No Other
-Kang-Dae, 9/2
Hey! School starts next week (GEH!), and I know that we won't be able to see each other during the year due to your new school… and town… and country. So I was wondering if you wanted to get together before then… before you leave. I'm really going to miss you! Who's gonna help me with new master plans for school disruption! Who am I gonna spend detention with now! Guess I'll have to find someone new to hang out with now… that's gonna be hard considering my reputation… Hope you take the advantage to see me! - Luna
…..
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Welcome back to Morning Sunshine High! This is principal Mi speaking on this gorgeous September morning. In your home bases, you should have received a list of all the clubs available for you students to join. I hope you take advantage of the choices.
There will be a meeting for all of the freshmen in the cafeteria at 10:15 this morning, all must be present.
Hot meals will not be available to you until next week, so please bring your own lunches and dinners (if you are in a club).
When the first period bell rings, will Luna, you know which one, please come to my office. Thank you.
Have a great first day!
….
There where snickers all throughout Luna's home base.
"Hey Luna," a guy sitting behind her slapped her shoulder, "What did you do? We haven't been in school for half an hour and you're already getting called down to the office? That's hysterical."
Luna stood up and faced the boy, gripping his desk. Luna looked pretty scary. She had mid length straight black hair that brushed over her eyes accompanied by really intense black eyes. She had a chain earring on her left ear, also double piercings on both ears. She didn't wear the skirt, she wore pants and black Champion sneakers, as well and the collared shirt with tie. She had to have the uniform specialized because she would look too much like a guy, so the shirt is more slim fitting, as well as the pants.
"Where you talking to me, shortie?" Luna asked, gritting her teeth. When she stood strait, she was easily 5"9.
The guy who criticized her stood up as well, but was a couple inches shorter. There was laughter from the back of the class.
"Yeah, I was talking to you. You got a problem?" he said, giving her a shove.
"Big mistake. You think you're a tough guy, huh?" she said, raising her voice, as well as her fist. Instead of hitting him with her fist, she kicked him really hard in the stomach. She then gripped her left fist with her right and brought her left elbow down on his head, drawing blood. The guy staggered back, then toppled over into the desks behind him, gasping for air.
Luna smirked. "You shouldn't mess with me." She picked up her chair which as fallen in the 'fight' and put her hands in her pockets. "I think you should take him to the nurse." She said, turning around the group of guys who crowded around the guy who had fallen.
She started for the door when somebody yelled, "Did you beat him up to take your anger out! Is it because Kang-Dae left!" Luna flinched at the name, and her eyes blurred with tears.
"Don't talk about him like you knew him!" She said, turning around. A tear dripped down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. When the people in the room saw the tear, they all ran to their seats, except the group of guys. She turned and ran for the door, and didn't look back.
Luna grabbed her back pack from the hooks outside, and ran for the entrance of the school.
"Luna, where do you think you're going?" said a voice from behind her.
Luna stopped running but kept walking, almost disregarding the voice.
"Do you know who's talking to you?" the voice asked.
"Yes, I do know, Principal. Leave me the hell alone. I didn't do anything!" she yelled, stopping and turning her head.
"I never said you did anything. I said I just wanted to see you in my office." Principal Mi said calmly. Mi was about 32 and had a strong build. He wore 'in-style' glasses and suits. He had mid-length brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a black suite and shirt with a white tie.
"You could've sent a note instead of making the announcement. Did you want to humiliate me on the first day of school!" she asked, raising her voice.
Mi walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. As he did, she started to tear up again. "I just wanted to talk to you about Kang- Dae. I know-"
She cut him off, "I don't want to talk about him. That's it. I've already forgotten." Her voice cracked at the end of the sentence, and she was still dripping.
"I don't think you have. You've always thought of him as a friend, right? But you started to fall in love with him, am I correct?" he asked. Luna stayed silent. This bastard didn't even know a quarter of the story. "You can't really hide it when you're crying." He said, taking out a tissue and trying to hand it to her.
Luna took the tissue and continued to walk, and when she passed a garbage, she tossed it out. "I don't need you to tell me who I love. I know for myself, as well as my heart. Not some stuck up principal who hasn't had a girlfriend since 7th grade." She said, and walked out the doors onto the school steps.
"Where are you going to go?" Mi asked, but she kept on walking down the steps. When she got to the bottom, she sprinted.
When she got far enough from the school, she sat down under a tree, loosened her tie and pulled out her iPod. She stuck the black and white ear buds into her ears and blasted Super Junior Don't Don. She reached into her bag and pulled out a pack of gum and popped a couple pieces of watermelon mango into her mouth. While she chewed, she thought. Why did Mi say "Where are you going to go?" She had a house and parents… What the hell?
After about half an hour, she got up and brushed off her pants. She picked up her bag and slung it over one shoulder and continued to walk. She looked up and saw a pair of butterflies float over her head and she smiled. She passed a garbage and spit out her tasteless gum into it. She reached into her bag and grabbed her iPod out of the pocket. She attempted to change the song but it slipped out of her hands and fell to the ground.
"Dammit…" Luna said under her breath. She picked it up and put the ear buds back into ears. When she heard the song that was playing, she started to cry. The song was Super Junior It's You. That used to be Kang- Dae's favorite song. It was the first song of SuJu that he had played for her. That was the first time he kissed her…
She took a seat on the bench next to the trash can and put her head in her hands, looking at the ground. She didn't change the song; she listened to it and lipped the lyrics.
Oh nan, geu nuga nuga mworaedo naneun sangwan obgado
Geu nuga nuga yokhaedo nomanbarabun dago
Na dashi taeor nandedo ojik noppunirago
(Jakku jakku) shigani heullodo
She loved the translation… it filled her with thousands of emotions at the same time… she was always amazed at how part of a song can do that to you…
Oh when you tell me you love me
When you tell me thousands and millions of times
Even when my heart sets on fire, my dry lips wear out
Even when I'm born again, it's still only you
(Still Still) Even as time goes by
On the ground below her, a small damp spot had formed because of her tears. She lifted her head and wiped them away, wishing she could do the same about the memory of Kang-Dae. She got up from the bench and started to walk away, only to be followed by a squirrel. She removed one ear bud and turned around, to see that the squirrel was on top of her right sneaker. She slowly bent down and put a finger to the small animal's head.
"Hey there, little guy. I don't have anything for you." She said, moving to under his chin. She slid her bag off her shoulder and reached inside. "Oh wait! I think I have something…" she said as she pulled out a zip-lock bag. The contents where a turkey and cheese sandwich on white bread. She opened the bad and ripped off a piece of the bread and held it out for the animal. "Here you go. Take it." She said, offering it with a slight push of her hand. The squirrel grabbed it with his small paws and gnawed on it, making many crumbs. When he finished the piece, he ate the crumbs from her sneaker, and jumped up her pant leg to her shoulder. She started laughing.
"What do you want? More bread?" she asked it, taking another piece from the bag. The animal grabbed it in delight and started to much. "Want to come home with me for a little bit?" she asked the creature, scratching his head. She swore he nodded his head. "Ok then! Let's go home!" she said happily.
When she got to her house, she sighed. The drive way was empty. Of course it was, because she had left before first period. Her house was fairly large, painted with white and light yellow paint. She walked up the paved stairs to the door. She reached into her front pocket and pulled out the keys. She unlocked the door and walked into the air-conditioned house. She kicked off her sneakers and jumped on the couch. She sighed and took off her tie and undid the buttons on her shirt. She reached to her head and brushed the hair out of her eyes. Something brushed her feet; her cat.
"Hey Ilmol, you hungry? Oh… don't eat the squirrel, alright? I'll get you something." Luna said, rising from the couch. She moaned… how much she just wanted to sit there and do nothing. She walked into the kitchen and pulled out a fresh salmon.
"You want this? I know you do." She said, teasing Ilmol (sunset). She was swinging the fish up and down over his head. The cat, attempting to grab it, went on his hind legs and tried to bat it down with its paws. Luna laughed. "I love it when you do that!" she said, scratching his ear. She took the fish over to the sink and washed it, and then she pulled out a knife from the drawer below the sink. She walked over to the counter and placed the salmon on a cutting bored, while Ilmol followed close behind. She slid the knife, with much skill, under the skin of the fish, taking off the inedible parts and throwing it in the trash. She then cut of the head and cut the fish into smaller chunks. "There's gonna be a lot of left over… maybe I'll make something…" Luna actually liked to cook, and she was very good at it to. Most of the time, her mom would be too lazy to cook, so she did it.
Luna reached into the cabinet above her head and grabbed the cat dish. She took five pieces of the salmon and placed them into the dish. She bent down and put the bowl on the floor and watched now her only friend eat. She turned around to see her other furry friend on the counter, attempting to open a box of crackers. Luna smiled and got up.
"You want some? I'm glad you came home with me." she grabbed the box and opened it. She pulled out a couple crackers and placed them on the counter for the squirrel to eat.
"Wait, I have a really good idea." Said as she opened another cabinet. She reached into it and pulled out a plastic bear of honey. She grabbed a cracker from the box and put some honey on it, then gave it to the squirrel. He grabbed it and took a lick of the honey, then munched on the cracker. He continued to do that until the cracker and honey where all gone. When Luna looked over her shoulder, she burst into joyful laughter. The animal had a small beard of cracker crumbs and honey, and he was trying to scrape it off.
She went to get a couple of wet paper towels when the telephone rang. She hated that sound. It was an annoying digital beep… that pierced your brain, that could eventually drive a person insane. She jogged over to the phone, and answered.
PHONE CONVERSTAION
L- Hello?
Voice- Yes, is this Luna?
L- Yes. This is she. Who is this?
M- It's your principal.
L- What do you want. I'm really not in the mood to talk to you right now. I'm going to hang up the phone in two seconds. Tell me what you want and fast.
M- I wanted to ask you a couple questions, look outside.
Luna put the phone on the counter and walked over to the front door. She saw black Mercedes parked in the drive, and a man next to it, waving at her. When she saw who it was, she slammed the door and locked it. She then ran to all of the windows and closed the blinds and locked them. The man was Mi. He was at her house, waving to her as if he was some lost relative or something. She ran back to the phone and said:
L- Why are you in front of my house! I can call the police.
M- Why would you do that? What accusation could you use?
L- I can say you are a stalker, a peto principal who follows his female students home… things like that.
M- I have to talk to you about your mother. Please let me in.
L- My mother? What about her?
M- Let me in and I'll tell you.
Luna couldn't refuse. She went to the door and opened it, only to see Mi standing right there. She let him in and pointed to the couch. He moved over and took a seat, crossing his legs and reclining, almost as if he owned the house.
"What did you want to tell me about my mother?" Luna said, taking the seat across from him. She started at him with a real intensity, and she started to sweat. She heard a scurry and before she could say anything, the squirrel leaped into her arms and took a seat on her shoulder.
"What the hell? Why do you have that… rodent in your house? On you shoulder?" Mi said, sitting up.
"My cat and this animal are my only friends now. Deal with it, because this isn't your house." Luna answered, growing more impatient. "Now, what about my mother?"
"Right. You remember how your mother had tuberculosis three years ago?" Mi asked, reclining again.
"Yeah, well what about it. That was three years ago. This is today." Luna said with even more impatience.
"Well, it's come back, and it's even worse. And the doctors also found a tumor in her head. They say that it is cancerous." Mi said. He has zero sympathy in his voice. None.
"When did they find this out! Why didn't I know before now!" Luna yelled. She got up from her seat and ran to the door. She got her sneakers on, but Mi grabbed her shoulder.
"The doctors found out because this morning when your mother was going to work, she crashed her car." Mi said. "Your mother is at Yang hospital. That's way too far for you to walk. Please, let me take you there."
Luna collapsed in tears. This day really sucked. "Please, get me there fast. Please!" she pleaded.
Luna practically leapt down the stairs into Mi's car. They rode to the hospital in silence, and when they got there, Luna didn't even wait for him to park the car. She jumped out of the car and through the doors. She ran up to the desk and yelled at the woman who was there.
"Where is Misty! Misty Yao! Tell me!" She was streaming tears.
"Um, please give me a second." The woman quickly typed the name into the computer and answered: "Your… mother? She is in the east wing, room 1265."
"Thank you!" Luna yelled over her shoulder. She sprinted down the hallway, past nurses, doctors, and janitors. She made a right turn and rand to the end of the hallway to her mother's room. When she walked in, she saw her mother, like how she had been three years ago; hooked into innumerable machines and IV's left and right. Her mother was on the oxygen, and yet her breathing was still labored. Luna started to tear again. She slowly walked over to her almost lifeless mother and lightly moved her hand over her head.
"Hey mom, it's me, Luna." She said, gripping her hand. Her mother slowly turned her head and looked at her with bloodshot eyes that where halfway closed. She smiled limply
"Hey honey. Guess we won't go bowling tonight, huh?" she said, but she started to go into a hysterical coughing fit. A nurse came into the room and the sound.
"Hello. You must be her daughter. I'm Yuki, your mother's nurse. You should be wearing a mask and gloves, just to keep your germs to yourself, and to keep her germs away from you." The young nurse said. She had light brown wavy hair past her shoulders and dark brown eyes. She had a soft face, and a long body, that made her look like a model.
Luna walked over to the small sink in the corner and pressed the foot pedal and used the foam soap to wash her hands. She then grabbed a couple paper towels and dried her hands. Then Yuki came over and handed her a pair of medical examination gloves.
"If you could come out for a second, I would like to tell you her condition." Yuki said and led Luna out of the room.
"You may need this." Yuki said, handing Luna a tissue, and she nodded.
"I'm sure that Mr. Mi told you, bur your mother tuberculosis has come back. When we found her at the car accident scene, there where multiple tissues with blood on them, and I'm sure that if you went home you would find many more."
"Why didn't she tell me… why!" Luna asked herself, as well as Yuki.
Yuki gripped Luna's shoulder and continued. "We also found a tumor in her head, and it is cancerous, and we started chemo treatment right away. Also, there are multiple IV's for the TB treatment, and we took blood tests to see how advanced and how long she has had it." Yuki lifted Luna's chin and looked her straight in the eyes. " Your mother will pull through. I remember when she was here three years ago. She was a strong woman, and she is a strong woman." Luna pulled away from her gaze and walked back over to her mother.
"Mom, they started the treatment right away. That's why there are so many IV's and things around. I'll be right here if you need me, ok?" She pulled a chair over to her mother's bedside, and gripped her hand.
"Luna, can you give me some water… I'm so thirsty." Her mother asked, in barely a whisper. Luna nodded and got a cup and filled it, and put a straw. She help the straw up to her mother's mouth so she could drink. After she pulled the cup away, her mother started coughing again, but this time, blood dripped from in-between her lips. Luna quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped it from her lips and as best as she could from the sheets.
"I'm so sorry, Luna. I should have told you…" her mother said, a tear dripped from her left eye.
"Hmmm… maybe you should have, huh?" Luna said, tearing her self.
"Umm… Luna, visiting hours are over… I'm really sorry, but you're going to have to leave now." Yuki said, waving her over.
