Jan Di shared a wide-eyed glance with Ga Eul before they returned to staring at the school. Hana High was surrounded by a dense cloud of students that buzzed like a horde of bees. Fighting their way through it would be quite a challenge.
"Make it to the main office, and we'll be all set," Jae Kyung said. Her status as the older sister of the group displayed was plain for all to see as she parted the crowd for the other two. A few people stared, mainly looking at Jae Kyung's fearless figure. Jan Di hadn't felt so anonymous in a long time, and if she was honest with herself she actually had missed it. She smiled at Ga Eul, whose eyes were fascinated with the ordinary and intimidating student body. Not a single person in this school knew who they actually were. Not even the administration had been told.
"...Geum, Chu, Ha. Yes, I have all your schedules for you," the woman said. Her face was smiling but her eyes remained as bland as ever as she handed over the folders. "Classes have already started, so get there as soon as possible."
"Thank you!" Jan Di said, but the woman had returned to playing solitaire on her computer.
"Let's compare our schedules," Ga Eul said as she whipped out the half sheet of paper. Jae Kyung already looked disappointed.
"I'm not going to have any classes with you two... I'm out of your grade," she pouted, carelessly glancing at the sheet. "Ugh, gym first thing."
"We have lunch together," Ga Eul said, smiling.
"Nothing else?" Jan Di leaned closer, examining them. "How did you get a pottery class while I have music? That's not fair." She could imagine relearning how to play a recorder along with twenty other commoners... The three girls exited the office. The hallways were so barren, both population-wise and in terms of decor. The strict schedule and the practical utility of everything in the building meant that the atmosphere was on the other end of the spectrum from the private liberal academy they had been at previously.
"It's a waste of time," Ga Eul agreed. "Speaking of, shouldn't we get to class?"
"Haven't you ever heard of fashionably late," Jae Kyung flipped her hair back. "I think I'm going to look around for a while. Besides, I'm not missing anything in gym." She rolled her eyes.
"I can imagine the headlines already," Jan Di said, a side of her mouth quirked up. "Singer caught wearing ugly sweats- accident or avant-garde?"
"You make everything look good," Ga Eul said, rolling her eyes. "Well, I don't want to show up too late. That'll just be awkward. I'll see you at lunch." Ga Eul walked off quickly, already scanning the door numbers to find hers. Jan Di smiled at her back; Ga Eul sometimes seemed more adventurous than the other two girls put together. Jan Di turned her eyes back to her paper. Of course she had physics first. She sighed, and with a grimace on her face she waved Jae Kyung away and started her search.
"Good Morning!" Jan Di stammered. She had thought it would be a good idea to throw the door open, conveying to her teacher that she was excited. She had to be excited- she had searched everywhere for this reprehensible classroom. Instead of looking glad to see her, the entire classroom was staring at her in shock. Some students were smirking, some looked lost in another dimension with drool lolling out, but they all were obviously wondering what she could possibly be doing there.
"New student?" Jan Di's eyes focused back on the teacher.
"Yes sir! My name is Geum Jan Di."
"Nice to meet ya. Sit down." Jan Di's face fell as the man turned back to the board. She slowly walked down the side of the room, glancing around for a place to sit. A group of girls burst out laughing, covering their mouths with their hands as they whispered to one another. Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Sitting in the second to last row, a girl with hair curled in a cute style and a large pink flower pinned into it was waving her over. She could've sang with relief, and she beamed as she rushed over before the offer was declined.
"You're new around here?" The girl said as Jan Di slid into her seat. Glancing to make sure the teacher wasn't watching them, Jan Di turned to the girl.
"I just moved here," Jan Di said.
"I'm Oh Min Ji," the girl said. She really had a beautiful face, and Jan Di couldn't help but admire how well put together she was. For a commoner, that is. Of course.
"Hey, would ya move out of my way," came a voice from behind her. Jan Di immediately slid her chair over a little bit, turning to apologize. Her apology turned into a snarl as she saw that the guy wasn't paying any attention. His feet were kicked up onto his desk in a very unprofessional manner, and he was throwing wads of paper and spit balls at the boy in front of her, who was flinching like mad. Who did this curly haired guy think he was? Honestly, who put that much effort into their hair? Jan Di rolled her eyes, and gave Min Ji with a look that conveyed her annoyance.
"You should probably just leave that guy alone," the other girl whispered, glancing up to the front of the class. Jan Di opened her mouth to ask another question, but she was cut off. "I'll tell you later. Let's just study now, kay?"
The bell rang. Jan Di didn't register anything, but it seemed that the rest of the student population had been waiting for it. She jumped as everyone leapt to their feet, scurrying out of the classroom as though that would get them to the end of their day quicker.
"What are you doing Jan Di? Are you moving?" Min Ji snapped her out of her reverie.
"What?"
"To next class?"
"Oh... Yeah," Jan Di got up, carrying her notebooks in her hands. She was still unsure as to why everyone was in a rush. She hadn't had such irritating bells at her private school. "So," she began as they left the class. "Are you going to tell me about-" She stopped as she spotted the curly headed offender. A small ring had formed in the middle of the hallway, and in the center he stood (it was actually difficult to miss him because he was a head taller than almost everybody) and in front of him, the quivering boy who had been the victim of spitballs back in that physics class. She glanced at Min Ji, who pursed her lips, neither accepting nor condemning what was about to happen. Jan Di moved closer.
"You have three seconds."
"What? I-" The shorter student was looking around in disbelief, but no one stepped out to help him
"One. Two. Three." Curly head held out his hand, and a boy standing right behind him handed off a half empty bottle of juice. Jan Di watched with dread as the inevitable took place- the crowd waited with bated breath, and Jan Di could tell that they must regularly anticipated this entertainment. She felt sick as she watched the curly head's blank expression as he poured the juice, and the shorter boy trembled like a leaf and didn't take action as his shirt was destroyed. The crowd held until the last drops of juice trickled down the boy's back. As the bottle fell to the floor, another bell rang, and the crowd immediately scattered, rushing to classes. Jan Di glared at the curly haired boy, who turned to his friend and started talking as though this wasn't something to be ashamed of.
"I'm going to be late," Min Ji said. "Sorry! I'll see you at lunch." She rushed off before Jan Di could say goodbye. Commoners certainly had a curious form of school hierarchy. Something about that guy definitely rubbed her the wrong way... She couldn't believe she had just stood there for the whole incident! Next time, she told herself. Next time she would definitely do something about it...
"So, New Girl?" Jan Di looked up. She had been working on a worksheet in her history class. No one had tried to talk to her, and twenty minutes into the class she had decided to just try actually doing homework and see where it went. She was surprised to find that the reading was interesting.
The girl who had spoken was staring at her, waving a hand in front of her face. "Hello? Are you in there?" She turned to her friend and laughed, while Jan Di sat up straighter and frowned at them. There were three girls staring at her, and although she hadn't seen many, Jan Di had watched enough dramas to be able to identify a Queen Bee Trio.
"What do you want?" She said. It came out ruder than she had intended, and the other girl looked taken aback.
"Who do you think you're talking to that way? Do you even know why I am?" The girl threw back her light brown hair, and gave a condescending laugh.
"I have no idea. Maybe you should learn to introduce yourself properly." Jan Di gave the girl her fakest smile. "I'll demonstrate. I'm Geum Jan Di."
"Wow, even your name is ugly," said the one of the other girls. "Jan Di? Like a grass lawn?" Jan Di rolled her eyes. As if she hadn't heard that one before.
"Alright newbie. I'm Ginger," said the first girl.
"Sunny," Said the one to her right. Jan Di didn't miss how practiced the trio said their names, as though they had been together designing this routine for a long while.
"Miranda."
"Together, we're the Jin-Sun-Mi of Hana High, and you'd better not forget it." Jan Di wanted to roll her eyes, but restrained herself. Of course they would self-appoint themselves the Jin-Sun-Mi. How quaint. Being in the world of show biz for two years, Jan Di had come across her fair share of girls like these.
"Okay, Ginger. What do you want from me?"
"We need your worksheet. It's only right that you lend a hand to us, because you never know when you'll need one. That's the way things work around here." Jan Di sighed and passed up her paper. A part of her hoped her answers were wrong so that they would fail the assignment. The trio instantly turned back to the front and began copying the answers.
"This school's full of crazy people," Jan Di muttered, leaning back. "First that crazy curly head guy, and now this..."
Almost as if on cue, the trio swiveled back around.
"You had better not be talking about Gu Joon Pyo," Sunny said, her eyes narrowed in menace. All the girls were glaring, arms crossed. Jan Di was thoroughly bemused.
"Hah?"
"Gu Joon Pyo? The most talented, attractive, and popular guy in this school?"
"So even people like that can be well known," Jan Di said disapprovingly. How could a bully like him be so popular?'
"Since you're new, I'll let you off the hook this one time," Ginger said. "And just so you don't make a mistake, let me tell you about F4 so you have no excuse next time you cross us."
"What? F4?" This was getting too complicated.
"F4 is Hana High's four most gorgeous, popular, and talented males. Everyone wants to either be them or date them. Everyone," Ginger said, emphatic, her hand tapping on the desk to press her point. "And leading them is Gu Joon Pyo. He's the top student, and he makes his own money too. He's striker for our soccer team, and his mother is president of the school board. He can basically do anything he wants," she finished.
"As he should," Miranda chimed in, her eyes glazed over as though imagining the focus of her admiration. Jan Di scoffed.
"Looking up to normal people as gods is just wrong," she muttered.
"We'll see," Ginger said, the happy look on her face from talking about her idols disappearing as she sneered at Jan Di. The bell rang.
"Let's get out of this place," Sunny said, and the three trooped off, but not before dropping Jan Di's paper onto the floor and stepping on it. Jan Di sighed as she kneeled down to pick it up.
"Jan Di?" Min Ji was standing in the hallway, books in arms. "What are you doing down there?"
"Do you know three girls, Ginger, Sunny, and Miranda?" Jan Di asked once they were together out in the hallways. In the dense crowd, Jan Di had to follow Min Ji's tail through the small gaps in students. More than once her toes were stepped on, and it was hot and loud. Min Ji had promised to show Jan Di around the enormous school, especially since they had lunch together.
"Yeah. They've always been popular, mostly because they head the F4 fan club."
"Always?" Jan Di asked. "How long have you been going to school here?"
"I've been with these people since kindergarten," Min Ji said. Jan Di didn't voice it aloud, but she wondered why Min Ji didn't have any other friends hanging about it the girl had been around for that long. She tried to brush the thought away, figuring that she would probably be the same way if Ga Eul hadn't been in her kindergarten class. Speaking of Ga Eul...
"Hey!" Jan Di said excitedly as she spotted the familiar long fine hair and the pink book bag. Ga Eul jumped, her eyes focusing away from whatever she had been staring at. She smiled as Jan Di pulled her out of the way of an oncoming swarm of girls.
"What are you staring at so intently?" Jan Di joked, and didn't expect a response from Ga Eul, who just frowned. "How was class?"
"Fine."
"Who is this?" Min Ji said from Jan Di's left.
"Oh Min Ji, meet my friend Chu Ga Eul," Jan Di said, and the two girls greeted at each other. "Let's get to the lunch room," she continued, throwing an arm around each of them. "I'm starving."
"What is this?" Jan Di held her lunch tray at an arm's length away. The odor inside the lunch room seemed to irritate Jan Di's nostrils with its oily quality. None of the students looked excited to eat what was being served, seeming resigned. Jan Di and Ga Eul had fumbled with the process of getting their food, trying to follow the bored rhythm that Min Ji had in getting her stuff.
"It's better than it looks," Min Ji said cheerfully as Ga Eul and Jan Di shared a look and wrinkled their noses. "The rice is sometimes undercooked, but the soup is usually great." Jan Di supposed she could identify the food, but she still questioned how clean the dish was. "So after we eat, we can do whatever we want before our next classes. Is there anything in particular you would like to-"
"The pool!" Jan Di burst in, nodding in excitement. "The pool."
"Does this school have a swim-Ah!" Ga Eul shouted as she smacked into another student, and the collision was horrific. The careless guy who had run into her had upended her entire lunch tray and glass of juice all over her front. Before she could fully assess the damage, people had started laughing.
"Oh my god," Min Ji said, and at the same time the guy who had knocked into her started to guffaw. Ga Eul looked around and stared in shock at the one responsible as the tables around them erupted into laughter.
"Jan Di," Ga Eul said after a moment.
"Bathroom," Jan Di agreed, and slammed her tray onto the nearest table, pieces of rice flying at the students who couldn't help but laugh at the new girl's misery. Jan Di and Ga Eul flew from the room, and it was only when the doors had closed behind them that Jan Di realized that she didn't even know where the bathroom was.
"I can't believe it," Jan Di burst out, wishing she had some napkins to help her dripping friend. Ga Eul didn't say anything, just kept her mouth in a tight line. Her distress was evident as she took long fast strides away from the cafeteria. Jan Di had to almost jog to keep up with her, and as they rounded another corner-
Wham! Collision two. Ga Eul stumbled back, unable to brace for the second impact, and this time she fell.
"Hey! Watch where you're going," the guy took a step back, tutting as he flicked off the bits of rice that had transferred onto his uniform.
"I-" Ga Eul was about to say something, but stopped as he held out a hand to help her up.
"Rough first day?" He said.
"Yeah... Thanks," She said awkwardly. Jan Di didn't know if she could say something, evaluating the guy. He seemed a little older than them, much taller, and it was obvious he took a lot of pride in combing his hair.
"Have to go," he said as soon as Ga Eul was back on her feet. Jan Di watched him turn around the corner and out of sight.
"Do you know that guy?"
"He's in my pottery class," Ga Eul mumbled. Jan Di's heart went out to her as she saw Ga Eul's desolate expression.
"Aw, cheer up! It's going to be alright. I'll get you cleaned up in no time. Come on," Jan Di dragged Ga Eul down the hallway to where she could see the sign for the bathroom.
"I don't know if I want to go back to class," Ga Eul said as Jan Di washed off the other girl's jacket. She didn't know much about getting clothes clean, but she wasn't stupid. The hand drier would serve well enough to finish the job, and Ga Eul was sponging off her shirt with napkins.
"Well what else do you think you'll do?"
"I don't know," she said sullenly. "Maybe I'll get a cab or take the bus."
"Ga Eul, there are only two more classes left. It's not like-"
"Jan Di, it doesn't make a difference," she sighed heavily. "I'll catch up tomorrow."
"Alright," Jan Di said after a moment. "I'll call you a cab."
"That's alright. I'm going to walk." Walk? Jan Di had offered to spend their emergency budget on her and she'd rather just walk, cold and dirty, all the way back?
"Well, just make sure you get something to eat because you missed lunch."
"I'm really not feeling hungry."
"Ga Eul, what's wrong?" Jan Di asked in concern.
"Don't worry about it," Ga Eul said. She took her damp jacket out of Jan Di's hands and swung it onto her shoulders. Jan Di didn't like the thought of her friend walking home all alone, because people could get hurt even in the middle of the day. Not to mention the fact that her friend seemed more bummed than usual.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
"I've never not been alright, Jan Di." Ga Eul smiled, if only for her friend's sake. "You should get back to Min Ji. Ask about the swim team."
"But-"
"I promise I'll be fine. I'll see you at home, alright?" Ga Eul said sternly. Jan Di nodded, and they shared a careful hug.
"It's just six months," Jan Di said. They shared a look, and then after a moment the absurdity of the statement sunk in and they started laughing. Only six months. Ha.
After finding Min Ji again, telling her about Ga Eul's decision to go home, and asking her about the swim team (Which they did in fact have- try outs would be in a few weeks), Jan Di made her way to music class.
Music. As someone who excelled at most forms of music, especially singing, it likely would be redundant anyways. She had even written a few of the songs that her group had performed, including their first hit. Nonetheless, opening the door to the music room was a relief. It was familiar. She was in her element.
She sat down on her own, a little early to class. She took out her phone and started fiddling with it. Of course it was a top brand, and it had many preloaded features. She just didn't know how to work it! Trying to figure out how to add contacts had been a nightmare, and this morning when Ga Eul had tried to explain how to install emojis Jan Di had given up completely. At least she could access the camera.
"If Mr. Han finds out that you've got your cell phone out, you'll definitely get written up," said a voice. Jan Di jumped, and lowered her phone. A tall girl with her hair in a low ponytail was standing over her. She smiled.
"Thanks for the warning," Jan Di said, putting it away. Didn't students always have their phones in school? That's what the movies said...
"Mind if I sit here?" the girl said. Before Jan Di could say yes, she took the opposite seat anyways. "You play any instruments?"
"Yeah, a few." Well, that was an understatement.
"And what's your name?"
"Geum Jan Di."
"Nice to meet you. You remind me of someone I've seen before." She looked puzzled for a moment, before brushing the look off. "I'm Cha Eun-jae. It's nice to see some new faces around here. People get so predictable sometimes. Let me know if anyone is bothering you, alright?" She smiled again before beginning to pull out her folder and book from her bag. Jan Di couldn't help but like Cha Eun-jae.
After Mr. Han entered and took attendance, the class all worked on their own. The room was full of noise- some music, some sounding like a cat from the depths of a hell being dragged into a bathtub. Mr. Han circled the room, instructing students on how they can perfect their piece. Jan Di gathered that they were preparing for some type of performance at the end of the semester, which was already halfway over. A winter recital then. Jan Di didn't make an attempt to be seen, content watching everyone doing their best. She evaluated each of the students. Many of them were in their senior year, and likewise many students who were younger and trying their best. Her eyes dropped on two boys in the front. One of them looked familiar... That would be silly. Why would she know anyone here? She looked closer, thinking that the blond hair definitely reminded her of someone she had just seen recently...
Oh! She sat back, shocked. So music store boy was here? What a weird coincidence that they were in the same school and same class. Wouldn't Jae Kyung and Jan Di be surprised to hear this...
"Geum Jan Di, was it?" She was pulled from her thoughts by the brisk voice of Mr. Han. She looked up.
"Yes, sir."
"I'd like you to know that because our class has many freedoms in it, which also means students have a much higher responsibility to keep up with the work. Keep this in mind next time you're staring at a boy daydreaming."
"Sir-" She felt very embarrassed. "I just didn't know what to do yet."
"Of course." He held up his clip board. "I have a wide selection of pieces to choose from. What instrument do you play? What level?"
"What instruments do you have?" She asked slowly. Of course her preferred was the piano, but it looked like someone was already using the only one in the room.
"Do you really have that many talents, Geum?" He scoffed. "Name your instrument."
"I'd love to play piano," she said brightly, trying to ignore the condescending tone the teacher used with her. Her instructors at her private academy had never been negative like this.
"Taken."
"Cello, then," she said.
"Alright, follow me." She walked after him, glancing back at Eun-jae playing her piece on the flute who paused to give her a thumbs-up.
In a cabinet, the cello's case barely fit. Mr. Han pulled it out, carefully placing it on the floor before instructing her to hold it. "And be careful," he added as he moved to the collection of sheet music. "It is school property." Jan Di tapped her foot in annoyance as she watched Mr. Han drop pages everywhere, not bothering to put them back where they belonged. He walked past her, leading her back to the room. She grimaced when she accidentally hit the case on the floor, and Mr. Han shot her a glare.
"Here." He placed the sheet music on a stand. He stood it in the middle of class, and pulled up a chair. "You're going to have to play this before I can give you your assignment. Do you need me to tune it for you?" Jan Di shook her head, and inside she thought about how she could tune her own instruments before she could read. It was a little insulting. Brush it off Jan Di, she told herself, sitting down and extracting the instrument and bow from the case. The body of the cello was dinged up, the back had some graffiti, and the strings could probably do with being replaced. Giving it a test with her fingers, she immediately set to work tuning it up, using the tuning fork inside the case.
"You ready yet? Class is almost over," Mr. Han said.
"Yes sir." The piece he had given her was child's play. One page and very simple. Out of the corners of her eyes, she could see that the majority of the class had stopped what they were doing to watch her. She felt the tingle of nerves in the tips of her fingers. Right, because that makes perfect sense. I can perform in front of crowds of thousands, but not a few commoner teens, she the blond boy and his friend had paused to watch her. Straightening herself, she began.
Nothing went wrong. Her hand was steady, and the notes sung from the instrument that had probably never been touched by professionally trained hands before. The memory of practicing all alone in her room when she was just a little kid for hours on end came to the front of her mind. She remembered dreaming of performing. Crying because she couldn't get the hang of a piece.
A minute later, she finished the last note. She smiled, looking out at the class. Everybody had stopped to listen. A few looked jealous. Jan Di spotted Eun-jae, who started clapping.
"Looks like you're in the wrong school of music," Mr. Han said quietly. "Where did you used to go to school?"
"I-" the bell rang, saving her. Cover story, Jan Di! She quickly packed up the cello, and barely heard Mr. Han tell her he would have her assignment ready tomorrow.
"You're really amazing, Jan Di," Eun-jae said. "I think I know who you remind me of now," the older girl said before joining the crowd out of the classroom. Jan Di smiled, unsure. Could it be that she had just given herself away to the whole class? No, definitely not. But judging by the surprise and twinkle in Eun-jae's eyes, something was definitely up.
Hello everyone! Thank you for reading
Now we have Oh Min Ji, Cha Eun-jae, Sunny, Ginger, Miranda, and some barely named Gu Joon Pyo and F4. What a great day.
I know this chapter might have seemed a little slow, but I just wanted to establish the basic experience of a first day. I'm trying to mix in elements of the show with the three girls while keeping true to their personalities.
That being said, you'll be excited to hear that next chapter will begin with the Great F4 vs Jan Di war. Oh that'll be good.
Thank you so so so very much to everyone who left a comment I love you! Keep telling me what you think :)
Until next week
Laila