Yiseo
"Alright, everyone. That concludes today's evaluation. Good job, guys," Kiyoko said. "Now get some rest, we'll have a busy day tomorrow."
Everyone stood up and said thank you before leaving to their room one by one. I was about to go back to my room along with Namgyu when Kiyoko suddenly called me.
I approached her and asked, "Is something wrong, Kiyoko?"
"No, no," she said. "I actually just need to ask you something. Is it okay?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"I noticed that you often look at me every time we meet. Did I say or do something wrong?" she asked, which honestly surprised me. "Because if I did, please tell me so I could do better at my job. I'm actually new, so I haven't really get used to mentor high school kids like this."
"No, no, Kiyoko. You're doing a really good job in my opinion," I said. "Sorry if it creeps you out."
"Ah really? Well, that's a relief," she said. "So what is it?"
I rubbed my back neck and went silent for a while because I didn't know what to answer. I mean, wouldn't it be totally inappropriate if I told her that I was looking at her because I felt like she looked familiar? Or should I tell her just that?
"Um it's nothing," I said. "I just feel like you look really familiar to me, that's all."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I was trying to figure out if I knew you at some point, but I don't think we've met before."
"Who do you think I look like?"
I shrugged. "I'm not sure, but you remind me a lot of my dad."
"Your dad's Japanese too?"
"Oh, no, he's Korean," I said. "It's nothing, really. Maybe it's just my feeling."
She smiled, then said. "Would you like to hang out with me here for a while?"
I nodded. "Yeah, sure," I said as we took a seat on the bench not far from us.
"So, tell me about yourself," she said.
"Well, I was born and raised here in Seoul and I plan to go to the states to become a doctor. I'm an only child, my mother passed away after she gave birth to me."
"Oh, my, I'm so sorry."
"No, no, it's okay. I'm fine, but I sometimes feel bad for my dad. He's been raising me by himself and next year I'm gonna leave him all alone here in Korea while I move to the states."
"Well I'm sure he'll be fine considering he's supporting you with all your plans, right?"
"I guess that's true," I said. "What about you?"
"Well, I was born in Tokyo and was raised in New York before my mom decided to move to Seoul," she said. "I studied computer science at Princeton and graduated just a few years ago. I actually work at a tech company, but I applied for a summer mentorship position to fill in my free time since the company is going under construction since like two months ago."
"That's amazing," I said, "and also I bet your mom is pretty since you look really gorgeous."
She chuckled at my sudden compliment. "Why, thank you," she said. "Yeah, my mom is incredibly beautiful. She used to be a dancer, but now she has opened her own art school and occasionally teaches there."
"Wow, that's so cool. What about your dad?"
"Oh, I grew up without a dad," she said. "My mom said he left us a long time ago, but don't worry about it, we're fine."
"Ah, so a fellow lady with a single parent, huh?" I said. "It turns out we have pretty much in common."
"Yeah, we apparently do," she said as she smiled. "Well, it's getting late. We should head back."
Kiyoko told me good night before we parted our ways. I was walking up to my room when I saw Namgyu hanging out in front of it.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
"Ah, hey," he said as he looked up. "I was waiting for you."
I was all flustered when he said that. "Yah, what for?"
He just stood there and smiled. He then changed the subject all of a sudden and asked, "So, why did Kiyoko call you?"
"Oh, nothing important," I said as I unlocked my room. "Just a bit of a personal information."
"I see," he said, following me into my room. "I was afraid you got into a trouble or something."
"Yiseo? Trouble? That would be a story from a parallel universe," Soyeon said as she suddenly appeared in my room.
"Yah, why are you in my room?"
"Oh, so Namgyu's allowed in your room but your own best friend isn't?"
I chuckled. "I was just wondering why you're not preparing your before-going-to-bed routine. We all know you need exactly 8 hours of sleep."
She shrugged, then placed herself on my bed as if it was hers. "I was going to ask if I could borrow your hair brush when I saw your room unlocked."
"Hair brush? Don't you bring that everywhere you go?"
"Yeah, but I forgot to bring the one to blow my hair and I know that yours look exactly like it."
I guess Namgyu was feeling a little awkward, so he patted my back and leaned closer. "Hey, it's late. I should take off now."
"Ah, sure."
He nodded, then he said goodnight to me and Soyeon before he went out and closed the door behind him. As soon as he was out, I just knew that Soyeon gave me those weird looks.
"What, Soyeon?"
"It seems like he hangs out here every night."
"N-no, he doesn't," I said with my face obviously turned red. "He just came to check if I was alright because my mentor held me off for a while before letting me go back to my room."
"Ah, coming to check on you, huh?" she said while putting her lips into a smirk. "Imagine if I didn't enter the room."
"Yah!! You're crazy!"
She bursted into laughter while I stood there looking so embarrassed and flustered.
"Okay, sorry," she said, "but I have some feelings about this. We'll see if those feelings are true."
"What feelings?" I asked, but Soyeon ignored me and walked away instead. "Yah, what feelings?!"
"We'll see," she said as she winked before closing my room.
What is she talking about?
