It’s the first day of school and the red haired girl is excitedly dragging her brunette best friend along. Tiffany wore a bright smile while nearing their school campus. Jessica on the other hand was the opposite, she was still groggy. It was early in the morning and she wanted to sleep some more.

Both girls are American born Koreans and it’s their first day as transferee students at Soshi University. Their families have migrated back to Korea weeks ago so they have to transfer schools. It was a good thing that the school year has just started so they don’t have to fill-in in the middle of the school year.

“Jessi come on hurry up.” Tiffany kept dragging the other girl.

“Tiff slowdown will ya? It’s still early. We won’t be late.” Jessica protested.

“But we have to be early. We still have to look for our classroom. We still have to find the best seats. We still have to make friends.” Tiffany was obviously excited at the thought of meeting new people and making new friends. She’s a people person after all.

Jessica rolled her eyes. She pried her hands away from Tiffany’s grip. “Just walk ahead. I’ll follow behind. I’m not in the mood to meet new people.” She walked lazily.

Tiffany did as she was told. She walked ahead while curiously looking around the wide university campus. She saw a few students playing soccer on a not so far soccer field. Opposite the soccer field was a volleyball court and a badminton court. She also saw an open court basketball court.

She continued observing the surroundings and the people present at the campus. Others were riding on their bicycles while others walked. Others were half running going towards some tall buildings while others just walked leisurely.

*

Jessica saw Tiffany walking ahead of her and observing around the campus. She took a deep breath. She was still tired. She wanted to sleep some more. She yawned and for a brief moment closed her eyes. But that brief moment totally took her drowsiness away.

She bumped into something or rather, someone. And when she opened her eyes she saw two brown orbs staring at her. She blinked and stared back. Then reality dawned on her. She was leaning unto a taller tanned girl that was supporting her. If it was a normal rescued-from-stumbling-forward scenario then Jessica would have gladly thanked the other girl. But it wasn’t.

**Slap!

A resounding slap disturbed the quiet university path walk.

Jessica was fuming. She wasn’t sleepy anymore but totally awake and furious. The other girl was yes supporting her from stumbling forward but her hands were on the wrong areas. The taller girl’s hands were resting on her front assets. She immediately left the girl who was bending over while holding her right cheek and holding her breath. She stomped forward and dragged a dumbfounded Tiffany out of the scene.

*

Yuri bended over and over and held her breath while holding her right cheek. The slap was out of this world. She could feel her cheek sting. She could feel it burning. She bit her tongue to stop herself from screaming.

Taeyeon and Sooyoung were stunned for a moment but eventually burst out laughing. It’s not every day that a pretty lady would dare slap Kwon Yuri – the campus’ Ms. Congeniality as everyone would call the girl.

“WOW!” Taeyeon grinned from ear to ear.

“Awesome!” Sooyoung’s face could be rip apart from the wide smile plastered on it.

Yuri was panting when she finally straightened up. She has held her breath for quite a long time to handle the pain that her innocent cheeks suffered.

“What the hell!” She hissed and looked around for the brunette girl who she just helped from stumbling forward. And who just slapped her for doing so.

“Where did she go?” Yuri kept on looking around but didn’t find what she’s been looking for.

“I think they’re the new ones Sunkyu was talking about last week.” Taeyeon also looked around with a smile not leaving her face.

“I bet they are.” Sooyoung was holding her aching stomach due to laughing hard. She kept on grinning like an idiot.

Yuri took in a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. Earlier she was running with her head turned to her back checking on the panting Sooyoung and Taeyeon who were after her when she saw the brunette girl. She abruptly stopped when she turned her head and saw the girl coming straight her way. But she was too late of doing so. The girl has bumped into her and by reflex she supported the girl from toppling over her. The problem was just her hands were on the wrong areas to support the falling girl.

It wasn’t intentional! Damn it! Yuri tried moving her jaw to check if it was still intact. The slap was so damned crispy fried chicken. What a great way to start my day!

***

Inside the classroom for first period Yuri was frowning while Taeyeon kept on grinning who sat beside her. Yuri’s mind kept on replaying the unfortunate scene which happened earlier. It wasn’t really my fault! It was by reflex to support her from toppling over me! It was also half her fault for not looking at where she’s going! Argghh!

Yuri was brought out from her mind debate when she felt Taeyeon nudge her.

“What?!” She hissed at her shorter friend.

“Mrs. Go.” Taeyeon pointed in front with her lips.

Yuri followed where the shorter girl’s lips were pointing and her eyes widened at what she saw. The evil girl with her red haired friend is standing beside Mrs. Go who was obviously not pleased with her not paying attention.

“Did you just hear what I said Ms. Kwon Yuri?” Mrs. Go shot her a displeased glare.

“Uhh…Yes Mrs. Go.” Yuri nodded blankly. She wasn’t really paying attention and she didn’t have the slightest idea as to what her teacher was talking about the past few minutes.

“Good. Okay now it’s settled.”

“Wh---what’s settled?” Yuri confusingly asked Taeyeon who was wearing a shocked expression.

“You just agreed to be paired with the brunette and I be paired with the red head.” Taeyeon spoke in all seriousness though the slight twitching at the edge of was enough for Yuri to tell that the shorter girl was hiding a smirk in that serious facade.

“What?!” Yuri hissed and stared back at her teacher, to the red head girl, and to the evil brunette girl who was boring holes in her skull with the way the girl looked at her. Their eyes met and both held an eye battle.

“Okay now. You better get along with your pair well for you will be together for the rest of the semester. Every activity will be done with your pair and whatever the outcome of the work will be the grade for both of you. This is a General Education subject so expect it to have a broad scope of topics from Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Psychology. I know you are from different courses and that is why it is very important that you and your partner must work it out together if you want to pass this subject. Understood?” Mrs. Go sternly reminded everyone.

The rest of the class nodded except for Yuri whose mouth had gone agape at what she just heard. Kill me now!

“Okay. You girls take the empty seats in front of Miss Kim and Miss Kwon.” The teacher motioned for Tiffany and Jessica to take their seats.

Upon sitting down Tiffany turned her head and beamed a smile at the two girls sitting behind them. “Hi I’m Tiffany Hwang. And this is my friend Jessica Jung. We are transferees. Please take care of us.”

Wow. Really nice eyesmile. Taeyeon returned the gleeful introduction. “Hi. I’m Kim Taeyeon and this is my friend Kwon Yuri.”

“Ah. So you are the one I’m going to be paired with?”

“Err---yes. Something like that.” Taeyeon smiled sheepishly.

“Great! Let’s work well together!” Tiffany was full of energy and full of smiles the entire time that Taeyeon couldn’t help but chuckle at the eye smiling girl.

On the other hand Yuri seemed to have just lost on a lottery wherein her soul was on the bet. Jessica was nowhere far from Yuri’s dreadful feeling about her pair. Of all the extra subjects and of all people to be paired with, she ended up with the erted charcoal girl. What a great way to start the semester in her homeland.

***

“Taeng let’s swap partners please. I’m begging you.” Yuri clasped her hands together and pleaded for her life.

“No. I don’t want to be partner with that scary brunette girl. I don’t think I’d survive the semester with still intact bones and limbs if I get to be her partner.” Taeyeon shook her head before biting down her sandwich.

“I’ll give you a whole semester supply of jellies and ice cream.” Yuri pleaded again.

Taeyeon paused for a while but then shook her head. “My life is more important than food. How would I enjoy the jellies and ice cream if I’ve got broken limbs?”

Yuri sighed and slumped on her chair.

“If it was me you were bribing with food, you wouldn’t have much problem.” Sooyoung chewed her food while busy working on something on Yuri’s cellphone.

“I can’t believe my luck!” Yuri slumped her forehead on top of the cafeteria table. There is really no escaping that scary brunette girl.

“Perfect!” Sooyoung grinned and handed back Yuri’s phone.

“What’d you do?” Yuri asked without lifting her head from the table.

“Changed your boring security code into a more interesting one.” A grin and another bite from her sandwich was Sooyoung’s reply.

“Gimme!” Taeyeon snatched the phone and guessed the new security code. She tried a few attempts before holding up a fist. “Got it!” She gave Sooyoung a high five of guessing it correctly.

“Give me that!” Yuri snatched her phone and tried to key in the new security code but terribly failed. She frustratingly threw the phone on the table.

“You’re too weak.”

“Yeah. It’s too simple.”

“But I really can’t guess it!”

“What exactly is inside your head? Almost all of your SNS accounts have the same passwords. YULYULK. Don’t you have anything else inside there?” Sooyoung pointed on her temple.

“I don’t want to complicate my life by having lots of passwords! My life is already ed up with lessons. And it has even gotten even more ed up this semester.” Yuri whined while poking her pudding on the plate.

“You’re exaggerating as always. Your security code is just two words. A reminder of your precious encounter with your precious partner.” Sooyoung grinned while Taeyeon laughed across from her.

“I can’t believe I’m friends with you two!” Yuri took her phone and typed again a couple of guesses before successfully unlocking it. “Yah!” She protested realizing the security code.

“Don’t change it. I had a hard time coming up with that.” Sooyoung casually sipped on her drink.

“Change it! You Shik---” Yuri was interrupted with what she about to say.

“Code red! Pretty eyesmile girl and scary brunette girl three-o’clock.” Sooyoung hissed while maintaining a nonchalant face.

“Which three-o’clock mine or you---” Yuri was cut off when a hand landed on her shoulder followed by a chirpy voice.

“Hi Yuri! Hi Taeyeon!” Tiffany’s eyes formed into crescent moons as she stepped beside Yuri.

“Hi Tiffany. This is our friend Sooyoung.” Taeyeon also beamed a smile while she introduced her shikshin friend.

“Oh. Hi Sooyoung. I’m Tiffany and this is---” Tiffany turned her head to see Jessica’s figure walking into the vendo machine. “And that’s my friend Jessica.” She continued pointed at the retreating figure.

“Hi Tiffany. I’m Sooyoung. And also hi to your friend there.” Sooyoung grinned and extended her hand which Tiffany gladly shook.

After a while of hellos and introduction, Tiffany was about to join the girls on their table when her phone rang.

“Hello? Jessi?” Tiffany glanced at the vendo machine but found out her friend wasn’t there anymore.

“Where are you? NO! We still have class in an hour! Aish! Wait for me!” Tiffany was frowning while answering the call.

All the while Tiffany was talking on her phone the three girls were quietly listening trying to figure out what's happening.