Episode 4: A boy or a girl?  

As I walked out the restroom, I saw my roommate putting on his shoes preparing to head out and I stood few steps away from as I waited for him to leave first. He glimpsed at me from the corner of his eye then steadied himself and twisted the doorknob.

It was really awkward between us. I know we just met, and we know practically nothing about each other, but it would be nice if he actually said a word.

Slowly falling for his charm now, aren’t you Jin?

Would you shut up?! I’m going to look for a way to change roommates!

Keep dreaming~

I kept arguing with my inner-consciousness as he took a last glance at me before leaving and I slowly raised my palm to wave him goodbye –out of politeness, but he averted his eyes away. I quickly touched my cap and adjusted it before I started to put on my shoes as well. I know, I must’ve looked very stupid.

“You’ll regret being cold towards me, I promise” I phrased before I followed after him.

“Huh?”

As soon as I stepped out the room, I got a shock… a real big one…

I found a small crowd of girls gathering around him. They were all squealing.

I scratched the back of my head as I walked by, he was smiling at them perfectly. The whole scene seemed out of a movie.

“But it’s not like he’s a celebrity” I scoffed, regretting ever saying anything right away as I drew attention to my presence.

“Oh! That person came out the same room as Jin oppa!” A girl among them yelled, making the others go silent for a moment.

“Hm? Me? Jin oppa?” I raised my gaze in denial “No, wait, how do you even…”

I was going to ask how they knew my name, or assured that I was a guy but that arrogant person just laughed and said, disdain clear in his tone:

“He’s just nobody important”

That struck a nerve, and even though I planned to leave silently, now that he said that… I turned at him and returned him the same arrogant challenging grin he wore, and then I replied:

“Nobody important you say?” I laughed, “Do you even know who I really am?” I raised my head and looked at him with confidence.

“Whoa, so cool! Talking back on Jin oppa!” The girls somehow directed their gazes at me, and I just felt a bit uncomfortable. And I could see how irritated he was though he tried to remain nonchalant.

“This guy is very cute!” They came and stood in a circle around me.

Wait, his name is Jin too?

“Fine then” his arrogant voice uttered “From now on, be the idol and take care of the big fuss in my stead”

“What?” I didn’t understand what he meant.

I saw him leave with his hand in his pants’ pocket, looking much happier than when I first saw him, he walked away raising his palm as if to wave at me.

Did I just now… do him a favor?

“Say! Say! Are you Jin oppa’s roommate?”

“How does his room look like?”

“What’s his favorite food?”

“How close did you get?”

The girls were closing-on on me.

That’s one of the many reasons that encouraged me to stay out of the spotlight! Not to mention the arrows of questions they kept asking, and which were only making me dizzy.

I shook my head repeatedly and yelled:

“Enough!”

They were surprised.

“Don’t ask me anything about that guy! I know nothing about him and we’re not that friendly with each other!” I held my hands out in resignation. “So give me a break… please” I tried to soften my tone a bit at the end because I realized that it was harsh for me to treat them badly.

I was the kind of person to immediately regret scolding people.

“I got to go now.” I uttered, as I started to draw myself out of their circle.

But then I heard squealing, and they shouted “How cute!” at the same time. I instinctively started to rush my steps, I wouldn’t wait for them to come after me again!

_____________________________

I got to the classroom after a breathless scamper.

According to my card, I was with class A.

The first thing I did before going in was to check right from the entrance and see if I could spot the guy I share the same room -and name with unfortunately. I was stretching my neck to steal glances at the classroom from where I stood.

“Yes! He’s not in there!” I smiled triumphantly as I threw my fist in the air and then turned back when…

“Yo!” a cheerful voice greeted.

I jerked, there was a guy standing just behind me, imitating my same pose, and I swear, if we were the same height, I would’ve bumped his face by mistake.

“W-What do you think yourself doing?” I asked in a panicked scream.

Seriously, he took me by surprise, my heart was almost leaping out of my throat.

I backed off, trying to distance myself from him.

“Haha, don’t be scared little fellow” he flashed a very kind smile.

I don’t know but I blushed slightly at that sight,

“Don’t you remember me?” he asked cheerfully.

“Hm?” I looked at his face, trying to remember.

“We met yesterday and you bumped into me haha” he laughed “I immediately recognized you now, you’re too short and cute”

I blinked my eyes as I looked down, because I was never complimented by a handsome guy before.

See? You’ll be busted in no time~

“My name’s Minho by the way!” he stretched his palm at me.

“I’m…” I hesitated a bit “I’m Jin” I scratched the back of my head with my hand and shook his with my other.

“Oh, Jin? Is that a nickname?”

“No… My full name is Mikasa Jin” I gave him a carefree smile “I’m Japanese”

His eyes widened and for a second I thought I might have said something weird, but then:

“Oh! Man, your Korean is very fluent! I never guessed” he lightly punched my shoulder then burst out in laughter.

I am so lucky for being an athlete. Or else that would’ve caused a severe pain. He didn’t punch me lightly.

He looked somehow surprised.

“Wow, so stiff” he shook his palm as he looked amazed. “You’re stronger than what you look like”

“Haha, yes, years of training I guess” I laughed in amusement.

Minho is indeed a fun person to be around.

“So… are you also with class A?” he questioned.

I nodded.

“Great! I made my first mate” he draped his arm around my shoulders and that made me wince. “Let’s go, classes are almost starting!”

I couldn’t even push him away, I glanced at his face and saw that his smile never disappeared. I was grateful that we were standing in front of the classroom and that we didn’t have to remain on that position for too long.

I chose the last desk at the middle row, Minho went to chat with some of the female students and he seemed very popular. I folded my arms on my desk and laid my jaw on them as I watched him telling jokes and making the girls laugh and squeal.

Although he was charming… I don’t know… I just felt that Jin was more popular because he didn’t give off that much of friendliness and barely even spoke to the girls yet they kept gathering around him…

Are you siding with Jin now?

Do you even have a muting button?!

Are you irritated because I keep telling the truth?

What if I bang my head real hard on something, would that shut you up?

Nope, that would shut YOU down, once and for all.

“ARGH!!” I yelled in frustration, and started to mess my hair after taking off my cap.

I got everyone looking at me with shock. Including Minho.

“I…I apologize” I smiled apologetically and bowed slightly at them, not paying attention I bumped my knee against the desk’s leg, I slouched then fell back to my seat and buried my face in my palms as I dropped it down.

How can I be this clumsy?

“Hey, are you ok?” I felt a hand of my shoulder, and that was Minho’s voice.

“I’m fine” I nodded.

“Oh… the teacher’s here” he patted my shoulder.

I quickly sat up and wore my cap back on my head. I looked to find Minho sitting in the desk in front of mine. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. Although I couldn’t hide my tension.

The teacher introduced herself and then clapped her hands together and said:

“I’m sure none of you noticed, but we have with us actually a very special student” she smiled whole-heartedly.

Students started to whisper and talk.

Yeah, no wonder, it has to happen in every academy; a famous somebody who would start to look down on everyone else and then make it into a cheesy school-drama blah blah blah… I laid my cheek on my palm as I looked at the teacher with boredom.

“This student came all the way from a foreign country…”

Great, I’m not the only foreigner here.

“She came from Japan to join our academy and follow her dreams”

What? Japanese too?

Minho turned to look at me and winked, saying:

“Is she an acquaintance of yours?”

I shook my head slightly.

“Too bad, but I hope she’s cute” he started to scan the girls around.

“Ok, let’s just allow her to introduce herself, how about that?”

And male students cheered in agreement.

“Haha, Miss Mikasa Jin!”

I froze in my place,

The teacher kept looking around, apparently for Miss Mikasa who is actually nothing like a miss. As for Minho, he stiffened, as he slightly turned his head back to look at me over his shoulders.

“Huh? Where is she?” a boy asked as he looked around.

“Didn’t she come?”

I pushed my chair back, then I stood up, all eyes were on me and even the teacher looked at me with puzzlement.

I’m sorry for deceiving you Minho, forgive me.

I saw how shocked he seemed as he kept staring fixedly downward.

I walked towards the teacher, then stood and faced the students who couldn’t hide their bewilderment.

I smiled:

“Nice to meet you all, I’m Jin” I bowed my back slightly “Please take care of me”

I raised my head and saw Minho staring at me, his eyebrows knitted and his mouth slightly opened.

***To be continued.