So, somehow I ended up at Karen Boys High School. (Of course, I cut my hair short.) I think the school's chairman and principal knew my mom and dad very well, so they allowed me to transfer.
As I stepped through the school gate, it was teeming with men. The students leading the way were all men, the kids playing in the playground were all men, and the teachers who apprehended students who broke school rules were all men.
I entered the school, nervous that they'd find out I was a girl. Once inside, I didn't know where the teachers' office was, so I just stood there. Then, a male student approached me. (That made me tense up.)
"Hello! Are you a transfer student?? "
" ... "
"You're speaking informally to me because our name tags are the same color! Are you uncomfortable?
" ... "
"But what is a transfer student doing standing here?? "
" ... "
"Oh, you don't know the way?? Should I show you the way?? "
" ... "
"Are you looking for the teachers' office? Come here. I'll help you!"
What the...? This is the first time I've seen someone who can have a conversation without answering. He just stares blankly at her face without saying a word, but he's talking to himself. But creepily, he guessed exactly what I wanted.
And before I could answer, someone spoke to me and I couldn't answer.
"But you don't talk much, do you?? "
" .., "
"Are you shy?"
" ..blanket, "
"Oh, that could be. I'm Lee Seok-min. And you're... Jomir?"
"That's a strange name. You're not from a foreign country, are you?"
" blanket, "
"Where in the world are you from?? No? You look Korean."
"Are you saying that you can't understand me because I'm a foreigner?"
"Ca, can.. you under.. stand me..?"
" no!! "
"Oh, that's surprising... What, you're speaking Korean!"
"Let me say something too..."
"I'm a native Korean. I'm not shy."
"Oh, really?! Then do you want to eat with me???"
***
Thanks to Lee Seok-min, I was able to find her in the teacher's office. (She ran off somewhere right after I found her.) And I decided to be friends with her. After the paper was cut off, I went up to my assigned classroom with my homeroom teacher.
It was on the 6th floor and the last classroom (Class 11).
'Come on, the clock has rung, what are you all doing? Why don't you sit down?'
'Teacher, who is that guy behind you?'
"I'm a transfer student. Can you introduce yourself?"
"I'm Jomir, and I transferred from Gangwon-do. I won't tell you the name of the region because you wouldn't know it even if I told you."
"And even though I'm from Gangwon-do, I'm also a Seoul native. Please don't ignore me."
"My hobby is drawing and my specialty is... Oh, my best subject is Korean. I'm good at everything, but I'm most confident in Korean and English. If you have any questions, come and ask."
'Are you done?'
"Yes. I said everything I wanted to say."
'Yeah, good job. Um... the seat is...'
Wonwoo, can you raise your hand?
'Teacher, Jeon Won-woo hasn't come yet!'
'Ha... Sunyoung, raise your hand.'
'Go sit behind him.'
' And Wonwoo, come down to the teachers' office right away. '
As soon as the paper was slammed, the teacher left. Then, the kids in my class gathered around me, curious. (I guess curiosity is the same for all transfer students.) Perhaps because they saw me absentminded, that girl, Sunyoung, pulled me out of the classroom.
"I'm Kwon Soon-young."
"I didn't hear you properly earlier. What's your name? Jomirer?"
"... Jomir. Mirya."
"Oh, sorry, sorry. I'll memorize it."
"It doesn't matter. But is Wonwoo always late?"
"You're late once a week. Your partner's name is Jeon Won-woo. I know that in advance."
" thank you. "
"You transferred today, so you don't know any friends, do you? Should I introduce you to my friends?"
"I made a friend today."
"There's a guy named Lee Seok-min who's a little crazy."
"Lee Seok-min?! You became close with him?? He's close with me too."
"It looks like it's going to end soon, so let's go in now."
***
As I entered the classroom and sat down, the bell rang at just the right moment. And then my deskmate was there. His name was Jeon Won-woo. He really looked like a cat. (A sensitive black cat.) He looked so ferocious that I couldn't talk to him easily. My deskmate took something out of his bag (a large black cat doll.) and placed it on the desk instead of his textbook.
"Kwon Soon-young. Why didn't you wake me up?"
"Sorry. But it's class time and you're going to sleep again?"
"That's right. This is transfer student Jo... Mir...? Uh, Jo Mir."
" hi,.. "
" ... are you good at games?"
"Huh..? Oh.. I'm good at active games."
"I can't do that. Oh, I don't know. I'm sleeping. Don't wake me up."
Jeon Won-woo really fell asleep, and the first period teacher, apparently accustomed to Jeon Won-woo's presence, glanced at him a few times, sighed, and continued the lesson. I couldn't help but listen to the class tensely, worried that I might accidentally knock him over and wake him up.
***
As soon as the paper was slammed, Kwon Soon-young took Jeon Won-woo and me (who had been forcibly woken up) into the next class. Unfamiliar and new to everything, I just followed Jeon Won-woo and Kwon Soon-young around nervously.
Kwon Soon-young and Jeon Won-woo (Class 10) saw me hiding behind them and came closer to me.
"What, what!! Who is this?? Why is he so cute?! "
"My name is Jomir and I transferred here today. I brought him here to introduce you to him."Sunyoung
"Transfer student? How tall are you?"
"It should be 164... Why..?"
"Wow.. so cute!!"Min-gyu
"Kim Min-gyu. Be quiet."Wonwoo
"That's not what I'm talking about. You should introduce yourself, you idiots."
"The tall idiot here is Kim Min-gyu, and the short, grumpy guy here is Lee Ji-hoon."Sunyoung
"Hey, Kwon Soon-young. It's almost over. I'm going."Wonwoo
"Mirya, come see me again later!!"Min-gyu
***
I couldn't help but stay nervous until the class ended.
///
Seasoning... seasoning... seasoning... It's already too late to change the name.