Two plus Two Equals Fish [Open]

[Kim Soo Yun]

This was stupid. This was beyond stupid. When did she get so stupid? Tapping her pencil against the side of her head, she could find no revelation to the complicated math problem before her as she sat in the last cubicle in a disturbingly quiet library. She remembered something about axises and what not before her less than perfect Japanese blew up in her face and she was left with several notes in characters she had copied without knowing their meaning.

Frustrated, she threw down her pencil and muttered a string of Korean curses. She had no idea how her brothers had learned the language so quickly. Her jock brother had told her to talk to people more while the bookworm brother had told her to read more. Neither made sense. How can she talk to people when all that came out was broken Japanese and improper idioms? How can she read in a language she didn't understand? After their so-called helpful pieces of information, she was tempted to stick bubble gum and silly putty in their hair while they were sleeping and perhaps exercise her expertise at Sharpie doodling on their faces, but was caught in the act by her mother, always alert to a potential prank being pulled in her household. Soo Yun had already given up trying to explain that the exploding toilet was not her idea. Neither was the high heel in jello in the freezer.

Still she couldn't be angry. Dae Hyun had taken the blame when their father had come home one night and found Young Min's shoe frozen in a block of ice in the freezer, letting Soo Yun escape unscathed while Dae Hyun lost all phone privileges for three months. Yes she really did love her brothers.

Aish... She muttered burying her face in her elbows. She was going to go crazy at this rate.

The library was fairly empty. Finals weren't around the corner and people could afford to slack off. Not Soo Yun. If she brought home another twenty five percent on a math test, her father would probably string her from a tree. She needed help desperately, but ever since her brothers left for college, she had been lacking in the tutor department.

She tackled her notes again. The Japanese characters did not look any more familiar, nor did the equations. This had to be some sick joke. Giving up she tilted her chair backward and observed her surroundings. Nothing interesting and suddenly she was missing the familiar streets of Seoul and her cousin's mumblings while they studied together.

Somebody explain to me this stupid graph... She grumbled doodling the words 'this is stupid' in Korean at the top of her homework.

[Lee Ryong]

Summer seemed to have passed too fast, passed by with constant hours of working, and basketball. There were times when he had been invited to hang out with friends. It was rare for him to actually attend, as his work hours usually conflicted with their planned times. Maybe he should have spent his time on something more productive, though working helped put his wardrobe in preparation for this school year. Of course, that reason only made him feel that he had still been wasting his time.

Currently, Ryong was driving to the library, where he would pick up his required text books for the upcoming year. He had only been driving around 40mph, which resulted in idle thinking. In contrast to several other peoples opinions, Ryong was one of the few who were actually excited about attending school. He was already aware that he had been placed in Class B for this year, due to his poor grades. Perhaps over the school year, he could request a transfer if his grades showed promise. At the least, he'd graduate with high grades.

Snapping back to the present, he looked at the large high school in front of him. Ryong pulled up its driveway, before making his way to the parking lot. From here, he parked the car, looking out the window to see how many others were also here. From the looks of it, there weren't many, but he'd be glad to run into someone familiar. Ryong finally got out of the car, walking into the library.

Once inside, so many memories seemed to flash through his head momentarily. This was where he spent countless hours with friends, trying to catch up on homework and studying last minute. The library had increased their number of books from last year, probably to prepare for the new wave of students.

Ryong walked towards the library counter, giving his information so that they could give him his books. It would take a while, with Ryong looking around while waiting. What seemed to specifically catch his attention, was one girl who seemed obviously frustrated with the papers in front of her. This amused him greatly, letting out a slight laugh under his breathe. Hoping she wouldn't notice, he quickly straightened himself. Looking back to the counter, he saw that the text books had already been placed in front of him and prepared to be taken.

He put them under his arm, walking over to the table where the girl sat. Ryong didn't want to just ignore someone who was in apparent need of help. As he got closer, he'd be able to see what she was working on. Most of it was familiar to him, which meant he'd be able to help her without embarrassing himself.

"Did you need help?"

Ryong asked, smiling towards her if she were to look.

[Kim Soo Yun]

What does it look like? She blurted out. Then flushed crimson when she realized that in her frustration she had spoken in Korean and not Japanese. Sorry. She corrected herself in accented Japanese, bowing slightly. Yes I do need help. I've been here for hours and I can't make sense of the notes I took. She admitted tucking her hair behind her ear with a little more force than necessary.

Out of the corner of her eye, she studied the boy beneath lowered lashes. He had black hair and had in her opinion rather soft features and books tucked beneath his arm. His smile was friendly. Hers more guarded. It wasn't as if she wasn't open to new people and peers, but as she had learned in the few years she had been in Japan, it was difficult to understand the customs completely. She wondered how old he was and what term of address she should use. Oppa? Just his name? What was his name? His name plus -sshi? How should she address him Japanese? Why was everything so confusing?

My name is Soo Yun. Nice to meet you. Are you in class A?...What is your name? She asked, hoping that he understood in spite of her lack of Japanese skills and the fact that her sentences lacked the native slang. She had never seen him before although it wasn't surprising since she had rarely done any school events and her lack of attention in school. She was only in Class A because her grades in Seoul had been good. After her transfer, faced with a language barrier, lack of friends, and an unfamiliar environment, her grades had steadily begun to slip to the point where she wouldn't have been surprised if she would be drop from Class A soon.

Motioning with an arm she asked him to sit in the chair across from her, mentally slapping herself in embarrassment. Splendid Soo Yun, resort to crude sign language. If he didn't think you were a retard before, he definitely does now. She thought.

[Lee Ryong]

The first sentence he had received in reply from her was completely unexpected, even to the point where it had been in another language. The only thing he was able to comprehend, was that she was speaking Korean. One of the languages he should have been able to speak, but never really put in the effort. He simply nodded as she apologized, now in Japanese instead of Korean. From how she was acting, it was obvious that the notes were taking quite a toll on her mood.

As she took a brief observation of him, Ryong raised his watch in front of him to check the time. It didn't really matter to him, as there were no assigned work shifts today, neither did he have anything else planned. From what he had seen on her notes, it was going to take quite a while to explain such complex problems and their solutions. It was difficult for him as well, but judging from her reactions, he probably had a larger grasp on it then she did. His talent for math didn't really show, until he was forced to finish assignments and study by his father, so that he could live up to work in the same profession, which was of course not Ryong's first choice of career.

"I'm Lee Ryong, Class B.""

Ryong ended his introduction with another smile. He didn't want her to think of him as excessively happy, neither did he want her to think that him being in Class B stereotyped his level of intelligence. The second impression wouldn't really bother him as much, as long as he was capable of explaining to her clearly. Though how she spoke Japanese was slightly different from how he usually heard it, it didn't bother him.

It was amusing when she pointed where she wanted him to sit with her hand-motions, but he had already an idea of where he'd like to sit.

"If you don't mind, I think it'd be easier if I sat beside you, Soo Yun."

Since he had a reason, he hoped that would suffice to make it evident he wasn't going to try anything. Instead of waiting for a reply, he had already been pulling out the chair tucked underneath the table beside her. The wood made little sound, as he lifted it up more then usual to avoid making noises. Taking a seat, he would briefly read over her notes and begin explaining to her in easier methods that he had come up with the comprehend the equations.

[Kim Soo Yun]

She was mildly surprised that she chose to sit beside her rather than across from her as she had expected. Then again it made sense for him to sit on the same side as her since he did have to read her notes and she highly doubted that he could read her scrawl upside down.

Nice to meet you and thank you very much. Soo Yun replied warmly, a smile breaking through for the first time.

When he explained the equations they made much more sense than the rapid fire Japanese her teacher had been speaking for the past week. It clicked with her and she found herself grasping the concepts and finding the ability to solve the questions. Grinning broadly at Lee Ryong, her eyes danced at her feeling of triumph. It took much of her self control to stop herself from giving Lee Ryong a tight hug in her jubilation.

Lee Ryong-sshi I think you are the nicest person ever. She said carefully choosing her words and hoping that she had said he was nice and not that he resembled a goat.

Her eyes fell to the this is stupid Hangul words written in obnoxious pink pen at the top of her paper. She had done her homework in pencil, but that one Korean sentence stood out like a fur coat in the middle of a Korean summer. Scratching it out would make the marred spot more obvious. Digging in her messenger bag with one hand, Soo Yun pulled out a small bottle of white out with a blue teddy bear on the label. Curse her obsession with cute things.

Gently dabbing at the spot with the small brush, she checked out the titles of the books Lee Ryong had checked out. They seemed complicated. What are you reading? She asked, closing the white out with a snap. It seems very complicated.

She was curious about him. She had liked him on the spot and with his help she had mastered something she thought she would never understand. Liked him was an understatement. Owed him...perhaps a more accurate term. Enjoyed his company...too early to tell. It seems as if I owe you now. She said smiling. Do you like food? Perhaps I can repay you with something homemade. It was the least she could do. Unless he absolutely hated food and then she'd have to come up with a better idea on how to repay him for helping her.

[Lee Ryong]

My head hurts. Not only had he pushed himself a little further then expected, but some of the equations had stumped him momentarily as well. Each time, he was embarrassed mildly, hoping she didn't take notice. What was expected of Class A was surely a more significant standard, which made him somewhat relieved that he wasn't one of the current students there.

"I'm glad I could help." Ryong said grinning. Her compliment seemed a little weird, but he managed to interpret what she wanted to convey.

Prolonged staring at the equations was repulsive, but some pink words at the top of her papers caught his attention. She seemed to have taken notice as well, taking out her white out. It wasn't the regular case, instead it was one of those cases with pictures of animals on them he had seen around stores before. Really, this girl was something else. Thinking this, he couldn't help but grin as she was erasing the words. Though, her question quickly made him lose the grin, now replaced with a more serious expression.

"It's the textbooks for Class A. Apparently my father wants me to keep up to their standard, even if I'm not in the class." spoke in a more serious tone, as it wasn't really something he enjoyed talking about.

Ryong sighed, looking towards the stack of books. Simply thinking of the hours of studying he would be forced to do already began to make him feel tired. Wanting to get off the subject, he slowly pulled them towards himself, before placing them gently on his lap. He didn't expect her to repay him, as it was simply an act of kindness on his part. What Kim had said next seemed to make him think otherwise. Since she had offered, surely he couldn't have refused?

"Sure, I'll take you wherever you had in mind."

Getting up from his chair, he picked up his books as well. Their conversation would be in silence from the library to the car, unless Kim had something to say to him. Once arrived, he would place the textbooks in the car and get in the drivers seat himself. The seats felt uncomfortably hot, but it was probably due to the sunlight. Before starting the car, he leaned over and opened Kim's passenger door for her from the inside. Once inside, he would begin driving out of the driveway.

"So, tell me about yourself."

[Kim Soo Yun]

I’m sorry if I asked a personal question. She said softly. But I understand what you mean. I too suffer from the side effects of the expectations of the parental units. Without really thinking about her action, she reached out and gently patted him on the arm, offering him a smile.

Slipping her white out back into her bag, she slung the worn dark green bag over her shoulder, letting the multiple colorful pins with random messages on the bag collide with each other sending soft clinking sounds through the quiet library. Pausing, she scribbled the Hangul words Kim bap on the back of her hand. Following him out she wrinkled her nose at the hot sun hitting her skin. It was hot in Japan. Much hotter than in Korea, or perhaps it was because on a day like this she and her friends would have been hidden away in her house making patbingsu rather than trotting out of a library after wasting hours of her life on mathematics.

When he opened the door for her, she was confused. She was expected to go with him? Was this some kind of Japanese tradition she had missed in her friend’s lessons about Japanese culture? She barely knew him except that he was kind enough to spend his time helping her with a hopeless problem. She hesitated, looking at him for some kind of indication of what to do. When she had offered to make him food, she meant that she would bring him something from home the next day after spending a few hours in a kitchen she knew well. Like her own where dropping something or smashing something was perfectly fine as her parents were used to her inherent clumsiness. Something that she had to focus to keep hidden.

Then again, the last time she had offered to make food for a guy in Korea, he had insisted she go home with him so that he could be sure the food was really homemade. She smiled slightly thinking of her memories with Hiro although it quickly turned into a frown at the thought of their parting before she moved.

She stared at Ryong, unsure of how to react, ignoring his question completely, although not on purpose. Where are we going? She asked, still not yet in the car. Do I go with you? What she really meant was are you a psycho that's going to kill me on some highway roadside?