*The alarm clock rings furiously, echoing through the room.*
"Chae-won! Wake up! It's time for school!!"
The voice of her mother cuts through the haze of sleep like a sharp knife.
*Chae-won groans and rolls over, her messy hair sticking out like a bird's nest.*
Ugh, that's my mother... always so dramatic this early in the morning. She lets out a heavy sigh and sits up, her eyes still half-shut.
Her room is cluttered-clothes scattered across the floor like fallen leaves. She drags herself to the closet, rummaging through piles of shirts until she finds an oversized green top and a pair of baggy jeans.
"Chae-won! Come downstairs, quick! You only have twelve minutes left before school starts!" her mother yells from the kitchen.
"Twelve minutes?!" Chae-won's eyes widen in shock. That's way less time than she thought!
Panic sets in. She throws on her clothes at lightning speed, grabs her bag, her phone, and headphones, and rushes downstairs.
"Hey! At least eat something!" her mother scolds, hands on her hips.
"I don't have time, eomma!"
Her mother sighs, muttering under her breath before holding out a slice of toast. "At least take this with you..."
Chae-won snatches the toast, bites into it, and runs out the door.
"Bye, honey!" her mother calls.
But by then, Chae-won is already on her bike, pedaling furiously down the street.
Her mother stands at the doorway, shaking her head. "Not even a goodbye from my own daughter... sigh."
________________________
Chae-won's legs burn as she cycles faster, wind whipping through her hair. The sound of the school bell reaches her ears just as she parks her bike.
Thank goodness... I made it in time. She exhales in relief, adjusting her bag strap.
She slips on her headphones, letting the upbeat rhythm of her favorite song wash over her. As she walks through the corridor, the music pulls her into its rhythm. Without realizing it, she starts swaying and dancing to the beat.
*BUMP!*
"Watch where you're going, baka!"
The impact jolts her out of her little bubble.
Standing in front of her is Haru Yamamoto-the principal's son, with his perfectly ironed uniform and that eternal "I'm-better-than-you" expression.
Of course... him.
"And this is Haru Yamamoto," she mutters under her breath. "The know-it-all. Oh, and in case you couldn't tell by his attitude, he's half-Japanese."
Haru narrows his eyes. "Hey, henjin! (Weirdo.) Who are you talking to? And what did you just say?"
Chae-won smirks. "Nobody... nothing. Just thinking about how much of a pabo (idiot) you are."
His jaw tightens. "You'd better take that back-"
"Or what? Gonna run to Daddy and report me?" she teases, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Haru scoffs. "I'll do much worse." He picks up his books with an irritated sigh and stalks off.
He might be the smartest guy in school, but... ugh. His personality is unbearable. Some girls still drool over him just because he's handsome and has perfect grades. Pathetic.
______________________
Lost in thought, Chae-won's phone buzzes. She checks it: a notification from 'user_tpfc6.'
"Hey, let's have another Call of Duty match tonight."
Her lips curl into a smile as she quickly types:
"Sure! Yesterday's match was amazing. I still can't believe we won so easily!"
A thumbs-up emoji pops up in response.
You might be wondering who he is... Well, he's my online friend. And, honestly, his personality is way better than Haru Yamamoto's.
_____________________
The bell rings as Chae-won slips into her classroom. She plops into her seat just as the teacher enters.
"Good morning, students. Today we'll be learning about vectors and 3D geometry," the teacher announces.
Oh, great. Math. My worst nightmare.
"And to make things worse," Chae-won grumbles under her breath, "I have to sit right next to the principal's son every single day. Could this day get any worse?"
"Chae-won, stand up," the teacher calls. "Please answer this question."
Her mind goes blank. "Answe-what?"
She looks around the room, desperate for help. Her classmates look just as confused. Her gaze falls on Haru, who's already staring at her with that 'you're hopeless' expression.
She gives him pleading eyes. He rolls his eyes, annoyed, but eventually leans in and whispers the answer.
"Thanks," she mutters, rushing to the board to write it down.
"Well done, Chae-won. I see you've been paying attention," the teacher says with a satisfied smile.
"Y-yeah..." she laughs nervously, returning to her seat.
She leans closer to Haru and whispers, "Thanks for the help, even though you're such a gae-sae-kki. (jerk)"
Haru scoffs. "I only helped you because I felt pity. Don't think I'll do it again. And start showing me respect like everyone else. I could get you expelled if I wanted."
Chae-won rolls her eyes and doodles on her math notebook.
"Chae-won," the teacher says suddenly, "you'll be partnered with Haru for the project."
"What?! Not with him!" she blurts out.
"Any problem?"
"No problem, teacher..." she mutters through gritted teeth.
Beside her, Haru mutters, "Great. I'm stuck with this tawagoto. (idiot)"
Fantastic. Just fantastic, she thinks bitterly. Now I'll have to cancel my gaming plans with tpfc6. My day just keeps getting worse.
_________________________
The bell rings. As she tries to leave, Haru stops her.
"Come to my house for the project, baka."
Chae-won rolls her eyes. "Fine."
She pulls out her phone, typing to 'user_tpfc6':
"Hey, sorry. I won't be able to play tonight. I have some project work..."
There's no reply yet. She sighs and walks to her next class.
By the time she sits down, her phone buzzes.
"It's fine. I'm busy today too. We can play tomorrow," the reply says.
"Yeah, sure!" she types back, feeling a little better.
_________________________
After school, Chae-won reluctantly walks to Haru's house, already dreading the hours ahead.
• THE END OF CHAPTER 1 •
STAI LEGGENDO
The boy besides me and the one beyond the screen
Storie d'AmoreChae-won's days are filled with school, music, and the occasional clash with Haru Yamamoto-the sharp-tongued, top student who always seems to be around. They couldn't be more different, and yet their paths keep crossing. But when she's at home, head...
