[Boyfriend: Good morning, Yeobo.] I ignored his message and went to straight to the bathroom to wash my face.
The time was 8:45.
Breakfast would still be served in the cafeteria.
I hurry up and get ready.
Fixing my hair, so it doesn’t look like a bird’s nest.
Put on a little bit of mascara and comb my eyebrows.
I pick out my black turtleneck, long sleeve, crop top and a pair of loose fitting, high waisted, denim blue jeans with two large, ripped holes in the knees and my white Filas sneakers.
Checking my schedule, I had Introduction to Game Design at 14:00 (2:00pm) and Advanced Computer Design at 16:00 (4:00pm).
Inside the cafeteria the room was buzzing with activity from the early class students.
I pick a tray of waffles with fried egg and a glass of orange juice.
I saw Kang Mi So sitting in the corner alone and decide to take my seat with her.
“Annyeong haseyo (Hello), Mind if I join you?” I spoke in Korean and greeted her a genuine smile.
She looked up at me her doe eyes widened.
“Um… Ye…” She whispered, almost like if she said something too loud, I might disappear.
“Cool thanks, it’s good to see a familiar face.
My roommate had class early this morning so she dipped out and couldn’t join me for breakfast.” Kang Mi So gulped and nodded.
“You have class today?” I asked trying to make conversation.
“Um, ye, I have Communications and Coding.” She whispered.
“I have Introduction to Graphic Design and Advanced Computer Design.” I told her.
“Are you sure you want to be sitting with me in such a public place?” She was anxious.
“Ye, I’m sure.
Why?” “Because I told you, I’ll drag down your social status.” She had a little cry in her voice, and it broke my heart.
“I don’t care about that stuff.
Status and reputation are stupid anyways.” I shrugged nonchalantly and began cutting up my waffle.
“You’re so cool… I just can’t understand why’d you want to be my friend?” She stopped eating, sitting with her hands in her lap.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d stop assuming so low of me.
I make my own decisions.” I took a bite of my waffle.
“I’m sorry… It’s just so hard to believe, even now with you sitting with me in front of everyone.
And they’re all staring at us.” She whined.
“Let them stare till their eyes fall out.
It doesn’t change the flavor of my waffle.” I stated confidently.
“Kang Mi So.
Pick up your spoon and eat your soup.” I was done with this kind of conversation.
“OK.” I could see the smile that rested on her lips.
“You smile pretty.” I said in English.
She looked up surprised, dropping her spoon in her soup.
“Mueos (What)?” “You’re smile, it’s cute.” I tilted my head to the side shooting her a friendly smile.
“You say weird things.” Her words said one thing, but her smile said another.
She wasn’t being dramatic when she said the whole cafeteria was staring at us.
“Come on, let’s go for a walk.” She nodded and rose from her seat.
“Hold your head high, don’t let them see you with your chin down.” I told her in Korean.
“I can’t…” She answered.
“Sure, you can.” We dumped our trays and placed them in their drop off spot and left the cafeteria.
Silence settled between us.
Not the uncomfortable kind.
But the calm kind.
When we were a good distance away, I broke our silence.
“Gwaenchanh-eun (Alright), fess up, why do people treat you like this?
Stare at you like this?” She sighed, fidgeting with her fingers, she took a deep breath and began, “My Abeoji was charged with drug trafficking, smuggling, and prostitution and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
It was a big deal because my Abeoji was a cop.” She let out a shaky breath before continuing “He’s not a bad guy, but he did some bad things.
My Omoni left because of it.
It’s just me now.
People think I’m trouble and bad luck because of the things my parents did; so, people avoid me like the plague.” “Wow.
That’s pretty hard to deal with.
It’s really shitty people are punishing you for the sins of your Abeoji and blaming you for the choices your Omoni made.” Hearing her story reminded me how my Abeoji treated me because of my mother’s choice.
She died the night she left him.
It was the first time he struck me, that was the final straw for her, she packed our bags and left.
On our way out of the city, heading to a friend of hers, we were struck by a drunk driver.
I’ve got a scar on the back of my head from the accident, and my mother died.
My Abeoji never forgave me for leaving with her.
He punished me for her leaving him.
Punished me harshly almost every day after.
I shivered at the memory.
It’s all in the past.
No man will ever have the chance to ever hurt me, never again.
“I know.
I don’t blame you for no longer wanting to be my friend either, now that you know.” Her head hung low and I could see moisture in her eyes.
“Nah, my Abeoji is a piece of work himself, and my mom died when I was a little girl.
Who am I to judge?” I shrugged.
She stopped walking at some point and just stood staring at me.
“How did I get so lucky?” She blinked her wide eyes fast, trying to bat away her tears.
She rubbed them when that didn’t work.
“I don’t know, maybe things will take a turn for the better.” I smiled at her again.
Trying to reassure her.
I wasn’t going anywhere.
“Yeah, maybe.” She picked up her feet and started walking again.
I waited for her to catch up.
“I have to go shopping for some groceries before my first class, would you join me?” Her face lit up.
“Ye, I have somethings for my dorm I need to get too.” She laughed lightly “I’m out of shampoo.” “To the store!
Do you know how to work the bus system, I’m still learning,” I laughed lightly, slightly embarrassed.
“Ye.” She looked at her watch and added “The one we need will be at the stop in a few minutes we should run for it.” “Oh, Shit.
Gada!
(Go!)” We took off instantly I followed her lead as we ran across the school grounds.
The bus had just started taking off when I started yelling and waving my hands.
Luckily, the bus stopped.
When we caught up we were so out of breath, we could barely laugh we were so out of breath.
“Oh my gosh, I haven’t ran like that in a long time.” I laughed loudly boarding the bus.
We take a seat near the back.
I pulled out my phone and checked it.
I had two texts from Mouse and four from Kim Taeyung.
Kang Mi So looked over at my phone and asked.
“You have a boyfriend?” “Aniyo (No), just some stupid boy who insists on making life more difficult for me.” “O, why not just block him?” She made a good point.
Why don’t I just block him?
Maybe some part of me… Some very small part… Likes it?
“I don’t know.
But doubt that would work, he’s pretty persistent guy.” “I wish even one guy would pay even the slightest attention to me.” She sighed.
“How about I give you a makeover?” “Seriously?” She must have been shocked by my offer.
Poor girl is really used to not having even a single friend.
Even I had Mouse.
Kang Mi So has been completely alone for years it seems.
Bullied relentlessly.
I got in a lot of fights with the girls who tried to bully me.
I was labeled a troublemaker, even though I never started the fights or picked the battles.
“Ye.” “This is just too good to be true.” She started to cry again, wiping the moisture from her eyes.
I winked at her “Well, believe it.” CREATORS’ THOUGHTS devonany If you love my book, please engage!
Show me which characters you love.
Which ones you hate.