First day of classes in IU. Some of the classes start as early as 7:30 am. Yuri woke up early to do her daily routine. Drink Ma, do some stretching and now that she’s living with eight other girls, she has to cook for them too. She made pancakes for them and for herself. After doing all of those, she took a bath and changed to her uniform. Culinary Arts student are required to wear a uniform while the others aren’t, they could wear anything they want. Casual clothes even flip flops. You could dress like a gangster, just don’t act like one and go around school picking fights with the other kids. The discipline officer said during the orientation. 

So here Yuri was, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She smirked. I look good in this uniform. She winked but ended up like having a seizure. Her wink was awkward but still very pretty. Whoever disagrees, you might as well check your definition of the term ‘pretty.’


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Room 17B. YoonSicTae’s Room.

Taeyeon woke up and turned to her right, where Jessica’s bed is. She saw the girl still sleeping. Jessica sleeping is so different with the Jessica glaring at her most of the time. 

She looked at Yoona’s bed. She wasn’t there. Maybe she’s already downstairs. We’re in the same class for the rest of the day, after all. She would be in the same class…with Jessica. I’d probably be ignored again. A girl like me could only do so much.

She took a bath and prepared for the day ahead. ” One word. Is all I need to say exactly how I feel. One word. A single word that's from the heart and keeps it real. One word. And baby I know this one fits you to a tee. One word. All I can say is amazing,” she sang while taking a shower.

”You’re amazing. So amazing. Just amazing to me. One word. One word. One wo—“ 

When she opened the door, she saw Jessica looking like she was ready to strangle her little body. 

“One word,” Jessica raised her index finger in front of Taeyeon’s face, “Shut up.”

“That’s two,” she said while wiggling her two fingers and smiling like a dork.

“Shut up. I’m still sleepy and I have an excuse. What’s your excuse for being so darn annoying?”

Taeyeon creased her eyebrows and pouted, “What the heck is your problem? I didn’t even do anything to you!” she couldn’t help but raise her voice. It was true though. For her, stalking the girl she likes isn’t wrong. It’s not a crime. Well, it is if you get all creepy and if you go beyond just following them and knowing stuff about them. Right now, Taeyeon would rather have Jessica’s lawyer in front of her, waving a restraining order on her face than having Jessica so near to her yet being treated like this. Jessica never talks to her. If she does talk to her, her words would only serve as an insult to the poor girl.

”What did I ever do to you, huh? Do you want me to switch rooms with someone else or move to another house so I won’t be able ‘to annoy you?’ I’d gladly do that if that’s what you want” is what she was thinking of saying but didn’t cooperate. 

Instead she said this…

“I’m sorry for raising my voice. Sorry for singing and annoying you. I’m sorry if my voice annoys you,” she looked at Jessica dead straight in the eyes, letting the other girl know what she’s feeling at the moment. She was mad at herself and upset with the girl in front of her.

“Taengoo-ah, sorry. Sorry if i always get annoyed by you. I don’t even know why I find you annoying but you are. It must be tough for you as well because you don’t know you’re annoying,” Jessica looked down. “You’re one of those people who are annoying even if they don’t even try. I think it’s because you’re a dork. I don’t know why people find that amusing but I don’t. I find it very very very very an—“

Taeyeon stopped her by holding up her hand in front of Jessica’s face, “Is that really an apology? Because you’re only reiterating yourself. Telling me that I’m annoying and stuff.”

“It is an apology,” Jessica looked at her again, “It’s my way of saying sorry. Do you want me to take it back then?” she crossed her arms.

Taeyeon waved both of her arms, “No no no no. Apology accepted.” She was smiling like a dork once again.

Jessica had this bored look on her face again as she pushed Taeyeon lightly because she was blocking the door of the bathroom. The shorter girl lost her balance and fell on the floor. 

Jessica turned to see if the girl was alright. She saw Taeyeon pouting and looking at her. “Kim Taeyeon, stop being a klutz,” she said as she offered Taeyeon a hand and the girl took it.

“What happened to you calling me ‘Taengoo’? You pushed me by the way.”

“I pushed you lightly. Are you saying I have super powers now? Like Hercules or something?” Jessica raised her eyebrows in a playful manner and continued, “Tiffany was calling you that in front of me. I got it from her so blame her.”

Maybe it’s not such a bad thing letting Tiffany call me Taengoo. Thank you, Tiffany.

She was zoning out on Jessica. It was kind of ironic but Jessica hated when people space out while talking to her. She snapped her fingers on Taeyeon’s face, “Yah! Kim Taeyeon!”

“Yeah?”

“You are so weird and annoying,” she went inside and closed the door.

Taeyeon was left there, smiling and feeling like she just won a million dollars. 


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In the dining room, two girls were eating their pancakes.

“I missed eating breakfast with you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Hey...I’m sorry. I really am.”

Yuri went downstairs and saw Yoona and Seohyun eating breakfast together. 

“Good Morning,” she greeted and the two girls greeted her back. A few minutes after Yuri went to the dining area, the other girls came in and ate their pancakes. Seohyun, Sooyoung, Yoona, Taeyeon and Jessica have the same first class which is Algebra while Sunny and Hyoyeon have Physics 1. Yuri’s first class is Grammar and Communication.

Freshmen would have their minor classes merge with students who aren’t taking up the same course as they do. This is part of the dean’s scheme to let the students mingle with other students. In IU, socializing is important. The roommates in the houses are usually the ones in the same classes for their first year.

After they finished eating and washing the dirty dishes, all of them left the house. They didn’t have to use any of their cars since the building where their classes were held is nearby. Most of them were still sleepy so they forgot that someone was missing.

Tiffany got up from bed and checked the time. 7:20 am.

Oh, no! Yuri didn’t even bother to wake me up. She knows we have the same class. Selfish Kwon Yuri!

She’s right about that but Yuri thought they weren’t in speaking terms because of last night’s petty argument. Before the two went to bed last night, they didn’t talk to each other again. Blame their stupid plush toy fight. She hurriedly took a bath and got dressed.

She ran downstairs and grabbed whatever it is in the fridge. She saw an apple and immediately grabbed that then ran outside. She was in panic mode and she forgot that her classroom is not that far from their house. If she power walked, she’d be there in 5 minutes. She got there in less than 2 minutes and had time to park her car properly. She only had two bites of the apple as she sprinted towards the classroom.

Tiffany threw the barely eaten apple in the trash bin and fixed her dishevelled hair a little. She entered the room and saw Yuri sitting in the front seat. Their professor wasn’t there yet.Thank God! She hated the attention whenever she’s late. When she was in high school and she came in late, her classmates would stand up and give her a round of applause, congratulating her for being late. Being ridiculed was the punishment for late comers.

She sat beside Yuri and menacingly stared at the girl, “You didn’t wake me up.”

“You didn’t tell me to and what am I, your alarm clock?” she looked at the girl and stared at her in horror. She turned her gaze in the white board and said, “You know what, you’re right. I should’ve woken you up and helped you fix yourself up. Did you even look at yourself in the mirror before you left the house? Your hair’s still wet. Your shirt’s wrinkled.” Yuri covered half of her face, feeling embarrassed that she’s talking to the poorly dressed girl.

“I didn’t have time to blow dry my hair and I was such in a rush. I was running around and my keys are under the bed. I dunno why they’re under the bed but they are. You are so—“

The girl continued to talk but Yuri wasn’t paying attention anymore. She looked to her right and saw a foreigner. 

IU is an international school and accepts applicants from other countries so long as they’re qualified. 

A blonde, blue-eyed girl who looked really sleepy but was trying hard not to fall asleep was wearing the same uniform as her. She looked at the guy next to the blonde and saw that he was wearing a culinary student’s uniform as well. He was looking at himself in the mirror and was smirking every five seconds. He was probably admiring his own face. 

She saw the professor coming in. All she had in her hand was a marker and an eraser. She uncapped her marker and wrote her name on the board. Professor Isak

“It’s not my real name but you could just call me that. I’m your professor for Grammar and Communication. You guys are basically my guinea pigs. I just got my Master’s Degree a year ago. I took my Bachelor’s Degree here in IU and that’s about it. This subject is a prerequisite for ‘Public Speaking 1’.”

She paused and counted the students in front of her. “Eight. Alright eight kids. All nine of us are going to be stuck with each other for a whole term.”

The maximum number of students in one class is fifteen. This way, the professor would more likely be attentive to their students. The professor and the student would have a great relationship and learning would be efficient, Ji-eun would say.

“Rules. No late comers. Late comers would be severely punished. You’re going to have to buy me lunch with your own money. Enough about rules. I’m not really that strict. Now, indulge me with interesting information about yourselves. Let’s start off with our foreign friend. Please stand up Ms?”

The blonde that Yuri was looking at earlier stood up. “Waller.”

“Okay. Ms. Waller, please introduce yourself.”

“I’m Meaghan Waller and I’m from Canada. I’m taking up Culinary Arts,” she said and took a seat.

Professor Isak welcomed her to Korea and motioned for Yuri to stand up and introduce herself. Yuri did what she was told to do then sat down. Tiffany was next and did the same thing. Their professor pointed at the guy Yuri was observing earlier. 

“Choi Siwon here,” he smirked. “Some say I’m cocky, I say I’m just overconfident.”

“That’s the same. One and the same,” their professor said and raised a brow.

“I beg to differ,” he said still smirking.

“This isn’t your best subject huh?” Before Siwon could answer she stopped him, “It was a rhetorical question, my boy. It means you don’t have to answer.” She shook her head multiple times. “Let’s move on.”

The guy from the back stood up.”Jung Yunho. Fashion Design. Not gay. Fashion is just my forte,” he said, not even smiling. There were no emotions. He had a straight face on.

Tiffany froze when she heard the name. She looked at him and he was really the Jung Yunho she knows. Her ex. Why the heck does he have to study in the same school?