Yuri

A smile crept up on Pinkie’s face as she held her hand out to me. “Give me your phone.”

I clutched my chest in fear. “What?”

“Now that I’ve cried and my mascara is running, I can’t just let you leave without having some way to contact you.” Her smile turned devious yet…familiar somehow. “If you were to tell anyone about this, I’d have to get back at you, you know?.”

I thought about it. I had much more to lose than to gain by making her an enemy. Sora was petty, but if I had to give him some credit, he’s never used his power to come after my family outside of school.

Pinkie on the other hand was a different breed. Some of her habits genuinely worried me. I knew that she had a personal clique within the school, and there had been small rumors of bullying associated with them. I was unsure of what to do, but my desire to have more friends won over the logic in my brain.

Testing the waters, I decided to ask, “Do you ever read things like romance?”

Pinkie shook her head as I changed her name in my phone to her nickname. “I don’t. My mind is too preoccupied with my own love life to read about fictional ones. My younger brother on the other hand reads the genre frequently.”

“Really?” He sounded like a cool guy. “What’s his name?”

“There you are, Sis!” A familiar face ran towards us and to his sister. He gave her a quick once-over. “Wow, you look like shit.”

“Yeah, I know.” Pinkie took out some weird black wand from her purse along with some powder and started fixing the makeup around her eyes—

Wait.

His sister!?

“Haru!? She’s your sister!?”

I felt like an idiot.

Seeing them side-by-side, the resemblance was obvious. I’d just never spoken to Pinkie long enough to make the connection.

“Yeah! I swear I told you about her before.” Thinking back, he did sometimes talk to me about her, but he never used her name. Just “Sis.” On top of that, they never interacted with each other when he’d visit our classroom.

I guess there are just some things I can’t understand as an only child.

Before leaving, Pinkie told me, “I may be a bitch, but at least I own it.” Unlike earlier, her smile seemed more genuine. That moment was a short one. “Don’t call me that again unless you’re ready to take responsibility for it.”

“Yes ma’am!” With a smirk that almost resembled Haru’s, “Sis” left in the direction of the front of school with her brother. He looked like he wanted to ask me more about what happened, but he stayed with his sister and her long strides.

She sure walked fast for a such a short girl.

It had been a long day, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a fun one. Sure, there was a little conflict, but I got a new friend out of it. It’s also Friday, so I get to sleep in after studying with Reily tonight. I thought about her on the walk home.

Since the day I got her number, we’d been calling every day to help fix my bad study habits. It was a little awkward at first, but after the first two days, I realized that she was easy to talk to. I could see how she made friends in class so fast.

Last night, she even told me a little bit about her best friend from when she was small.

They’d both been picked on by some of the other girls at their school. Her friend would get in trouble while trying to stop bullies, but because of that, she would get bullied in their place. Clover was one of the bullied kids. She didn’t tell me why she got bullied, but I didn’t press the topic. Either way, they became friends because of that shared experience.

Her friend’s dad then got a better job a few hours away, so she had to move away. I thought the whole thing was sad, but Reily didn’t think of it that way. Her mindset was way more positive than mine.

“Distance makes the heart grow fonder. I haven’t seen her in years, but not seeing her everyday made me appreciate just how much I love her!” She gushed about this girl for hours. From how amazing Reily made her sound, I started wishing I could meet her for myself.

Lost in thought and close to home, I noticed a brunette I’d never seen before. I don’t live in a big neighborhood, but I have an eye for things that are out of place. There was a large, white moving van beside her. She was moving boxes along with a man and a woman. The man was probably her dad, but the woman looked too young to be a mom.

Maybe it was her older sister or something.

Her family went inside their new house, and I watched as she dropped a box and immediately started laughing at herself. The echo of her laugh made me laugh a little bit too. Picking the box back up, she burst into laughter again, likely thinking about what had just happened. I didn’t realize how refreshing it could feel to see someone just enjoying life like that.

She wasn’t too bad looking either. There’s just something so attractive about girls who can smile freely like that. The long hair with bangs look worked well for her too. The bubbly brunette took the box she’d laughed at and disappeared through her door. As she walked inside, my eyes moved against their will, hypnotized by the sway.

What? I can’t help but check!

Of course I didn’t look anywhere else!

Opening the gate in front of my home, I was late in realizing that she was my new neighbor across the street. I think Grandpa had mentioned that once or twice, but my memory is trash. I could’ve introduced myself to that cute girl!

I peeked outside the window to see if she was coming back out, but unfortunately, the person leaving the house this time was the man. He’d come out to drive the truck away.

My initial excitement soon wore off. I probably won’t see too much of her. People around here usually kept to themselves.

Then, her melodic laugh came to mind. The thought of it made me chuckle. If it’s someone who enjoys life the way she seems to, I don’t think I’d mind getting to know her.

Ha.

As if that’d ever happen.

Clover

Today’s the day!

I went over last night to Sarang’s new house to help her finish unpacking.

I can’t believe how cute she looks now!

She hadn’t cut her hair since we last met, so now it flowed along her back. Her bangs on the left side were held back by a small white butterfly hairclip her older sister had bought her before moving back here.

While her dad returned the moving van, I sat in Sarang’s new living room along with her and Chunhwa, her oldest sister who went to college in the city. She’d cut her hair short since the last time I’d seen her, wearing her hair in a bob cut with bangs that partially hid one of her eyes.

Going back to my adorable best friend, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone started crushing on her soon. Our school was in dire need of genuine girls like her, and our class had been loud the day our homeroom teacher announced that she’d be coming.

Any cute friend of mine would never fail to disappoint!

I got up early to walk to her to school. Her new home wasn’t far from her old house, so it wasn’t too hard finding her. Gaagle Maps helped me too, but she doesn’t need to know that. As far as she knows, I used a scouter like the ones in Wish Orb Y.

I blame my older brother’s video games for getting me into that show.

Either way, she knows the route to our school, but she still didn’t wanna risk arriving late. She’d made a few friends at her new school after a great debut and didn’t get bullied. There weren’t any students from our old schools here, but she didn’t wanna take any chances by coming late and seeming like a pushover.

While walking together, a limo drove past us as the entrance to school came into sight. A guy with a head of plum-colored hair could be seen leaving it. A girl with long pink hair followed him out.

“Wait.” I didn’t expect to run into her on the way. “That’s—"

Nari

I got out the limousine with my brother a few blocks away from our school. Behind us on the sidewalk was that girl Clover. She was talking with someone I’d never seen before. The unknown girl had a cute face, but she was nothing compared to me. Think of a child actor that had left showbusiness and grown older.

The mystery girl had a warmness to her, seen especially in the smile plastered on her face. She looked as if she didn’t have a care in the world, and her naivete practically surrounded her like an aura.

She didn’t register as a threat to me, but you could never be too cautious.

Unexpectedly, my brother Haru was the one to make the first move.

“Hey! I haven’t seen you around here before. The name’s Haru!” There he goes again, hunting women he finds attractive. I’d never understand his sick games. “And that’s my sister Nari.”

“I can introduce myself, thank you very much.” I scoffed at him. “As he already said, I’m Jin Nari.”

The realization hit her eyes after my introduction, and I expected her to know her place immediately. To my surprise, she gleefully grabbed my hands. Personal space, much?

“It’s nice to meet you! I didn’t think I’d get to meet someone so famous in my lifetime!” I was practically blinded by that pure statement of hers, but I didn’t necessarily hate it. “I’m Sarang. Lee Sarang.”

I honored her with a smile. “A lovely name. I hope we can get along.”

“Me too!” She smiled brightly at me. If I was going to talk to her more, I’d need to bring shades or something.

The impromptu group we’d created caused a stir when we walked as a unit through the front entrance of Hwangjoga High School. I’ll admit that I rarely come to school with others, but I never expected a response like this. For once, the attention was nice.

With a group like this, maybe even Sora would notice us.

Yuri

I set the wrong alarm last night, so I’d accidentally been one of the first to get to school this morning.

I hate touchscreen phones sometimes. I know my phone said 7 o’clock when I made the alarm last night, but I tend to have more bad luck than an evil villain trying to outsmart a platypus.

Curse you phone alarm!

I could’ve gone back to sleep after seeing the alarm, but my mood was already sour from hearing “Greatest Day In Existence” from that kids show about sponges and some angsty squid.

Arriving a good hour early, I changed into my indoor shoes, immediately running upstairs to my classroom and passing out at my desk.

I had a short dream.

That fine girl with the boxes was there for some reason, and she was laughing next to me. Amazing dream so far! Don’t forget to tip your brain with good sleep folks, or else you won’t get things like this! I didn’t know her, but in the dream, it felt as if I’d known her for a long time. Something about her felt familiar, but I couldn’t tell what it was.The dream shifted. I saw her being pulled left and right by Haru and Sora while yelling my name. She wanted me to save her. The smile I’d seen yesterday was gone, replaced with distressed eyes that pleaded for help. The longer I waited to say something, the longer she had to experience that torture.

I didn’t know her, but I still wanted to help her.

I’d eventually forget this dream, but I wouldn’t forget how it made me feel.

I slowly opened my eyes. The seats around me were all filled in, and our homeroom teacher was right in the middle of saying something. At least I didn’t wake up at the end of a lesson.

“…be sitting next to Mr. Yuri who has finally graced us with his presence.” The class laughed, but my eyes were still blurry from my nap. I’d fallen asleep in my arms, but I angled my head up to see someone standing next to our homeroom teacher. I couldn’t see the face, but from the skirt, I could at least tell that it was a girl.

I must’ve slept through the introductions for Clover’s old friend.

She started walking in my direction. I noticed her wave to Reily before taking the empty seat next to mine. I rubbed my eyes a little bit more. She turned her face to meet mine and my heart practically stopped. I’d seen this girl, but only once before.

Well, twice if you counted my subconscious.

I saw her smile from up close for the first time, noticing now that her right canine was a snaggletooth, making her smile both sweeter and goofier. That little flaw only added to her charm. She tilted her head to the side and smile at me with a giggle I’d heard only days ago.

Did…did she do that on purpose, or is she naturally this cute?

Moving some of her hair behind her ear, she said, “In case you missed it, I’m new here. My name’s Lee Sarang.”

Lee Sarang, huh?

I’d have to remember that.

I know that some people talk about meeting the girl of their dreams, but this is a little too on the nose, even for me. I felt awkward talking to someone I’d slyly checked out days ago, but I put that thought aside for later.

“Heo Yuri.” I said my name and gave her a small nod.

“Yuri.” She repeated my name and I froze, wondering if she would make fun of my feminine name. “Like the second ruler of Goguryeo?”

“Yeah.” I blinked repeatedly in surprise. “Exactly like him.”

She did a little happy dance with her head, grinning from ear to ear. “I knew it! My big sister is in love with Song of the Yellow Bird and used to sing it to help me sleep as a little kid.”

Before we could continue talking, class started.

I couldn’t focus for most of my classes that morning. I kept glancing to my right to peek at her. Reality hadn’t set in for me yet. I didn’t meet too many people who found the real meaning in my name, and of the ones that did, no one thought of it instantly the way she did.

Yuri of Goguryeo, my namesake, was seen in history as a king who gained success through his military conquests and the power he wielded. It was said that of his several wives, he lost his favorite one, Chihui, due to one of his other wives fighting with her because of her Han Chinese heritage.

Chihui, hurt by this, left for her homeland. Yuri of Goguryeo followed her on horseback, asking her to return. She denied his request and left him there alone. Gathering himself, he rested against a tree and saw yellow birds flying throughout the sky. It was then that he wrote the song that’s now known as the Song of the Yellow Bird.

 Orioles fly smoothly

Female and male cuddle close together

Thinking of my loneliness

Whom shall I go with?

I may be bad at history, but I thought it’d be good to at least know where my name came from. It’s almost ironic that I was named after a guy whose love left him like that. However, there’s one stark difference between me and the king.

I wouldn’t have let her go like that. It hurts too much to think about.

Thankfully, that’s just history, and it’s got nothing to do with me.