Jennie POV

‘Have I made a mistake by doing this?’ I am thinking to myself as Rosie and I sit outside my mother, the dean’s, office. Rosie sits across from me looking nervous even though she is certain that it’s not possible for my mother to have found out about us. ‘Even if they know, we will deal with it, it will be fine’ she had told me as we were walking over. I wish I could share her optimism but sadly my parents and the society are not so understanding and will tear us down regardless of how hard we try to convince them otherwise. Maybe I shouldn’t have encouraged this, maybe I should have kept this part of me concealed till I graduated and left this place behind. But wouldn’t it be suffocating for one to hide from their own self.

“You can go inside now girls” My mother’s secretary flashes us a smile as she holds the door open for us. We walk in hesitantly

“Miss Park, Miss Kim” my mother greets without even looking up from the folder in her hands “Please have a seat”

As we sit Rosie quickly grabs my hand and gives it a tight squeeze before my mother can look up.

“Well girls” she finally puts the file aside “You probably already know why I called you”

Neither of us speaks a word, she raises her eyebrow and I can see Rosie nervously fidgeting with her hands

“Well the both of you have come first and second respectively in your batch in the recent exams. Congratulations”

Believe me when I say I have never felt more relieved in my entire life, I almost laugh out in happiness

“Miss Park you have secured first place while Miss Kim you have come at a close second”

I can still hear the disappointment in her voice. Seriously!? She overlooks the fact that I surpassed two hundred students just because I could not surpass one.

“We usually waive off the entire fees of the student who secures the top place in their batch and half the fees of the student who comes in second, but Miss Park as you already have a scholarship that covers half the cost of your education, we shall then only take care of the other half”

“Great” she smiles “Thank you ma’am”

“Good job, your parents must be proud” she says to Rosie

“I sure hope so” Rosie snickers

“Oh and one more thing before I dismiss you both” she interrupts as we are about to stand up

“Miss Park I hear you have been helping out my daughter with her studies”

Rosie looks at me nervously “I had told my mother once that we would study together” I say with a reassuring smile.

“Ah yes we do” she responded

“Well you have clearly helped my daughter get back on track with her studies, so allow me to invite you to our home this weekend for dinner as a thank you gesture. I would also like to get to know you more”

“Uh…why not” she responds nervously

“Alright, you both should go back to class now” she smiles at Rosie and dismisses us without even looking at me

…

“Hey I heard your mom called you and Rosie to her office this morning. All ok?” Jisoo asks as I sit across from her at lunch

“Yeah it was about the scholarships” I respond

She narrows her eyes “Why do you look so sad then? You should be happy, your mum must finally be proud”

“No Jisoo she is not, she only called me there as a formality she wouldn’t even look at me because I didn’t come first but Rosie did. Trust me if she could she would have adopted her. She even invited Rosie over on the weekend for dinner. She’s literally in love with her”

“Well that’s one thing you and your mother have in common” Jisoo snickers as I roll my eyes at her

“Come on you should be happy, if my parents treated the person I was dating in this manner I would be over the moon”

“Yeah. It’s just upsetting that no matter how hard I try I can never please my mother, I will never be the apple of her eye etc etc”

“Hey stop trying so hard. I mean I know she is your mother and pleasing her means a lot to you, but last I checked you were happy with your performance in the exams. Don’t let her make you feel otherwise. As long as you are happy with what you do that should be enough”

Jisoo is right but it’s a little difficult to keep up that attitude when all your mother does all the time is tell you how you are not good enough

“So how’s it been going with Lisa?” I ask her changing the topic

“Interesting” she says “She’s smart and funny but a little closed off. She seems to be bothered by something whenever we go out. Well I guess its too soon for me to expect her to be completely open and comfortable with me.”

I shrug “Yeah maybe. Well as long as you are happy”

“So you excited to bring Rosie over to your house for dinner” she smirks making me smile

“Yeah, just hope it doesn’t turn into a disaster”

“How so?”

“My parents could drive her away”

Jisoo laughs “Yeah that wouldn’t be surprising. But honestly she doesn’t seem like someone who would leave so easily” she says as we leave for class. I sure hope so Jisoo, I do.