ROSÉ’S POV:

7:59 am. My gaze fixated on the imposing school compound a couple hundred metres away, I continued sprinting forward with every ounce of my energy. Come on Rosie...it's just another game of tag...and the school is the safe zone. (I had to ignore just how ironic that sounded.)

Unfortunately, I was no Usain Bolt, and the school bell, as if attempting to mock my valiant efforts, rang just as I pulled to within 20 metres of the school gate. Damn it. I cursed myself for forgetting to set my alarm clock on the very first day of school. My friends used to call me “Clueless Chaeng”, and I was most certainly living up to the moniker.

As I trudged gloomily towards the smirking school council member waiting right outside the gate, an orange-haired girl scurried towards me from behind.

“Well, well, late on the very first day of school? Not a very good omen, I have to say.” The school council member seemed greatly amused.

The girl and I simply stared at him pointedly, offering no reaction whatsoever. He responded by rolling his eyes.

“Easy, girls, I was just trying to lighten the mood. I'll need your names by the way.” He gestured towards us.

“Park Chaeyoung.”
 
“Lalisa Manoban.” The unusual name caught my attention, and I found myself studying her face more intently. Definitely foreign...she wasn’t overly pretty in a classic sense, yet she exuded an aura of exotic beauty. After we had accepted our latecomer slips reluctantly and entered the gate, I stared despondently at the enormous university campus looming ahead. How was I going to find my way?

I stole a quick glance at the girl beside me, who looked just about as clueless as I felt. I wanted to ask for help, yet I had no faith in my limited Korean to make the necessary requests. Eventually, I mustered enough courage to tap her on the shoulder hesitantly. She spun around and flashed me a dazzling smile, probably intending to put me at ease, but in actual fact only made me even more flustered.

“Ummm...Lecture Theatre...eodi?” I blurted rather stupidly, and my face flushed completely as the girl frowned, looking absolutely mystified. I was on the verge of apologizing profusely and fleeing the scene when she stammered out a reply.

“Uhhh...I don’t understand Korean…” Her head hung as I looked up in surprise. Did I just hear English? “Oh my god, you speak English?”

The girl perked up instantly and started to blabber excitedly. “Oh my gosh, I never knew hearing a language I understand could be such a relief!”

“You’re from overseas, aren’t you?” I was genuinely curious, why would someone who didn’t even understand Korean enrol in a Korean university?

“I’m from Thailand, my family moved to Korea because my father found a job as a cook here.”

“Ah, I see.” Cue momentary awkward silence. She cleared briefly before turning towards me again. 

“You wanted to ask me something earlier?”

“Oh, right. I was wondering if you knew where Lecture Theatre 3 was.”

Her eyes lit up and her lips curved upwards almost instantly. “I don’t have the faintest idea, but I’m supposed to head there as well.”

LISA’S POV:

Lisa, control yourself. The professor is a respectable, kind-hearted man who has every right to be scolding you for your folly…

I had tried my best not to be disrespectful, but as the professor’s eyes bulged way too far out of their sockets for the umpteenth time as he continued his monologue of gibberish, I involuntarily let out a snort of laughter, which just had to coincide with the moment he had stopped ranting to catch his breath. 

The veins on the professor’s neck protruded even more noticeably and he looked more incensed than ever. Don’t look at his eyes, Lisa. DO NOT. My attempts at self-control were far too feeble, and my eyes slowly ventured up his contorted face to his very own unprecedentedly large eyes. My funny bone was tickled immediately, and I had to bite hard on my lips to stop myself from bursting into my signature hearty laughter.

As his tirade of fury slowly came to a long-awaited stop, Chaeyoung bowed ninety-degrees. “I’m sorry, sir.”

Even I know that. “I’m sorry, sir.” I proudly put one of the (very) few Korean phrases I had vaguely memorised to use. He didn’t look satisfied, though, continuing to reprimand us sternly. (Or so I assumed.)

I was zoning out at this point, the professor’s voice starting to sound like white noise. As I realised he had stopped talking and was simply glaring at me, I bowed deeply yet again. “I’m sorry, sir.”

Cue hysteric laughter from all four corners of the lecture theatre. I looked around, confused, only to look back at the professor’s face to find it redder than ever.

“Uh, Lisa? Professor Kim just told us to find a seat and write an apology letter for him by the end of school.” Chaeyoung whispered urgently into my ear.