Chapter 1

Sweet September


Date: September 2, 2018

Jisoo’s POV

 

                 “Mr. Kaija was not found guilty. It was determined that he was not acting within his professional duty at the time the information came forward. If this case had happened in NB, he would have been guilty under the Family Services Act – also known as Policy 701. And that concludes my case,” I finished with confidence.



                 The lecture hall echoed with applause, but I didn’t care about for anyone’s approval – except the girl’s sitting at very back of the room. My eyes immediately darted back and locked with her cunning gaze. My best friend, Kim Jennie, opened , stuck out her tongue, and made a grotesque vomiting gesture. That was her way of congratulating me and telling me I did a good job. I rolled my eyes.



                ​​​​​​​“As usual, that was an impressive delivery, Jisoo,” Professor Park praised with his eyes lowered on his clipboard. His ed sleeve caught onto the edges of the papers, wrinkling them as he viciously scribbled down notes onto my grade sheet. “But unfortunately,” his eyes traveled towards me as a frown began to grow on his face, “you clearly did not make the effort to be presentable, and therefore, I will be docking off a few points.”



                ​​​​​​​I looked around the room; everyone was wearing dress shirts, slacks, and polished dress shoes or heels. I, on the other hand, really had no cares to give. I liked being in my pink hoodie, black jeans, and ultra comfortable Adidas sneakers – and that was a right no one could take away from me. My 98% mark in this class didn’t help the cause. I casually walked off stage and returned to my seat. Resting my head on my bag, I felt myself succumbing to the immense weight of my eyelids as I dozed off for the remainder of class.

 

 


                ​​​​​​​I jerked awake to a hard slap at the back of my head. Scowling, I promptly looked up to find Jennie unrelentingly staring down at me with her arms crossed. We were the only ones left in the lecture hall – and no, this was not the first time this had happened.



                ​​​​​​​“Why do you even show up if you’re not going to pay any attention?” she scolded as she swiftly turned away and began making her way down the stairs. “Do you even have any interest in law?”



                ​​​​​​​I lazily slung my backpack over my shoulder and followed suit, “Do want the truth or a sweet, sweet lie?” I teased.



                ​​​​​​​“At this point a lie would be better than a thousand truths if it’s coming from you – or you can just stay quiet because nothing you say ever makes sense.”



                ​​​​​​​“Okay, so truth it is then,” I half-joked before offering my unsolicited response anyway, “No, I don’t have any interest in law – but it’s the only thing that doesn’t bore me to death and also convinces my mom that I actually care about my future when I really don’t wanna think that far ahead.” We made our way back through the entrance of Seoul National University Law School, the hot sun beating down on us as we weaved through the dense crowds of students.



                ​​​​​​​“Jesus Christ,” Jennie muttered under her breath before angrily raising her voice by an octave, “Do you know how many people work their asses off while you’re over here dressing like a hobo and falling asleep in class? Law school is serious business, and you were smart and privileged enough to make it through admissions. Other people struggle to even pass their classes. Not everyone is as fortunate as you, Jisoo.”



                ​​​​​​​“I can help you Jennie,” I softened under her rage. I understood her struggles – she was the oldest daughter in a family of four. Her father passed away when she was very young, leaving her and her mother to take care of her two younger siblings. Her part-time job as a bartender barely secured her position at the university. “Just let me know what you need and I’ll –“



                ​​​​​​​“No, just – just act like you give a damn sometimes, okay? There’s more to life than spending your time cutting at straw dolls as if you’re living in some stupid anime fantasy,” she barked before hurrying down the entrance stairs and walking towards home.



                ​​​​​​​I sighed. Had it been anyone else, I would have had the perfect comeback to continue the debate – but Jennie was my best friend and I knew how much law school meant to her. More often than not I wished we could trade lives to relieve her of her burdens – but knowing the stubborn girl, she’d probably be too prideful to accept help from anybody else but herself. I made a mental note to figure this out later when she was at a calmer state and proceeded to clear my mind so I could decide on where my next destination should be. I looked left, then right. Left would lead me back home, and right would lead me to my sanctuary.



                ​​​​​​​I chose right.

 

 

                ​​​​​​​I opened the door and waited for a familiar chime to follow. The small pair of outdated Christmas bells tied on the other side of the door handle continued to ring as I pushed through the door and into the cafe. That thing has been there since I was eighteen. I was now twenty-one. The owner never bothered to change it, so it always felt a little bit like Christmas all year round.



                ​​​​​​​“Jisoo!” a recognizable warm voice welcomed, “What’s up dawg?”



                ​​​​​​​I looked over to the counter on the left to find Mr. Nahm’s pudgy hand waving at me. The gaping black hole that replaced what was supposed to be his front tooth seemed more obvious today. The 52-year old was the owner of Sihoon Nahm Gaming Cafe, and despite his flamboyant mannerisms and fashion sense, he was the sweetest man I had ever met. Today, he was in his orange Aloha shirt. Instead of the usual palm trees and dolphins that patterned his other Hawaiian-themed tops, there were Hula girls with big busts and yellow flower crowns. The guy loved Aloha shirts – he had one designated for every day of the week in an array of colors and patterns. Orange usually meant he had a date that night. To further intensify his eccentricity, he also loved wearing sunglasses – at all times, even if the sun wasn’t out. Even if he was indoors.



                ​​​​​​​“Hey what’s up big guy?” I hollered back before heading down the rows of gaming stations to find my usual seating in the farthest corner of the room.



                ​​​​​​​I abruptly stopped in my tracks and felt my face begin to flush in fury as I found a figure occupying MY seat. A black hood covered any view of their face, making their gender indistinguishable; they were dressed in dark clothing and seemed heftier than the average civilian. Everyone here knew that I had marked my territory – and I have never had anyone steal my place within the four years I have been playing here. Mr. Nahm had specifically allowed for me to replace the standard black gaming chair with my own in ox red to indicate my domain. Plus, I specifically stuck a Post-It Note on the monitor that read, “DO NOT SIT HERE” in bold letters. Do people not know how to read?



                ​​​​​​​The guys sitting nearby nervously looked away as I suspiciously eyed them. One hissed, “Yah, Jin, get your outta here! I told you she’d be coming.”



                ​​​​​​​The figure slowly rolled back in my chair before standing up and inching towards me. The vibrations that came from every step towards me seemed to set the whole ground quaking. I looked down to find him wearing burly construction boots, then back up to realize that he was more than a foot taller than me. He gently pulled back his hood to reveal a messy bed head and intense dark brown eyes.



                ​​​​​​​“You’re small as hell,” he chuckled in a husky voice. “Came here to take your territory back?”



                ​​​​​​​“Bro, run before you get it, seriously. She’s vicious!” I heard someone else utter.



                ​​​​​​​He scoffed, “You think this small little thing can–”



                ​​​​​​​I kneed him right in the crotch before he could complete his sentence.

 

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Meowthiscute #1
Chapter 16: I hate zombie apocalypse stuffs but still somehow end up reading it
Meowthiscute #2
Chapter 15: Now the zombie apocalypse makes sense.. You're such a good writer and this story is so unique
Meowthiscute #3
Chapter 14: Why's it suddenly Train to Busan
Meowthiscute #4
Chapter 13: Looks like i just found myself a good interesting story... Keep on with your updates
zaffria
#5
Chapter 13: oooh...a deadly flu epidemic incoming? Something worse? can't wait!
zaffria
#6
Chapter 11: awww, Jin was so sweet, taking care of drunk people (bonus for drunk Hoseok!), but really I think I melted at how he acts with Jisoo. I'm loving how their relationship is slowly developing, can't wait to read more! :)
(and no, I can't see the page dividers)
Timidkitty210 #7
Chapter 10: What a cliffhanger! Surprised Jisoo could be this ‘wild’. Contrast to her gamer-solitude style.
BpDdududdudu #8
For some reason it isn't loading on my browser. But I will read this soon!!! I have it bookmarked :D
zaffria
#9
Chapter 5: Really curious to know what's going on with Jisoo's dad...and what's behind that door!