I stood with my mouth slightly agape with unbelief
"What's this?" I asked Ji Sung as I turned to look at him
"Doesn't it look like fun?" he asked with a smile
I turned to go, but he pulled me back
"Noh-a" let go I told him
"If you don't like it after playing it once, we'll go" he said
"I'm not even going to try it once. How's this fun?" I asked him
"How's it not fun?" he retorted
"You want me to sit on the street, on a chair that's for little children, and be playing with these?" I asked him
He nodded
I smiled and he smiled back
"Have fun by yourself" I told him and turned around again, but was stopped, again
"Let go" I told him
He shook his head
"You better let go before I beat you to a pulp" I threatened him
"Just once. Huh?"
After he persuaded me for a while, I finally complied
^^^^^
"Ah, that was fun" I said to myself as I sat down inside the convenience store
"Here" Ji Sung said as he handed me my ice cream
"Thank you" I told him waving the ice cream
"I should have listened to you when you refused to play" he said
"Ah, wae? I had a good time. You were just bad at it" why? I told him
He sent me a glare, which I returned with a smile
We, then, focused on our ice cream
"Are you sure that ice cream is okay?" he asked
I nodded
"I just want to get and...." I cut myself off
"What's wrong?" Ji Sung asked
"Nae cha, haggyoeiss-eo" my car, it's at school
"Geulaeseo?" and so? he asked
"Geulaeseo?" and so? I repeated
"How am I supposed to go home? I haven't activated a bus card" I told him
"I can just drop you then" he said
"But how come you haven't activated a card?" he asked after some bites
I shrugged
"It didn't cross my mind, yet"
"Has it now?" he asked with a faint of a smile
I gave him a fake smile
"I don't think so, maybe it will later in the day"
He nodded, ignoring the look I was giving him
^^^^^
"Thank you" I told him as I got down from his car
"Sure. See you tomorrow" he said
I waved, then waited till I couldn't see any trace of him, before I went inside
"Hi, mum" I greeted as I entered the house, going straight to my room
"You're late today" I heard her say
"Yeah"
I was sure she was still saying something, but I was to tired to ever hear what she was saying; I just wanted to sleep
^^^^^
She wouldn't die, Alex. No, she wouldn't. Calm down, she wouldn't die, she wouldn't....
My eyes jerked open. I remained in my position for a while, laying flat on my back while looking at the ceiling with my hands spread out. After a while, I got up and went to my mom's room. I adjusted her covers properly, went to get ready for school then went downstairs to wait for her. Since my car was in school, she was going to drop me
I turned when I heard her door open
"Good morning, mom" I greeted when she came in sight
"Morning, dear. How was your night?" she asked
"Normal" I said
She nodded as she started preparing a cup of coffee, as usual
I never told her about the memories being replayed in my dreams
"Can you drop me of today?" I asked her
"Why? Not that I mind though"
"My car's at school. I left it there yesterday"
"How did your get home then?"
"Someone dropped me"
"A friend?" she asked
I looked up and saw her hopeful eyes that matched her tone
I shrugged
"That's great. You can ask him or her if..."
"Mom" I called her giving her a look
"Okay" she raised her free hand mid air in surrender
"When should we get going?" she asked
I looked at the time
7:05
"Well, we can go now"
"If it's okay by you" I added
"Let me go get dressed" she said
^^^^^
"Bye, have a great day"
I waved back at her
Thankfully, the students here don't seem to like coming to school early, so I could have a space for myself. I placed my bag on my seat and went to the rooftop. I had walked a few steps from the entrance before I stopped. He was sleeping while I stood there. I was still contemplating on whether I should leave, or not, when he opened his eyes
"Hi" I said
I stopped myself from bowing, midway, then waved
He smiled, and waved back
"You can continue sleeping, I'm just going to go back down"
"No, it's okay" he said, stopping me in my movement
"No, it's fine. I'll just go"
"This isn't a private property" he said
"Come and sit"
"Then, I'll have my sit" I told him
He replied with a smile
"How's it so far?" he asked
I looked at him
"Huh?"
"This school. How's it?" he emphasized
"Well, school is school"
"That's right" he acknowledged, nodding his head
"What of the music class?" he asked
"I'm starting next week" I replied
"I thought you said we should be comfortable with each other"
"Sorry?"
"You're being formal"
I smiled while facing forward
"Geundae, neo hagsaeny-iya. Maj-a?" but, you're a student. Right? I asked him
"Geureom-yo, naega tto mwoya doelkka?" Of course, what else will I be? he asked with a smile
"Right?"
"It's just that I've never seen you during school"
Sometimes, I look around to see if I could see him, but I've never. I know this is a big school and all, but I should have been able to have seen him at least once
"Geureon geo gatayo" I guess so he said
He turned his body now to face me
"Come to thing of it, we haven't even introduces ourselves" he said
He stood up and brought his hand forward
"Tae Woong. Han Tae Woong, in full"
I also wanted to get up, but, purposely or not, he was standing in a way that I couldn't, so I just connected my hands to his
"Choi Soo Joon" I said with a smile
He smiled back
"Bangawoyo" nice to meet you
"Machangaji" same here I replied
We looked at each other, seriously, before bursting out laughing
We sat back down, silence falling upon us for a while, with me playing with my fingers
"So the music class..." he started
"You're starting next week" he completed
I smiled
"De" yes
"I see" he said nodding his head
I laughed and he joined me
"Which grade are you?" I asked him, looking at him
"Twelve. The same as you"
I leaned back, and squinted my eyes in mock suspicion
"Eotteohge al-a?" how do you know? I asked him
"You look like it" he said
"I look like it?" I repeated
"Yes. I've also seen you around grade 12 classes"
"Geurae? Geureom, wae neoleul bon jeog-i eobso?" is that so? then, how come I've never seen you? I asked
"You were occupied" he said
If any of us were about to talk we didn't
"Bye. Have a great day. Da-eum-eh ddo-bwa" see you later he said with a smile
"Neodo" you too
He chuckled and then we parted
I was walking peacefully before my heart almost left its place
"Did something good happen?" Tae Woong suddenly said from behind me
"Aish, ggam-jja-gi-ya!" you scared me! I told him with my voice raised, but not enough to gather attention
"Aish? I've been sensing it, but you've been acting strange lately" he stated
"This is how I normally am. Wae? What are you going to do about to?" why? I asked him as we entered the class
"Wow" he said shaking his head
"Ji Sung" I called him after a while
He turned around to look at me
"Munjeneun" the thing is... I started
"Mwo? Mwo? Wae? Mwon-de?" what? what? why? what is it? he asked rather too enthusiastic
"Aniya dwae-sseo" no, it's fine I told him
"Mwoya" what is this? he said disappointed then turned his face away
"Mianhae" sorry I told him with a smile
He just shrugged my hand off his shoulder, without turning
I smiled