Rewind

Fresh Start

Sunday

It's been a couple months since we arrived in Seoul I'm getting used to the neighborhood here. At night the streets light up with headlights and bright restaurant signs begging for entrance, people walking seems like a blur.

I live fairly close to my school only a couple of blocks. I haven't made any friends yet, which is expected but when entering a new school, tomorrow hopefully that status will be changed.

I've received my uniform, a white button-down shirt with a patch of the school's logo on the breast pocket and red and grey blazer, as well as a red, grey and white plaid skirt.

Tomorrow is my chance to get a fresh start

Monday 6 am

The sound of my alarm wakes me up from my of so precious sleep... I swear  I never get enough these days but you could say that's my fault, binge-watching Netflix and reading comics all night does have its consequences.

I showered yesterday night and all I really have to do is get changed. My fingers get tangled in the what seems like thousands of buttons on this shirt,   it's worse because now I have to tuck it in the slim fitting skirt, I'm not very good with my hands... Rushing to put my white Converse hightops on and grabbing my backpack to leave, I kiss my father goodbye and start my walk.

The morning dew, drops the temperature outside, the fog is thick and makes it hard to see far. It's chilly and this blazer is just enough to hold me till I get on campus.

As I'm walking I  have a feeling I'm being watched, unplugging my headphones and turn around to see a silhouette of a tall man walking not far off from me. I quicken my pace but he still persists.

I've reached the school grounds and I get a closer look at the man, he isn't just a man but a student here... mentally facepalming myself I walk to the main office to get my homeroom.

I approach the secretary desk to see a sweet lady in her mid 40's, she noticed me and asked if I was lost.

"Uh kinda, I'm the new student, Issa Smyth, could you please tell me my homeroom?"
"Ohh so you the new student~ What a pleasure I'm Miss.Min and it's room 202 on the second floor, oh here's your schedule too. Let me know if you need any help, I'll be here."
Her reassuring tone calms my nerves at least I know one person.

"Why do they have so many stairssssss!" My thighs are burning!

I reach my homeroom but the halls are empty... I think I'm late.

As I'm walking into the room, all the chattering stops and there is an awkward silence. 'Oh, way to make me feel welcome'. The teacher is sitting at his desk too focused on his laptop to even notice me.
"Ahem!" I cough to get his attention. He jumps to his feet to introduce himself.
"I'm Mr. Kim, your homeroom teacher, you must me Issa Smyth, the new student? Introduce yourself to the class" he orders me.
I look at the unfamiliar faces, except one the boy that was walking behind me. Now I have a better look at his face he is quite handsome, chiseled jawline, structured face, and pretty eyes. Catching myself from thinking I introduce myself, "Hi, I'm Issa Smyth your new classmate, please treat me well."

I turn to Mr. Kim as he assigns my seat next to a person named Kim Jongin? I have no idea who any of these people are. Looking clueless, he asked Jongin to raise his hand. He gives me a friendly smile and pats the seat next to him. It's the boy!

I calmly walk past the others, avoiding their stares. Girls giving me looks of disgust and the boys' eyes full of amusement.

I put my bag behind my chair and turn to Jongin, and before I can say "Hi" he speaks.
"Hey, I'm Kim Jongin" 
" I'm Issa, nice to meet you." He looks pleased and asked for me to be his friend, me being me, I awkwardly agree. He seems too 'out there' he's overly excited about our new friendship.

Advisory seems to fly past with others asking me why I came here, and questions about myself. I have no problem telling them, but I kinda feel a little flustered, never before have I  gotten this much attention by so many people. I'm just not used to it yet.

Realizing I have no way around I ask Jongin for directions."Hey, can you show me, my classes?" He takes my schedule and examines it, his face lights up looking at the classes.
" You have the same classes as me! Just follow me. Oh and you can call me Kai, it's easier."
I sigh in relief "Thanks, I'm not used to pronouncing names yet."

The day went by really fast, and it was really fun, Kai is cool to hang out with, at lunch we ate and talked the entire time, I even got his number so we could meet up after school sometime to play Overwatch! But ever since then he became my best friend, almost like family.