“Alright, here we go. Olivia, you first.”
“What are we playing again?”
“ Who Would You Do. The St. Jihyo’s staff edition.”
The raven-haired eighth grader had honestly zoned out, too busy focusing on the newly orange leaves falling from the massive oak trees outside. Hyejoo doesn’t really feel like herself today, with a ribbon in her tied hair and a dainty gray shirt dress on, in addition to a nearly full face of makeup.
This chilly September morning is this year’s dreaded Picture Day, and Jiwoo had woken up early to make sure her daughter looked extra adorable before leaving the house for her Masterchef filming trip. Outside the building, scattered clusters of parents fix up their kids.
Hyejoo waits in line for pictures with Chaewon, Yeojin, and Yeri in the corridor of the main office building. The line ends at one of the classrooms, which had been cleared out as a temporary photo studio for the day.
“Um…” Hyejoo racks her brain for a name of a staff member she’d “do.” But at the same time, she doesn’t really want to answer as Chaewon looks at her expectantly. Chaewon, with her wavy blonde hair and adorable striped dress. She has to stop herself from staring. “I wouldn’t really... ‘do’ any of the staff,” Hyejoo says.
“Laaaaaame,” Yeojin responds. “Come on. You’re telling me Tiffany isn’t hot?”
“Who is… Tiffany…?” Hyejoo narrows her eyes.
“Ms. Young. Get with it,” Yeojin clarifies.
“Why do you call the teachers by their first names?” Chaewon asks, just as confused as Hyejoo.
“They will be addressed by their government names until they earn my respect. Like, Ms. Wong is Ms. Wong. But Haseul is Haseul,” Yeojin explains.
“She’s… your mother…” Hyejoo says, astonished.
“Hey!” The group is interrupted by a very smiley Choerry, skipping towards them from the end of the baby blue hallway. The girl’s previously all-purple hair now has an ombré to a Starburst pink, probably a last-minute Picture Day decision, although Hyejoo has to admit it does look very nice on her.
“Hey Peppa Pig!” Yeojin greets.
Choerry cheerily settles in front of the group of friends standing against the wall. “You guys all look so nice!” The girl looks at all of them individually with light in her eyes. Choerry is either extremely pure of heart or just a great actress because her impressed expression doesn’t even falter upon seeing Yeojin in an oversized black T-Shirt and a giant gold chain around her neck. “Yeojin what does your shirt say?” Choerry asks with a bubbly smile.
Yeojin moves her arms to reveal the text printed on her shirt in gigantic white letters -
REAL EYES
REALIZE
REAL LIES
“I let my mom pick it out for me,” Yeojin says proudly, nodding her head. “She thought it was really deep.”
“That is very wise,” Choerry says seriously.
“Do you know who said it?” Yeojin tests.
