Chapter 1
NOTHING EVER SEEMS to change. It’s the same process, over and over again. We work to earn money which places food on the table, then we reproduce and overpopulate the Earth just to continue the cycle all over again.
Esther tugs at her knotted strands in her hair as she looked over herself in the mirror. Same old routine of clothes that she wore to work. Sighing, she pulled out a comb and brushed through the knots, wincing with each passing second.
I’ve voiced my opinion about this but all I got in return from a few friends, was that I needed to stop overthinking about everything. I never felt so interested in living the life I had been given, I thought about suicide numerous times... But I just don’t seem thto havee guts to end it all like that.
Her chestnut brown hair flowed out in natural waves, she stretches her aching arm before her. Grabbing a scrunchie, she pulled it back and tied it in a simple pony tail. Countless locks of her hair still managed to escape but nothing she couldn’t fix with a few brushes of her hand. The television echoed throughout her apartment, just like every other day yet Esther doesn’t seem to pay attention.
Mainly being lost in her morning thoughts. At least with the television on, she doesn’t feel that lonely. Hurrying to the kitchen, she pulled out some leftovers from last night and threw it in the microwave. Unhealthy, indeed, but she had never cared about such things and won’t start either.
Perhaps there’s a reason why I came here, to suffer and ensure this cruel society or merely to figure something out to improve it.
The microwave beeped, calling out to her to announce it was ready. She pulled it out without a second thought and grabbed a spoon from the drawer.
“Ah yes, and what do you think about the crime rate that has dropped down during this Easter holidays compared to the other years?”
Esther munched on her food as she blinked and stared at nothing in particular.
Crime rate, another thing that ruled this world. The poor, the greedy, the ones who take advantage- of course this world had to have those, it’ll be quite boring if they didn’t. After all, social standing is what they strive for.
Tossing the empty dishes in dink, she gobbles down some water and goes to grab her hand bag from the living room.
“It has been recently reported the a few cases of some virus has been going around infecting people. The infected eyes are said to turn white and they begin to crave-”
She had switched the television off, scrambling to get her keys and she left her apartment. The sun was already so high, the blinding light bounced off her brown honey kissed skin. She was foreigner, no kidding, teaching English Literature at Seoul’s Capital University. It has already been two years, all that time which helped her improve her Korean.
She took the 312 bus every morning, it was the only one which had enough seats to actually sit unlike the others where she had to stand. It wasn’t like she had no car which she could use for transport, more like her driver’s license expired a year ago and she never bother renewing it.
Once reaching her destination, Esther made her way to the teachers area where it is and always has been, cramped.
She walked towards her desk, murmuring greetings and exchanging smiles along the way. Sighing, she sat down and began pulling out the necessary forms, worksheets and books she needed for her two lectures today. And as she was doing so, someone appeared next to her.
His eyes brightened whenever he saw her and like all the other days, he gave her his sweet signature smile.
“Good morning, Miss. Martinez,” He leaned against her desk and gave her a wink. “Or should I say, Esther?”
“How about, get-the-fuck-out-of-my-face?”
“Aw,” He placed both his hands on his chest. “That hurts, Esth. I wonder who pissed on your parade this weekend, I mean, other than yourself.”
Min Yoongi. Probably the only person who understands my way of thinking and still decides to stick by me. We met on my first day when I started here. I tried to be polite and get along with everyone but he went to the extent of trying to invite me dinners and such.
You could say, he was the only person who was persistent in trying to form a friendship between us. Compared to the other teachers in this department, we were both the youngest and the others never felt like associating themselves with who they feel were ‘here by contacts’.
And you can only imagine that whenever you get out of school, you’ll be over from all the drama and gossiping of everyone. Even if you try to be by yourself, you’ll become the topic they’ll speak about. Before I was hired, Yoongi tried making friends with the other teachers, who in returned treated him as a small child who still needed nurturing.
Yoongi and I, right now, we don’t care much about our surroundings anymore.
“Did you eat?” Yoongi asked, still relaxing over her desk.
She glared at him from under her eyelashes which only gave him a chill to run up his spine bond in response.
“I’ll take that as a, ′I only had leftovers’. How many times are you going to keep doing that?” Yoongi suddenly places a black packet on Esther’s desk, right on top of her work that had to make her halt. “I brought an extra lunch box just in case you want to either skip lunch or eat those unhealthy food. McDonald’s everyday, ain’t good.”
She reached forward and opened the packet slightly, indeed it was a lunch box wrapped and tied neatly with a maroon coloured cloth. It isn’t the first time she’ll be eating his cooking, either way.
“Gee, thanks Mr. Min-”
Yoongi moves away from her desk, snorting. “Mr. Min she says. It’s honestly hilarious when you call me that at work. Anyway, I see you survived the weekend just well. See ya later!”
Calling him by his first name at work, I was taught that doing such things were impolite. My Korean language teacher stressed so much about manners. Formal and informal way of speaking and addressing others.
The bell had sounded across the building, signalling the start of the next lecture. Esther grabbed her binder and evacuated from the area before the other teachers make things more crowded.
This university was a place that reminded her of the difficulties she faced while applying for the job and the end result of her dedication. Slipping into her designated room, she made her way to the front.
The chatter of the students bounced and echoed in the room, just as any other day. Placing her things down, Esther was ready to start the lesson but it seemed like one particular group hadn’t realized she had walked in, yet.
She cleared her throat, staring at the group leader who held his phone. Other students whisper shouted at them to stop. They dipped their head a bit, as in apologizing to her before scrambling to their seats.
Esther greeted them all, beginning her lecture.
***
It was at the sound of the bell that everyone began to get their things together and head out the door. Esther gives them her final reminder about the up coming assignment before turning her gaze into one of her binders.
Once she was greeted with silence she wrapped her hands around and binder and made her way onto the platform, taking a seat in the front row. She has one more lecture before she could call it a day, and that was exactly what she was working.
Her eyes were focused onto her binder where she underlined important phrases in her green highlighter. Her device begins to let out a short vibration, shaking on the table next to the binder. She picks it up with a raised eyebrow.
Min Yoongi
′You seem so engrossed in what you’re doing.′
Her head suddenly snaps upwards, locking eye contact with the said male who waved his iPhone in the air. She sighed, placing her highlighter on the desk.
“What do you want?”
He rolls his eyes at her attitude. “There she goes again, ruining the perfect romantic moment.”
Her eyebrows knits together as she folds her arms across her chest. “The only romantic thing you’ve ever done was leave me alone at work.”
A snort escapes from Yoongi as he leans against her desk, both palms of his hands bracing against the edges. “Did I ever mention how much of a wet blanket you were?”
“Unfortunately, not enough,” She stated, turning her attention back to her work. “For you always seem to somehow stick around this wet blanket.”
Yoongi threw his head back and laughed, the sound resonating happiness and joy. “If we’re talking about sticking around, a clear reason comes to my head.”
“Hmm,” She hums, not entirely paying attention. “And what is that?”
Yoongi’s tongue swiped across his pink lips, helping to moisturize them as a sudden wave of nervousness washed across his body. “Well-”
“Ahhh!”
His sentence was cut short as a terrified scream erupted from outside. They both make their way towards the huge lecture room’s windows and watched the university’s courtyard.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” A girl exclaimed, sprawled on the grassy ground yet glaring at another female who stood near her.
“Heh,” Yoongi points towards the two girls with his forefinger. “It looks like a fight’s about a break out between those two. What do you think it’s about, this time? Another boy?”
Esther refuses to answers and twirls around on her heels, strolling towards her awaiting work. No matter how much she believed university students were different from highschoolers, she was always proved wrong by such petty acts.
Yoongi didn’t budge from his position by the window, instead he leaned against it. Both his hands resting in the warmth of his pants pocket as he watched the scene play out in front of him.
“What’s your problem?” The fallen female shouts out. “Stop standing still like that! You should apologize!”
Her opponent who stood next to her didn’t respond or move which infuriated the other girl even more. Getting onto her feet, she grasped her arm, pulling her one side.
“Hey, I’m talking t-”
Yoongi began to aggressively choke on his own saliva at what happened next. The silent girl had jumped the other one, stuffing her face into the girl’s chest. Pushing them both to the ground. But that wasn’t that part that led Yoongi to be utterly baffled.
It was the sight of the red substance, which dripped from her mouth and oozed out of the girl’s chest which had left him in an immobilized state.
