Loveswept // Mark Tuan //

Ch. 1

Yerin

I picked up a pencil and took out a random notebook from my bag. School was boring today. One reason was that my one and only best friend, Nam Ju, was absent. Second reason was that I had an argument with my mom in the morning. She scolded me for not switching off the bathroom lights and wasting electricity. So, I left the house without having breakfast.

My stomach grumbled just on time. Ignoring it, I started scribbling on the back of my notebook. I didn't know what I was trying to draw. But, it turned out to be a rough doodle of burger. I put down my pencil and stared at the picture. My head hurt then, begging for some nutrients to work. I looked at my wrist watch. 7:48 a.m. I had about 10-11 minutes before the classes started. I didn't have anything to do. Plus, I was hungry. So, I decided to take a walk in the school garden or corridors.

I was a big introvert. I didn't really enjoy socializing or unnecessary gossips. What I really enjoyed was solitude. It gave me peace of mind, a way of trusting and believing myself and avoiding unnecessary social stress. But that didn't mean I was a complete loner. I had few friends from other classes but I didn't engage with many of them.

The only person who actually kept up with me was my best friend since 2nd grade, Kwon Nam Ju. We had became friends in 2nd grade when we had a drawing contest and I had forgotten to bring my color pencils. So, Nam Ju was the one who shared her pencils with me. And since then, we shared a bond that I had with none.

Nam Ju was short but pretty. She had jet-black hair with big, brown eyes and long lashes that fluttered graciously whenever anyone complimented her. She was a total socialite. She participated in various events, camps and all the fun stuff. But it was hard to keep up with her social activities sometimes. Nonetheless, I adored her.

I walked out of the class after putting my books in my bag and zipping it up. I looked around in the corridor. Girls and boys in nice clothes, laughing and chatting together. A couple, hand in hand walking around. A group of girls by the staircase gossiping about something I wasn't interested in. Possibly about the new bunch of boys transferred to our school recently.

They were quite popular in our class. Girls with nothing to do but gossip, talked about them all the time. "Did you know one of them is from China? Omo! He is so handsome!"  "One of them is American as well! But I don't know his name."  "Did you see Jinyoung? He is the best one!" They would wriggle their hands and talk in cringy voices.

I decided to just walk in the garden. To have some fresh air and look at the endless sky above and all the pretty flowers among throny bushes. I quickly walked down the stairs as cold wind hit my face. I loved winters and rainy season. So, I didn't mind it.

I breathed the fresh air as I reached the garden. The garden wasn't really occupied, which made it even better. I took slow steps, admiring the creations of the god. Small pink flowers bloomed, along with yellow and purple ones. I looked up at the sky. Huge chunks of white clouds floated above me in the endless, blue sky.

Looking at the beautiful nature and inhaling the fresh air somehow distressed me. I smiled to myself. But then my smile faded as I head the shrill sound of the school bell, indicating that we forget our happy times and get down to work.

The hallway was empty by the time I reached to my class. I slowly peeked inside the glass through the small glass frame on the door. I inhaled sharply as I saw my teacher, Miss Jung, standing in the front on her usual place. Miss Jung was a firm lady in her late 50s. She didn't like any nonsense in the class or any side jokes with the teacher. Just school related stuff.

I gulped as I opened door. Miss Jung's piercing stare fixed on me immediately along with stares of other students. "You are late, Miss Kim," she spoke in her usual authorative, bold voice. I looked down as I answered, "I'm really sorry, Miss Jung. I won't repeat that again." Miss Jung merely nodded, "I won't tolerate a late student in my class next time, Miss Kim."

I bowed and apologized once more as I walked back to my seat. "And also, Miss Kim, you have a new bench mate," I looked upto Miss Jung as she spoke, confused. She pointed her one, wrinkled finger next to me. I looked at the person beside me. It was a boy. 

He was tall. I could see that even though he was sitting. He had black hair that fell slightly on his forehead. His feature were well built. High cheekbones, thin lips and a fine jaw. They didn't look korean at all. "This is Mark Tuan. He is a transfer student. He will be sitting with you and you are responsible for helping him in his work and showing him the school around," I looked up at Miss Jung again and nodded gloomily. Why the hell am I responsible for a stranger's work?

And from the corner of my eyes, I could still see him staring at me with his brown eyes.