A NOVEL'S MUSE

김지혜

Shadow workers.

That's what others call us.

Doing part-time screenplay writing to fend ourselves for the day and if lucky, save a couple of coins for school the next day.

Shadow because we do it without recognition, without anyone knowing our names. We just write, receive the money and we're good to go.

Jihye is how they call me or to be exact the not-so-famous Jihye.

I'm the Jihye who might have been visible in school if the popular Jihye wasn't shining so bright.

The Jihye who always receives gifts every White Day, well thanks to the stupid school porters who never fail to send gifts to the wrong person every year.

If I had no hint of decency, I'll make them port gifts with limping legs I swear. Since middle school, I've been living with the embarrassment of having to return the gift to the sender after smiling from ear to ear, thinking someone finally appreciated a potato.

Oh yeah but don't worry, this is not going to be a story of the girl you will pity nor the girl who will suddenly join the queen bee's squad and will turn into a hot ass chick.

This is the story you thought would only exist in fan fictions until the universe tell you you're wrong.

This story is either a box of chocolates or Pandora's, except that they're kind of the same actually. You'll never know what's inside.

High school is the unnecessary evil of learning and we all know that, but at the same time, this where the most of the shaping of ourselves happen.

Cringe as much as you want, but this is where I built friendships and for the record, where the first time I had the tingling feeling at the back of my neck.

And this is where my story began.