FIRST FRIEND

Jinri and Taemin arrived at the school grounds minutes before the school bell rang. They parked their bikes on the bicycle lane and headed to the school’s main building.

"Oppa?" Jinri asked Taemin. "Do you know where the admissions office is?"

"Yeah. I'm going there too" Taemin told her while nodding.

“Really? Can you come with me?” She does an aegyo, trying to convince him.

Taemin smirked. “Sure! No problem Jinri-ah.” She patted her head and smiled when she clang onto him and thanked him.

Jinri went to the admissions office with Taemin. The office personnel gave Jinri her schedule and her Identification Card.

As soon as they stepped out of the room, "I'll see you later, Ssul!!" Taemin called, waving her goodbye as he was walking to the opposite way. Jinri nodded and waved to him, a little confused.

"Aish, how can he leave me.." Jinri murmured, frowning at her friend's disappearing silhouette. 

With a blank expression she began to look for a room labeled 1-3 at the door.

Oof

"Omo, mianhae...." she said while bowing to the guy she bumped onto.

"No it's okay. Don't bow." the boy told her while trying to stop her from bowing.

"Hm. okay... Uhm, I'm sorry but do you know where class 1-3 is? I'm new, and I think I'm already late" she sighed, her sharp eyes scanning the hallway.

"Class 1-3?" Kai asked. Jinri nodded. She must be a new student. She seems lost. I should accompany her.

"I'm going there, too. You're in luck, classmate" he laughed, and Jinri smiled. "I'm Kim Jongin, but you can call me Kai" he nodded the slightest, and Jinri nodded back. Omo! This day is too fortunate. Now it would not be hard for me to look for my class.

 "Choi Jinri, you can call me Jinri. Whichever." she chortled at the back of her hand.

“So, let’s go?” Jinri nodded and followed Kai. Her eyes wandered, admiring the school as they make their way to their room. This university is pretty big. It would probably take time for me to memorize all the hallways, buildings and rooms here.

Kai led the way to their classroom and even opened the door for her when they have reached their class. Fortunately, the teacher was still not there. 

However, two seconds after Jinri closed the door it swung open again, revealing an older man on his forties. He is probably the teacher. Jinri bowed to the teacher, and stood there for awhile, not knowing what to do.

"Settle down, settle down" he told the class in an annoyed voice.

"Sulli!" she blinked and turned to direction of the voice. It was Kai.

"Come. Sit beside me." Kai slung an arm on her shoulder and lead her to the seat beside his.

"Ah, thank you." she told him shyly. He smiled.

"Since you're new here; you can ask me anything anytime. Just ask me anything you need to know about...the school, the subjects and the people here" he nodded before laughing softly and ruffling her hair.

"Ya!!" Jinri laughed as her hair got messed up. Kai gave her a grin as she fixed her hair, not wanting to look like an idiot.

"Anyway, thank you for the help" she nodded, her eyes focused on his. Kai smiled at her and she smiled back. She was happy that she had earned a friend on the first day already.

"Yes, we have a new student" seonsaengnim announced loudly over the chatter. He stepped aside, making space for her to stand when she introduce herself.

"Choi Jinri, please introduce yourself."  Soon, the room was silenced as Jinri stand up on her seat which made a little sound from her chair.

Jinri walked towards the blackboard casually. She smiled brightly when she faced the whole class. "Annyeonghaseyo, Choi Jinri imnida!" She then bowed to everyone.

"You can call me Jinri or Sulli. I will be your new classmate here. Nice to meet you all! Please take care of me" she bowed again slightly before walking back to her seat.

"Thank you, Ms. Choi" the teacher told her before he started the class.

Jinri didn't listen; it was probably about the rules and regulations of the school. Who taught lessons on the first day of school? Instead, she kept thinking of the places she wanted to go to after classes. Taemin told her that there were lots of beautiful places here in the campus.

I wonder if Taemin oppa will be able to show me those places he told me earlier.

She stared out the window, grinning while daydreaming as the teacher drone on.

-

Kai invited Jinri for lunch after the morning classes has ended. She agreed right away. They walked to the cafeteria, following the stream of students. 

"What do you want, Sulli-yah?" Kai asked her.

"Actually, I don't know. I like almost all of them but I'm not that hungry" she scratched her head as she made a small pout.

Kai laughed before patting her head. Jinri suddenly felt like she was a puppy."I can choose for you" he offered. She chuckled and nodded.  “Arasseo. Gomawo!”

They waited for a few minutes in the queue until their turn comes. He ordered the food for her, but when she was about to pay; he had beaten her to it.

"Aniya, it's my treat" he told her.

She looked at him in disbelief. "Eh? Alright. If you say so. You're pretty generous~" she nodded, giving him a smile.

The two roamed around, looking for a vacant seat. Finally, they found one and  sat down on a table near the window. The view is so nice. Jinri thought. She could see a beautiful and well-kept garden outside. Benches were also set up for students.

"This school has a garden as big as a lot!" Jinri chuckled.

"Haha yeah~ the school is trying to inhibit an environment-friendly atmosphere here," Kai replied, staring at her as she looked at everything in awe.

“oh.. I see.. let’s eat?”Jinri suggested. She took a bite of her bulgogi and was satisfied. "It's delicious!" she continued to eat happily.

"I know. It’s my favorite here." he replied, laughing a bit. His expression suddenly changed when he saw a familiar person at a distant.

Curious at what or who Kai was looking at, Jinri turned her head then her eyes widened. "K-Krystal.." she murmured.

Kai turned to her in a nanosecond, surprised a little. "Y-you know her?!" 

Jinri smiled softly.  "Of course I do. She was my first female best friend. I lost touch with her when she moved here in Seoul. Who knew that she would also study here?"

Krystal felt the feeling of someone watching her and turned around, her eyes landing on two people. She widened her eyes as she recognized the girl who is with Kai. She left her group and went to the girl. She hugged Jinri tightly, like a long lost sister.

"Ssul" Krystal muttered after pulling away from the hug, taking a good look at her.

Jinri gave her a warm smile. "Hey, Krys. It's nice to see you again"

"After all these years, this is all that you've got to say??" Krystal pouted, linking her arm with Jinri's. The latter laughed; "I'm sure you have more to say" she teased.

Krystal scoffed; "Of course I do. Did you think I would change?"

"No" Jinri said as she shake her head sideways.

"Good. You still know me." The two girls laughed while Kai was staring at them, also happy that the girls have reunited after how many years.  Who would have thought these girls would be reunited once again? How cute.. They act like sisters. Kai thought.

-

After classes have ended, Jinri sat on a bench near the school's gates and watched students walk by. She kept a sharp lookout for Taemin but was disappointed as he hadn't showed up for almost thirty minutes.

Suddenly she saw a lone figure approaching her. Jinri was confused; all of the students were gone and this figure definitely wasn't Taemin's.

He neared her with a crazy grin, which puzzled Jinri. She hadn't seen him this happy. "What is it?"