KIM Jojo always dreaded the end of summer holidays. The start of a new school semester which meant no more slacking off, late night hang outs and definitely no more sleep ins. But she slept in, consequentially leading to the misfortune of her waking up to the blaring alarm clock at 7:26.
Her eyeballs nearly popped out in shock at the sight of the bold numbers that appeared on the digital device. School approximately begun by 8:30 sharp, before the gates were to close and classes begun by 9 o'clock. Those who failed to pass the gate before 8:30 were doomed to a ghastly fate of running a three mile track on the school field as morning punishment. She liked running, actually, but just not in her uniform.
To emphasize more on how bad it was for her to be late to HaYan Highschool, she threw her headphones off her head and catapulted out of bed falling to the ground, having a five minute wrestling match with her blanket to free herself from its bondage. She rushed into the bathroom to wash off, deciding that there was no time to waste with a toothbrush and made up her mind to make use of the mouthwash instead. While allowing the chemical to circulate in her mouth she jumped into the shower for a bath, squealing loudly when the cold water touched her skin. She didn't have time to let it warm, apparently.
With her spotless school attendance, God forbid her lateness made her earn the demerits that she'd tried so hard to avoid.
Jojo made quick work of her puffy black hair, struggling to brushing it down to the sides of her face in a way that almost hid her facial features before pulling on her uniform.
It was a Seira fuku. A cropped collared white shirt with navy accents, a red ribbon tie. A navy blue blazer, and a navy blue skirt.
Jojo allowed herself a few seconds of face observation in the mirror, taking a little while to stare at her heterochromic grey and azure eyes which she would have to conceal with brown contacts lenses. Being the child of a Korean man and a part Mexican and American woman both her and her siblings had some unfamiliar traits. Her elder sister and younger twin siblings inherited their mother's atomic red hair, freckles, thin lips and amazing figures but took their Dad's honey brown eyes.
And then there was her. The only child who didn't inherit her mother's hair but got her father's uncontrollably puffy mahogany black hair and a large appetite. She got her mother's overload of freckles, hips and her five foot three height. She'd been discriminated due to some of her non-korean features which was why she hid the true colors of her eyes to try to fit in and live a peaceful life devoid of questions on if she was alien.
Putting on her contacts and glasses, she grabbed her necessities, bag, pulled on her shoes and dashed out of her room. The aroma of her mother's five star breakfast hit her nose when she rushed down the stairs. Sarah, her mother, was at the sink doing the morning dishes while her Dad, Seojoon, sat at the kitchen island having his usual morning cup of creamed coffee and reading the newspaper.
"Mom, Dad, good morning to you both." she greeted dashing towards to place a hasty kiss to Sarah's cheek.
"Morning baby, I assume you slept well." Sarah grinned at her child returning the kiss.
"Yeah I did sleep well, maybe too well. Why didn't anyone wake me up." she questioned giving her father a quick kiss too." Morning Daddy."
" You locked your room door and your headphones must have been in." Sarah chuckled. "You don't expect one of us to climb through your window to wake you up now, do you? "
" That would have been nice actually. " Jojo chuckled filling her water bottle. " Where are the twins?"
"They caught the bus like good honorary students unlike you." Seojoon teased." You'll be late if you stay any longer, you will have to skip breakfast."
Jojo scoffed. "Hell no, I'll take a to go."
There was no such thing as skipping food for Jojo. She wasn't your usual skinny Korean girl either, Jojo was chubby but toned. Thick but toned thighs made possible from running and cycling, busty and a snatched waist she dieted and exercised for.
Sarah snorted, gesturing towards the packed lunch on the dinning table." Have at it, oh and I forgot to mention –"
A sudden loud honk outside cut Sarah off mid sentence. Frowning at the window as Jojo packed her breakfast into her bag she asked." Where you expecting visitors this morning? "
" That must be Ra-im, she called the house line this morning because you weren't picking up your phone. She told me to relay a message that she was going to drive you and Juyeong to school since you three happened to be running late." Sarah explained with a light chuckle." How you three happen to have the same morning routine still discombobulates me. "
" It's the bestie bond, Mom. " Jojo chuckled along with her, draping one hand of her bag on her shoulder." I gotta go, bye guys. "
" Bye sweetie, have a nice day. " Sarah blew her kiss.
" Give me a feedback on you Association Program today, yeah? "Seojoon waved.
" Will do. " Jojo said shutting the front door behind her. Right in front of her house was one of her friends, Ra-im Baek, bright blue convertible.
"Get in hurry!" Ra-im pestered, long slender fingers drumming impatiently on the steering wheel.
"We are already late, now I don't know about you but I do not want to take part in any punishment on the first day of senior year." Her second best friend, Juyeong Cha, whined jumping impatiently on the back seat.
"Okay, okay, sorry." Jojo murmured rushing into the car and closing the door gently when she entered. "Good morning to you two too."
"More like bad morning, I'll die if I run three miles this morning. "Juyeong groaned chewing on a protein bar." I just washed my uniform, I don't want to sweat on it."
Living in America for five years after her birth in New York, Jojo retained a distinct American accent and great understanding of English language. Juyeong's family just happened to be a next door neighbor. They were the only Korean race in the whole of their street and school putting them in the outcast group of nonentity; but it only made them stick together like glue. Eventually, when Jojo and her family moved back to Korea sometime after the birth of her younger siblings,Juyeong and her family followed suit thinking it was the best time to leave for home country.
Juyeong was your mundane Korean girl with chocolate brown hair and eyes. She was on the tall side having gotten her six foot gene from her father, a very toned figure made happen by her interest in swimming.
Juyeong and Jojo met Ra-im in Korea. It was in middle school and Ra-im was the new rich girl which nobody wanted to talk to after judging her book by it's cover as a spoilt child. Juyeong happen to spill her lunch over her and since then the trio hit it off as friends.
Ra-im, too, was obviously on the gorgeous side. Long natural blonde hair, brown eyes hid under blue contacts lens that fit her perfect, fair skin and a killer body. Unlike Jojo, who hardly tried to control her weight judging by how much fat she gets from stuffing her face with junk food everyday. Yes! She was definitely the blob of the group. And she didn't care. Her late fathers work left them the small fortune her mother used to create a successful clothing company. She was quite known, and rich.
"Okay so, am I the only one nervous about our Association Program arrangement today?" Ra-im asked as she hit the accelerator and sped down the street, dead set on probably passing the gate and their disciplinary teacher before the time ran out." We are going to be assigned new partners aren't you both even a little bit antsy this morning?"
Jojo scoffed waving her off." Why would you be antsy when you have me? You know I assure us good partners if not ourselves."
"Right, I forgot." Ra-im chuckled in mirth." Let me guess, you bribed Mr Jang again with a cake made with one of your grandmother's recipes? "
"I didn't bribe him," Jojo defended, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly." it was just a gift with a little coercion as the cherry on top. "
"That's still bribing. " Juyeong frowned.
Jojo rolled her eyes." Whatever, I got us nice partners this year and that's all that truly matters. Ra-im gets to partner with me this year and Juyeong you've got Class President."
"Sol-reong Won?" Juyeong gasped in happiness. " Awe thanks Jojo, she's the best partner I could ever ask for in senior high. She's so nice, and brilliant."
"Yeah let's just hope our Association arrangement goes the way we want it to." Ra-im said worriedly finally parking her car at a designated spot in the school parking lot.
The Association Program is a system created by the director of HaYan Highschool. It is a program that helps the student excel in certain parts that needs assistance. For example, a person who is best at literature but bad at Physics gets to be partnered up with a person who is bad at literature but good at Physics, or a person who is terrible at sports gets to be partnered up with someone good at sports.. The point of the program is to ensure that that those who don't excel in some subjects or activities are afflicted with someone who would make an impact in there studies and help to improve on each other. Your associate is chosen for the whole term but will be changed in the next, your partner is also chosen within your class. Associates, also, must participate in every school activities in need of a two person team together.
Not everyone ended up being paired with people who liked them, some unlucky ones paira with someone dumb, the worst is being paired up with a possible delinquent, a bully. Jojo and her friends just didn't want to be associated with someone that ended up despising them for the whole term making it harder for command improvement.
"Okay, let's make a run for it." Ra-im said as she switched off her ignition and jumped out of the car with her pink bag draped tightly on her shoulders. Both Juyeong and Jojo following suit." We have less than seven minutes to get past Mr Lee at the gate."
Mr Lee was their disciplinary teacher as well as the gym and physical education teacher of their class. He was an amazingly ripped six feet six man with short black hair and eyes .His bulging muscles definitely did his poor tight shirts no justice. He was the definition of the famed martial artist, Bruce Lee. Even his name was Bruce Lee. And he was Chinese too.
The bestfriends always got along with their second favorite teacher, and they were his favourite students too. However being favorites didn't land them VIP tickets to the punishment pardons, which was why they all ran for their lives dashing past all the other people also making haste to run past Mr Lee before the time ran out.
They dashed through the huge double entry doors into their enormous rectangular shape seven story school. HaYan Highschool was one of the biggest currently in Seoul city considering the total of twenty seven huge classes on each floor. Each floor possessed double of every scientific laboratory, art, music, home economics, computer,carpentry, food and nutrition classes but a triple of dance classes and one cafeteria. First floor also possessed dozens of classrooms for the several club activities the school offered, meeting rooms for school council meetings and offices for higher ups. In the wide center of the rectangular school was a glass dome used for assemblies. All sport courts had a separate two story building connected to the back of the main school building with a fields for athletics and track events at both sides.
As the three friends were about to catch the elevator ride to their Class B-1 on the sixth floor, they were stopped by their homeroom teacher.
"Mr Jang?" Ra-im was the first to speak bowing respectively in greeting.
"Good morning, Mr Jang." Juyeong and Jojo choruse showing their respect by bowing too. "Can we help you with something? We have only fifteen minutes left to get to class."
" Right, I know but I need you attentions for a minute. " He nodded placing his plan flat on Jojo's back and pushing her away from the elevator, gesturing her friends to move too.
" Alright, what's up Mr Jang? "Juyeong skilled with a smile looking at their six foot five teacher. Jojo envious the way both Ra-im and her didn't have to crane their neck up to a near breaking point to look up at him.
Mr Jang for a Korean man in his early thirties was as handsome as someone straight out of a Korean drama. He was fit; the tightness of the blue shirt he had worn against his skin showed how much he worked out. Tall, brown eyes and shoulder length black hair he always tied up in a neat bun.
"I have both good and double bad news." He announced pushing his thin rectangular silver rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose." The good news is that we have an assistant teacher as of today."
Jojo blinked, Juyeong blinked, Ra-im blinked.
Mr Jang blinked back.
"Oh?" Ra-im finally said cutting off the silence growing between the group." Um... That's great?"
"I guess." Juyeong shrugged innocently.
Mr Jang frowned, some students who had found out earlier had seemed excited to meet a new face." You all don't sound so excited."
Are we meant to be? Jojo thought.
"What's the bad news." Ra-im rushed on. Jojo smirked inwardly knowing well enough that her blond friends both hated surprises and cliff hangers.
" Well you-" Mr Jang begun to say.
"Attention all students!" The voice over the speakers announced loudly to the entire establishment and interrupting Mr Jang." Attention all students and teachers, please report to the assembly hall for today's announcement. Please report to the assembly hall for today's announcement in the next ten minutes. Those who fail to do so will be granted five demerits."
My perfectly spotless demerits track record. Jojo screamed in her head squirming on her feet and trying so hard not to bolt to the assembly ground.
" Don't worry about it kids, "Mr Jang chuckled bitterly." You'll hear the bad news soon anyway, you heard the PA. Scram. "
They didn't spare a moment before bolting for the second time in the morning. Jojo had pity for the non athletic students, and for those who were already on the upper floors in their classes. Eventually they burst through the double doors of the assembly dome just at the nick of time. The hall was already full with teachers and students standing in straight lines according to their classes.
As the three made their way towards their class line, they found new faces of new teachers standing close to the pupit just like the rest.
"I'm seeing some new faces here." Jojo murmured looking around the enormous hall.
"My Jang said we were getting an assistant homeroom teacher." Ra-im echoed. "Maybe the other classes were getting it too?"
"I wonder what this assembly is all about." Juyeong shivered in worry." They don't always end the best."
"Well," Ra-im nodded gesturing towards our director walking on stage." We're about to find out."
"Good morning students of HaYan Highschool. " When the director's voice came on the microphone everyone seized their whispers to listen intently. He adjusted his tie, and beamed brightly at everyone. He was a six foot tall man in his early fifties, still handsome despite the forming wrinkles of old age writ large on his forehead and dark brown hair with streaks of grey. "Welcome to another yet semester."
Everyone burst in an applause as a form of greeting. The director, Jisoo Park was a kind and brilliant man. Although he was strict, everyone still adored and looked up to him. He was a great figure, a role model to everyone. He was like a father to the students.
"I have called this impromptu assembly to make an announcement concerning a new change in the Association program. " He continued on, leaning over the pulpit." The board of directors and I had come to an ultimatum during the summer that all classes will now have an assistant teacher. "
" Secondly, much to my own congeniality to making a change, the board of directors and I had also agreed to a class and homeroom teacher shuffle. Regardless of class and rank. "
A little hell broke lose and whispers filled the hall when the words left his lips. Everyone diverter their attention to speaking among themselves, muttering their disagreement to their crazy decisions. It was definite that that like of Class A-1 students would never want to share a class with a lower rank
"Well this is interesting" Ra-im chuckled crossing her arms around her chest.
"Don't tell me you're enjoying this?" Juyeong revelled staring at incredulously at her.
Ra-im shrugged looking at her with a daring grin"It's kind of impossible not to, especially if it meant I got to see that horrid look on class look on class A-1 faces. "
The Class-A1 line all sported appalling expressions on their faces in reaction to their beloved director decision. Class shuffling also meant homeroom teacher shuffling. Jojo didn't like both, she wanted peace and a floor away from all Class students except for hers and she wanted no other teacher but Mr Jang. He was the only one that truly understood her, being a family friend and all.
"He's gone insane." Jojo conceded not liking the situation at all.
"Decorum!" His voice boomed in the microphone commanding silence. His face contorted in a disappointed frown as he rubbed his forehead. Letting out a sigh, he continued. " There will be no reconciliation on my part to change what stands. My mind is made up and my decision is final. I'm sure you know what that means. I'll begin to announce the shuffle."
"This is a disaster." Juyeong whimpered.
Everyone watched in anticipation as Director Park was handed a few A4 papers by his secretary. Everyone looked ahead, probably annoyed and shocked by this morning announcement. It was irritating to most people.
"All Class F are to shuffle with Class E, All class D are to shuffle with Class C and lastly all Class B are to shuffle with all Class A, according to class numbers."
Juyeong froze. Jojo froze. Ra-im grinned wider.
Class B1 to Class A1... It truly was a disaster.