MINA POV

*ALARM RINGS*

I woke up startled from the loud sound of the alarm. I quickly turned it off, checked the time before I slammed my head back to my pillow. 

I tried to recall what happened last night.

I had suddenly woken up and I didn’t know what woke me but I just remember seeing a tall figure by my window. The moon shed a hint of light in my room and so I managed to see the side of the figures face. Eyes were golden brown with a hint of red. From those features alone my mind immediately went to the only person that reminded me of these eyes. Tzuyu 

I called out for her and just as I blinked after that, the figure was gone.

I honestly don’t even know anymore if that was actually real or just a dream. Obviously it couldn't be real. How the heck would Tzuyu be able to enter my room?! Or most importantly, if she could, why would she come to my room? As far as I can tell, she hates my guts. Or at least can't stand being next to me or be in the same room. But if it was a dream... why do I keep dreaming of her? All I know now is that I feel something for her. I’m just not sure if it’s romantic or something else. I just know that every time I see her and especially when I look into her eyes, I feel something.

~

I got into the car that Seyun luckily is still driving for me. I have to get on with that deal sometime soon before she starts complaining. 

I walk through the parking lot with my hands inside my pockets and my eyes wandering to find those girls. Or mainly Tzuyu. 

Just as I got closer to the entrance of the school, 3 cars arrived and were all rich looking ones so I immediately assumed it was them. Even the way they all stepped out of their cars was like a celebrity. I didn’t want to get spotted by them since my little act of just leaving yesterday would be an awkward conversation. 

I felt pretty good about not getting detected by them since I was already hidden inside a huge crowd of other kids going inside the school but out of nowhere, I hear, “MINA! WAIT UP!” 

I stood frozen just inches away from the doors. Everyone also stood still and all looked at me. The most popular girls calling out for me, the new girl. Obviously, people are gonna look! 

And just like a movie, everyone parted their way for the girls to get to me. I turned around to see them coming and it was like an actual scene from a movie! Everyone moved to the sides creating a space in the middle and they passed through it with confident looks and smiles or for Tzuyu, stern face but because of her perfect structure, it gave me and most likely everyone chills.

By this time, everyone's eyes were going back and forth from the girls to me. I could just tell their thoughts were things like "How the heck does the new girl know the popular girls?!" Even I couldn't understand why.

Jihyo was the first one to get to me and immediately greeted me with a wide smile. 

"Hi Mina!" she said. Everyone else followed shortly after and all greeted me with the same wide smile. All except Tzuyu who was standing behind them and looking down. 

During this time, everyone else was still staring and I guess Jihyo was able to read from my face that I was uncomfortable. So she looked away from me and looked around and said "Hi guys!" with the same kind smile.

I could tell everyone's hearts were jumping out of their chests. They all either smiled back, said hi, or waved at her. And just like that, everyone resumed to where they were going and the flow of the morning went back to normal. But I knew I would be the talk of the day after this.

Jihyo locked her arm with mine as we went inside the school. The other girls all went their own ways to their classes. 

I had Biology first and I tried to look back to see if Tzuyu was headed there right now. I couldn't find her though. I guess she just went ahead

"So about yesterday..." Jihyo said

"Look," I said cutting her off. "About yesterday, I'm sorry. What happened there is a sign that I can't be friends with you girls." I said stopping just outside my biology room.

"Mina, it's only been your first time hanging with us. You can't possibly decide already that we can't be friends"

"But I have. I seriously do not understand why you girls want me to be in your group! I'm literally leagues away from all of you. All of you are smart, pretty, kind, athletic, talented... and I can't keep up with that."

"Mina. You don't see it yet... but you're special. " Jihyo said with her sincerest face. Not breaking eye contact. "That's why we have this eagerness to befriend you. Unlike everyone else that we've ever met, you're the only one that can actually hold a conversation with us. Plus, you remind us of one of our old friends that's why we feel comfortable with you and like you can tell, we don't feel comfortable with a lot of people because they can't even look at us without shaking."

"Jihyo, I'm not that friend you guys had. I'm my own person" I said

"I know. Just... please. One more try. If this doesn't work out... then I promise you we will never bother you again. I'll pick you up from your last period. Come to our place. There, you'll really know who we are. Please"

At that moment, I wanted to say no but that offer of seeing their isolated home and getting to see who they really are outside school grounds sounded pretty intriguing. It's not like I had anything better to do so I agreed

"Fine," I said

Jihyo smiled widely and hugged me tightly. I could see in the corner of my eyes people staring at us, probably why the student body president is hugging me tightly.

"Great! See you later!" 

I proceeded inside biology and saw Tzuyu sitting at her original spot. Next to mine. I guess she finally stopped her whole act of avoiding me.

I hesitantly walked to my spot but still tried to put on a confident look. To show her that I'm not affected by her dislike of me. 

I sat down and just started to play with my nails. I felt so awkward. 

"Hi" she said quietly but loud enough for me to hear. 

I looked towards her and met up with her eyes. They look different up close. Her whole aura is different when your up close to her. A lot more intimidating but makes me understand why people can't act normally around her. 

"Hey" I replied back. 

"I don't think we've ever had a proper conversation before," she said

"That's because you always avoid me" I bluntly said. There was no point on trying to lie to her. I wanted her to know that I don't appreciate her not liking me especially because of the fact I've never done anything to her.

"Right. About that, I'm sorry if you saw it like that. However, that was just me trying to avoid an awkward confrontation with a new student." she said not breaking her eye contact from mine. Her eyes were golden brown with a hint of red. The same ones I saw in my “dream”. It was intriguing to keep staring at them. "It was never my intention to come off as rude. I just want to make a good impression"

"Well if that's your idea of a good impression, no wonder everyone is scared to talk to you," I said. At this point, I realized that I was coming off as being rude so I quickly followed it up with another sentence. "But I get it. Most of your friends told me that you're just an awkward person. I get that."

"Yeah. I'm not like my other friends. They're all... out there as you can tell. They get along with most people." 

"But you are aware a lot of people want to be friends with you or be with you in particular?" I asked. Chou Tzuu has finally started to talk to me. I wasn't gonna let this opportunity of getting to know her to go to waste.

"Yes, I am aware. I hear things." she said calmly 

"Well, you come off as someone who likes to keep to themselves. So I guess the fact that people are too scared to talk to you is an advantage for you"

"I guess so," she said with a slight smile. She looked even more breathtakingly beautiful when she smiled. "You seem to read people often."

"Uh... I guess so. I mean, being in multiple foster homes, moving in multiple cities, towns, schools, you eventually start to read people and know what kind of person they are." 

"Where you from?" she asked. Again, just like Chaeyoung, someone was actually interested in my story. Someone who actually seems to want to know more about me.

"Um... I'm not really sure. No one really knows. The foster care system people just told me they found me outside their door. In a basket. Pretty cliche if you ask me."

"So you don't know who your parents are?"

"No"

"Do you want to meet them someday?"

"Well, I mean if they went to the point of just abandoning me as a baby, then that just tells me they never wanted me. So, why would I want to meet them?" I said. As I ended that sentence, I could already feel myself choke up and a tear was coming. I've never really talked about my parents to anyone. 

I lowered my head and hid with my hair. All of a sudden I felt her hand brush the left side of my hair and put it around my ear. I was so shocked by what was happening so I just completely froze. 

"It's okay. If you don't want to talk about it anymore it's fine," she said

I looked back to her and she had a comforting smile on her face. 

And just like that, I felt better. 

Just then the bell rang and the class began.

~

I walked to the cafeteria with Tzuyu. Just before that, we walked together to the gym. We ended up talking about all these different things. She stayed away from the personal questions after what happened in bio and just started to talk about classical music which we surprisingly have a lot in common.

I finally said goodbye to her when we arrived at my table with Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa who all had shocked faces when we arrived. 

"See you later Mina" Tzuyu said with a smile and left.

"See you later" I replied with a smile

I sat down and all 4 of them were staring at me with confused looks. 

"What?" I asked

"Um.. care to explain how that happened?!" Jisoo asked

"Yeah Mina. I was pretty surprised from the start when rumours spread that you were invited to hang out with them after school. But now you made Tzuyu talk?! Let alone smile?!" Lisa said frantically 

"How did you do it?" Jennie asked

"I... honestly don't know. Everyone has been giving me looks since day one about how the heck are the most popular girls talking to me. And... trust me, I've been trying to figure out the answer to that as well."

"Well... you are pretty," Rosé said 

"And what does that have to do with anything Rosé?" Jennie says

"I'm just saying!" argued Rosé. "Honestly as long as I don't find out you and Chaeyoung hooking up, I won't question your friendliness with the group" 

The rest of the girls roll their eyes. 

"Who is it you like?" asked Jennie

"What do you mean?" I asked

"Oh come on Jennie, do you even need to ask?! Obviously, she's into Tzuyu!" Lisa says

"I don't like anyone," I say which is true. What I feel for Tzuyu is just more of a feeling of curiosity. I've just never been so intrigued by a person. She's different.