Body tremulous, steps unsteady, inhales heavy, I entered the gigantic door of the building.
I had rarely been alone outdoors before that day, so I felt an awfully uncanny feeling of loss, and an unusual lonesomeness, for I had never been alone out of class.
I wandered around, trying to find the bulletin tablet to figure out which classroom I belonged to, and its placement.  
Oh no, I undoubtedly could not ask for help from the other students filling the wide hall. 
I presumed that the cluster of people gathered in front of a wall were actually checking the declaration paper I was searching for, so I waited for them to disperse away. Eyes glued on my destination, I waited for too long, legs feeling heavy already, but they didn't stop piling up. Predictably,  when the cafeteria on the other side of the building got opened, all of the students diverted their eyes and steps towards the place. 
As my opportunity came, I walked towards the hanged paper as rapidly as I could, yet an abrupt call stopped me from moving forward.
Unsurprisingly, it was her.
"Hello?"
"Hello. Are you supposed to start attending college today?"  said she in her unbothered voice.   
"Yes indeed, mother." I prayed as I answered for no one to go near the bulletin before I would arrive there.
"Focus solemnly on your studies. Do not go anywhere other than the foyer , grocery shop, and the university, do not talk to strangers, do not waste money."
"Yes, mother." I waited for her to put an end to the call, so I could proceed walking.
"I will contact you again once your exam results would be posted."  what else could I expect?
"I understand."
"Farewell." finally.
"Farewell."
 I carried on walking after putting my phone back in my bag, pace hasty.
But then, to my great disappointment, a brunet neared the bulletin that was two feet away from me. As he did, my body tensed, not wanting any contact with him, and I harshly turned around to walk away and wait for his departure. Only his voice stopped me at that right moment.
"Much afraid of the rumours?" I pretended  not to hear him, yet he talked again. "Won't you disgrace me?" I took two more steps forward so that he would know that I had no intention of responding.  "...You aren't even telling me to get away." the composed deep voice didn't stop its taunting. "Answer. Why did you turn away the second you saw me?"
"..would you stop talking to me if I would answer?" he let out a sigh.
"I guess." although the result wasn't guaranteed, I replied.
"Mother told me not to talk to strangers."
Seconds of silence passed, previous to hearing a somehow soothing chuckle.
"Even new comers hate me this much?"  my eyes became a centimetre wider.
"Believe me sir, I am telling the truth. Now pl-"
"Could you face me as we talk ,at least?" I sincerely hoped that that was his last request before leaving me be.
As I turned, I got a clear sight of the male for the first time; Asian looking yet his complexion was a bit darker than most east Asians'. His eyes were big, his orbs hazel coloured. His face's skin was faultless, and his mouth wasn't wide, neither narrow, with medium sized lips that looked healthy as well.
After taking a quick glance at his face, I diverted my eyes away from him. 
"You don't look like you're lying." I stood mutely "Did you even hear any rumours?" 
"No." if mother were there, she would've punished me efficiently.
"I see.” I inhaled in bass relief as he walked away, and only then did I recall the reason behind me going through the ruckus essentially.
"One more thing." The stiffness came back "If you tell other students about your mother, you will end up as a centre of mockery as well. Be careful." 
‘Be..careful?’
..Mother only says that to me in such a menacing tone, yet he didn't. What was he supposedly meaning? Was he threatening me? But he only mentioned other students in regards of being a danger, and he didn't do a thing to me, as well.
 I wondered as I looked blankly at his back, but soon enough ignored the thought and looked for my name in the paper fronting me. 
1-C, on the third floor.
As I headed towards my classroom, I avoided any skin ship and eye contact with the people around until reaching the place.
I checked my wristwatch for time; only seven minutes were left until the start of the class, so I decided to take a seat already. 
A number of students entered along with a teacher after some time, most of the enterers looking down or glaring at the blackboard grudgingly.
The session started, unexpectedly without the teacher asking us about names, neither academics levels as the high school teachers usually did.

The hours passed by, unfelt, only concentrating on the professor's speech, which was not what he called 'aide memoire', rather a radically new lesson full of information and laws that I had never seen before.
Lunch break came by then, so I headed  towards the library, a favourite place to spend free time in, serenely. 
That was my first time checking the vast room. It was immense, remarkably bigger than the high school's, more crammed with shelves that were encumbered by what seemed like an infinity of books on them. The smell of paper and ink filled the air, tranquillity overwhelmed the place as well.
The young library assistant greeted me with a smile. She had her phone in a hand, the other played with a lock of her violet coloured hair that matched the dress which showed too much of her cleavage. I merely turned my face away and headed to a vacant table that could be spotted at the end of the room, then took out a book written by one of my dearest novelists, Paulo Coelho ,'11 minutes ', before sitting down and reading it passionately, finding much joy and comfort in trying to decipher the complex meanings behind the ungenerous words.
"Oh! You like him as well?” I immediately shifted my head towards the whisper's owner. It was a black haired girl, a hand carrying books whilst the other held a water bottle.I nodded at the female, not wanting to engage in any further conversation.  "Um, actually, I haven't read that book before, but I have a couple of other titles of his at home. Would you like to trade?" 
"I still didn't finish reading it." said I, not averting my eyes from  the book in my hands.
"Oooh, it's alright. What about trading another book? I have so many great ones, you know." I couldn’t hold the conversation for longer .
"Talking is prohibited in libraries, could we refrain from it?" the other girl looked quite taken aback.
“Ugh, whatever.” Said she as she rolled her eyes before sitting at another table. But what could I do? Mother would have punished me if she were to see me attempting to make a year companion that she didn't pick for me.
Right? She told me not to talk to strangers after all, and my duty is to obey her.

For the afternoon session, the professors were declared absent. Of course; it was the start of the scholar year, and some people might want to spend a number of other days in serenity, away from stress. But then, work is inevitable, as mother says. Thus, lengthening the resting period is pointless and will not fully satisfy one's want, and accordingly leading to a waste of profitable time and useful energy.

I went to the subway, walking steadily, the temperature making movements feel sluggish, dark coloured hair catching even more heat in it, feeling great comfort after reaching the underground.
I waited for the train in a corner, then entered  the vehicle  when it finally came, but then was struck by great disappointment when I couldn't find vacant seats. I have always been picked up by mother after school and gone there by car as well, which made the long minutes of standing in the train even more draining, considering that I was not used to it any bit.

At my arrival to my room at the foyer, I put my bag on the wooden chair, then opened the little fridge from which I picked the salad I had prepared the previous night, picked a science book from the book case that was near my bed, then carried on reading it while having dinner.
Unfortunately, I couldn't finish the hardback that night, so I put it back in its place, then rubbed my left eye before changing my clothes ,brushing my teeth and combing my hair, to finally lay on the bed and switch off the lights.

The next dawn, I woke up, did my morning routine, followed by a few minutes of stretches before having a nutritious breakfast as I was revising what I have studied the previous day, then changed and went to college.
The train isn't full at early mornings, so finding a seat isn't as troublesome at such time.

The break for lunch came eventually, so I went to the library again. As I entered, the atmosphere felt way more different; it was boisterous, crammed by people, and reeking of food and even smoke.
Considering that some of the students were sitting on the floor, I presumed that I wouldn't have found a seat away from the ruckus, so, shoulders dropped down, I stood in front of the entrance, aimlessly, not knowing where to go next.
"Why the pout?" I backed away as I almost chocked on my saliva at hearing the voice of the brunet from before.
"It's nothing." said I, the tension in my voice clear and obvious.
"So there is an 'it'." said he with an expressionless face.
"No, there isn't." my eyes averted his for the whole time.
"Why don't you just tell me to leave?" I couldn't know why either.
It wasn't him alone, I just couldn't be ill-mannered to any living who took time to talk to me.
"Don't like full places?" presumed he, to which I looked at him with a nod. "There's an unused classroom that I always go to at breaks. You can trot along." I couldn't know what to do. Was I supposed to accept his indirect offer? Or was I supposed to overlook it?
Mother wouldn't have approved, but then he invited me to a peaceful place in which I could pass time without the disturbance of other students.  So, if I wouldn't talk to him, I would gain mother's permission, right?
..Right.
I looked at him, back facing me, legs moving leisurely, perhaps giving me a number of seconds to catch up if wanted, and so, hesitantly, did I. As I walked, my steps' sound echoed between the tight walls.
"Oh, you're coming after all." noted he to which I nodded timidly. 
Silent seconds followed before reaching the laboratory. Surprisingly, he got a key out of his pocket, then inserted the piece of iron inside the doorknob before entering. It was far away from the main hall, at the end of the upper floor's classrooms. The tap there was broken, as well as a part of the roof, so I assumed that it wasn't used because of the inconveniences. 
"No one comes here, students usually stay at either the cafeteria or the library if the former is closed." uttered he in a calm octave "Come here if you don't find a vacant place at the library. I can go out if you want."
"Thank you, but that is unnecessary." It was necessary. I could not possibly stay with such a persistent person in the same room, but again, etiquette comes first.
Although, he didn't reply, neither nod. Instead, he took out a book and opened it. I didn't focus much on the title, and took out mine as well. 

"We should head out now." I lifted my head fast at the abrupt sentence. I checked my watch, yet the break was yet to be over, so I looked at him in befuddlement. "If someone catches us..together, you might get involved in trouble."
"Really? Why?" asked I, out of inquisitiveness, which gained a chuckle from him.
"You really did not hear the rumours." silence "It must be because you don't stay around people." he yawned while rubbing an eye before adding "I am rumoured to be an idiotic , basically." My eyes grew a centimetre wider in fear of the declaration. "Remember though" he pointed at his head with an index "these are rumours. It comes to you whether to believe or not." awkward does not suffice to describe the situation. Although, I had a clear question in mind.
"Are you?"
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"What if I say yes?"
"I will believe you." what else would I do?
"Well," he lowered his head a bit, eyes looking at his crossed legs that were on the table. "no."
"Why couldn't you say that to the others as well, then?" he chuckled once, then twice, then looked at me.
"Others found a golden irreplaceable opportunity to target someone to ridicule, so why would they believe me?" the lump forming at the back of his throat could be sensed through his speech. But I couldn't understand. I couldn't come to fathom why people would not believe the truth and only deem what they want to be real as the right thing.
 "I..see." I was radically thankful for the way mother have raised me, because she made me grow to be someone unbothered by irrational matters that most people find pleasing for absurd reasons.
"You surprisingly talked for long enough today." A slight smile was drawn on his full lips.
"U-um, I am sorry." 
"Why are you excusing yourself?" that apology was mostly directed to mother.
"Maybe I deranged you-"
"Not at all." I nodded slowly.  "We need to exit right now." I shook my head again, previous to following him suit.

We didn’t meet again that day, yet our small chat kept roaming my head while I kept reading.
Well, I could engage in a conversation with a stranger without mother's help for the first time, and it wasn't such a bad experience, neither a failure. We even shared sympathy and a hobby; reading. So, maybe I could make a year companion on my own as well. 
I thought about the idea for the whole night, and although it required too much bravery and audacity ,I decided to do it. I decided to make a year  companion on my own. 
I felt excited; is he like my past year companions? Or is he perhaps a tad more daring then them? Was he as smart as them? Did he by any chance have parents like mine? Countless questions kept lingering around my brain for that day’s night, and was quite eager to find answers to them, yet could not.

The next day, I couldn't find the brunet at the morning, so at lunch break, I headed to the laboratory we went to the previous day, hoping to see him there.
It was the first time that I had ever hoped to find a person in a place I was going to, for I would mostly want to be alone and bothered by no one. 
I opened the door slightly before entering, and to my relief, found the guy sitting on one of the chairs.
"Oh, hello." said I mildly.
"Hi."greeted he blankly.
I walked towards him, and unlike the preceding day, sat near him.

Minutes had passed, spent in vacillating in fear for too long ,before mustering courage and talking to him.
"Do you..think that I am a good person?" perplexed, he looked at me.
"..You..well, you didn't mock me, so..I guess so." my hands were bathing in sweat by then, and I could not distinguish whether it was caused by the great anxiety I was going through or by the blazing heat.
"Would you mind being my.." I could not say year companion to him. That would have probably gained an instant refusal from him, I needed a synonym "friend, for the year?"
For the first time, his inexpressive face displayed  dim shock. 
Silence.
"I don't recommend it." 

**'Without my guidance, failure is your fate.'**

So I failed after all? 
Feeling much embarrassment, I diverted my eyes away from him with a nod.
"I am sorry for being a nuisanc-"
"No, no no, you misunderstood." uttered he as he shook his hands left and right, eyes a bit widened.
"What do you mean then?"
"I said that I don't recommend it, but I didn't refuse." I couldn’t believe my ears for a bit.
But nonetheless, I beamed lightly at the indirect approval.
"Thank you much." He only showed a thin-lined smile, eyes expressionless, breathing steadily.
"Taehyung." I looked at him questionably for the nth time. "The name. Kim Taehyung."
Kim, so he is Korean. His features gave a spoiler of it.
I lifted my head in understanding. "Sivilla  Conveva."