“HURRY UP, YOU GUYS! I don’t want to be late on my first day of college,” Tiffany hollered as she ran to the gates, fixing the last strands of her hair into a neat pony tail.

 

Two others were rushing behind her. One was puffed and another was waiting for the worn out. Jessica tried to catch her breath while Seohyun patted her back. Tiffany stood twenty metres before them with her hands on her hips.

 

“Jessica… You really need to get fit.” Tiffany sighed as she folded her arms over her chest, waiting for the duo to catch up.

 

“Hey! My figure is fine, thank you very much,” Jessica retorted, waving her fist threateningly at Tiffany.

 

“Your stamina isn’t.” Tiffany rolled her eyes and laughed.

 

“Shut up!” yelled Jessica.

 

“Unnie… We have to hurry in order to make it to the entrance ceremony.” Seohyun helped Jessica get to the gates. Tiffany was already bounding towards the college premises as she did a little spin in the middle of the court.

 

“SM College, here we come!” Tiffany cheered as she did an air fist pump. The pair behind her simply laughed at their dorky friend. Just then, a horde of students cut in the gap between Tiffany and the two. They were separated in an instant.

 

“Jessica! Seohyun!” Tiffany tried to call her friends to get their attention, tiptoeing over the crowd blocking her view.

 

“Tiffany! Unnie!” shouted Jessica and Seohyun. Their voices were muffled as they were dragged farther and farther away.

 

Soon, the crowd dispersed and Tiffany found herself at an unfamiliar corner in the campus beneath the shadows of the towering buildings.

 

“Jessica? Seohyun?” Tiffany surveyed the area, trying to find her way back to her friends.

 

The campus was dark as the shades of the buildings fell to the floor. Not a soul was present since the students were all preparing for the entrance ceremony. Tiffany tidied her skirt and cardigan and decided to go look around to locate where she was. She walked past building after building, tree after tree, and yet she did not seem to get anywhere. She glanced at her watch as it struck 8:30 a.m.

 

“Oh no! Fifteen minutes left ‘til the entrance ceremony begins. I need to find help quickly otherwise I won’t make it on time.” Tiffany picked up the pace, seeking for someone to help her. As she turned by the bend, she collided with something particularly hard, causing her to stumble back a few steps. Her unstable footing made a mess of her limbs and she landed on the ground with a soft thud.

 

“Owww!” Tiffany rubbed the spot where her head was hit and groaned audibly.

 

“Are you okay, miss?” asked a gentle voice.

 

“Yeah… sorry.” Tiffany looked up to discover what or rather who she bumped into.

 

Before her were two ladies donned in black and white uniforms, watching her every move. One had her arm extended to help her up while the other simply stood behind. The girl who was offering her hand to Tiffany had a smile on her face, emanating a rather friendly vibe. She was utterly beautiful and her striking tanned skin boosted her charm. Tiffany then shifted her eyes to the silent girl next to her.

 

This girl was much different from the former. A cold aura surrounded her, evoking people to recoil from her presence. Tiffany couldn’t exactly identify what it was but something screamed superiority about her whole being. Although she was shorter than the first, she was not any less stunning. She had flowing light brown hair which went past her shoulders. Her skin was as white as porcelain and Tiffany assumed it would surely be as soft as marshmallows if she were to touch them. She was attractive but then her beauty would have multiplied tenfold if not for the glare that she was sporting and the arms that were unnervingly crossed over her chest. Tiffany was still studying this curious specimen when the other spoke up.

 

“Do you need help with anything?” asked the young woman as she pulled Tiffany to her feet. She paused for a while. “Oh my, how rude of me. I’m Kwon Yuri and this here is my friend, Kim Taeyeon.” The person named Yuri briefly did the introductions. Taeyeon acknowledged her with a curt nod before she turned around, facing the opposite side.

 

“Ah… yes, I was separated from my friends before and now I don’t know my way to the entrance ceremony,” Tiffany explained as she kept eyeing Taeyeon. The girl she was observing suddenly started walking away with Yuri in tow.

 

“Ah…” whispered Tiffany. She panicked at the thought of the pair abandoning her but she could only reach out to their direction with her foot rooted on the ground, afraid that she might have bothered them too much.

 

“Hurry up.” Taeyeon finally said. Yuri glanced behind and gestured for Tiffany to follow them. Tiffany’s face immediately lit up as she smiled, relieved that she would be ushered to the entrance ceremony.

 

“I think we know where your friends are,” uttered Yuri as she strolled alongside Taeyeon.

 

‘I wonder if they’re a couple,’ Tiffany thought to herself after she witnessed the proximity of the two.

 

“There they are.” Yuri pointed towards three figures in the distance.

 

“I only have two friends with me,” Tiffany told Yuri when she saw the bunch.

 

“Yes, the third member there is a part of our group.” Yuri grinned as they approached the trio. Indeed, two of them were Jessica and Seohyun. The last was a pretty girl who seemed to be well acquainted with her friends. All of a sudden, she ran up to Tiffany and shook her hand.

 

“You must be Tiffany. I’m Im Yoona. You’re the friend these two were looking for.” Yoona beamed. She was about the same height as Yuri but her physique was slimmer. She was gorgeous and welcoming however there was just something about her that made Tiffany keep her distance. In fact, all of the girls in black and white uniforms had the same enigmatic air.

 

“Yoona,” Taeyeon warned sternly.

 

“Ahhh. Sorry, Taeyeon. I guess I went overboard.” Yoona scratched the back of her head as she stuck her tongue out. Tiffany, Jessica and Seohyun couldn’t help but feel a little at ease with Yoona’s silly antics.

 

Taeyeon didn’t respond. Instead, she pivoted on her heels and began heading somewhere else.

 

“Ah. Could you tell us where the entrance ceremony is held?” Tiffany blurted out. Her words fell on deaf ears as Yoona and Yuri trailed behind Taeyeon. She pouted at the three’s rudeness and turned to her two friends.

 

“I’m so glad I still have you two. Let’s go find the hall,” Tiffany said as she dragged the duo by the neck of their shirts.           

 

“Ermm. Tiffany… air… please.” Jessica gasped while she smacked Tiffany’s arm lightly.

 

“Oh. Sorry.” Tiffany quickly released them and placed her arms behind her back. “Now… to find the crowds and follow them.” Tiffany looked at her watch. There was still five minutes until the entrance ceremony commenced. The two went on ahead so as to not waste time but halted when they noticed that Seohyun stayed behind.

 

“Seohyun, we’re going to be late if we don’t hurry,” reminded Jessica while tapping a foot on the floor impatiently.

 

Seohyun firmly shook her head and motioned to the building in front of her. On top of the building’s colossal central gate was a large banner which said Entrance Ceremony. Jessica and Tiffany rushed to her side and stared up at the sign with mouths ajar.

 

“Well, what do we know? They actually helped us.” Jessica scoffed.

 

“Guess so,” Tiffany affirmed, feeling rather guilty for being upset at the three girls before.

 

They soon entered the hall. It was remarkably as spacious as a house by itself. There were two double doors opened on either side of the hall with signs pointing to them and on it were the words, New comers, welcome. The two smiled and sighed in relief for they knew they were on time for the ceremony.

 

“Hey, Tiffany. You have to admit, those three were really good-looking,” Jessica thought as she put her hand up to her chin. Tiffany giggled, finding it odd that she had paid any interest towards them.

 

“I think so,” Tiffany replied.

 

“What about you, Seohyun?” Jessica eyed the calm Seohyun. The youngest only shrugged while Tiffany and Jessica rolled their eyes. She never regarded anyone at all.

 

“Let’s go inside,” directed Seohyun as she proceeded to one of the double doors.

 

Inside, chairs were lined up neatly in rows, facing a broad stage set up with microphones and a podium.

 

“Everyone, please take a seat,” an elderly woman said from the front. Each of the students promptly took their respective seats and concentrated on the person talking at the platform.

 

“Welcome. I’m the dean of this school. I would just like to congratulate everyone for entering the all-girls college, SM College, the college for the elite and talented,” the woman announced. A row of girls at the front were cheering with banners in their hands.

 

“I wonder who they root for. The dean, maybe?” presumed Jessica while she twisted her hair. Tiffany and Seohyun just smiled and pressed a finger over their lips, telling Jessica to keep it to herself.

 

The dean merely smiled at the uproar. “I guess I should leave the speech to the Elites then,” she finally decided and stepped back from the stand. The whole hall immediately started clamouring as three girls in black and white uniforms came into view.

 

“Oh!” Seohyun exclaimed as she covered in surprise.

 

“What is it?” Tiffany asked.

 

“You’re kidding me,” Jessica remarked incredulously as she raised her eyebrow at the stage.

 

Tiffany followed their line of sight only to have her attention drawn to the group on the platform. The students went wild in excitement even though they haven’t done anything yet. Tiffany, Jessica and Seohyun recognised the three on stage; it was hard not to remember them. They were Taeyeon, Yuri and Yoona, standing regally while they smiled and waved to the eager mob. Tiffany noted that Taeyeon was still the same as she was when she met her. The cold aura still existed but nevertheless it created a great sense of charisma around her.

 

Yoona stepped up first to the microphone. “Good morning, new students. We are the three Elites. As some of you know, we are considered as the body above the student council,” Yoona said confidently. The entire hall became restless in response.

 

“Aren’t they a bit too full of themselves?” Jessica mumbled. Tiffany nudged Jessica with her elbow, reminding her to save it.

 

“However, that is not entirely true. We have no say in what happens during the events and have absolutely no power over any of the students. The Elites consists of me, Im Yoona, the calm Kwon Yuri and our leader Kim Taeyeon,” Yoona continued as she gave a wave to the enthusiastic crowd. She then stepped back and Yuri took her place.

 

“We, Elites, want to commend you all for making it into SM College.” Yuri began applauding and all of the students followed suit. “As for the rules, they are basic rules of which any college would have, although we do not have a uniform policy. We do have one condition which is required by the elder sister of the Elites. You cannot socialise with the Elites at any given time,” said Yuri seriously, earning a loud protest from the audience.

 

“So full of themselves,” Jessica commented again. This time, it was Seohyun who elbowed her. “It’s true,” she responded to the maknae's prodding.

 

“I’m sure they have their reasons,” Seohyun considered sensibly. Tiffany on the side remained quiet. She couldn’t stop gaping at the shortest of the Elites, Kim Taeyeon.

 

“Now, our leader will address you on behalf of the dean and the Elites,” Yuri ended and went down the podium.

 

The crowd became much rowdier the second Taeyeon stepped onto the platform.

 

“As the representative of the dean, I would request for all of you to study well and take good care of yourselves. On behalf of the Elites, I would like to ensure you that if you encounter any problems during college, there are many people who can help you. On behalf of everyone else on the staffs, I would like to say that this school is meant for the elite and talented. Lack of obedience is not tolerated here. But on a further note, please make sure you enjoy your college life too as it is a very important phase in your life.” Taeyeon’s speech was earnest and captivating at the same time. Everybody was enthralled by her standoffish appeal that they mindlessly nodded with each remark she made.

 

“Tiffany.” Jessica clicked her fingers in front of Tiffany. It made Tiffany blink and she snapped out of the daze she was in. “Stop spacing out!”

 

Tiffany grinned as she stuck her tongue out at Jessica. “Sorry, I forgot that’s your specialty,” she quipped.

 

Jessica raised her leg and aimed for Tiffany’s right foot but missed as Tiffany dodged it once she stomped down. “I’ll get you back after,” she muttered when one of the professors passed by them.

 

“Still, can you believe we got to talk to the Elites?” Seohyun commented as she marvelled at the three beautiful individuals on stage.

 

“It might as well be our last one. You heard them. We can’t socialise with the almighty Elites,” argued Jessica sarcastically.

 

“I’m sure they have their reasons. Besides there’s nothing wrong with thanking them, right?” Tiffany beamed at the two. Jessica could only hit her forehead with her palm at her friend's persistence.

 

“Though you have to admit, the three of them together create quite a scene.” Jessica nodded as she crossed her arms.

 

“Hence, why they are called Elites?” Tiffany replied. Jessica rolled her eyes in disbelief while Seohyun giggled to herself.