Ch. 2

Sooyoung didn’t come to school for a day or two.  Lena knew because she looked for the older girl. She could keep watch from a distance, she figured. Scanning the classrooms across the way through the window, she was surprised when the object of her search plopped down in the seat next to her. “Sooyoung-shii!” she exclaimed, a wide smile breaking across her face. Her eyes roved over the other girl for injuries until why she was scanning the lanky girl clicked in her mind. Their light went out. “You’re not supposed to be here,” she said monotonously.

“I didn’t know we had this class together! Hara-ah’s not in this class or even this part of the school! She decided not to do math this year,” Sooyoung enthused. “She’s really bad at math!” 

Lena wince-smiled.

The taller girl noticed. “Well, I guess I shouldn’t say that. Mm, I’m not very good at it either.”

“You shouldn’t be talking to me either.” Lena pursed her lips as more students filed into the room. “I wouldn’t want... you to, uh, fall... again.”

Sooyoung’s smile slipped. “Oh, about that, Hara-ah was just in a bad mood. You don’t have to worry about that. She was just bluffing.” Her smile came back full-force with nothing behind it.

After a long pause, Lena replied, “Well, even so, you shouldn’t talk to me. We wouldn’t want to put her in another bad mood.”

“You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to. I just wanted to say ‘thanks.”’ Sooyoung stood with her head hanging low.

Lena caught her hand. “It’s not that, Sooyoung-shii. I just don’t want you to get hurt...”

“Girls! Class has started!” the teacher reprimanded them.

“Sorry, Park-seonsaengnim,” both mumbled.

“Stay where you are, Sooyoung-ah,” he ordered. “Maybe you’ll actually learn something today.”

Sooyoung’s eyes widened as she sat back down, the barest trace of a blush across her cheeks.

Hey, I’m bored. Are you bored? Why are there English letters in math anyway?

Lena puffed out a breath. She looked at Sooyoung, who had a goofy smile on her face. Lena briefly wished the other girl would always smile like that. Shaking her head, she quickly wrote:

You have nice handwriting. No, I’m not bored. I like math. I just wish Park-seonsaengnim would go faster. And English is everywhere here, isn’t it? It doesn’t need a reason.

Faster? You understand him?!

Yes.

That’s all you have to say? You could have just nodded! Come on, I’m dying here! Pleeeeeeeeeease???

Mr. Park noticed Lena looking down, trying not to laugh. “Turner-ah, would you like to come do the problem on the board, please?”

Under Sooyoung’s worried stare, Lena shook her head mutely.

“Speak up. I can’t hear you.”

“Okay,” she said frankly. “No, thank you, Sir.”

Other kids started snickering.

The teacher’s eyes narrowed. “Now, I’ve been easier on you because you’re new and a foreigner, but you’ve been here long enough. You’re a good student. Come to the board, Turner-ah.”

Lena looked at the problem. Sooyoung whispered an apology, but Lena subtly waved her off. “X=1.67.”

“What?”

“That’s the answer.”

“Come to the board, Turner-ah!”

“Alright.” She took the chalk from his hand and hesitated another second. Then she wrote quickly.

Silence overtook the room until the other students starting sharing whispers and hushed giggles. Both Lena and Mr. Park frowned at them.  

“Be quiet!” he shouted.  

As she sat down, she spoke softly. “Don’t worry, Park-seonsaengnim. I was listening.” Lena offered him a small smile.

“At least someone was.” He sighed dramatically. “I ...brought you up here to show this lot how to do it, that it can be done! Now, as you can all see, I do not have favorites-” He launched into one of his funny self-defensive monologues.  

That was cool, Turner-yah. (Kkkk Seonsaengnim must not know how foreign names work.) Hey, what’s your name anyway? I’m Sooyoung. You can call me Sooyoung!

Oh, really? Thanks for that. I’ve always wanted to call someone by a nickname. My name is Lena. But, let’s not pass notes anymore. Park-seonsaengnim is already upset.

Oh, yeah, you did say my name earlier... At least I let you drop the “shii!”

+

Yeah, I know. He’s telling everyone how he doesn’t have favorites and how you’re his favorite. I’d forgotten about that! Does the man ever make sense? What was he saying last week about the importance of knowing how to use a calculator but also to never ever use one?

Sh!

You wrote that?

Ssh!

Hmph.

--. 

Does that even need a period? Did you even need to write the dashes?!

Ssh!

Hmph.

~*~*~*~

The two girls continued to converse in class all through the next couple of weeks. After the third day, Sooyoung took to bringing Lena fresh cookies to go with her lunch as well.  

Are they good? I made them myself. I wish I could see you eat them. But I always have to eat lunch with... well, you know.

They’re delicious, Sooyoung. You’re a good cook. You really don’t have to bring me these everyday, though.

You don’t like them? :(

? I just said that they’re delicious.

Just as Sooyoung started writing again, Lena snatched the paper back, adding:

Oh yeah! Ssh!

Grr...

--.

Yah!

You know, I’m not scared of Hara-ah, but you...

YAH!

That’s not helping! ...Ma’am!

YAH!!!

Oh, okay. That and the audible growl settled it. Thanks. I’m not scared anymore. All better now.

Hmph.

Ssh!

HMPH!

~*~*~*~

So, how’d you learn Korean so well? You’ve only been here for a few months, right? Where are you from? Somewhere glamorous? New York? LA?

Well, I’ve only been at this school for a couple of months. I’m not actually a foreigner. I’ve lived in Korea all my life.

REALLY?

Yes.

Are your mother and father missionaries or something?

No.

No? That’s it?

Yes.

Aish! So, what do your parents do, then?

I’m Korean.

WHAT? You don’t look Korean!

Neither do you. Are you Filipino or Thai or something?

YAH! I’m full-Korean! I do too look Korean! :(

Was that an insult? Sorry... Aw. Does that mean you were insulting me before, then?

No! You just can’t tell a whole-Korean person that they’re only part! We’re very proud to be Korean! 

Who says I’m not whole-Korean? ...Is there something wrong with only being part-Korean?

No way! You can’t be Are you being serious? ...Maybe I should stop talking writing.

Hey! There’s an idea. Is that a promise? ‘Cuz... Ssh!

You’re mean! :’( <-- Look! A tear!

Oh no, don’t cry. I’m not mean. I just like these theories. Now things are getting interesting!

:| You’re such a nerd! Why are we even friends?

We’re friends?! Yay! This calls for celebration! And cake and balloons... And... ssh!

You totally set me up with that one! I was all excited. You’re mean!

Okay then.

That’s all you have to say?

That’s all you have to ask? You always ask that.

It’s not my fault! You didn’t answer my other questions! I went to the old standby.

How do you even pass this class?

I don’t!

Then, clearly, you need ssh!

No fair.

Hey. Write back.

Talk to me; I’m bored.

Pst. Psssst!

PSSSST!!!!

At least give me my paper back. I won’t have anymore!

Don’t smirk at me!

What’s the problem? Don’t worry! Look around. This isn’t even a class; it’s nap time! 

Come on!  

Come oonnnnn!!!

Oh! You’re writing! Yay!

Wow, you’re writing something long! Are you telling me a story?

,..Is that a Dear John letter?

Are you breaking up with me?

Don’t leave me, Baby, I need you!

You better not let Hara-ah see that.

A great and momentous event has occurred! Riina has written back! Oh, this is the happiest day of my life!

Sooyouuuuuungiiiie, I’m working on something here! And I’m running out of places to hide all your scraps of paper! :(

You're taking notes?! THAT’s what you’ve been writing for so long?! GEEZ! You really know how to let a girl down!

Will you stop? Park-seonsaengnim keeps looking at us. We’re going to get into trouble again.

No, we won’t. After last time, he’s never gonna call on you again!

Okay. But what if he calls on you?

Eek! <:-0

Yup.

Hmph.

Ssh.

--.

“Sooyoung-ah! What are you and Turner-yah working on so hard back there?”

“Told you!” Lena grumbled from the side of her mouth. She deftly slid the latest note up her sleeve as Sooyoung stared at the teacher wide-eyed.

“N-nothing, Sir.”

“Oh, don’t say that. You’ve been working so diligently.” He walked over to them, hand outstretched. “Let me see the fruits of your labor.”  

Lena smirked at her frozen friend, ignoring her silent, desperate plea of, Help me! After a good amount of time had passed, she spoke up. “She just didn’t want to interrupt you, Sir. She was asking me for help.”

“Was she now? Well, let me see then.”

Sooyoung’s eyes widened impossibly. 

The pause drew out. 

Again, Lena waited. “Oh!” she interjected a moment later. “I have the paper, Sir. I wasn’t finished yet. Here it is.”

Sooyoung’s eyes nearly broke the sides of her pretty face.  

On the paper, both she and the teacher saw math problems done step-by-step with little instructions by them. There was even Sooyoung’s handwriting with questions in the margins.

“Well, I’m sure this is all very helpful. Turner-ah, you can now tutor Sooyoung-ah. Finals are coming up and Heaven knows she needs the help. But, not in class. Got it?”

“Yes, Sir,” they both assented. Their eyes met once he walked away. Lena mouthed a “Sorry, I didn’t know he’d insult you like that,” to Sooyoung. 

The taller girl didn’t appear bothered by the teacher’s criticism in the slightest. She shrugged with a silly grin.

“Part of your grade will depend on her passing,” Mr. Park announced once he was back at the front of the room.