Key prepared cheese omelette and bacon for breakfast. The usual toasted bread with butter and glasses of milk were also prepared on the table. Onew, who was all set already, was busy reading his favourite magazine.
I glanced up at the kitchen clock. 6:30. We still got an hour and a half before the school bell rings for the assembly at the school hall. Every Tuesday is an assembly day, as Key would say. It’s important that we get there on time before the gates close on us or else we’ll have late records at the Guidance Office.
“Today is the try-outs for clubs, right?” Taemin asked Yun as he dried his hair with his towel. He just finished taking a bath.
Key, who was busy arranging his schedules on his mobile phone, glanced up with delight on his face.
“Oh, yeah. What clubs will you try-out for?” Yun asked. “I guess I’ll go for the Arts Club. What about you, Taemin?”
Painter, I thought. Of course. Yun is a very good painter and very artistic, too.
“Me? I’ll go try-out for the Music Club,” Taemin replied. Pianist. I remembered Kyu’s general information about SHINee yesterday.
“What?!” I asked loudly that few passers-by turned to look at me. My cheeks turned beet red. Kyu laughed beside me. “Stop laughing!” I demanded.
“Who wouldn’t laugh?” he asked, clutching his stomach. “Your voice was so loud and your face was….” – he laughed again – “It was priceless.”
I punched his arm and he fell from the bench. Now was my time to laugh. “Karma,” I said.
He was still chuckling when he sat down beside me again.
“Mind if you introduce what SHINee is or what they do?” I asked, taking a sip from my soda.
“Not at all,” Kyu replied. “Just listen and don’t miss any points.”
I focused and tried to listen intently.
Two days seemed to past so quickly that I hadn’t realized it’s the time to face one thing I was afraid of – first day in new school. Standing in front of the black gates of Sun Hwa, wearing the school’s uniform, makes butterflies flutter at the pit of my stomach. It was so much different than standing there with just casual clothes on.
From where I was rooted, I peeked foolishly and gutless. Few stares from students made me more anxious to step inside the campus.
“Don’t worry.” Taemin patted my shoulder. “We’re here for you,” he comforted then smiled.
I smiled back, trying to hide the anxiety I felt inside.
Minho and Key walked too fast that I couldn’t pace up. Taemin and Yun kept on poking each other and goofing around until some of their friends approached them. Only Jonghyun kept up with me and walked beside me comfortably.
“I’m in Class 3-A and one year ahead of you. That means my room is one floor on top of yours. If you needed some help, just come to my class,” he informed me.
But I wasn’t really listening. I was too busy stealing glances, looking for someone of the introvert type I could befriend with. At least, I have someone to go with on my first day of classes. Besides, I kept hiding my face from the gawking students with my brown hair. I want to keep a very low profile in this school.
“Kawaii~” Yun squealed.
I just stared at my reflection in the mirror. Omo, I thought.
I have just received the acceptance letter from Mr. Jung, the principal of Sunhwa Secondary School, early this morning. Onew advised that I should buy my school uniform and other school stuffs today because classes will start the day after tomorrow. We were supposed to go alone but Yun and Taemin insisted to go with us.
“Kawaii!!” Yun squealed again, this time louder. She was busy admiring how the uniform fits me.
I was wearing the gala uniform of Sunhwa. I was dressed in an ivory blouse with collars, a mint blue pleated skirt, and an ivory blazer with mint blue trimmed collars, cuffs, and patch pockets. The school badge was sewn at the breast pocket of the blazer. The uniform goes with a pair of white leather school shoes, white below-the-knee socks, and a mint blue butterfly ribbon.
“Ya~” Onew knocked on the door. “Are you already done changing?”
“Um,” I hesitated. I was embarrassed with the way I look, what with the short skirt showing some of my bare skin.
Sun Hwa Secondary School has pretty big school grounds. It has six laboratories, three faculty rooms, twelve classrooms, eight comfort rooms, air-conditioned canteen, huge covered gym, school hall, and a wide sports court (not to mention the other places I haven’t been to yet).
Onew said it was lucky that we arrived early, so we can get the arrangement of documents and stuffs as quick as possible. But because of Mr. Jung, the principal, we waited for almost an hour before he arrived.
It was a bit confusing with all the walks from here to there and there to here that made me dizzy and tired, so it was really the Lee cousins who arranged my transfer.
“Mr. Jung said you’ll just have to wait for the formality letter,” Onew said while driving the van. It’s past lunch time and all our stomachs were mad.
“He was asking me why you had record of absences,” he continued. He wasn’t really asking me why but I know he’s waiting for my explanation.
“My grandfather was sick, so I had to take care of him,” I quickly replied. He seemed satisfied with my answer because he didn’t ask further about it.
After having quick bites at McDonald’s, we headed straight home. The car was silent except for the faint beats and vocals of Super Junior’s latest pop song, Sorry, Sorry.
I woke up early the next morning. There was hardly sunshine inside the room because of the vinyl shutters.
Yun was still sleeping and snoring on her bed. Since we got separate bedstead, I didn’t have to worry if I move around a lot at night.
I stared at the ceiling for a minute or two then decided to get up and look around the house. I hadn’t got the chance to look around the house last night. I just saw our room, the lounge area, and the dining place.
When I went out of our room, the house was quiet. I guess they’re still sleeping, I thought. I tiptoed in long but careful steps going to the kitchen. I was planning to cook breakfast but I guess I’ll have to arrange first.
“Wonderful,” I muttered.
The dining place was in a mess. There were still left-over of the party foods last night. Used paper plates, plastic spoons and forks, and plastic cups were scattered on the table.
I guess everyone’s too tired to clean the whole place first before going to bed, I thought, recalling about the fun party last night.
I took in several inhales and exhales. My lungs have enough space to contain all the cold air around me. I really missed Korea, I thought happily.
“Winter has just arrived, you know,” Yun said.
“No wonder,” I said, rolling my eyes.
The night streets were jam packed with many people wearing ear muffs and scarves around their neck. Some were rubbing their hands together and wore thick winter clothes. The snow was just making its way to cover the ground.
I just came from Canada and my family’s all there. No lots or houses left in Korea. No relatives or family friends to look for. To sum all things up, I got no place to stay in.
“Is it really fine if I stay in your place?” I asked Yun. “Maybe I should go looking for somewhere else. I can always ge-”
“Aish!” She frowned. “I told you that my cousin doesn’t mind. Besides, my mom wants a girl to be with me in the apartment. Lucky me, I got you.”
