Everyone is coming to school one by one. They are entering the school with their friends and group while smiling or talking. But here, only I am alone.
" There is only one thing in common between my dreams and the real world, and that is that I am always alone. " I think in my mind.
I take a deep breath and starts my day like usual.
I sat in my seat and started reading. All the students came to the class one by one. Some are chatting with their friends. They share about their day's, their love life or try to help eachother with study. I also used to be like them. But now— when I have no one, I kinda hate all of this.
The bell rings, Mr. Yoon-seong, our class teacher comes to the class and a new student enters with him. Seeing Mr. Yoon-seong, everyone bow and says good morning to him. Mr. Yoon-seong introduces everyone to the new student at class.
"Good morning students. I have a news for you. Today a new student has transformed in our school. Hope you all treat our new student well. "
Mr. Yoon-seong says this and asks the new student to introduce herself.
"Hello, I'm Yeong-ae. Hope I have a great time with you all." After hearing Yeong-ae's words, everyone in the classroom claps.
"Yeong-ae, go and sit in the seat next to su-jin. Su-jin raise your hand."
As Mr. Yoon-seong says, I raises my hand. Yeong-ae come and sits next to me. Yeong-ae tries to talk to me.
"So, your name is su-jin, right! I hope we will be very good friend. "
Hearing Yeong-ae's words, I just shakes my head before paying attention in class. Yeong-ae started taking classes with great enthusiasm. Seeing her like this makes me feel even colder. I look outside the classroom. The day is bright and shiny. But I feel cold.
"Today a new girl came to my school. Her name is Yeong-ae. She looks very sweet. Yeong-ae is my Bench-mate. Yeong-ae may have high hopes to be friends with me but I know that Yeong-ae will walk away from me like everyone else. " I said in my mind.
___
Class is over. Tiffin period start. That's why everyone is going to eat in the canteen. I was packing my bags while Yeong-ae said addressing me, "Won't you go to the canteen? "
I nodded.
"Then let's go together. "
I look at her, trying to reject her proposal. But seeing her bright smile, I can't. I nodded....
Yeong-ae and I eat together while setting in the canteen. Then se-ra and min-ho came and sat with us. I was frustrated to see them. But don't say anything.
" Yeong-aeeeee, why did you be friend with Su-jin! " Min-ho said.
"Why not? Su-jin is a smart, pretty, beautiful and most importantly a good person. Then why didn't I?"
" Yeong-ae.... You're new to school so you don't know anything. But don't worry, you'll know everything in a few days."
Yeong-ae frowned at Min-ho without understanding anything. Se-ra says to me with a teasing tone, while eating.
" Su-jin, do you want to make Yeong-ae like you? "
"Yeong-ae, I'll tell you something for your own good. Listen, don't spend time with su-jin so much or you'll be friendless like her in the future. Right su-jinnnn! " Min-ho said.
I glares at Min-ho's words. Min-ho angrily says, "Why are you looking at me like that? What are you going to do? Hit me? Come on! Hit me!"
Hearing Min-ho's words, I stood up with a stern look. Min-ho stutters and takes a boxer's position, " Do you really want to fight? Look, I can do boxing. If i punch on your face, you—you will lose consciousness here, I said. "
I laughs at Min-ho's words and says, "Is that so! Will there be a match then?"
"Hey....su-jin! Do you want to fight in front of everyone at school! Shit, su-jin! I didn't expect this from you. "
All the students listen and look at us as Min-ho speaks loudly. I know what she trying to do. I can't control but laugh.Then I address Min-ho with annoyance after realising the hole drama.
" Hey... Min-ho! Stop the drama. Don't think I'll let you go if you come and play in front of me to get everyone's sympathy or attention. And once I get started, you know what's going to happen... So isn't it better for you to sit quietly?"
Min-ho looks at Se-ra, scared by my words. Se-ra motions for Min-ho to sit quietly. Then Min-ho sits quietly.
" And Se-ra, if you have so many problems with me, tell me to tell the principal to arrange something for you...! You know I'm a favorite student of all the teachers in this school. So I have some advantages. Do you want me to use that advantage on you! " I said with a warning.
After that, both of them fall silent. They both take their plates and leave. I sit down and starts eating. Seeing Su-jin's appearance, Yeong-ae gave a thumbs up and said, " wowhhhhh"
We both start eating.
I was leaving the canteen before Yeong-ae for class. Yeong-ae ran up to me and hold my hand.
" Why did you leave me there? You could have waited for me." Yeong-ae said with a little angry expression.
I gently remove her hand.
"Is there any reason for me to wait for you?"
Yeong-ae is a little hurt by my words. Which was clearly evident on her face. Though she doesn't reveal that by saying. I understood, but don't say anything.
Yeong-ae try to smile and says, "You say there is no reason to wait?"
" No, there isn't. "
Hearing my words Yeong-ae's smile is gone.
"I thought we were friends..."
"Yeong-ae"
Yeong-ae stares blankly. I continued after a sigh.
"If you want to keep your school life good, enjoy your time here, it will be better for you to stay away from me. If you stay with me, you will face many problems and may even end up leaving this college. So I say don't come to be friends with me. It is good for you. "
I says this and walk away. Yeong-ae stares blankly at my departure.
__
10 p.m. I finishes my homework and writes down what happened throughout the day in my diary. It's my daily routine. I always likes to write a diary. After finishing writing the diary, I began to read everything written in the diary. That's how I recognised my mistakes and I won't repeat it later.
My mother, Miss Sun-hee, calls me over for dinner.
"Su-jin come quickly. The food is ready."
Hearing mom's call, I goes downstairs to eat.
After su-jin leaves, su-jin's diary opens as the wind blows through the window. Su-jin drew a picture of the dream boy on the diary page. Very well drawn.
Next to the picture is written, "Will you come back to the land of my dreams today? Will you come back to be my companion?"
___
Su-jin wakes up to find herself in the hospital. She doesn't understand what happened to her. After a while the boy comes to see su-jin.
The boy sees su-jin waking up and says, "You're up! that's good. The doctor said You're fine now, nothing happened to you. You were just unconscious. They'll release you now."
"What am I doing here? And what happened to me?"
"You forgot! Last night you were in front of a car. I saved you by pulling your hand like a superhero. You're lucky I was with you. Otherwise you would have had a big accident today...."
The boy continued talking. Su-jin remembers everything after listening to the boy. As far as she remembers, she had an accident with a car on her way home while talking to the boy last night. Then everything went black in front of her. She doesn't remember anything else. su-jin asks the boy,
"You were with me all night?"
"Yes. Or who would be? You know I was so scared when you fainted...."
The boy keeps talking to himself and Su-jin just stares at the boy. After paying the hospital bill, the boy comes out of the hospital with Su-jin. the boy asks, "Are you going home now?"
"yes"
"Do you have any important work?"
"No. Why?"
"Then come with me. I'll take you somewhere."
The boy runs holding Su-jin's hand. He doesn't give Su-jin a chance to say anything. He's afraid if Su-jin won't agree. So he ran without saying anything else and just holding Su-jin's hand. Su-jin gasps after running for a long time.
Su-jin angrily says, "What was the rush? we..."
Su-jin is stunned. The place is very beautiful. A large area on the hill is covered with different kinds of flowers. A gentle breeze cools su-jin's entire body. Su-jin's body shuddered every time this light breeze hit her wet running body. Su-jin takes a deep breath.
There are no pollution in this air. There is only the fragrance of flowers and the smell of sweet wet soil. The boy watches su-jin enjoy herself with blank eyes. He wants to look at Su-jin more than in this environment. When su-jin opened her eyes, the boy quickly averted his eyes.
"So! How's the place?"
"Incredibly beautiful. In a word, wonderful."
"Whenever something good happens to me or I'm in a lot of trouble I come here. To make special times special and ugly moments beautiful."
"Do you read poetry or books?"
"Yes. But how do you know?"
"because of the way you talk"
"Reading books is like a hobby for me. Books reduce stress in my life. "
Su-jin and the boy spend some time sitting there. Then as the sun sets, the boy looks into Su-jin's face and says, "So, did you like my gift?"
"Gift? What gift? I didn't get any gift." Su-jin says a bit surprised.
The boy smiled and said, "You already have it. But don't recognize it. It's all around you. You'll realize it very soon."
I wakes up due to the alarm. As I wakes up, I realizes again that I has been dreaming for so long. I has many questions on my mind but there's no answers. What's the gift? What gift was the boy talking about? Many more such question.