My Neighbor Jeongyeon

Myoui Mina. An extremely studious girl. She’s got a cold front, mean back, and of course, killer eyes. Today was any normal day, sitting by the window, finishing up homework. She put down the pencil, and, as any normal teenage girl would do, began thinking.

‘Before our encounter, studying was the only meaning of  my existence. But then, I became doubtful of that… because… the truth was, I’ve been waiting all along for something that would change me.’

She stared at the empty seat beside her, a window to her left, and no one at her right. No one behind her, nor a classmate in front. 

‘Ever since that bloody fight.. my neighbor, Yoo Jeongyeon, hasn’t returned to school.’

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“Excuse me.” Mina walked through the automatic door, entering a place she’s never been to. 

A gaming center.

It was a decent, surprisingly civilized place, considering a troublemaker stayed here.

“I’m Mina, is Yoo Jeongyeon here?” She looked over at the older man with a cigarette in hand. Tall, well-built, jawline on point with dark shaggy hair, and wore sunglasses. He almost looked like a famous actor.

Interrupted from reading whatever he was reading, he looked up to answer the unrecognizable student. “Jeongyeon? She’s—“

He was cut off from the loud sound of a body being thrown across the room. 

Mina and the man turned their heads over a short-haired girl, who held a poor body by the collar of their shirt. “YOU BROUGHT THIS ON YOURSELF! NOW MY PERFECT STREAK IS GONE!”

“Jeongyeon!” The man shouts, looking quite annoyed. “I’ve told you already! Don’t fight in the store, okay?”

‘I’ve told you already…?!’

Meanwhile, Mina stood by, watching this violent girl, who assumed was her classmate, almost pummel a guy to death. She held the notes close to her chest, feeling a bit regretful of her decision.

‘Why did I agree to this…’

Suddenly, the angered expression was now gone, and in replacement, a pouty face was sprayed upon her delicate features. “BUT THAT IDIOT BUMPED INTO ME! I was so close to beating my high score!”

A sigh escaped from the ‘famous actor’ . “You can’t just blame someone else! You can only blame yourself!” He scolded her of the girl’s gaming addiction. Of ‘Dance Dance Revolution’, specifically. 

“Putting that aside,” he pointed back to Mina, who was still a bit shocked over this… turn of events. “You got a visitor!”

Still being irritated over the loss of a video game comrade, Jeongyeon turned her head to give this visitor her full attention. “Huh?”

.  .  .  

Suddenly, her eyes go wide. A chill runs down her spine and in a matter of a second, she hopped right down the open window with her hair bouncing and hoodie trailing back. 

By the way, this was the third floor.

It seemed like Mina’s fellow classmate was alright, since much shock wasn’t depicted on the man’s face.

She quickly turned to him, handing over Jeongyeon’s notes. “Excuse me. I was asked to deliver these.”

“Oh, thanks.” He takes them with his free hand as he took out his cigarette to blow out a smoke. 

She made a quick bow and began to make her exit from this strange building. Again, she drowned herself in her own thoughts.

‘For me, Myoui Mina, that was our first meeting. As the most mysterious freshman, Yoo Jeongyeon is the hottest conversation topic right now.’

A memory comes to mind: a group of kids chattering on about this peculiar girl.

“I heard she’s always with some really dangerous delinquents!” 

“I heard she can break cement just by punching it!”

Although these were meant to be whispering voices, they were heard as clear as day. The memory gave her quite a spook,  since she knew all of it were just nonsense. Well, probably… but it was no time to think about such things. All she really wanted was a new reference book, and to make 100 million Won a year.

‘In order to one day achieve my goals there is only one thing I’m interested in… calculus. Aside from that, there is nothing that can attract my slightest attention. I don’t have time to brood over people’s lives. But, even though that’s how I should be thinking…”

Her thoughts were cut off from a sudden push of two hands. Beneath that unknown figure was her, and on top of her was that figure.

‘What the…!?’

How was she beneath this so-called delinquent and how the hell did she get on top? 

Simple: Just as she had walked out of the store, the troublemaker had jumped out of nowhere, and… hugged her…?

They both fell painfully to the ground, but.. why is she looking at her with that kind of wild expression?!

“YOU! Are you one of those spies sent by the school?” Jeongyeon’s voice seemed so serious, yet she was asking such a silly question.

“Eh?” was all that came out of the girl beneath. She was very confused with this odd question, and not to mention, this odd position.

“Don’t pretend to be innocent!” Her voice rose as she gripped the latter’s wrists tighter.

“Itai ! What are you doing?!” Mina shouted back with a whiny ring at the end of each spoken word. “I only came to deliver the lesson notes to you!” 

“…Notes?” Jeongyeon cautiously lets go of her, knowing she could catch her if she tried to flee. Mina scooted away, gently grasping her abused wrists.

“Are you lying to me?” She questions, giving Mina a mean glare. In return, she shook her head vigorously, showing she definitely wasn’t lying.

The taller girl sat up, hair messy, sweater sliding down her shoulder. Damn, was she attractive. Only the studious girl couldn’t care less. She huffs. “Hmph, is that so? You were the same as that female teacher, trying to make me go to school! Lecture notes my …” She scoffs.

Slowly, Mina attempts to run away, only to stop to a halt. “Yah.” The girl’s stern voice calls out. “What’s your name?”

Not thinking straight, she actually gives out her actual name. “M-Myoui Mina.” Her nervous facial expression was completely ignored by Jeongyeon.

A small blush spread across her gifted face. “Oh! You're called Mina, right?”

“What..” Mina was in disbelief. ‘First name basis already?’

“T-that’s right! When students can’t come to school because of colds and stuff, friends bring lesson notes for them~” Her shy expression confuses Mina completely. “In that case…” She scratched the back of her neck, not being able to hide the blush that sprinkled around her delicate skin. “You can just call me Jeongyeon, since we’re friends and all…”

Mina looked at her in a state of annoyance and shock. ‘Just what the hell is going on?’

“Well, later then! Mina!!” 

Mina hurries away, feeling a bit uncomfortable, but slightly turns her head to the side. She sees the other girl waving frantically at her, smiling brightly. She snaps her head forward and scurries away. The whole time she walked, she could feel the latter’s gaze burning through her school uniform…

‘Unfathomable, frightening—these were all my first impressions of her.’

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