Chapter Two

Imagine her shock when Iseul heard the seat next to her scrape against the floor as someone pulled it away from the desk.  No one ever sat next to her.  It wasn’t as if she was bullied or anything, it’s just that people had learned over the years that she would rather be left alone.  Looking up from the piece of paper that she was absentmindedly doodling on, she was met with sharp features and even sharper eyes.  Huang Zitao, otherwise known as simply Tao.  Eyes widening, she hurriedly averted her eyes, choosing instead to focus on the teacher that was currently entering the room.

“Okay class, take a good look at the person next to you; they will be your seat partner for the rest of the year, as well as your partner for any group projects.” This news was like a dead weight attached to Iseul’s chest.  Seat partners with Tao? He was, understandably, one of the most popular boys in the school.  Add on the fact that he was extremely proficient in wushu and in the top twenty students academically and he had the whole package – brains, brawn, and the people stupid enough to believe that that meant everything. And he was her seat mate?! She could just see the death glares that the various girls would be shooting her throughout the rest of the year.  Oh well. It wasn’t anything she wasn’t used to, after all.

Tao waved in a form of greeting, to which Iseul ignored him yet again.  After all, why make ties with people when all they were going to do is leave her alone again? Plus, she was planning on attending a university in the United States if everything went according to plan – she was hoping to get a full ride.  Meaning that she would never have to see any of these petty people again in her life.

After the school day was over, Iseul walked towards the café that she worked at once again.  It wasn’t that far away from the school, maybe a thirty minute walk at a medium pace.  She could make it in fifteen if she was running late.  But, who liked to rush through life?

Unbeknownst to Iseul, Zitao was following her, but not for any reason that you might think.  However, when he walked in right b