Chapter 2:

FLASHBACK

Highschool

(Taeyeon's POV)

New school. New life. New adventure they say. So hooray I guess? Sigh.. who am I kidding. I hate making new friends or any kind of friends in general.

I was signing the attendance on the table in front of our classroom when I heard someone at my back talking to me.

A girl.

"Hi, are you new here?”

“…”

“O—kay. Can I borrow a pen?"

"Nope."

I don't really like lending my personal stuff to strangers and I was not in the mood to be nice to other people. Then someone stole my pen from my hand.

“Hey!”

"Weirdo, just give it to her, will ya?" Some jerk boy sneered at me while smiling at the girl and gave my pen to her, "Hey Tiffany, here." He winked and I almost puked where I stood.

"Thanks." The girl named Tiffany candidly said while looking at me apologetically as she wrote her name on the attendance sheet, ‘Hwang.’ I saw it on the sheet. ‘Must be her last name.’ I thought.

"Here you go-" Then the boy took the pen from the girl, “Uhm, let me borrow too!” Another boy exclaimed, “I don't have a pen too!” then the people lining behind him borrowed my pen as well. I scoffed and went to my seat.

I brought out my sketchpad but I realized, I don’t have a pen. I sighed in annoyance. I felt someone tap my shoulder.

“Hey buddy, need a pen…cil?” I saw a Mongol pencil being passed over me by a tanned girl, I think she is going to be my seatmate for the entire semester.

“I just want my ballpen back,” I said.

“Stinky bois get your pen and didn’t give it back? I got you. I lost 56 pens last semester. It , oh, don’t mention the papers too or I will cry!” she lamented.

‘Beggars can’t be choosers.’ I get the pencil and said, “Thanks, uhm… I don’t know your name.”

“It’s Yuri. Nice to meet you, newbie. I see you’re having trouble making friends?”

“I don’t need friends,” I said casually.

“How about group works?” Yuri asked in awe.

“Oh, I’m smart enough to handle it.”

“Wow, didn’t know an introvert can get so much confidence.”

“I’m not shy, I just don’t want to talk. Okay?” I feel tired like my batteries need recharging. But this girl is a ball of fire.

“Now I really want to be friends with you! What’s your name?” she insisted.

“If I tell you will you leave me alone?”

“No, but I will keep asking.” Yuri shrugged. The group of boys in the distance started cheering so loud and I don’t have the energy to keep my voice up.

“It’s Taeyeon.”

“I’m sorry what is it again? Tengun?”

“No, Tae-yeon.”

“A-Ah, Taengoo! Nice to meet you My beloved-precious little Taengoo!” she cheered, and it all happened when the class was quiet so everyone in the room must have heard her.

“Oh, look at that. Our new beloved little Taengoo got a friend now!” They started laughing.

“ off.” Yuri rolled her eyes and snarled at the boys.

“Bunch of weirdos.”

“What did you say?”

And while the classroom was in chaos, I started to draw. I guess this is better than watching the grass grow. I tried meditating once with World War Bomb sounds on Youtube and my focus improved.

“Living life by going with the flow,” I uttered

I didn’t know Kwon Yuri is a fighter. The first day of class and I have a knight in shining armor already? But in reality, just looking for detention. I guess people are weird.

New home, new place, new friends, new school? More like no friends at all. Moving into a new neighbourhood because of my parents' job , but it's not like I have friends anyway in our old town. More like acquaintances of classmates that leeched on every group work we do. AKA 'Misters and Misses No Contributions at group work'.

‘You can do all the parts, right leader-nim?’ I could hear their voices ringing inside my head.

heads.

Anyway, I can possibly do everything on my own except talking to that girl in my class to get my precious pen back.

Tiffany 'Popular' Hwang. I heard from students, she’s number one in the class and the entire campus. Very popular with men and girl crush on young women.

‘I’m pretty sure, I’m smarter than her. But I’m too lazy to make an effort to test it.’ I thought.

Goodness gracious, how can I talk to her when there are always groupies of whipped young adults lurking around her? Is my pen even with her?

“Ugh, forget it…But it’s Noblia! My Limited Edition Lakshmi Gold Fountain Pen.” I cried inwardly.

Then, someone stopped the commotion and everyone seem to listen to her, like magic.

“Everyone, ease up. Stop bullying the new girl.”

The perks of being born a pretty girl. ‘Her parents must be proud of her but I’m sure a lot of her friends are either fake girls or teenage boys.’ I thought. Maybe I’m judgmental by nature.

She went towards me and looked at my drawing.

“Wait, is that an egg?”

“Nope.”

“I’m sure it's a raw egg cracked from its shell. Are you hungry?” Tiffany asked worriedly.

“It’s Gudetama.”

“I’m sorry, who? Do you want to have breakfast at the cafeteria together?” she looks a bit worried. I saw a UNICEF sticker on her ID. ‘She’s a volunteer.’ Maybe she doesn't want to see someone dying from hunger.’

I tried to cover my drawing and told her, “Just, mind your own business.”

“You ungrateful brat! You should be thankful that the number one girl on the entire campus is talking to you!” The boy who is an accomplice for my lost pen from a while ago said. “No one hurts my Taengooo!” Yuri yelled at them.

‘Number one, huh?’

“Hey, stop that. It’s okay.” Tiffany smiled amusedly and lean closer to my seat.

“No one has ever rejected me before,” She whispered in my ear.

“Y’all weird, and please social distancing!” I told her as I pushed her to back off. Why the is she too close?

“That’s the first time too for me.”

“Well, aren’t you a lucky one?” I sarcastically said and she chuckled, “Maybe.” She put her hands on my desk when I looked at it, I was reunited with my precious pen! “My Noblia! My Limited Edition Lakshmi Gold Fountain Pen!”

She shook her head and giggled. She stood up and straighten her uniform as she made an announcement.

“Everyone listen, starting from today, nobody touches the new girl… unless, I do it myself.” She winked and finally left me alone. I hugged my pen tightly and clean it off until I realized what she said.

What does that even mean?

I noticed vandalism on my seat, ‘Never fall in love with a Leo.’

Since Yuri’s cheap Mongol pencil was still on my desk, I used it to write a reply on my desk.

‘-TROLOGY.’

Then I heard Yuri scream in horror as she saw her Mongol pencil broken into two.

“My poor pencil!”

SORRY.

***

Speaking of -trology, guess mine. The most sensitive sign of them all. Pisces. Not that I’m telling that zodiac signs are accurate but somehow, they’re on point. My emotions are crazy. It’s like they parkour in every state every 10 seconds. How do I feel everything at once? But I guess, it all worked out for good as I am a highly creative person even if I’m highly sensitive. I don’t even want to see the sunlight as it hurts my eyes, but I got no choice when my mom opened the curtain and turned off the fan.

Typical Asian mom with a hanger in her hand to add the perfect scene.

“Ugh, it’s hot,” I complained.

“Wake up hunny bunny, you have school!” I felt three hard taps on my bum.

“Aww…Don’t wanna.”

“The trash won’t throw itself, Kim Taeyeon.” she sing-song and I already know that warning voice. ‘Cut off allowance for a week.’ I get up slowly with my other eyes closed.

“Alright, I’m up.”

“You just woke up and you feel sleepy already?”

I yawned and replied, “Isn’t that a new norm?”

“Get your up and eat breakfast before you leave… oh, take the cupcakes on the kitchen table to our neighbour, the