The Epiphany of Love

My healing Star...

Yul's POV

*Move In day July,2001....

I hate my mom. I hate my dad. Why did they have to get divorced?! I have to leave all my friends and move from the high-class environment to some countryside down 3 hours away from Seoul...

I saw my mom talking to her friend and her daughters. I could clearly see the taller girl with the glasses, but my mom was blocking the shorter one. I guess she's the one my mom is telling me to be friends with. Move mom I cant see how she looks lik... Oh no why is my mom walking towards me? Don't tell me she is going to actually make me introduce myself. I haven't even taken my seat belt off as a means of rebelling against this terrible decision to move. "Come on Yul, unbuckle your seatbelt and introduce yourself" My mom said. I still felt mad about the whole moving thing! "No mom. I will not get off. Take me back to Seoul to live with dad. Why did we have to come all the way here?! I can't even see dad as much now!" I shouted. My mom sternly unbuckled my seatbelt. "YUL!" she shouted and then sighed and calmly said "Yul, honey... I know this is all very hard for you and umma* is really sorry. Truly. Sweetheart, but you know I dont have much friends and I really need Miyoung's moral support. Look honey there's even a friend that's your age over there that is waiting to meet you" I looked over and saw her... I didnt know what got over me but my heart just started thumping... I actually felt nervous looking at her! A girl! A small little girl! I felt nauseous... We made eye contact for some time and I decided to get off and meet her. I actually wanted to meet her... Of course I didn't want to show it, I mean girls had cooties or germs or.. or they were just gross, but.. but... Maybe that's why I feel sick in the stomach. Why am I like this.. better yet, why am I so nervous. I felt like I would let my nervousness show so tried my best to hide it with an angry face. She took her hand out and introduced herself as Byul. "I.. I'm.." I said so faintly I dont think anyone heard me thank goodness. I was going to shake her hand but, I realized my hands were so sweaty. I mean she would think I'm gross or some kind of freak because of my sweaty hands. I couldn't handle this situation so I scowled at my mom and rudely left and went into my new room in my new house. Geez, that was the most awkward and.. and weird.. and nerve wrecking situation ever. Soon after, I looked out the window and saw my mom heading quickly into our house after (What I assume) was her apologizing to Byul. "Yul Hwang! I cannot believe how rude you were out there! All it was was a simple handshake! She was being so nice and friendly! Honey I understand you're angry at me, but don't take it out on other people! Yul, when we go over for dinner tonight, I want you to apologize to Byul, give her flowers AND be NICE to her and her family. Got it kiddo?" Ugh! Mom doesn't understand how nervous I was. I mean.. I didn't mean to be so rude! "Yul Hwang! answer me please" my mom said as she was holding my gameboy, meaning she will take it away if I don't answer her now. "Okay. Fine. whatever." I replied. I could tell she wasn't satisfied with my reply but she also knew it was the best it will get.

That evening..

"Yul Hwang it's 6 p.m." she said as she took a look at me with a disproving face. "I cannot believe you Yul, come on get dressed into something a little nicer please. Remember you said you would be nice?" my mom said while heading to my closet. "Yeah, but that doesnt mean I have to look nice though..." I grumbled while still playing pokemon on my gameboy. "Being nice means looking nicer too. Now hurry up will you?" she said as she picked out clothes for me to wear. We got to their house with a cake in my mom's hand and some flowers mine. Sung, Byul's dad, greeted us and invited us in. "Come on in we have dinner all prepared" he said and my mom handed him the cake "Aw, you shouldn't have, thank you so much for the cake" Sung said. "Oh and the flowers are for Byul because my Yul was quite rude earlier, Sorry." my mom apologized. "Oh that's okay haha, Byul sweetie come down Yul is over for dinner" Sung shouted. Oh gosh, I can feel my hands become sweaty again and got butterflies in my stomach. "Hi Byul, Yul has flowers for you because he feels sorry for what happened earlier. Can you forgive Yul?" My mom said as she nudged me in the ribs. "Uh.. h..hi By.Byull.. um so um my name is Yul and um.. I... um I wanted to apologize for earlier. Uh so I uh I guess these.." Oof I cried as my mom pinched my side. "I mean these ARE for you Byul" I corrected. "Um thanks..Yul" Byul replied. We all went to the dinner table afterwards and ate our meals. "So Haneul, Byul, do you guys know what date you guys are going back to school?" asked Sung. "Yeah dad its August 2nd or something like that" replied Haneul. "You girls realize that's only 2 weeks away right?" added Miyoung. "Byul did you think of some friends that you can introduce Yul to at school?". "Um.. yeah i guess.." Byul said then quickly went back to eating her meal. After that the parents just went on to talk about usual adult stuff and they excused me and Byul to go play. "Look, I know I am supposed to like introduce you and all but just a heads up my friends are mostly girls" Byul said as we went into her room. "Um yeah it's okay" I quickly replied. "You don't say much do you?" she asked. "Um..." I stuttered. "That's okay, I know it's pretty hard moving from Seoul. Tell me about Seoul, how do the kids play over there?" Byul asked as she looked at me with her cute big ey... er what am I thinking! I quickly dismissed my thought and I started explaining about Seoul and what cool stuff I got to do there. "You must miss Seoul. I dont blame ya for being so mad when you were moving in. Tongyeong is no Seoul, but kids have fun here too" she said as she was spinning in her wheelie desk chair. She's not so bad afterall. I mean she forgave me and understood how I felt. From that day foward, I started opening up to her and we played everyday by her secret pond she showed me. We became best friends over the months.