Chapter Two

"Beep! Beep!! beep!!!" The alarm rang. I managed to open my eyes to check the time.

     "Oh shit... I'm late". I stoop up from the floor surrounded by books about the history of the Ancient Gwangu War.

      My head aches as I had slept on the floor the whole night.

     "Oh, my head". I said drinking a glass of water.

     Any History student of Sterling University would know the consequences of arriving late at history lectures.

      "Mr. Kim", the Professor of History Studies or what the freshmen call him the "Professor of I Don't Take Nonsense",  Is a well-respected professor who is known for his intolerance of coming late to his lectures.

      He doesn't care about the circumstances that might cause you to come late. when you are late, you will not be able to enter his class.

     "And I'm not going to miss that class," I said dressing up quickly.

    "The number that you have dialed is not reachable, please leave a message " my phone voice message.

  "hey, Jennifer!!! Where are you? History lecture is about to start!!..Rose said on the phone.

    " I'm on my way!" I said holding the phone. I ran out of my apartment and headed to the bus stop. I was lucky to catch the bus and soon made it to the campus.

     "I have only 40 minutes before I'm late" I panicked looking at the time.

      There was a girl, who at a very young age admired the way the news reporter would talk on the television. The boldness and confidence that they exhibit in their visuals made her dream of becoming one.

     Her dreams slowly manifested when she first appeared on Springville high school television. During the great student riot that happens during her sophomore year in high school.

     "The students are protesting against the raping and corruption that has been happening in the school premises".

      "Teachers forcefully raping female students in the middle of the night in their dormitories ".

     "This has become a habit of some corrupt teachers and this has to stop!!". " I am Jennifer Willows, reporting live in Springville High, Chicago".

     I was quite popular back in high school as the "Springville reporter", and this name made me get scholarships to universities around the world.

    "A bright Springville high student, Jennifer Willows has gotten scholarships to different universities in the world". " She's very smart and hardworking," The principal said.

   " This school needs students like her," he said.  I was equally liked and hated in my school because being bright, popular, and also cherished by the school wasn't in everybody's favor.

   " hmm, she's not even that smart, yet they praise her as if she's a god". "look at her, a black girl hmm, she isn't even that pretty" some of the students whispered.

   Many might have thought that I might enter some of the top universities that have given me a scholarship, but no one would think that Sterling University would host  "The Springville Reporter".

  I loved watching K-dramas and from the movie, I would admire their beautiful cities, language, and culture and this made me want to study there.

  During my senior year, I researched universities in South Korea and made my final decision in applying to Sterling University, Seoul.

  Now that same aspiring reporter is about to face the consequences of arriving late at Mr. Kim's lectures if she didn't run fast!

  I quickly entered the class right before Mr.Kim steps in.

   "Thank God," I said to myself. "Jennie! Jennie!! " Rose shouted as she waved her hands for me to see her.

   "come sit here, I kept a seat for you". She said.  I smiled at her and quickly sat on the chair as Mr. Kim began his lectures.

   "hey what took you so long?" she said whispering.

   " I overslept, sorry," I said also whispering.

   "The Ancient World that caused great calamity in Gwanju ended...." Mr.Kim started his lectures.

     "Hey, you wanna eat some ramen?" Rose asked as we left the University campus that evening.

     "Are you kidding me? Of course, I'm starving!" I said holding my growling stomach.

   The one and only "Mrs.Kimchi's Ramyun Restaurant" was one of the best places to eat the tastiest and the spiciest ramyun in all of Seoul. The best thing was that the food was cheap and was close to the campus.

   "Hello my favorite customers," Mrs. Kimchi said smiling at us.

    "Hello Mrs kimchi," we said bowing our heads as a sign of respect.

   " you want the usual?" she asked as she knew what we always eat.

    "yes please," Rose said. When the food was brought, we began to eat.

    The ramyun was so tasty and spicy as usual to our taste. But this time, I added more peppers to mine.

   "Isn't that too spicy?" Rose asked looking at my food.

     "I want to do some experiment". I said. "on your food?" she said raising her eyebrows. I smiled at her and began to eat.

   The food was so spicy that I had to drink a glass of water every time I take a bite.

   "I want to do some experiment," Rose said laughing.

    "ha ha ha very funny," I said annoyed.

   " I'm sorry, but you caused this upon yourself," she said smiling.

      It was Friday evening, one of the busiest and most eventful nights of the week. It's a night to celebrate the end of the week's stress. Some students would go to clubs, bars, parties, and events. But what Rose and I always do on Friday

"It's karaoke night!!" Rose Shouted as we left Mrs. Kimchi Restaurant.

      "Oh yeah!" I said. We are two single ladies who hoped to find love on the campus but unfortunately never found one.

     Rose Lee is the only child of the widower Mr. Park Lee, the CEO of Peace Hospital. One of the best hospitals in Seoul. A kind and wealthy man who is loved by everyone he meets.

  Rose lost her mum when she was two years old and ever since then, her dad has always been the one taking care of her.

     He refused to marry because no one can replace his late wife in his heart. So he raised his daughter without any nanny so that his daughter would get the maximum love and affection that his wife would have given to her.

   I met Rose when it was my freshman move-in day at the university. Ever since then, we have become good friends and sisters.

    The sun sets so quickly that it was already dark. We sang a lot of songs and also drank a lot of alcohol.

    "Rose...rose...rose," I said tapping her as she was asleep on the ground.

    "yes?" She said trying to open her eyes.

    "you...you...better go home before your dad gets worried". I said drunkenly.

      "My dad? Oh yeah...my dad" she said standing up. " let's go" she said pointing outside.

    So the two drunk ladies went out of the karaoke club and found out that Rose's dad has sent a driver to pick up his daughter.

   " How did Daddy know where I was?" she said scratching her head.

    " Mr. Lee tracked your phone here and he has instructed me to bring you home," the driver said.

     Rose checked her phone and found six missed calls from her dad.

    "oh boy, I'm busted," she said.

    "It's okay, just go home okay?" I said. She nodded and enter the car.

    "Hey! Do you want to hop on? I can take you home!" she said as the car was leaving.

     "Nevermind! I can still see the road! I'll be fine!" I yelled as the car drove off.

    But I wasn't okay, after drinking two bottles of alcohol, I was walking in zig zags. Singing and laughing to myself. Anyone who sees me would think that  I'm crazy, but I wasn't, I was just happy.

    When I got down from the bus that night, I noticed that someone was following me. I began to walk faster and still noticed that the stranger was walking faster to catch up with me.

    That was when I realized that I was been stalked. I ran across the street, looking for a place to hide.

When I turned my back, I saw the stranger who was walking fast began to run fast to catch up with me.

I was so shocked by this that I didn't realize that there was a speed bump ahead and as soon as I got to it, I tripped over and fell to the ground.

   When the stranger saw that I fell, he stopped running and began to walk fast towards me.

    "Who...who..are you?" I said panicking. He didn't answer me as he approached me.

    I immediately knew that this person was no good, so I quickly open my bag to reach for my prayer and sprayed it on his face. He growled as he fell to the ground in pain.

     This was my chance to run, I couldn't see his face because of his hood but I didn't give my curiosity any opportunity to look at the stranger as I quickly got up from the ground and ran.

I ran so fast that I was surprised to run at such a pace.

It's half past eleven pm and Jennie is on the streets of Seoul running away from a stranger or as I believe " a stalker".

"The last bus going to Diamond Street has already left. I guess I will have to run there" I said in a short breath as I reached the bus stop.

The mysterious stalker has stopped following me but yet I still feel anxious that he might look for me and want to take revenge on me for spraying pepper spray on him.

That thought gave me goosebumps as I couldn't let that happen. I started running on the walkways that are close to the main road and avoiding dark shortcuts streets until I finally reached home.