She doesn’t have any expectation in life. Never before never now. She expects nothing from people and gives them none. Summary of her life; She hates people.

Introvert, is what science defines her. Well, the world of pretenders, is what she wanna express herself. Google can give us quick definition of introvert, which is shy and deficent person. She, obviosly, not at all a shy person but rather a very outspoken one. It’s just she does not underestimate the value of silence. We need to create ourselves, need to spend my time alone, and she just hates it when people try to walk into her life and act like they know everything, know how the world works and how the people should be.

The early morning is dark and thunderous around her, the traffic already dense and slow despite the fact that it is barely half past seven. She pulls his collar up around her neck and strides down the street towards the junction, from where she is most likely to hail a taxi. The roads are slick with water, the grey light shining on the mirrored pavement. She curses inwardly as she spies the other suited people standing on the edge of the kerb. Since when did the whole of Seoul begin getting up so early? Everyone has had the same idea. She is wondering where best to position herself when her phone rings. It is Park Shin Ja. ‘I’m on my way in. Just trying to get a cab.’ She catches sight of a taxi with an orange light approaching on the other side of the road, and begins to stride towards it, hoping nobody else has seen. If she is thirty-minutes early she will just take a train her school but her phones dies before the alarms go.

A bus roars in front of her, followed by a lorry whose brakes squeal, deafening her. ‘Can’t hear you, Shin,’ she raises her voice which inviting several stares from people around. She can see the orange light glowing, holds up her free hand, hoping that the driver will see her. ‘I have the letter regarding my meeting in Ilsan. It’s in my file.’

‘No, he can’t do that. I have the letter!’

The taxi is approaching slowly because of the buses in front of it. She walks nearer to the road. The fine spray of water wets her shoes as the vehicles passes.

‘Tell him to wait. I’ll be there in 10.’

When the taxi stops right in front of her, Kim Haneul’s steps is blocked by a tall frame of a man. ‘Sorry,’ he mumbles and quickly rides her taxi away. Shocked, she takes exactly 5 seconds to register what happens. The moment she realises it, the taxi is already far away from her sight.

******

 Haneul walks into the staffroom, looking pissed, however doesn’t forget to curtly greet the presences who are either on phones or their own laptops. Old Mr. Jang is the only one who reads newspaper in the whole staffroom, looks up his head, noticing her tone. He doesn’t say anything though, just let his eyes followed her silhouette.

‘what’s In your pants?’ asks Chayung. She looks at the infuriated girl in front of her staff table. She is biting her croissant calmly, the bits falling on her shirts, yet she seems too unbothered to clean it.

‘Nothing. Just a stupid baboon steals my taxi away. I should be here within 10 minutes but because of him, I took 20 and not to mention Mr. Min’s cranky tried to cut my allowance because I didn’t thumbed my attendance out. He’s supposed to know that I’m out for a meeting. My letter didn’t come through him for nothing.’ Said Haneul, rummaging the stacks of files on her desk and leaves the staffroom before Chayung could response.

Haneul walks briskly down the corridor, nodding from time to time when her students greet, her high heels clacking on the floor. Mr. Min’s room is at the end of the building so she tries to pace up as fast as she could because of her 10-minute late. Only God knows what fit Mr. Min would throw if his mood messed up.

She knocks softly on Mr.Min’s door as she is standing in front of his big brown oak door. Mind you, this Min Suga-nim got a lock on his room and the only way to enter his is either knocking or press the password, which who else know because of his cantankerous attitude. With a beep that notifies the door in now unlock, Haneul enters his room with a prayer on her mind.

‘I see 10 minutes could last longer that it should be’ Mr. Min sarcastically remarks though he doesn’t seem to see her entering his room.

‘Sorry, sir but I face a very unexpected problem on my way here.’ She says. The room is quiet.

Haneul looks at Min Suga, the Chairman of Genius Prep School for high schooler and graduates. The cold and dark air just oozes around him. Though, his undercut black hair makes him look smarter than most staffs in this school. The black rimmed spectacles stay on his cute nose, and his lips have little pout when he concentrates on writing his paper. Oh, did she just think that Min Suga has cute nose? She will likely erase her comments about that. Where does cute apply when he’s cranky like an old man who hasn’t have for years?

‘Hmmm…’ he intones before closing his file. ‘so, Miss Kim Hanuel, I thought I have said it very clear in my every meeting that all teachers must thumb the fingerprint attendance recorder before leaving the school no matter if you are just in school for 5 minutes and suddenly need to attend your grandmother’s funeral in the next 10?’ he speaks like someone reciting a well-rehearsed speech.

‘well, sir, apologies for my insolence but the machine broke on that day. Plus, have you forgotten that I personally asked permission from you and you said I can leave?’ Haneul replies as she refused to look weak in front of the bully. Well, every boss in every organization is a bully, right?

Min Suga is quite taken back by her answer, maybe because he doesn’t expect her to reply with sarcasm or maybe he is surprised by her tone. He swallows down his saliva down . He finds himself a bit thirsty.

‘This is the reference letter that was handed over me personally, by YOU.’ Haneul stresses the last words while meeting his cold eyes. Haneul knows he is intimidating but she’s too pissed off right now to care. She still feels bad mood whenever she remembers the baboon just now. Min Suga chooses a wrong day to bully her.

‘Alright. Thank you. You can leave now?’ Min Suga finally conversed.

‘That’s it?’

‘yeah, why?

Haneul sighs. She just rushes here for nothing. His eyes meet her and after a pause, she displays a smirk across her face, a rather annoying smirk.

‘I should go. I have class at 8.30,’ said Haneul. Min Suga tries not to flinch in his chair. He is still staring at her, maybe waiting for her to do something or lose her cool.

Haneul knows about that- his attitude. He has the ability to turn people into a psychopath but his craziness is often rebounded by her cool charisma. Haneul studies his type, after all she has second degree on psychology. She will never give what Min Suga wants from her.

Haneul turns and disappears behind the door. Min Suga falls into silence as he listens to her clipped footsteps disappearing down the halls towards the staff room. He raises an eyebrow in amusement as he knows he has successfully tick the woman off. He doesn’t want to be seen as a mean person but he just does not know why he wishes the Haneul goes off balance with her charisma. She is one of those people who are completely calm and competent and as a result no one dare to messes with her, even the old students who enrol in the school. She seems to be capable enough to gain respect from people around her. She always sounds professional and upbeat to his ears. Maybe it is a game to Min Suga, a game whereby he could see the girl going mad.

****

‘Would you like a cup of coffee?’ offers Park Shin Ja, a friend and also Haneul’s desk partners.

‘No thanks, babe. I have class.’ Haneul replies while her hands busy organising her teaching bags, fills in everything that is needed in her third grade of high schoolers. She might need to make a stop at the library to borrow some reading materials for her class. 

‘How did your discussion with Mr. Min going?’

‘As usual. Cranky and meanie. But I was going strong. I’m already pissed about… ah, nevermind.’

‘Did he say anything about your allowance?’

‘nope. He went silent.’

‘MIN SUGA went silent???’ Park Shin Ja almost spurts out the coffee she’s drinking.

‘Whatever. I’m going.’ Says Haneul, walking out of the staffroom and lead her way to the school library.

 

 

Spring is making itself presence as everything becomes greener when you look out the school windows, the roads baths in watery sunshine, the air feels balmy. Hints of something floral and welcoming fill the air, birdsong plays a gentle backdrop to the day. This welcoming nature is the reason why Kim Hanuel loves this school. The environment makes her heart at ease, even though the halls are never quiet, students chat around, giggling and laughing with each other’s, teachers’ shouts sometimes thunder as the students do not pay attention to the lesson. The noises are always there, banging her ears but her eyes are pleased with its setting. She steals 5 minutes looking outside the window as she is escalating the flight of stairs. Pansy flowers are blooming colourfully in the garden, the yellow centre looks striking and stunning with purple.  Other flowers have also emerged, and greens leaves hinting the plants to come. Buds burst from brown branches, perennials forcing their way tentatively through the dark, claggy soil. After making herself feeling content, Haneul walks towards the library who is located in the middle of the block.

In three metres away, Haneul can see a tall figure leaning against the door of the library. He doesn’t seems like one of the staffs or the librarian, doesn’t seem to be like one of the graduates either, because with that body, he could be the hot topic between the woman teachers in the staffroom. From sideway, the olive jacket hangs loose in his body, his choppy blue jeans look weary and full of stiches whereby it doesn’t even need the actual stiches, the light brown sling bag stays horizontally his torso, gives air of casual metropolitan guy who fancies fashion. He takes his time drinking the hot Americano in his hand. ‘Typical. Man and Americano’ Haneul speaks in her mind. 

As Haneul is getting nearer, she cannot shake the feeling of ever meeting this guy, maybe she though she has seen him somewhere, bumping or something. It’s bothering her to not being able to remember the event. She walks past him as her mind running every memories she’s stored. Several students who meet her eyes greet her in respect. She just nods. After getting her materials, she heads back outside. The sudden perfume tickles her sense of smell when she walks out the door, and within second, the lost collection comes back to her like a gush of typhoon.

‘Taxi Baboon!’ she raises her voice quite enough for the gentleman to turn his head in her direction.

‘sorry?’ A deep voice escapes the man’s mouth.

‘It’s you, isn’t it?’ She makes steps closer, ‘It’s you, right? The one who steals my taxi this morning!’

‘pardon? What taxi?’

‘well, amuse me Mr.Rude Taxi Stealer but I was on my way to the taxi this very beautiful morning and you just suddenly popped out, bumped my shoulder, blocked my way with that tall ugly body of yours and ride my taxi away.’ Haneul recites it so fluently in one breath. It seems like the light of the incident also reach the man as he flashes a shock expression from the accusation from the woman in front of her.

‘I’m sorry if I-‘

Haneul cuts, ‘sorry for making my life miserable by stealing my ride just because you need to grab your Americano?’

The tall man sighs in defeat. His head sinks in his shoulder so low Haneul could see his ashy brown hair falls loose. ‘Look miss,’ he says, his eyes meet hers softly, ‘I’m sorry for what I did. I didn’t see you or – or notice somebody was already pick the taxi.’

Haneul smiles in mockery, she tries her best to make sure the man gets her actual intention. ‘Listen Mr. Whatever. I didn’t get irritable easily because of one ᵈᵃᵐᶯ taxi. ‘ she makes her voice as thin as possible when she words the curse and continues, ‘I was upset because you made me late and put another reason on my boss’s list of why he should hate me. To know that I was in trouble just for a man who’s blindly erase someone from his view just because he was a little late for his coffee should tick me off, right?’ Haneul takes one deep breath after finishing her words. She is about to say another when she hears a voice coming behind her.

‘Yah, Kim Namjoon.’

Both of them turn their head. Haneul sees Min Suga is walking towards them and she knows she doesn’t want to spend any more second at her spot.