"Hello"

"Oh hi"

"So... you're my roommate?"

"Unfortunately", she joked.

     I'm SinB, and today is the day I'm moving in the school dorm. I remembered checking the copy of my room number thrice while i was in the bus. I also remembered staying for 5 minutes outside the room and reading the room number attached to the wooden door for nth time. It's right.

     Room 329. Third floor, on the right wing.

     I am aware that I will not be alone in the room. Everyone has a roommate in here. But I'm not expecting to have a roommate as pretty as her.

     She looks cute, with her hair tied in low pigtails and wearing big rounded specs. She looks up from the book situated on her bed and fixed her gaze at me. I feel my ears heating up.

     I'm not used to pretty girls looking at me.

"I'm SinB"

"Yerin", she said before getting up from her bed and positioned herself in the center of the room, stretching her arms out while continuing her speech.

"And welcome to our lovely room", she ended with a huge smile. I chuckled at her silliness.

     It’s only been minutes since we've seen each other and yet I'm already comfortable with her. And I think she feels the same way too.

"So where do I sleep?", I asked her.

"Wherever you want", she answered.

     The room has a double-deck bed. I already saw her seating at the lower bunk so my choice will obviously be the top bunk. But before I tell her my decision, she cuts me off.

"No wait. I'll be on top", she quickly gets her book and throws it upward. It lands safely at the bed.

"But.."

"SinB, I'm the top", she said. I gulped.

"Bottom is I", I muttered. I heard her soft giggles.

"Yes, embrace the fact that you're the bottom here"

     And she just has to say that.

     I ignored the heat crawling up to my face and turned my back towards her, facing the big closet. I quietly unpacked my clothes from inside my bag and luggage. Her clothes are already neatly folded on the left side, leaving the other half with nothing. I smiled at her thoughtful action.

"You're welcome", she suddenly said. Can she read my mind?

"No. You're talking out loud, well not really loud but I can still hear you"

"Oh "

     My dorm life will definitely be un-lifeless this school year.

"SinB", she called me.

"Hmm?", I hummed.

"What year are you in?” she asked. I placed the t-shirt I'm folding inside the closet and turned to face her as I answered.

"First. I'm a freshman"

     She looked surprised and seemed to not believe what I have said. But that is not weird at all. I'm used to people assuming that I look too mature for my actual age. I can see her scrunched face. It looks cute.

"Oh wow. Another reason for you to be the bottom", she smirks. Now I'm the one getting shocked.

"Can you stop it?!" I whined. She just laughed.

"Now now, you better call me unnie. I'm two years above you", Yerin winked. I again find myself gulping.

     The fact that she never said to call her sunbae since she's a senior is really nice. That just means that she's not making it hard for me to interact with her, to approach her, to befriend her. She's too nice for me. And I'm very much thankful of it.

     After the last shirt I folded is put inside, I heard Yerin moving behind me and walked to the only desk this room has. I turned to her and saw her searching for something on one of the colorful organizers there.

"Is that all yours?", I asked, pertaining to the girly organizers. She glanced at me and smiled.

"Yeah. Cute, right?"

     I hummed in agreement.

"These are gifts of my girlfriend", she added as she continues to search for the thing.

Ah, from her girl- WAIT WHAT?!

"Ahh unnie so.."

"Oh shoot. Did I make you uncomfortable?" she hurriedly faced me. I can see the worry in her face with a little hint of fear. I don't like the combination of the two. I firmly shake my head, signing that I'm nowhere near uncomfortable as she expects me to be.

"Not at all. I'm quite open-minded about this topic", I said confirming her and myself.

"Thank god. Coz you'll be sticking with me for the whole year. I don't want you to feel any discomfort, especially from me", she said. I gave her a smile. She brings it back to me before she continue her search for the missing thing.

"Though I'm kinda bothered", I suddenly added. She again stopped and turned to look at me again.

"You are?"

"Yeah. I mean, you're not available anymore", I joked, adding a pout to complete whatever I'm doing. She loudly laughed and smacked my arm.

"Sadly. Now contain yourself you ert", she jokingly warned me.

"What? I'm the ert? Who's the one who gave innuendo to her new roommate on their 5 minute meeting?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, ert", she shrugged and turned her focus again to the task at hand.

"Unnie!” I shouted. She just laughed at me.

     A minute of silence had passed after Yerin found the thing she'd been searching. It was a set of keys. She then untangled the one specific key and tossed it on my lap. I'm seating on the floor.

"Your key. Don't lose it or else you'll be sleeping outside", she said with a smile. I took the key and looked at it.

"Okay. Thanks", I said and stood. I did a little stretch, made a strangled noise while doing it, and finally situated myself on my bed, the bottom bunk.

"Hey SinB", Yerin called me.

"Yeah?"

"Since this is your first year here, wanna go loiter around school?" she offered with her dazzling smile again. How could I say no?

"I'd love too", I answered truthfully than I could have ever imagined.

"I know you do ert", she again teased me. I lightly smacked her shoulder.

"Shut up"

     She took me to every place I should know. The main building, the Dean's office, the Guidance Counsellor's office, the Clinic, the Canteen, the Auditorium, the comfort rooms, and even to the Museum which I didn't know the school have. Now we're approaching the library, the only room that she dreaded.

"It's too quiet. It irks me off", she reasoned.

     Of course, a loud and lively girl like her is not suitable to the quiet and serene atmosphere of the library.

"I'm actually quite fond of libraries", I said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I like books"

"That's cute", she teases while pinching my cheek. I shrugged her hand off.

     We stopped on the big wooden two-door. I can see the sign above it. It was adorned with gold-colored plate. There written the word Library with a cursive lettering in black. We're outside of the room and yet I can already imagine how elegant the school's library is.

     And I'm right. It is as elegant as I imagined. The library is the biggest room in the school. Looks like almost all of the funds are spend for the library. There are so many books. Too many, even the second floor is full of shelves. The center of the room is where countless of tables and chairs are set up. The second floor is just for the books as I can see from where I stand.

     Before I got lost to thousands of books in front of me, Yerin leaned in me, her breath touching my left jaw, and sending shivers to my spine.

"Wanna roam around?" she asked. I lost count of how many times I gulped at this day. I weakly nodded. She held my wrist, and takes me to the counter.

"Good afternoon, Chungha-ssi", Yerin greeted the student at the counter. The student greeted back as enthusiastically as how Yerin greeted her.

"Yerin, hi! How are you today?"

"Great. My roommate arrived. Here is SinB. SinB, this is Chungha, a senior, and also the student assistant in charge of the library", the student passed me a look at smiled warmly at me.

"Hello Chungha-sunbae", I greeted.

"So Chungha, she's a freshman", Yerin started.

"Ah okay. So I'll be giving you your library card. Wait a sec", Chungha said as she disappeared at the counter and crouched down. It seems like the counter has compartments under it. Chungha then appeared again, now holding a card with a plastic holder.

"Oh wait, do you have a pic with you?" she asked me. Good thing my wallet is with me.

"Yes I have"

"Great. Now fill this up and come back for it to be stamped", Chungha instructed. I nodded. Yerin, who was quiet for a while, held my wrist and pulled me to one of the tables in the center. I followed without a protest.

     I pulled my wallet at the back pocket of my jeans before sitting down. Yerin quickly pulled it on my hand. I didn't mind. She opened and my ID pictures are the first thing she sees. I tried not to get embarrassed when I saw her get two pictures and kept the one to herself. I filled the first blank space in the card. Name? Hwang Eunbi. I'm about to answer the next line when Yerin whispered beside me.

"Eunbi?" she asked.

"My given name", I answered.

"Why SinB?" she asked again. I dared to ignore her this time.

     Birthday? June 3

"You know, my birthday's around the corner", Yerin whispered again. I turned to her, and because of how close her face is to me, I almost hit her lips with my nose. I can feel my ears heating up.

"When?" I asked weakly.

"August 19", she softly said. I gulped again. I badly need a drink.

     I turned my head to the card, ignoring the fast beating of my heart, and the god she's so pretty speaking inside my head. My hands are clearly shaking, and I can also feel it sweating. Gross.

     Class? I104.

     Signature? Done.

     I barely stand properly. I didn't realize that my knees are also affected by what Yerin had done to me. The chair made a screech sound. The people inside the library looked at my direction. I lowered my head and swiftly walked at the counter.

"Sunbaenim, I'm done", I quietly said, being much more careful now.

"Great! Let's get this stamped now and you're good to go", she said after I hand her the card and picture.

     The stamping takes a lot of time. I can barely see Chungha at the slightly opened room at the other side of the counter. She looks like waiting for the other person to finish with the computer and stamp my card.

"Hi. New here?" a soft voice awakened me. Something inside me is burning.

"Oh my god a ert", I jokingly said. She was shocked, and then she slapped my arm.

"How could you?" she feigned hurt.

"Now you know how I felt earlier", I said as I stick my tongue out to her. She did the same too.

"Ahem"

     We both stopped at what we're doing and faced Chungha. She's back, with my card that has my picture glued to it and stamped with blue ink. She hands it to me and the plastic cover she has.

"It's done. But SinB-ssi, you have to update your card every year, okay? Don't forget", Chungha lastly said as she attended other students.

"This is amazing", I whispered as I roam at the second floor of the library.

"Meh", Yerin meekly shrugged.

"Killjoy"

"Ugh I shouldn't have taken you here"

     To say that Yerin dreaded the library is an understatement. Yerin despises the library. Whenever I passed another shelves of books, it is like she's losing a year of her life. A funny scene to me. She looks adorable with her eyes closed and grumbling softly. I maybe went to another shelf just to .

"Okay let's go. I don't want you dying here", I said giggling at her antics.

"Finally", she then quickly holds my wrist and pulls me down the stairs and in a blink, we're already outside the library.

"So where to?" I asked her.

"I don't know, wanna grab some lunch? Let's just eat at the dorm", she suggested. I agreed once more.

     There we go to the Canteen. The school has 3 canteens, the largest one located at the back of the main building, while the other two are at the other sides of it. Yerin said when I'm low in budget, the best canteen to go to is the left side, but since it’s my first time here, she decided to treat me a burger and fries at the main canteen.

"The burger there is the best burger you'll ever taste", she exclaimed.

"And add the fact that it’s free. Yes, of course it'll definitely be delicious", I added. She just laughed at my silliness.

     The school is not yet starting. We still have a week to unwind and for us freshmen to get familiarized to the campus, but the canteen seem to be already busy. There are many students eating their lunch. All the tables are occupied.

     We then fall in line to the stall where the best burger is being sold. It might be true because the line is long. I can see some students, with their friends, laughing as they wait for their turn. I looked at the other side, I could also see some are alone. I can differentiate the feelings they're feeling right now. Being alone in this big room is really not nice. It's scary. You have to face everything on your own, with experience or not.

     I'm silently thankful that I'm not alone. I'm thankful that Yerin is my roommate. Yerin, the girl that looks like a quiet, uptight girl but is actually the opposite of it, with her skin as pale as the snow, and her lips with the color as red as the blood, and her eyes that always twinkle, I'm really thankful of everything.

"You're being creepy"

     I didn't realize that I'm staring at her for too long. And as an angel as she is, she shrugged off the awkward atmosphere with her laugh. It broke the walls that I readied when I was preparing to spend my high school life alone.

     I thought I'll be alone. I thought I'll face all these new things myself. I thought no one would talk to me. I thought no one would tour me around the school. No one to treat me lunch. I didn't expect anything like this to happen. But here it is. Here she is, smiling at me.

I'm thankful of her.