you only live once//park jisung

23

Sunday

"You ready Jina?" Mrs. Kim asked raising her voice at she stood near the door.

"Yeah mom give me 5 minutes"' Jina answered back as she figured out where her shoes were.

"Ok sweetie."

"ya let's go,"  Jina said as she walked down the stairs. 

- 

"Hello Mrs. Kim and Ms. Kim may I see your invite?" The girl wrapped in a formal royal blue suit and skirt politely asked us.

"Sure, here you go, " mum handed her the invite with a smile plastered on her face.

"Please follow me."

"Ohh Heejin its been so long! How have you been?" One of moms friend asked.

"Oh i have been good. I don't think we have met ever since the Annual party in December. How have you been?"

"I am good too. My daughter is too busy studying so she cant make it unfortunately therefore i an on the organising commitee this time. Hi Jina, how are you darling. Its your first time participating inst it?"

"Hello aunty I am doing great! College just started so it doing well. Ya its my first time I hope I am as good as Jih-yo unnie was."

"Of course sweetie. The Kim's especially Jih-yo was amazing at the competition and I am sure you will be too."

"Thank you!" Jina replied as the ladies kissed each others cheeks and headed in the direction of an actual trustworthy friend of moms, Hyoyeon aunty or as I call her yoyo aunty. She is a travel and tourism professor in one of the elite colleges. She was always the carefree fun type while my mom was the reserved quite type. 

"Ahh Jinjinie!! How are you? College is terrible right?"

"Yoyo aunty! I would be much better if you would be my professor in college!"

"I wish I could be! That way I could help cheat in the tests and exams!"

"Ahh that will only happen in my dreams" I replied pouting.

"By the way don't take too much pressure about the competition. these stupid ladies keep on pressuring you to be like Jih-yo but you do you. That is what Jih-yo wanted right?"

"Yup. It's so weird you understand me and unnie so much better then mom"

"My daughter tells me the same thing 'Heji aunty gets my sooo much better they you mom!'. " Hyoyeon imitated her daughter as they turned their heads in sync to look at Jina's mom and Hyoyeon's daughter having a heart to heart talk about how great doctors are probably. 

Jina then narrated all about the incident that took place on the first day of college and got high praise from Hyoyeon.

Jina then went to her cooking counter to prepare as her mom talked to her bestie.

-

"The second position trophy is kind of smaller right mom?"

"Oh its okay. It was your first time. the important part is the time we spent together."

"Andd the blender blasting out all the smoothie." Jina added laughing.

"Ohh-ya so iconic!" Jina's mom exclaimed.

Heejin continued, "I wish we can spend more time like this without fighting."

"Hmm me too. Its just hard for me to communicate with you because i think you dont get me."

"I am really trying too. You wont even tell me about to-do list or Jih-yos last wish for you. Yoy just suddenly changed which doesn't help."

"Fine I will tell you but only if you make sure not to interrupt me.'

"Sure Jina." Heejin said stopping the car on the side of the road.

"Okay so, when unnie was doing chemotherapy and her death was nearing she felt her life was useless. She didn't have many fun memories  or friends because she was always studying to be able to become a doctor like you and dad so she never tried new things or had much fun because she was always pressured to be a great doctor. She spend her time immersed in her books and getting perfect scores and didn't get time to enjoy her childhood. She wanted to make sure I didn't end up like her studying all the time and not living life to the fullest.  So the both of us made a to-do list of fun things i should try to-do to enjoy and have fun teenage memories. So from being a unnie copy and doing and studying like her i changed my whole personality to be opposite of how unnie was so i be more care-free and know that there is much more to life then studying. She said she would be most proud of me for doing that and making the to-do list with me was one of the best memories of her unfairly short life."

tears rolled down Heejin's eyes as she starred at Jina who was quietly looking at her mom as they embraced each other.

"like when i told you i wanted to be an occupational therapist because i like taking care of poeple you told me i should find a more 'respectable' profession. I understand you believe getting a good job and studying is very important but I have dreams and so did unnie. "

"I only said about the respectable profession because you are so smart and have the ability to do a much better job then an occupational therapist only people with average or below average marks do a profession like that."

"STOP BEING SO JUDGEMENTAL! Not everyone wants to leave behind their passion for a job which earns well. I actually have dreams and passion I want to follow. That is why i say you don't get me."

"I am trying to."

"well it isn't working."

-

Monday

"Ok guys I have corrected your test papers. Come and collect them as I say your name roll number wise.

lee Chaeryeong- 30 out of 30

Na Jaemin - 27 out of 30

Lee Jeno- 21 out of 30

Kim Jina- 23 out of 30

Park Jisung- 30 out of 30

.......

Shin Miyeon- 28 out of 30

"Should have stuck to sports." Jeno said sarcastically as he starred at his paper with the red ink corrections. 

"Woah Chenle you got 28 out of 30. Could you tutor me by any chance?" Wonyoung asked with puppy eyes trying to find an excuse to spend more time with him."

"Why would you ask someone who got 28 to tutor you? That is just dumb. Ask Jisung or Chaeryeong who got 30. "

Won young stared at him blood red face as she left embarrassed.

"Nice job Chaeryeong!" Chenle whispered at her as she packed her bag to leave the class.

"Oh umm thanks." Chaeryeong said confused making it sound extremely cute making Chenle feel rejuvenated. 

She expeditiously tip toed out of class as Chenle starred at her only to see her turn off dramatically and look back at him. He got a peculiar feeling of happiness just by her turning her head and looking back at him.

-

"Good job on the test Jisung" , Jina chirped as she entered and sat besides Jisung for their psychology class.

"Thank you. You did good too."

"I guess. Thanks. By the way, what is your english name?

"mine is Andy Park. Why?"

" Well i like giving people nicknames so i am trying to figure one out for you."

"Oh cool. What is yours?"

"Oh mine is McKenna. McKenna Kim."

"Yah that is so much better then mine!" Jisung softly whined.

"No. Yours is so cool too like it rhymes with candy, how cool is that?!"

"Hmm. I never though of that.. That is kind of cool."

"See! Exactly"

-