That Summers Night

A summer night. I thought it was just like the others, but little did I know that I would meet him, “Don’t do it, please”. There on the edge was a boy, he looked about the same age as me, why I thought to myself. What inspired me to speak that day? Why would I? I’m someone who never speaks.

I had learned from a very young age that speaking wasn't an answer. You say something wrong and everyone hates you. Say something right and someone thinks you're a try hard. Speak too loud and fast is annoying. Speaking slow and quiet is tiring. What other choice do I have to make? Never until that one summers day; did I truly use my voice.

I ran forward, wrapping my arms around him, pulling him back with my eyes closed. Strongly holding on to him around his waist. I heard for the first time his voice. His words, “What are you doing?” His voice, strong and fearful as we both fell to the floor.

“What do you mean? I’m not just going to let you fall.” I spoke in a quiet but stern voice, but I think I got my point across.

“I don’t want or need your help, just leave and pretend you never saw me, ok?” He spoke with a shaky voice and looked as if he was ready to leave this place and never look back. I grabbed his scrawny hand that was trembling and walked through the crowd of people staring.

“If you know what’s good for yourself then you should follow me, I don’t want to see someone getting hurt, ok?” Though he towered over me with his height he agreed, shaking his head and following shortly behind me. 

About a minute had passed until we arrived in a part of town where not a lot of people resided. I spotted a park bench and walked towards it at a quickened speed. The boy followed me until we arrived at the old wooden park bench, that I swear has been there for a few decades. We sat down. Both of us were just sitting there, unaware of the storm rushing in from the south. I never got a chance to talk to him since all of the rain and wind distracted me long enough for him to run away. I ran trying to keep up with him, but he was gone before I could even walk 10 feet. I didn’t know where he went, but I knew, somehow, that he would be safe.

A month or so went by until something I had been dreading all summer happened. Tomorrow was the first day of my Junior year of high school. Not only was it a new school year but it was a brand new school for me completely. I’m going to be attending ‘Joongdong High School'. I moved to Seoul during my sophomore year but since I came from Shanghai and since I didn't know much Korean I had to be homeschooled until I could speak Korean fluently. My Korean still isn't perfect, but I know enough to get through living here. I iron my new uniform and start making some Kung Pao chicken for me and my father. He is supposed to get home around 10 so I know that he'll be hungry. About 2 hours later I hear the front door opening. My father walks in stumbling, "Hey, you're an hour late today. The food is cold but I can reheat it for you if you'd like." It isn't until I turn around to help him with his jacket that I notice his face flushed red. I sigh and help my father up to his feet. I help him reach his bed and take off his shoes. “It appears you’ve gotten drunk again eh.” He responds with his snores. I go back to the kitchen and put the leftovers of my food and his uneaten food into a triangular plastic container. “There we go,” I say out loud as I write ‘Todays lunch’ on a bright blue sticky note and place it on the brown paper bag I put his lunch in. I grab 6,000 won for myself and put it in the side pocket of my school bag for tomorrows lunch. I turn to look at the clock above our below the average sized fridge, it read ‘11:30.' Already? I thought to myself. I look down to the fridge and grab the small paper bag I had put my father’s lunch in. I walk to the fridge and grab the cold handle to open it. Inside is a quarter gallon left of milk, a bag of ham, and a 6-pack of beer. I take a deep breath In and put the back on one of the two bare shelves. I quietly close the heavy metal door and walk to my room. Inside are monochrome walls making a small room filled with a twin sized bed and a small dark oak desk with a silver lamp sitting on the left side of it. I close my door and walk towards the desk. I take a seat on the small stool placed in front of the lonely desk and reach for my pencil. I grab my notebook and start writing down my tasks for tomorrow.

1. Make breakfast for me and my dad.

2. Make sure dad doesn’t forget anything he needs for work.

3. Clean up the house before school.

4. After school go to the coffee shop to work.

5. After getting home from work finish all homework and make food for dinner and the next day’s lunch.

I finish writing the date, then close my red notebook. I open my desk drawer and put my notebook away. I get up and turn to my unsettlingly neat bed. I never like the way a neat bed looked. It was always too boring for me. I pull the cover up enough for me to get underneath them and lay down. I reach over to my lamp which had a small dent near the bottom of it from accidentally knocking it off my desk about a year ago and turn off the light. I turn to my side and grab my extra pillow and hug it. Pushing my body into it and nuzzling the top of it until I get into a comfortable position. I slowly begin to fall asleep as I close my eyes and start breathing heavily.

Before I knew it, I was awake in my same old boring room with the monochrome walls and the lonely desk with a sad lamp. I slowly sit up and move the covers off of my body. I put my bare feet on the rough, cold, wooden floor and walk over to the end of my bed to grab my the neatly folded uniform. I place my uniform on my desk and hear my father calling from the kitchen, "Hey Huang, you up yet?" “Yeah, hold on, I need to get dressed.” I reluctantly make my bed and change into a white collared shirt, a blue blazer and slacks, and a yellow tie. My new uniform, for my new school. I open my bedroom door and am surprised by the aroma of something cooking. I turn the corner and see my father making sweet eggrolls and rice. “What’s this?” I ask confused, “I felt bad since I missed your lovely cooking last night, so I decided to make breakfast for today.” I haven’t seen my dad make breakfast in a while so I can't help but smile, "I also wanted to do something nice before your first day of school." I continue to smile and sit down at our dinner table, "Thanks, dad."

 I finish up eating breakfast and remind my dad about his lunch. He heads off to work and I get ready for the city bus to get to school on time. I grab my school bag and walk to the bus stop. The bus arrives around 7:50 which gives me 40 minutes to get to school. It only takes around 25 minutes until I get off the bus. I see the school in the distance, and I start my way there. I see other people wearing the same uniform which makes me feel a little bit better. It's 8:25 when I get to my classroom. I choose to sit in the back left corner near the windows. The bell rings and everyone quickly finds seats after catching up with all of their friends. The teacher walks in and calls roll. When it gets to my name, he calls me up to the front of the classroom. I slowly make my way up to him. He announces me as the new student that comes from China. He asks me to speak but I shake my head. I look up to get a good look at my classmates. My eyes immediately focus on the boy in the back-right corner. Without meaning to I point to him and yell, “It’s you!” I quickly cover my mouth. Everyone is looking at me and then to him and then back to me. I turn towards the teacher and bow, quickly returning to my desk and slump down into my seat. I can’t believe I just did that I think in disbelief looking outside of the windows next to me. I can't focus on anything that the teacher says. A little bit later my focus is back in the classroom after hearing the loud ringing of what I believe is the lunch bell. I sit back up and I reach into my bag that is hanging onto my chair. A sudden shadow covers me, and I look up. It's him, he's standing there staring at me.