Finding the Right Words

Chapter 13- How Do You Breathe, Again?

"Are you Choi Minsung? Come in." I complied, going into the office I had visited with Henry days ago, where I'd be taking my Korean language class.

I sat down in front of the desk and looked up at the woman behind it. Korean, very obviously, but also an American. You could always tell when a Korean had lived in the U.S. for a while. I don't really know how to explain it; there was just something different about them.

She leaned towards me, taking me in. "So, your actual name's Melissa, right?"

"Yes..."

"Since this is your Korean class, you'll be going by Minsung. My name is Angie Lee, but you're to call me Lee-Sunsaeng, or Sunsaengnim. I'm not a permanent worker for SM; much like your representative in America, Julia Mayfield, I'm contracted to help you. Aresseo?"

I nodded. "Nae, aresseoyo."

Sunsaeng leaned back in her chair, apparently satisfied that I could answer her in Korean.

"Alright, let's see how much you know. Start with your introduction."

I smiled inwardly, remembering my Spanish-Korean conversation with Kyuhyun. Were it not one of my idols, like him, I probably would've forgotten everything I learned in that conversation, but as it was...

"Annyeonghasseo, je ireumeun Choi Min Sung imnida." 

"And where are you from?"

It went along for a while like that, until my time with Sunsaeng was up and I had to start heading for the public bus to go to school. The entire time I was thanking the heavens for Cho Kyuhyun. There were a few things Sunsaeng asked me that I didn't know, but most of them I at least had an idea of, thanks to him. It was the first time I'd been happy about having that conversation, instead of trying desperately to forget about it. 

Sunsaeng herself didn't seem like too bad of a person. She asked relevant questions, and when I didn't get something, or wasn't certain, she'd encourage me. From what I could tell, she genuinely wanted to help me with my Korean.

I couldn't say the same thing about my high school. Most of the classes were in English, thank God, but my classmates kept looking at me like I was someone absolutely hateful. It was a foreign school, but most of the students were still Korean, with a sprinkling of Westerners. But even the white people were regarding me like I had killed their puppy. It was extremely difficult to concentrate in every single one of my classes, especially considering that i had come in at the middle of the school year. When I sat down in Korean history class, I was maurauded by rubber bands at the back of my head. It took every bit of self-control I had not to jump up and beat the crap out of every single one of them. But I figured that getting kicked out of high school on the first day was not the kind of news my mother wanted to hear from me, nor was it something that would make SM keep me. And Korean classes were much more difficult than my classes at home, so not being able to think was a major problem.

I sat down to lunch at a table by myself, feeling like a complete loner (Oetoriya, oetoriya, daradiridaradu...), and wishing that Min Hee was at school with me. At least that way I'd have an idea why everyone was glaring at me. Back at SM, and in the dorm, I had her to keep my chin up, but here I was by myself. Picking at my rice with my chopsticks, I thought that this was going to be a long year if things continued this way. Maybe if I just try to be friendly...

I glanced over at the table across from me. As I expected, they were all staring at me. I smiled and waved, but sure enough, they all whipped their heads back around as if it was a shame to see me. Great. I'd been the new kid at school once before-- I hadn't lived in the same Wisconsin school all my life-- but I didn't remember it being this bad. I was staring fixedly at my food, trying not to meet anyone's eyes, when I heard a tray being slapped onto my table, and somebody sitting down across from me. Almost afraid to, I looked up.