doing her makeup she made her way downstairs where her mother had just begun to plate everyone's food. Her father and siblings had already set the table and poured orange juice so Jihyo moved to help her mother. Yesterday they had all put away the kitchen and bathroom boxes, so now it was just a focus on doing their separate bedrooms.

After plating everyone's food, the family sat down to eat. "Are you excited for your first day, sunshine? I hear they have a phenomenal dance team."

Jihyo looked over to her father, shrugging her shoulders and turning back to her food before answering, "I guess." Jihyo knew that there wasn't a need to be cold to her father, he just wanted to provide the best education he could. But Jihyo didn't ask for any of that, she was perfectly content in her dingy old school.

"Well! I'm super excited for today," Jihyos younger sister, Yunha, added. Jihyo wasn't very close to her sister, they were all fairly younger than her. Jihyo had three biological sisters and two adopted sisters. The three oldest were three years younger than her, so it was harder for them to relate to each other. The two oldest, Yunha and Minju were twins so they were always in their own world. Moka and Iroha had been adopted together, so they were a team. And then Wonhee was five years younger than her, so that wasn't easy to get along with.

"That's wonderful, pumpkin. You're going to love it! At least you should know how much I'm paying to send you there." Jihyos mother laughed at her husband's comment, but Jihyo just rolled her eyes.

"Hyo, will you serve me more rice, please?" Wonhee asked, Jihyo nodded and reached over to grab her plate and take it to the kitchen. She served her a smaller portion than her first since she knew her younger sister wasn't as hungry as she was when she started eating. She handed the plate back to Wonhee, who thanked her, before continuing to finish her plate.

"I'm gonna head out soon, don't wanna be late," Jihyo said as she ate the last bite of food on her plate. She was quick to leave before she had to hear anything else from her parents. Once free and outside, she stared at the car her parents had gotten her as an apology for moving away—a black 2024 BMW 3 series. The car was perfect and more than Jihyo could ever imagine. But it was still an apology car so Jihyo couldn't help the eye-roll every time she saw it. Regardless, she had to get to school somehow, so she swallowed her pride (and her idea of taking a bike instead) and got in the car.

After an uneventful ride, she got to the school. It was bigger than she thought it would be. Jihyo made her way inside and found her way to the main office. After a bit of waiting a woman there called her over.

"Uh, hi. I'm Park Jihyo, I'm starting today." The woman nodded and reached over to grab a file.

"Here is your schedule, your map, and all the syllabuses for your classes. I also have a senior here to guide you to your first class. Jeongyeon?" The woman turned and a girl with short black hair turned around. "This is Jihyo, the student I was telling you about."

"Oh right. Yeah, I'll show you the classes you have and then take you to your first period." Jeongyeon smiled and led Jihyo out of the office. "My name is Yoo Jeongyeon and I'm a senior. Must be pretty weird coming to a new school so late, huh?"