THREE

If fate did exist, Joy wouldn’t want it to happen like this. If fate did exist, Joy wouldn’t want it to happen today. If fate did exist, Joy wouldn’t want hers to happen with a certain person. And if Joy knew that fate was going to be like this, she wouldn’t want it to happen at all.

Not with all her attention drowning into a girl, no, a woman in front of her. Not with all her attention drowning into the shape of an orange-haired lady. Not with all her attention drowning into a pair of eyes, that were stabbing her silently. And not with her being completely terrified with this woman who turned out to be her professor.

Because just few days ago, they were fighting over one silly thing –if stealing fruit was not a big crime, then it was indeed silly--. Few days ago, this grown up woman called her a thief and threatened her. ‘Cause just few days ago she had called this woman, --her professor-- a ert.

Joy couldn’t stand it anymore, she felt nauseous. And the latter was just hoping she wouldn’t gain so much attention --a certain girl’s attention-- on what she was about to do.

“…as you see, the rate on women side is increasing. Mainly because the double X fact-.” Seulgi stopped, looking at the direction she had been staring for a while. At a girl who just raised her hand. “Yes, Ms. Park?”

Joy halted,

Ms. Park…  she internally said.

“C-c-can I.. g-go to the t-toilet?” Joy stuttered.

But the latter didn’t expect that Seulgi --her professor-- would slightly spin her head, gazing at the whole class in slow motion, raising one of her eyebrows as if mocking Joy and then shrugged,

“No one is stopping you.”

Joy was too stunned by that reply, she froze. The whole people in that class seemed to vanish except for one at the front. One who was still looking at her with that piercing gaze. It kept on going like that until Wendy shook her hand,

“Psst, Joy, do you want to go or not? People have been staring at you.” Wendy said that with the lowest voice she had.

Joy glanced at her friend and nodded, slowly making her step to the door. When she was half the way, she sped up a bit and ran out of the class.

As soon as she reached the toilet, she tapped on the faucet and washed her face.

What should I do now?  That's all on her mind.

Because now that Seulgi had become her professor, part of Joy’s college life would be depending on her. And the thought of it made her tremble.

Why did I have to call her ert? I’m so screwed!

Without realizing it, 5 minutes had gone. Joy needed to go back to her class now or she’d be in much worse circumstance. She slowed her pace near the door, slowly getting in to her class. Much to her relieved, her classmates weren’t staring at her again. So she just sat back to her seat.

The latter was restless for the whole lesson. She couldn’t gather her mind to focus on the subject that Seulgi had explained. She would just look elsewhere when she felt Seulgi was staring at her --though she wasn’t really sure--.

“I think that’s all for today, don’t forget to…” Seulgi did her closing, telling the students to not forgetting their assignments which due to next week.

Joy shouted silently when the 90 minutes which felt like an eternity was finally over. She put her arms on the table and crashed her head on them. She just replied her classmates who were saying their goodbyes to her with soft hums.

In a while, the sounds around her had gone. Except from her best friend,

“Hey, I think we should go now.” Wendy patted Joy’s shoulder lightly.

The latter finally looked up at her, then smiled “Let’s go.”

She stood up, was about to walk out of her class, but then she froze – again.

The blonde didn’t expect that a certain person she wanted to avoid the most was still there. Staring at her like she wanted to stab Joy with her gaze. Unexpectedly, that person made her way toward the blonde,

“Next time you don’t need to go to the toilet,” Seulgi paused for a sec, “…just to avoid me.” The latter gave Joy a smirk after finishing her sentence.

She then raised her hand, pointing at the door. “Students first?” she smiled.

Wendy who realized that Joy’s brain wasn’t working well at that time, pulled her out of the class.

“Come on!”

Leaving Seulgi whose smile had disappeared, staring at the blonde’s back with an undefined deadly stare

***

Few days had passed since that. Her days still went normal --at least for now--. Just one thing that had been bothering her lately,

What do I do about that competition?

She stared at the tv she’d  been watching for hours, but her focus totally wasn’t there. Sure she could dance, but she wasn’t that great. Not at the level as those great dancers who invented