Tiffany refused to go back to the dorms with puffy eyes and a runny nose. She somehow managed to get a hold of herself once outside the school. Maybe she did need to walk it off. Wiping her tears with the ends of her palms, she tries to calm herself down. At least enough to keep the worry away from Sooyoung and Hyoyeon's faces.

"I-I'm fine. I'm o-hokay," she hiccups.

The pair exchanges a short look then brings their attention back to Tiffany. Hyoyeon hands her a handkerchief which is immediately refused by Tiffany with a small smile gracing her puffy lips.

"We're sorry, Tippany. We didn't know you'd be that scared."

"Yeah, we should have come for you sooner."

Tiffany shakes her head and attempts to smile wider. "I wasn't really scared. I was just... sad, I guess?" she says, hoping they wouldn't ask why because in all honesty, she thinks her reasons sound lame.

They don't and Tiffany decides she likes them a little better now.

It takes a while but Hyoyeon finally manages to coax Tiffany to go back to the dorms with them. Sooyoung offers to accompany her to the common bathroom so she could wash her face before going to her own assigned room. Tiffany takes up the offer. After all, she wouldn't want to look stupid in front of roommates she still has yet to meet.

The walk to Tiffany's room was nothing less than awkward. Hyoyeon, unable to take the uncomfortable atmosphere any longer, tries to tease Tiffany to somehow lighten the air.

"Ahh~ You sure took your time crying. You made us miss dinner."

Tiffany visibly stiffens and Sooyoung admonishes her withe a quiet his. "Yah" she mouths. "Too soon?" Hyoyeon mouths back.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean--"

"Tippany, it's fine. Hyorengi was just kidding."

"But still, I feel guilty."

"Hey, no. It was our insensitivity that got you crying in the first place."

"Sooyoungie's right. I was just teasing, really."

Tiffany fights back her fears and tries her hardest to believe them. She swallows an apology and looks at the two girls standing before her, looking for some sort of sign. She doesn't know what sign but she looks for it anyway. Hyoyeon breaks the silence again.

"And if you really feel guilty, just buy us lunch tomorrow and we'll call it even."

Sooyoung nudges her real hard this time and gives her a stern look. Hyoyeon rubs the sore spot and looks back at the taller girl incredulously. She slaps Sooyoung's arm with a "Yah! It's not like you hate free lunch."

The unintended slapstick somehow gets Tiffany giggling, an unanticipated response which immediately halts the brewing catfight. It didn't take long for the two bickering friends to chuckle along with her. They continue their trek to Tiffany's room.

Neither of the two leave until they felt it safe enough for Tiffany to be by herself.The girl had to wave them off so she could compose herself enough before meeting her new roommates. She watches Sooyoung and Hyoyeon's backs get smaller as the distance grew and Tiffany turns to face the door.

She knocks three times -- just to be polite -- before opening.

Two girls turn their heads to her direction. Tiffany offers them a sheepish smile as she lets herself in.

"Hi, I'm Tiffany. I guess I'm your new roommate."

The next morning came and her roommates, Bora and Sunny, were nice enough to ask her to breakfast. The three of them, having only met last night, made some small talk until they had to separate for class. Apparently, Sunny is on the same year level as her, only in a different class, while Bora is a year below.

Tiffany greets Sooyoung and Hyoyeon enthusiastically as she enters the classroom despite it being still before seven in the morning. She settles herself in her seat as she listens to Hyoyeon's lecture about why Sooyoung has four stomachs, making sure to speak slowly and concisely so Tiffany isn't left out. They don't talk about last night.

It didn't take long before other students start to arrive. The class was full before the first bell rang. Well, almost. There was still one seat left unoccupied, Tiffany notices.

"Jeshika Jung," Tiffany hears.

"Huh?"

"You're staring at Jeshika Jung's seat," says Sooyoung.

"Who's Jeshika?" asks Tiffany.

The homeroom teacher arrives before any of them could reply. He starts with a little moning speech before taking attendance. Tiffany was surprised that the teacher doesn't call out the name Jeshika. The other kids doesn't tell him either. The empty seat up front and whoever this Jeshika is was fully ignored by the whole class. Teacher simply distributed some handouts to the students before starting his lesson.

Tiffany leaned in towards Sooyoung to ask her again who this Jeshika person is. Before Sooyoung could tell her, the classroom door opens revealing dark brown haired girl, face impassive but gaze sharp. 

"That's Jeshika."

Pretty girl has an unusual name, Tiffany thinks as she stares at the girl who has made her way to the front of the class to get her own handout before settling on her seat. Her face impassive, eyes expressive, and she's the type to neatly swipe her skirt before sitting down.

"Wonder what got her riled up this early," whispers Hyoyeon.

"We'd probably be better off not knowing," says Sooyoung.

The class continues as if no interruptions occured. Tiffany barely understood whatever the lessons were so she just jots down whatever she can on her notebook in English (because she can write it faster that way) for the first half of the morning then decides to copy off Hyoyeon or Sooyoung later, opting to draw doodles on her notes instead.

Before they could get out of the classroom for lunch, the teacher asks Tiffany to stay back for a bit. Hyoyeon and Sooyoung just shrugs at her then mouths "We'll wait at the cafeteria" before waving goodbye. She starts to think back if she did anything that warrants less time for lunch.

"This isn't fair, Tablo. Why do I have to be punished for something beyond my control?"

Only when she hears a soft melodic voice does Tiffany realize she's not the only one held back for lunch. She turns her head to the girl seated up front with her arms crossed. Really pretty girl. Jeshika.

"Lee Seonwoong seonsaengnim, Jessica. Remember your manners."

So her name's NOT Jeshika but Jessica. Huh. Pretty name for a pretty girl. Tiffany forgets about her worries as she watches the teacher -- Lee Seonwoong seonsaengnim -- exchange banters with pretty girl Jessica.

"Whatever," Jessica rolls her eyes.

"Anyway, I'm not here to punish you. I just need you to drop these files off at Heechul seonsaengnim's office," says Seonwoong.

"Seeing Heechul's face is a punishment," she deadpans. "Besides, he's the one who made me late for class. I'm still mad."

The teacher, however, ignores her remark and shoves the files on her hands forcibly with a smile. "Make sure he gets them."

Jessica groans, seemingly agonized but takes the files anyway. Tiffany, feeling a little awkward just standing, somehow manages to open and ask a question.

"Umm... Seonsaengnim, what about me?"

"Oh, right. Jessica, this is Tiffany. She just transferred in. I need you to get her a sign up sheet for the English Circle."

Pretty girl raises an eyebrow. "You're the adviser for that circle. Why don't you do it?"

"Because I'm busy, now go," he says. "Tiffany, Jessica here will brief you about the circle you will be joining. See you both next meeting."

Lee seonsaengnin straps in his bag and carries the rest of his stuff as he walks off without so much as a glance back towards the two girls left behind. Jessica clicks her tongue in annoyance. Tiffany was left dumbfounded by the absurdity of the situation. She does NOT recall agreeing to join any circles. Pretty girl must have caught on. She's at least nice enough to explain whatever just happened.

"He's always like that," Jessica says in English.

This must have been the happiest moment of Tiffany's life ever since landing in Korea. Not only does she find someone who speaks her native tongue, the person also turns out to be pretty girl Jessica whom she basically has been crushing on since they bumped into each other on her first day. The dopiest -eating grin appears on Tiffany's face.

"You speak english," she obviously states. Three seconds of silence later, she feels an urge to smack her head.

Jessica chooses to ignore her self-inflicted pain and starts the briefing instead, still speaking in english.

"The english circle is basically a group of kids who grew up abroad creating a makeshift support group for people like you. Tablo is the adviser. He does whatever he wants which means you joining or not isn't even a choice you are allowed to make."

Tiffany stands there, seemingly intently listening to whatever Jessica was saying when all actuality her focus was all in that melodic voice floating into her ears and settling on her frontal lobe right at the front side of her brain, thinking be damned.

Which is why she had to blink a bunch of times when she sees Jessica start walking away and into the hallway before she could comprehend that she was supposed to follow. Tiffany scampers off and ony slows down when she's directly behind Jessica. No talking occured. Pretty girl (Tiffany's not giving up on this nickname any time soon. Or at least until she finds a better one) must have gotten weirded out back in the classroom.

Since it has been established that Tiffany's life is doomed to cliché oblivion, Jessica stops walking all of the sudden making Tiffany bump into her. The girl doesn't appear to care, however. She turns around just as a flustered Tiffany moves a step back.

"This is stupid. I don't have to listen to that idiot," she mumbles. "You bring these to Heechul. He usually hangs around at the third floor corridors."

Jessica ungracefully shoves the files in Tiffany's arms and walks away. Did she possibly forget Tiffany was new and that she had no idea who this Heechul peron is?

Nevertheless, Tiffany finds herself walking around the third floor corridors in search of this Heechul. She scans each room and knocked on doors but luck isn't on her side. There seems to be no signs of the guy. Or maybe if she actually knew his face then searching would probably be much easier.

She silently curses Jessica at the back of her mind. So much for being her first crush in this school. The girl is inconsiderate and mean and just too much! Tiffany walks around like the lost child she is, barely able to contain herself from stomping instead.

Unknowingly, she finds herself standing outside the old music room she visited just the day before.

"He wouldn't be here, would he? There's no way..." she mumbles to herself.

Tiffany swallows -- she doesn't know why she suddenly feels nervous -- then knocks three times before opening the door. Widely. You know, just in case. She doesn't know what exactly but still thought it necessary.

Everything seemed to be the way it was yesterday. The sheet-covered piano, papers on a desk,everything was here. Except Heechul. In fact, nobody was in the room. Tiffany felt like walking inside, like she was supposed to, like she was being called. 

So she does.

No sooner does she hear a melody playing, softly singing in her ears. She keeps walking, left foot right foot, her steps establishing a rhythm. Her body follows the captivating muic. Only when she could no longer hear it does she stop.

The first thing Tiffany sees is a little music box dancer in a ballerina-esque stance, arms gracefully poised in a petite pose. It stood motionless at the center of the box as if waiting to twirl for its music once it plays. She stares at the figure, seemingly entranced. Tiffany looks and stares and sees only the little dancer.

Then the music starts to play once again.