The next day, at 7:30am, Alex appeared through her room, claded in her new school uniform, with a frown on her face and arms folded across her chest, staring hard at her mum who was clearing up the dinning table. Ann stopped on her track when she sighted her in the uniform.
Her Hanlim uniform, though standard issue, seemed to fit her form with an effortless grace. The crisp white blouse and the blazer draped elegantly over her slender frame, the red bow tie accentuating the graceful slope of her neck. The navy blue skirt swayed with each step, the pleats adding a playful flutter that drew the eye down her long, shapely legs.
But it was her face that truly captivated - porcelain skin framed by soft, dark hair that fell in gentle waves. Full lips, painted a subtle pink, curved into a serene, almost mysterious smile.
"Holy Moly." Ann exclaimed dropping the plates carefully on the table. "You look so cute in those." She hauled taking her hand that have became sweaty from nervousness into hers.
"You know mum... I'm nervous." Alex complain, swallowing hard.
"You'll be fine Alex, I promise. Let me go get ready." Ann said in excitement, dashing into her room, while aAlex hung her rucksack on her back, waiting patiently for her mum who arrived shortly with a smile on her face, rushed into the kitchen only to come back with a lunchbox clasped in her hand.
"Seriously mum, what do you prepare." Alex asked with a surprise frown.
"You'll know when you get to school... But for now, we should be on our way." She completed, shoving the unwilling Alex towards the door.
* * *
The taxi pulled over right in front of the school gate. All she did was to stare at the surroundings through the car in anxiety.
The Hanlim Art High School uniform stood out amongst the sea of plain school uniforms that dotted the bustling streets. The girls wore short navy blue skirts that fluttered around their knees as they hurried to class, the pleats adding a touch of whimsy. Their crisp white blouses were adorned with a red bow tie, the bright pop of color a vibrant contrast against the navy. The boys, in their fitted trousers and matching navy blue blazers, looked sharp and studious, their posture conveying a sense of purpose as they walked into the school.
The school crest, an elegant emblem of their artistic ambitions, was proudly displayed on the breast pocket of the blazers. This uniform marked the students of Hanlim as individuals dedicated to honing their creative talents, setting them apart from their more conventional peers.
Ann payed the taxi off as they got down the car, took in her mother's waiting hand with a deep sigh escaping her.
"You'll be fine." Her mum assured while she only nodded in hope.
"You're once again welcome to this prestigious school." The head teacher concluded, exchanging another handshake with her mum.
"Thank you sir." Alex replied while her mum nods.
"Excuse me." He said, accepting a call on his telephone. They watch him speak in language with whoever was on the line. He hung up returning his gaze on them.
"Someone will be here to show you to your classroom." He said scribbling a note in hier file.
"Thank you sir." Ann said, while he nods with a smile.
"Miss Smith." He called referring to Alex who looked up in reply.
"You're part of us now. So I advice not to hesitate in reporting any act of mischief among the students towards you." He cautioned, placing the file on his table.
"I won't sir." She replied in a crooked voice.
Soon enough, the door to his office opened, a woman between her thirties appeared through it. Looks like she's the one to show her to her supposed classroom.
After exchanging pleasantries with the head teacher and her mum, the head teacher returned his gaze to her, saying the word she's not willing to hear.
"Follow her Miss Alex." He said, responding with a nod, she kissed her mum goodbye following the teacher reluctantly.
The teacher halt in front of the 12th grade classroom, pushing the door open, she entered as Alex followed slyly behind her. Immediately the student sighted them, they went quiet with murmurs hanging around. The teacher cleared her throat demanding absolute decorum, which the students offers.
"Good morning students." She started with a greeting.
"Good morning Miss Yun." They replied.
"Will you like to introduce yourself Alex?" Miss Yun asked while she replied with a nod. Facing the students for the first time and trying to overcome her fears, she began.
"Good morning... I'm Alexander Smith, but friends call me Alex for short." She introduced.
"Where are you from?" A guy at about her age asked.
"We migrated from America, I'm new in this district, and I'm hoping to make acquittance." She added.
"Who here is really willing to be her acquittance." A girl asked mockingly among the students, which attracted giggles from them.
"Can we have it quiet please?" Miss Yun demanded while the noise subside. "Miss Smith, take your sit over there, next to her." She directed pointing at a seat beside the girl she saw on the day she arrived to her surprise.
"What the fuck." She muttered beneath her breath as she took her steps carefully to her seat knowing the class attention was on her.
"Follow me Kim Da-Eun." She said, making her way out while the gir that made a sarcastic comment earlier followed behind her throwing her a grave look.
"Hi." She greeted the girl before sitting.
"Your mum chose here? What a coincidence." She said cheerfully.
"Yes, it is." Alex replied, placing a book on the desk.
"What's your name." A guy, accompanied by a group of four friends asked taking turning the seat at her front to face them as he sat.
"Alex." She replied.
"네가 수업시간에 그 발표를 했어." (she made the announcement when you were in class). Her seat mate defended in their language
"I wasn't aware she even came in." He replied, throwing her a glare.
"Whatever." The girl said with a scoff.
"Seriously, you're already a bad influence." One of the guys said, while the rest two chuckles.
"Not as bad as you are." She replied with a frown.
"Well Alex, meet our best basketball player of the year , Lee Kwang!" One of the guys introduce him while the said Lee Kwang extend his hand for a handshake.
"Nice to meet you Uhmmm...Lee..." Alex stuttered taking his hand forgetting his name.
"Kwang." He added. "You can call me Lee for short, the problem here is most of us go with the surname Lee." He said in exasperation.
"He's right, he's not the only Lee she came across since her arrival here."
"The class is a little bit noisy, I can show you around later if you don't mind." He said releasing her hand, his accent just as good as hers.
She nodded. Just in time, Kim Da-Eun burst into the class walking towards her seat as she stopped around hers.
"I don't really know what makes you think Hanlim is the best fro you." She said, disgust clearly in her voice as she walked away not sparing her a look.
"She's always like that." Lee Kang noted, walking back to his seat with his group friends.
Immediately, Mrs. Park came into the class with a book in her hands, while the student stood and bow in greetings.
"You can have your seats." She commanded. "I heard we have a new member of the family." She asked.
"Yes." Some students replied, nudged to stand up by her friend, she did so reluctantly.
"You're welcome Alex." She greeted.
"Thank you Mrs. Park." Alex replied, gaze low.
"Made some friends already?" She asked again which made Da-Eun roll her eyes.
"No. Still getting used to them." She replied while Mrs. Park nodded.
"Have your seat." She commanded as Alex did as she was told.
"Students, submit your phones." She said, pushing a container forward as students troop out to submit the mobiles.
"What's your name?" Alex asked her seat mate when she came to her seat.
"Lee Ja-Young." She said, dropping a note on the desk.
"Don't think I can pronounce that." Alex complained with a smirk.
"Call me Young." She said while she nodded. "Besides, where is your phone?" She asked.
"A dumbass smashed it in the floor at the store yesterday." She said frowning.
Both weren't paying attention to what Mrs. Park was teaching. They only heard her talking to students who came late to school, which made them look up.
"Why are you late Min Jun." Mrs. Park questioned.
"That face, where do I know him." She thought, cracking her brain hard to remember. "Oh... At the store... Looks like his second don't attend this school, good thing for him." She thought, as she suddenly goes, remembering she slapped him.
"Lucky me!... He wouldn't have spared me if he is to be in this class with me." She thought, letting out a sigh of relief.
"I woke up late." He said sounding cold.
"And you?" Mrs Park asked turning to the other guy who was wearing a face mask.
"Nothing." He replied.
"I see." Mrs. Park said staring hard at them. "Have your seats, let's continue the lesson."
"And pull that off your mouth Baek, I have told you about a thousand times that's not part of our uniform." She added which made him halt as he saw Alex, making him furrow his brow.
Taking off his mask slowly, not taking his gaze off her walked over to his seat, followed behind by his friend, left Alex in shock as he revealed his identity.
"Fuck." Alex muttered.
Choi Baek Hyeon, a grade 12 student of Hanlim high school at about 5ft 7.5inches tall, the best basketball player they have as of now. He was well, handsome, different from all others not perhaps in the conventional sense but he had that appearance which could make him stand out in the crowd. He was fair and almost pale white.
Is unfathomable shiny black eyes contrasted exemptionally with his light toned face. His eyes were as deep and expressive, where you could get lost if you stare long enough. Often, you could see a hint of pain in his sparkling eyes, which would disappear as soon as it emerged. Above all was his fme and stature. He was not extremely muscular, with 8 pack abs which you can clearly see through his silk uniform wear.
However he could stand out in a crowd, which was mostly due to his way of carrying himself. Perhaps he was not the kind who had girls swooning over him. But he was simple and innocent. He was perhaps, just one in a million, who has nothing special, but all the same unique.
"That's the real boss of basketball when it comes to our school, their team win the opponent when it comes to our school annual sports competition." Lee Ja-Young whispered.
"What about the other guy." Alex whispered back.
"He's the opponent, and for that, they are enemies."
"Cool... I hit someone of value to the school." She thought. "Did he perhaps recognize me?" She thought as she look back to steal a glance at him.
Minutes later, the bell rang signalling the end of the class.
"I'll be in my office, if you have any questions concerning music." Mrs. Park reminded, making her way out of the class.
"You have a lot to put in place." Lee Ja-Young said as she stood up.
"You're right." Alex replied before hearing excited Lee Kang and his group of friends hurrying out with a basketball clasped in his house.
"Where are they going?" She asked.
"To the basketball court. Wanna see round the school?" Min Jun, Baek Hyeon friend asked.
"Dammit, why did he think of saying a word to me." She thought.
"No..." Alex started.
"I'm showing her already." Lee Ja-Young snapped grabbing Alex hand, as she was forced to stand up.
"Oh..." Min Jun started.
"Come on Min." Baek cutted in hurrying away.
"Okay, see you later." He said waving.
"Yeah." Alex muttered. "Don't he know me again... Or is he just pretending to protect his reputation?" She thought smiling.
"Come on Alex." Lee Ja-Young said.
Grabbing her lunch box, both scampered out of the class.
She showed her around as promised, till they got to the school cafeteria. Everywhere was just as it is in the pictures her mum showed her.
"Everywhere looks cool actually." Alex commended.
"That's Hanlim for you." She replied with a sting of pride, grabbing a seat for both of them.
"What's that in your lunchbox." Ja-Young asked as she stared at her open it.
"I bet I don't know." Alex replied pulling it open, revealing the substance.
"Bibimbap...Who prepared this?" Ja-Young asked sniffing in the aroma... Smells delicious." She commented.
"My mum did and I can't eat this." She said in disgust closing the lunchbox.
"You have to learn it somedays." Ja-Young replied.
"Yes, and I'm trying." Alex frowned in reply.
"Meaning you'll eat this." Ja-Young asked.
"Maybe." She shrugs... "Is that where you grab what to eat?" Alex asked as she sight some group of students in queue in front of the counter waiting patiently for their turn to serve themselves.
"Yeah... I'll get myself something as well." Ja-Young said as she stood, but felt a restraining hand on hers.
"I'll help you get it." Alex pleaded.
"Sure?" She asked in doubt.
"Trust me." Alex replied with confidence looming in her voice.
"Know how to use the chopsticks?" Ja-Young asked again, still in doubt.
"I think so." She replied obviously doubtful.
"Okay then, I'll be waiting." Ja-Young sighed giving her a go ahead sign, watching her went to the counter as she stared at her expectantly.
"Are you sure you can use that?" The chef asked, after minutes of watching her closely struggle with the chopsticks.
"Not really." She confessed.
"여기에 처음 오셨나요?." The chef asked.
"Huh?" She asked furrowing her brow in confusion.
"Aren't you from here?" He asked.
"Obviously... I'm American." She replied.
"I asked if this is your first time here."He repeated the question he asked earlier, taking the chopsticks from her as he scoop the food effortlessly on her tray.
"Others are waiting... You should learn on how to use this more often." He noted, handing her the tray.
"Thank you." She replied in gratitude.
Turning to walk away, the tray of food slide off her hand, landing on someone behind. She gasped, hand across her mouth, muttering the word sorry.
"You're sorry huh?" A familiar voice asked, and to her greatest shock, Baek Hyeon was standing just right in front of her, his blazer not on to prevent his white shirt from being disfigured with the particles of food on it.
"OMG." She cursed beneath her breath.
"What now?" She thought, biting her lower lips in thought, staring low the floor, though felt his gaze all over her. The other students watched from wherever they were, thinking about what will be his next reaction.
"I'm so sorry." She muttered, tray clasped in her hand while her friend rushed over in a hurry.
"She's so sorry." Ja-Young stepped forward in defense, head bowed slightly in apology.
"What's going on here?" Lee Kwang asked approaching them alongside his two friends and teammate.
"What happened to your shirt?" Su-Hyeok asked mockingly.
Grabbing a handkerchief from her blazer, she attempted to wipe it off but felt his restraining hand on her wrist.
"It's fine." He said to her greatest surprise and shock.
"I wasn't really expecting you to scold her... Was I?" Kwang teased, trying to get on his nerves.
"Come on Min." Baek said, not glancing back at them as he moved away. She felt guilty as she watched him walk away.
"Maybe, I was wrong that at the store." She thought as she stared at the tray.