the time I loved you.

ch.2 : long numbers and annoying cliffhangers.

"You're doing WHAT?!" My mom screamed into the phone.

"Mom...calm down! Changing your major to Undecided isn't a bad thing."

"Bong Cha, do you really think we spent all of our hard-earned money, sent you into Seoul's most prestigious school, just so you can give up on Pharmacy?! You must be out of your mind! How could you even tell me this?"

"Okay, Mom, I understand all the hard work you guys have put in, and I promise one day I'll pay it all back! But I can't keep studying science anymore, it's not for me. It never was."

"Yeah, how will you pay it back? You have no idea what you want to do in life! You're just going to keep switching again and again!"

"What the-no mom-"

"Listen, Bong Cha, your dad wants to speak to you." Oh, great.

"Bong Cha. All I'm going to say is, the moment you change your major, we will stop paying for your college. We are working our hardest and sending you money in hopes that you'd have a successful career in the medical field. But if you plan on wasting the money on God-knows-what, then you can do that without our money."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Here I finally figured what I wanted to do with my life, and my parents are telling me that I can't go after that. I've had enough.

"You know what Dad? Fine. I'm going to change my major, and I don't need your money anymore. I'm going to have a profession I love, because earth to parents, SCIENCE ISN'T THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE IT IN THIS WORLD."

I hung up and immediately regretted screaming, but I was so done with everything! They called back again, but I ignored it. I need time to myself to figure everything out. I decided I would go see the adviser and tell her about my major change and go on from there.

An hour later.

"Alright Miss Kim! i just changed your standing to Undecided. You aren't part of the Pharmacy track anymore, but are you sure you want to withdraw from your science classes? That will result in an immediate F since the withdrawal period is over."

"Yes, I would like to. I'd probably still get an F regardless. I can just make it up with my other non-science classes, like English and Art."

"Alright, if you say so. But it will require a lot of work, and you must get A's for all of them. This is a direct hit to your GPA."

Ok, I get it woman. I'm screwed.

"Um, I also wanted to talk to you about finances. As of now, I'm going to be independent, so I won't receive financial support from my parents. Can you give me an idea of how much money it'd be for me each semester?"

"Do you have a job?"

"Uh...no?"

She typed in some numbers then showed me the computer screen.

$#$%!?

"Wow..cough...those are a lot of numbers!! Are you sure there isn't any discount? For poor students like me?"

The adviser smiled out of sympathy. "This is the best university in South Korea, we have students come from all over the world. There is a reason that it's so pricey. And our financial aid process started in the beginning of the year, so it's too late to add yourself onto it now. You'd have to pay this semester's fee and then hope that you'll get some aid next semester."

This semester's fee could buy me a friggin car! Like hell I could pay that!

"Alright, thank you so much for helping me! I will keep that in mind." I dashed the heck out of there, unable to control my raging emotions. I called up Hae Won to rant.

"Why the HELL is this stupid school so expensive?!"

"Bong Cha, you're just realizing this now? Well, your parents have been paying for you, but you still should have known."

Damn. My parents weren't lying when they said it was a lot of money for them. I felt bad the more I thought about it. Maybe I was wasting money...

"Hae Won, I need a job!"

"Woman, even with a job there's no way you can pay that semester fee! Unless you become a stripper!"

"At this point, that sounds like a great idea!"

"Did you already change to Undecided?"

"Yup, and as a result, my parent's aren't going to help me pay."

"Damn. Okay Bong Cha, I'll try to find a good-paying job on my end, but you should be warned, you'd have to work A LOT to pay off that fee. You wouldn't even be able to focus on the classes you have now."

"I'll figure something out...thanks Hae Won." As I ended the call and sat down on a nearby bench, I wondered if I was doing the right thing. Based on what Hae Won and the adviser said, it's going to be a lot of money to pay off myself, I don't have a job yet, and even if I do, it might not be enough. And if I fail my current classes...well, that's really going to suck.

The only other option would be...