nine years later...
"Class, I'd like you to meet your new classmate."
"H-H-Hi, I'm Park Hye Soon, and I moved here from Samchock High. Please take care of me." I bowed, hoping my hair would fall to hide my nervous expression. I stood straight back up and the teacher, Madam Kim Juan Ni, instructed me to get a seat. The silence of the class was depressing.
I readjusted the sling of my bag on my shoulder, and walked to an empty spot at the back left corner. I slumped against my seat and took a piece of paper and pen; trying to focus on the lesson, when I felt someone tapping my shoulder.
It was a thin girl, her long black hair was tied into low pigtails that rested on her shoulder. She smiled at me and whispered.
"Hi! My name is Geum Chonsa ^^ "
"Well, I'm Park Hye Soon."
"I know. You introduced yourself in front of the class, remember?"
"Oh yeah. Sorry. Short term memory loss."
"Yeah. Very short." I turned to the new voice and came face-to-face with a goth girl - not goth goth, just a simple goth. Her dark curls reached the midsection of her back, she wore black thin eyeliners and a thick black wrist - band. Her brown eyes gazed boringly at me
"I'm Jang Euri, by the way." Her voice is throaty - probably had a sore throat.
"So anyway, what was Samchock like?" Chonsa changed the topic eagerly. Her dark eyes widen in anticipation. A loud cough interrupted before I could answer. Before I know it, all eyes were trained on me. Chonsa and Euri looked away and pretended to be busy.
"Miss Park,. I know the you are new but please respect that I am teaching. Miss Geum, Miss Kim. You should know better. Three of you meet me after class," Madam Kim boomed loudly. As I glanced around the class, I caught a girl smirking, her make-up was heavy but perfect and her hair, deep brown, waved down on one side of her shoulder. Her gaze caught mine and she rolled her eyes, smug. She turned back her attention to the teacher, so did everyone else. Exception to a boy : he was lean, his brown hair swept to the left, he was-well-cute. His gaze levelled to mine for a few seconds before he turned away.
I hadn't realize that I have been holding my breath till he turned away, that's when I let out a huge sigh. Somehow, I think Chonsa heard me sigh and tossed me a piece of crumpled paper. I opened it.
Are you alright? Sorry, we -Euri and I- got you in trouble...Your first day too!! - Chonsa-
I shook my head and wrote back :
It's okay, this teacher isn't as strict as mine was back at Samchock. I want to know; who is that girl sitting in the middle of the class with a pink streaked hair, and the boy with brown hair sitting two seats behind her? -Hyesoon-
As I tossed Chonsa that paper, another piece of crumpled paper landed on my desk. This time its a colourful piece.
The two of you better quit it before Madam Kim catches you and forced you to read your notes to each other in front of the whole class. -Euri-
I sighed and replied:
Don't worry. -Hyesoon-
I glanced at Chonsa and noticed the same coloured crumpled piece in her hands. She sighed and tossed it in her bag. I tossed the note to Euri as Chonsa tossed hers to me.
Pink-streaked? That's Jung Matilda, she's like those elite popular b*tchy girls you see on TV. The boy? That's Jung Yonghwa - you don't want to mix with his clique, but nobody doesn't WANT to, its best that they don't. Matilda's been chasing that poor guy for years and he doesn't even noticed. Matilda's gone CRAZY and even spread rumors how she's going to marry him and how their names match and all that crap. Pretend to pay attention! -Chonsa-
I snapped up and crumpled the paper as Madam Kim eyed me suspiciously before continuing the lesson. I sighed, relief flowing in me. Just then, a redheaded boy knocked on the door and spoke with Madam Kim. Her expression creased to worry.
"Class, it seems I have a very urgent business to do. Class dismissed and Miss Geum, Miss Kim and Miss Park our small meeting is unfortunately cancelled," she frowned slightly and rushed out.
The whole class' soft murmurs maximized five seconds after Madam Kim left. Chonsa and Euri came to my table while dragging their chairs and started firing at me questions.
"Why'd you move to Seoul?"
"My grandmother died three weeks ago, so I moved in with my godmother."
"I'm so sorry! So, did you have a boyfriend back at Samchock High?"
"Urm...no."
"Oh I see, you look really pretty. I guess the boys at your school wasn't up to your standards anyway. What made you choose Seoul High School?"
"My godmother suggested and said its a good school. I sort of like the curriculum they provided." C'mon Hyesoon, that's pretty lame. Reason you chose this school is because your parents met here, I thought.
"Chonsa, could you just back out of the question and answer thing already? You're creeping Hyesoon out," Euri pointed out.
"I am?! I'm sorry!!!" Chonsa buried her faces in her palms, shaking her head at the same time.
"It's okay! I don't mind! I was kinda expecting it anyway, I guess." I cried out hesitantly.
"Hear that, Chonsa? She expected it. Typical, knowing you." Euri rolled her eyes and smiled triumphantly.
"Euri, don't make her looked bad, or even feel bad." I commented harshly.
"It's alright, Hyesoon. Euri's meanness is like her second nature. I don't know why I never get used to it," Chonsa mumbled, "after these years," and hid her face in her hands - again.
Euri was about to make a harsh comment when I threw her a murderous look and she froze. After a few seconds, she shrugged and slumped back into her seat, and everything fell silent between us.
I looked down at my notebook lying wide open, awkwardly, I hear a couple of footsteps walking, approaching my desk. I looked up and see Matilda and a few girls walking towards me.
She stopped by my desk and smirked down at me. A few other students stole glances in my direction as she approached.
"Well, newbie. Listen up. Whatever I say goes, or .. you'd rather spend the rest of you high school years in living hell?" She sneered.
"Is there a third option?" I asked nervously.
"Yeah, its - " one of the girls behind Matilda piped up.
"Shut up. I'm doing all the talking here," Matilda snapped, "Anyways, unfortunately no, so you'd have to choose between the two given options." She held out two fingers and waggled it near my face.
"Oh, just give it a rest Matilda. Back to your seat and be quiet like the "little angel" you are," Euri stood up and folded her arms across her chest, her height towering over Matilda's petite little figure.
Matilda caughed and shrugged, walking away; Chonsa glance at me.
"Hey. You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. She's a total b*tch, by the way."
"That's exactly what's everyone's been thinking all these years," surprisingly Chonsa said it in a mean tone and rolled her eyes.
I hadn't realized my fingers have been doodling all the while we were talking. I looked around the class and saw some students talking, Matilda and her crew : filing their niles. Something caught my eye and I turned to catch Yonghwa staring at me.
His expression marked boredom, but his eyebrows were creased as if he's busy studying something. I looked away but not resisting, I stole glance at him from the corner of my eye, and his eyes never left me.
