Minho’s eyes slowly opened as the sun’s rays passing on the curtains of the window on his right blinded him. He put his right hand on top of his eyebrows as he rose up from his bed. He heard Queen’s song still playing as it looped the whole night.

He grabbed the phone and stopped the song. He stood from his bed and started to stretch his body as he yawned. He walked towards the door and opened it, seeing no one on the kitchen or the living area.

He neared the counter and he saw two plates that were covered with aluminum foil. On top of one of the plates was a light pink sticky note with words written on it. He detached it from the plate and read it.

I left early for school works and I thought that I shouldn’t wake you up because you might be upset. Here’s your breakfast and lunch. If you need water, it is in the refrigerator. Be sure to clean the house. After, feel free to watch the television. If you have any concerns, you can call or text me using your phone. :)

-Choi Jinri

The note was written neatly and Jinri had a legible and wonderful penmanship. Minho smiled as he stuck it beside the plate. He removed the aluminum foil from one of the plate, and he gulped as he saw that it had rice, kimchi and fried eggs on it. He grinned as he grabbed the plate and went to the table to eat it joyously.

~

It was already lunch time and Jinri just finished her class with 2-2, the class where his brother belongs. She walked through the hallway as she picked her phone from her pocket to check if there were any missed calls or messages from Minho. To her surprise, there were none.

As she reached the faculty room, she saw Victoria and Jinki waving at her in the pantry. She waved back as she placed her books on her desk and grabbed her lunch from her brown shoulder bag.

“How’s your class?” Victoria asked her. Sulli sat in front of her and on the left of Jinki.

“It was the usual. I’m quite proud of them. They’re having high grades so far,” she answered politely. She opened her lunch container and started eating. “How about yours, Victoria and Jinki?”

“They’re getting rowdier every single day,” she said in an upset but calm manner. “I need to shout at them just to keep them from talking to their classmates.”

Jinki laughed with his mouth full of rice. “You,” he said with his mouth still full. He pointed out his chopsticks to Victoria and said, “Why do you need to shout at them? You can control them by showing them that you have more power over them. Just take me and Jinri as an example.” He put his arm on Jinri’s shoulder, making Jinri surprised as she was pulled closer to him.

Victoria rolled her eyes as she muttered, “As if you can control your team during your basketball practices.”

“Mweo?” Jinki asked with widened eyes.

“Nothing,” she said as she rolled her eyes once more.

“Why are you rolling your eyes?” he asked.

“Why is that your problem?” she asked, pissed off on him.

Jinki, a basketball coach and physical education teacher, and Victoria, an algebra teacher, became “friends” because of Jinri. Though they were always not in good terms, they still eat their lunch together and go home together. The reason behind this confusion lies on Victoria herself. Secretly, she likes Jinki, but Jinki doesn’t feel the same towards her. To hide her true feelings, she thought of having little arguments with him.

“Guys, you’re like that again,” Jinri interrupted them.

“I’m sorry, Jinri…” he said. “It’s just that this… woman… sometimes has a bad temper.”

“Bad temper?” Victoria said with widened eyes. “Why you—”

“Victoria… calm down,” Jinri said. “Let’s just eat, okay?”

“I’ll stop hitting him for you, Jinri,” she said. “But, the next time he boasts himself again…”

Jinri sighed as she continued eating her lunch. “You want some?” Jinki asked her with a smile as he offered her his chicken.

“Ah,” Jinri said as she chortled. “It’s okay,” she refused.

Jinki frowned as he ate the food by himself, and the first awkward silence between the three started.

~

Skipping his lunch, Taemin was at the library, studying for the test for his next class. He was alone at the wide wooden table as he plugged in his earphones to listen to his favorite song of his favorite indie band. While reading the thick red book, he saw a finger in front of him tapping the table. He looked up and saw that it was Soo-jung, his classmate.

She was speaking, but Taemin couldn’t hear anything. All he could see is moving and her eyes squinting. He removed the left side of his earphones and with his squinted eyes, he asked, “Huh?” Krystal was surprised as his voice echoed the wide and silent library.

“Shh!” the librarian shouted.

“Sorry,” Soo-jung apologized for Taemin.

“What?” Taemin whispered, embarrassed.

“Can I study with you?” Soo-jung asked with a beam on her face.

“Whatever,” Taemin muttered while shaking his head as he plugged his earphones once again.

Soo-jung slightly squealed as she sat beside him and opened her book. Sneakily, she unplugged the right side of Taemin’s earphones and plugged it to her right ear. “What are you listening to?”

Surprised, Taemin forcefully unplugged it from Soo-jung’s ears. “What do you think are you doing?” he asked. He almost shouted, but he managed to control it.

“You like Busker Busker, too?” she whispered joyfully as she held onto his arm.

“Yeah…” he said as he slowly removed Soo-jung’s hands from his arm. “Why?”

“I listen to them too! What’s your favorite song?” she asked.

“Why do you care…?” he asked coldly as he continued reviewing.

“Can I listen with you?” she asked.

Taemin pretended not to hear what she asked as he continued reading the book. Soo-jung frowned as she turned the book to the page where Taemin was in. From time to time, she peeked to his book and to him. But more to him, actually.

“How can he be this so attractive?” she thought to herself as she smiled.

~

The bell rang for its dismissal and Jinri prepared her things for her to leave immediately. She descended the stairs along with the pile of students that were excited to get home and nap for the study hall session. She walked on the open field, leading to the gate of the school.

As she neared the gate of the school, she was taken aback as she saw an unexpected person in front of her. Wearing formal and classy clothing with expensive jewelry, quite slender, fair skin and a face that quite resembles her was her mother standing with the black car and her driver at her back. With her eyebrows high, she looked at Jinri.

“Jinri,” her mother said in a high-pitch and intimidating tone.

“Umma…” she stuttered. Her mother walked neared her and grabbed her wrist.

“Jinri… please… go to our home now,” she pleaded.

Jinri looked to the side and said, “If you wanted me to be home just because you will force me to marry that unknown guy and to be the inheritor of our company, then please… let go of my hand.”

“Why don’t you want to?” her mother blurted out, losing her temper.

“Umma, we’ve already talked about this before, right? Umma… I’m sorry, but… just like what I said before, I wanted to decide on my own. I wanted to have my... freedom,” she replied.

In a flash, her mother slapped her on the cheek in front of the students exiting the school. “Look at those manners you have,” she repulsed. “We did not raise you like that. Where is the Jinri we know, huh? Where?”

“M-Mianhaeyo… umma… The Jinri you know is still standing in front of you. But, now, she’s a girl that turned to a woman. A woman that knows herself more and knows that she has the freedom to decide on her own,” she replied politely. “Excuse me. I need to go home now and prepare my lecture tomorrow.”

She avoided her mother’s glare as she ran away from her. Her mother breathed heavily as she continued glaring at her, distraught on what her daughter has become.

~

FROM: MAXSTEPP

Hello!

In this chapter, I wanted to "expand" the story and to reveal things from them. I know there are no MinSul moment here, but it will have soon. :) Just wait as I also wanted the story to progress.

Gomawo for the subscriptions, comments and upvotes! :D And... SARANGHAEYO all! <3 Please try to comment as I want to know what you're currently feeling about the story. :D

And for those who read my oneshot, thank you, too! :)

'Til the next update. :)