PROLOGUE
♚ let me tell you who i am who i am who i am ♚
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Scrambled or sunny -side up?

Scrambled eggs would take longer to prepare, but I had that yesterday morning. My life is already monotonous enough, I could at least spare my meals. But I always found it difficult to make the yolk in my sunny-side ups just right – in its liquid form but not so undercooked or even worse, overcooked. I cooked one on Monday for approximately three minutes and thirty-four seconds and ended up a little solid. Perhaps I should decrease the time to three minutes and thirty seconds?

I furrowed my brows and looked down at the carton of eggs...the empty carton.

Oh, right. Ran out yesterday.

“Noona,” my little brother called out. “You’re staring at the eggs again.” Dongjin said wearily. He did respect his sister’s great cooking but the time it took her…

I placed the empty carton – why had I not thrown it out? – back in the refrigerator. “There are no eggs to stare at, therefore your statement is invalid.”

“… I’ll just have cereal,” he said in reply and grabbed two bowls and spoons. “If you don’t want to be late again, you should have cereal too.” Before I could disagree, he had already set the bowls and cereal box before me.

I began pouring the artificially sugared food bits into my bowl. “School is a place where you learn. Therefore-“

“-You cannot be late when the learning process in you hasn’t even begun. It starts when you’re there,” he chimed in along with me. “Okay, noona. This is like the fourth time this week we’ve had this conversation… and it’s Tuesday.”

“Then stop nagging about my tardiness.”

“Oh, so you admit you’re tardy.”

“… Smart mouth.”

“I learn from the best.”

“Jinah~!”

I did not look up from my book. “That’s my name,” I said in reply to the taller girl that walked alongside me. I took a quick look at her before focusing back on my book.

Yooyoung seemed to be wearing her school shoes that had a two-inch hidden edge. Her blouse was fine, but she had clearly gotten lazy when it came to ironing her skirt. It was quite obvious that she was in a hurry this morning, as her black hair was fixed in a high ponytail with disheveled strands on the side – a clear sign she had just brushed through it quickly with a comb compared to her past meticulous updos. I stared at her again – no, they were considerably more disheveled today by two-thirds the usual. She had probably just combed her hair with her fingers.

Yooyoung caught me looking at her and smiled widely at me. “You’re doing that thing again.”

I glanced back at my manga. “What thing?”

“That thing.” She said, emphasizing the word rather than elaborating on it. “You know, that ‘I now know everything about you and what you did with my two-second look’ thing.”

“It’s just observing. And I only took around 1.37 seconds to appraise you – can’t even round it up to two seconds,” I corrected her as we entered our classroom, 2-A.

She laughed and set her bag next to my seat. I placed my bag on the table and continued with my book. “It’s not just observing, Jinah. I’m looking at you now, and you look like you do everyday, but I’m sure you did something different.”

I shrugged.

“Tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“What I should see when I see you.”

I pushed up my glasses and finally regarded her. “You see what you want to see.”

Damn, I’m wise.

“That’s now what I’m talking about! Okay, let me try.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “Your black plaid skirt and white school blouse are perfect and ironed out. Nothing new… Your blazer though, is a bit wrinkled on the cuffs – it was probably the one from yesterday. You actually took the time to give yourself a sidebraid – enough morning time, I suppose? … And you had scrambled eggs.”

“My skirt and blouse are always perfect and ironed out. As you can see from the slight difference in the hem here,” I said, holding out my hand to show her my cuffs, “they are about half a centimeter shorter – so, no, it was not the one I wore yesterday. Yes, I did have enough time to work on my hair. And no, I had cereal… you could deduce that last fact because I’m not late. What made you think I had eggs?”

“… You always do. You went all ‘Western cooking is the best’ once second year started. It was a 50/50 chance on whether it was scrambled or sunny.”

“Speaking of eggs, I need to buy some later. Want to join me at the market?”

“Sorry, but I can’t. I haven’t even started on the project due tomorrow…” She stared blankly at me. “Which you obviously are not going to do.”

“I already know the basic information on the organ systems in our body. Why bother repeating the information in my head again by doing an assignment?”

“To get a better grade! Honestly, Jinah. I bet you could beat Aaron at the top one spot. Why don’t you?”

“Excuse me, but what did you just say, Yooyoung?” a girl who was seated in front of us said. Her eyes were narrowed at my friend. “Aaron-oppa is the smartest in our batch. Weirdo over here,” she glanced at me briefly, “just spouts random garbage to try and show off. That’s the difference between genius and… someone like you.”

Yooyoung rolled her eyes. “What next? You’re going to say Baekho is actually a great basketball player?”

“Are you implying he isn’t?!”

“Oh, no, dear. I’m clearly saying he isn’t.”

I took in a deep breath and tried to block out their bickering as I returned to my book.

“No one?... Anyone? It’s a very simple question. Plus points to anyone who can get it,” the teacher said.

I let out a yawn.

“Ah, Jinah, would you like to answer?” he said.

I shook my head. He narrowed his eyes at me. I groaned. What was the point of asking then? I stood up and looked briefly at multiple-choice problem on the board. “It’s B.”

He nodded in approval. “Why?”

“Because it’s twice as long as the other answers. You wouldn’t have gone through the effort of writing it down if it was wrong.” A few people in class snickered.

“… Don’t get smart with me, miss.”

“So you want me to act dumb with you?”

“After class, Ms. Park.”

“I ordered your food for you,” Jason said as I took a seat across him and besides Yooyoung. I nodded in appreciation at the tray. Thirty minutes into lunch period meant very little decent food that was still available. “Got in trouble with Mr. Seoh again?”

Yooyoung laughed. “I think you like getting scolded from him. I never knew you digged older men.”

“I don’t… I like the stupid ones.”

“Can we not talk about your weird taste in guys?” Jason said as he took a bite from his food. Yooyoung just laughed but agreed.

I looked at him briefly, then at Yooyoung before focusing on my food and their idle chatter.

I had become friends with these two during my first year. Yooyoung was my lab partner in science last year and unlike several people that grew irritated at my personality, she embraced it and… constantly laughed at it too. She’s not feminine at all despite her long, shiny, silky hair and is even the MVP of the girls’ basketball team.

Jason was from China and arrived a month into classes. The girls flocked to him instantly because of his looks and background. I had said his English name was odd and Yooyoung said his red hair made him look ridiculous. I don’t know it happened, but he ended up sitting with us every time we ate. Maybe he enjoyed the verbal abuse? We were all classmates during first year, but come second year, Jason was separated off into B.

I looked down briefly at my food. I, on the other hand, did not have as many redeeming qualities as these two. I wasn’t celebrity beautiful like Jason or talented in something like Yooyoung. They say my personality was enough of a merit, but seeing as how I it was my very attitude that got me outcasted during elementary and middle school, I don't believe them. Even I know how irritating and self-absorbed I can get... yet these two are perfectly fine with it.

I paused, my chopsticks in midair. They glanced at me briefly.

“Thanks.”

Jason grinned. “No problem.”

Yooyoung placed an arm over my shoulder. “We enjoy it.”

I didn’t even explain anything. God I love these people.

I set the bag of groceries on the table and sat at the stool, taking a moment to rest. The supermarket was as hectic as usual today. I went and bought more than eggs since I was there anyway. It’s time to begin planning the meals I’ll cook for the week…  I stood up and began putting away the food. Let’s start with the meat, I thought as I began putting it in the freezer. One kilogram of the beef will be reserved for Friday dinner, half of the chicken for tomorrow, then the fish will have to be divided between-

“Noona,” my brother greeted briefly as he entered the kitchen. “What’s for dinner-?”

“Ssh!” I said. “I’m busy.” I should make the rice during dinner so that mornings would be less of a hassle. Should I try making boxed lunch again? If I can split the servings of rice evenly for the week, then I’ll only need to buy some again on the weekends. But the viands and side dishes wouldn’t make till the weekend. Should I head back to the grocery real quick? We’ll probably have to stick with school lunches for the week. Now where was I? Ah, the rice yes. The seaweed will also have to be-

“Can I order pizza?”

“No!”

He groaned. He hated when his sister went grocery shopping.

“I’m guessing we’re going to have dinner three hours later than usual?”

“Yes! Now go do your homework.”

“… You don’t even deny it.”

“Do your homework.”

“You don’t do your homework.”

“Do you really want to be like me?”

He went upstairs to do his homework.

I sat at the edge of my bed and looked around my room to make sure I would be ready tomorrow. My uniform was hanged and already ironed. My bag was already fixed with the appropriate books and notebooks. Yes, I believe all is well today. I turned off my lamp and got into bed, pulling down my panda sleeping mask.

My life has been pretty much like this for the past three months since school started. Nothing remarkable or anything. I had a loving family. I had great friends. Life at school was tolerable. One may even call it boring and ordinary…

… but if an ordinary life meant being with these people, then I’m perfectly happy with ordinary.

.
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END PROLOGUE
♚ let me tell you who i am who i am who i am ♚

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PREVIEW

Chapter 1

“I’ve had it with your disrespect! Detention, Park Jinah!”

“He still your type?”

“… A little bit, yeah.”

_

“You do know who’s in charge of detention, right?”

_

“Stop staring.”

“But you’re gorgeous.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“And proud.”

“I’ve heard that too.”

A/N: Don't worry Nu'est fans, you'll get your dose of Ren (and some Minhyun) in the next chapter. I just wanted to kind of portray exactly who the heroine is. I hope you enjoyed and will stick around for the next chapter. Any comments on my writing or Jinah (good / bad) is greatly appreciated.

I tried being more faithful to using Korean honorifics... but typing Seonsang (teacher) was a pain and so I just stuck with Mr / Ms, haha~ 

And on another note.... JUST NINE MORE DAYS TILL THE NEW ALBUM! #RE:BIRTH <3 <3 <3 <3 <3