Chapter 02: Picture them

"Yang-what?" Seulgi asked.

"Nevermind, what took you so long?" she asked with her eyebrow raised, while she handed the tote bags to both of her friends.

“Irene here got lost on her way.” Seulgi answered. “She wanted to go to the bathroom but I don’t know where her feet led her, she came back crying.”

“I did not!” Irene retorted. “I was just overwhelmed. The number of guys here in your school is no joke”

“So, you went boy hunting while I carried all of these alone?” RiAn motioned her hands as she pointed at the bags.

“So that’s the reason why your face is flushed.”Seulgi added.

Irene just rolled her eyes she knew that she can’t win against RiAn and Seulgi once they start to especially about boys which she honestly has no interest in.

As soon as they arrived at the booth, the girls helped in setting up their display and even handed out flyers to the students passing by. The day went smoothly up until the competition RiAn was breaking in sweats as she held onto the helm of her white dress She has never been this nervous in her whole life. Yes, she may have modeled and shot some CF’s but she stood in front of the camera not in front of a lot of people. Mustering up all the courage that she has she climbed up the stairs as soon as her name was called.

Her feet trembled at every step she made, her hands and sweat felt cold. Yet she managed to look straight at the crowd.

‘Picture them ’ those words from Irene continued to play again and again in her mind. She actually did try to picture the crowd but it immediately made her feel queasy. Imagining people you didn’t know wearing nothing would surely throw you off. Trying to brush off the nervousness that she is feeling she started to count from 1 till her name was called again.

“Hong RiAn” the emcee started. “for everyone’s knowledge, you are new here”

She nodded in response.

“Is there anything that you would like to say? Maybe a quote, a personal motto just to give the people here an idea of who you are.”

She looked at the emcee and then back at the audience, she took a heavy sigh and gulped hard.

“Good decisions came from experience; experience came from making bad decisions” she stated. “I live by that quote, which means that, everything that we do is beneficial to all of us, that we are influenced by our own decisions may it be bad or good, and that we should accept what the outcome may be”

The emcee looked at her. “You’re quite deep RiAn, anyways, thank you for that.” The emcee then walked towards the next participant and asked the same question. Seeing that the emcee is already far from her she sighed in relief, internally thanking herself since she didn’t mess anything up.

“Jungwon” Sunoo called poking his head on the door. “are you sure you’re not coming?”

Jungwon raised the papers that he was holding. “I still have a lot to do.”

“Wonyoung will be joining. She must be on stage now” Niki added while he looked at Jungwon.

“She joined?” Jungwon asked. “Well judging on how confident she is”

“She wants you to give her your attention again Wonnieee” Jay cooed while he walked towards the door. “Why don’t you give in, I mean, she’s hot and pretty”

“Plus she ‘s still this school’s number 1” Jake chimed in.

“No thanks, you guys know I don’t recycle” Jungwon smirked.

“Jay, Jake” Sunghoon called. “I peeked--”

“Where did you peek this time?” Sunoo asked placing his hands on his hips, “You are such a ert!”

“ert?!” Sunghoon’s eye widened, “I can accept