Taeyeon POV

I literally could not believe what Tiffany had just told me about my dad and the little AR somethings he invented.

How could I not know that about him? I knew he worked at a lab and all but I thought he just did regular science stuff… like researching things or whatever? I don’t really know what scientists actually do but I definitely would have not guessed that, I mean he’s my dad!

He’s the guy who makes the worst jokes at dinner and still plays video games on the weekend… how could he be so important like this?

I was starting to think I might be the most oblivious person on the planet…

Crap, speaking of.

“Where are we going?”

We had been walking for a little while and just entered the main school building. I could smell the delicious scent of pizza again from earlier and-

“Lunch.”

Wait…

“Really?” Tiffany laughed.

“Yep. It’s our lunch hour, where did you think I was taking you?” I shrugged. Now that I think about it I had no idea where we were headed or why I even left in the first place.

My original plan was to sleep for an hour or two and wait for Hyoyeon to find me. Then I was going to make her explain things to me in a lot more in detail… and have her get me food.

I was starving.

Tiffany kinda ruined my plan but at least we were getting food… and she told me something about my own father that I didn’t know since my family obviously never planned to. I understood why they didn’t tell me before I knew about us all having powers, but after they told me they should totally given me a crash course.

I was literally driving blind here.

I mean I’ve been wearing like ten or more of these ARA things daily for years and didn’t even know what they were doing to me! I just thought they were regular jewelry. Gah, no wonder I have no idea how to use my power, I’ve been tricked for so long to think I didn’t even have one!

UGH!

I felt the sudden urge to rip them all off, but then thankfully remembered how I almost killed that teacher when I took less than half of them off.

Right… maybe that wasn’t such a good idea.

I’m sure Tiffany could probably handle herself with her fire ability, but I didn’t want to take the chance.

“It’s right up here,” Tiffany pointed before turning the corner herself. I followed closely behind and was amazed again with how awesome this place looked! Just like the rest of the school, it was a perfect mix of old and modern. There were huge, twenty-foot-long wooden tables you’d probably see in castles 200 years ago right next to this high tech drink machine thing that looked like it was from some space movie…

It was all so fascinating… and completely distracting. Oh my gosh. I had totally forgotten to bring my wallet.

Wait did I even need it?

At my old school we had to pay for lunch everyday but since this was a boarding school would it be the same? Or would it be like… included?

Oh my-

“Taeyeon,” Tiffany said from beside me, breaking my focus. I hummed. “Tell her what you want.”

“Oh, uhm. Nothing,” I replied finally. Tiffany’s brows furrowed. “I didn’t bring my wallet, I’ll just come back la-“

“Aigo~,” she said over me. “It doesn’t cost anything Taeyeon, just pick something. You’re holding up the line.”

I stopped to question it in my head, but when I noticed the tall red haired boy behind me staring, I figured I should just listen to her once again.

“Sure, uhm just cheese.”

We finished getting our food and Tiffany then showed me how to use the cool drink machine I saw earlier. You just select whatever you want on a monitor and then push a button to fill your glass. Milk, soda, juice… even coffee came out of that magical machine.

Gah, we definitely did not have those in Korea.

“Come on Taeyeon, there are people over here I want you to meet.” I nodded and sadly broke my attention away from the machine.

On the way to our seats Tiffany explained how since almost everyone here has a power some of them have put it to use to help grow food here for the school. She said how almost everything in completely organic or something, I stopped paying attention. Well for the first part I totally paid attention. It was actually really interesting. Do they know the good they could do with powers like that?

Wow… It was crazy… but what caught my attention might just be crazier.

When I took a second to look at my surroundings I saw that everyone in here was staring right at us… and when I say everyone, I mean it.

I guess I didn’t notice it earlier, or it might have been from me pretty much talking to myself in my head, but everyone was also as silent as they could be. I saw a couple of people leaning over to talk to their friends, but I just couldn’t believe this.

I knew she was gorgeous, but was she seriously at this level? You’d think she was a celebrity or something… crap. Was she? No one knew the real identities of any of the superheroes out there but the students here probably totally knew… right?

Aish, I had to ask.

“Hey, uhm… why is everyone staring at you?” I saw her grin.

Well that definitely wasn’t helping; it’d probably make them stare more. I-

“Not me,” she said simply. “You.”

Me? Huh?

Wait… she can’t be serious, right?

ME?!?

When I looked to my left and made accidental eye contact with at least three people though, I knew she was.

Oh god.

My stomach dropped and my knees almost buckled mid step.

Why me?

I could feel my breathing picking up for sure but I just didn’t understand. Why were all these people staring at me? I didn’t do anything… except almost kill their teacher.

Oh no…

Oh my god Kim Taeyeon. You’ve really done it now.

“I-is it because of the teacher thing,” I finally asked. She shook her head.

Huh? No? Then what the-

“Probably because of the Zero thing… have a seat,” she said as she nodded to the other side of the table. I walked around and quickly sat down in the seat across from Tiffany… and Jessica.

Ugh. As if I needed any more problems right now.

“Is this what took you so freaking long Tiff?” I watched her nod, but in every direction I looked I saw at least two sets of eyes staring right back.

I felt so self-aware.

Gah, I hated raising my hand in class because everyone would look at me and now this? I think I’m getting dizzy…

“I had to show my new roomie around Jess, chill.” Jessica mumbled ‘whatever’ just as the dark haired girl beside her spoke.

“Is this her?” Tiffany hummed this time.

“Right. Everyone meet Taeyeon Kim, the new Level 0 at Trinity High.” I almost cringed. Did she really have to say that aloud? From the looks of it everyone already knows who I am…

Was being level zero really that interesting?!? I just didn’t understand. I-

“Taeyeon meet Krystal, Jessica’s sister.” I nodded to the dark haired girl this time and again to her friend named Sulli who was sitting across the table from her. “They’re both a grade below us and- Oh? Where’s Yuri?”

Now that was a familiar name.

“She and her friends just went somewhere,” Jessica said in an annoyed tone. “I don’t know.” Tiffany nodded.

“Oh, well Yuri should be back soon and you already know her,” she grinned. I slightly smiled back, but I really didn’t feel like moving at all. I was thankful that everyone seemed to start talking amongst themselves again like when I was in line, but their eyes didn’t stray far.

They’d get tired of staring eventually right? I felt so odd.

Seriously I could’ve probably eaten a whole pizza by myself right now but I didn’t even feel like eating this one piece. With everyone’s eyes on me it felt too weird to even blink… I wonder if I could just take this back to my ro-

“So what classes do you have this semester,” Tiffany asked. “Before lunch obviously.”

I didn’t see how that was ‘obvious’, but I got my schedule out of my pocket anyway.

“I’m not sure, but I have my schedule with me if you want to- okay…” I cut my sentence short as Tiffany pretty much ripped it from my hands. I-

“Unnie,” Krystal said toward her sister. I don’t know if she was trying to whisper, but she was doing a really bad job.

Oh well, I turned my attention back to Tiffany who was still looking at my schedule but once Krystal started talking again it was hard not to listen.

“Why are they letting her out here with us,” Krystal asked softly. “Isn’t she dangerous?”

Wait a minute… is she talking about me?

“Yeah, why aren’t they keeping her locked up like the other zero? Didn’t she almost kill someone too?”

Krystal’s friend looked legitimately worried and I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this in my whole life. If it wasn’t obvious they were talking about me now I don’t know what was…

“No,” Krystal said almost immediately. “She did kill someone Sulli, remember? That’s why they keep her-”

“Enough,” Tiffany yelled, causing the room to go silent again.

Ho-ly crap… I even jumped a little.

She didn’t just yell either. She stood up at the table and slammed her hands down just as the word escaped her lips.

Heol… what was happening right now?

“Did you guys really need to talk about that right now? With her right here?” She shook her head. “Whatever, Taeyeon, let’s go outside and eat… in peace,” she yelled again. This time it seemed like she was yelling at the whole cafeteria and I had no idea what to do… besides grab my tray and swiftly follow Tiffany outside and into the courtyard that is.

Oh my gosh… did that just happen?

I was glad that Tiffany stood up for me, but on the other hand I didn’t blame them for being afraid.

I hurt a teacher without even trying. I was even wearing most of my ARAs when it happened… what if these ARAs suddenly stopped working or something? I could do serious damage… and did the other level zero girl really kill someone? No wonder everyone was staring!

They were probably watching to make sure I didn’t snap and turn them all into popsicles! I-

 “Sorry about that,” Tiffany said as she sat down at an empty table. “I just can’t handle when people are being rude for no reason.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “They’re probably right to be afraid.” Tiffany’s face twisted.

“What? No they’re not,” she said firmly. “Taeyeon you didn’t mean to hurt Mrs. Park and she’s totally fine now. Almost everyone here has been training their power for years so it’s not fair of them to jump to conclusions like that.”

While I guess that is true it still doesn’t change the fact that I hurt someone… and the fact that the whole school thinks I’m a monster. Oh my-

“Most of the more powerful people get their powers earlier when they’re weaker... like I could barely even light a candle when I came into my power and now I could probably light this whole school on fire in minutes,” she laughed. “I started practicing my abilities when I was at a 1. You’re starting at a 10; of course it’s going to be a lot harder.” I nodded.

That actually made a lot of sense.

Everyone here got to grow into their power but I came into my power when it was already full grown.

Instead of growing up practicing and learning all the little tricks and secrets to my ability it was just kinda upon me like ‘here you go, have fun’. Although fun was definitely the last word to describe this…

“Oh, but we do have a few classes together this semester,” Tiffany said as she handed back my schedule. I totally forgot she still had it honestly. I would’ve been completely lost without that tomorrow. “Yuri is in one with us too”

“That’s good,” I replied. “At least one person who isn’t afraid of me.”

“Aye~,” she held out. “Don’t think like that… I’m afraid too.” I watched her smile, which made me almost stop breathing for a second, and then laughed.

“Ha-ha, very funny.” Her cheeks pushed her eyes into the most beautiful eye smile I’ve ever seen and it was hard for me not to grin now.

“AH! See you smiled,” she accused. “I must be a little funny, huh?” I laughed again.

Aigo~!

“Maybe a little.”

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Wooo~ finally an update!
Sorry it took so long. :{

Thank you all for reading and commenting even though I haven’t updated in a while!
It really means a lot! <33333333333333333333333

I won’t abandon this fic, but it might take me a while to update chapters here and there!
Please don’t give up on me!