Mina has had the worst summer so far. The reason came from a text stating “You’re too uptight. And you always need to be in control.” from someone she shared 2 years of her life. It had hit her like a bolt out of the blue.

 

She hears the students laughing with their friends and their partners. It reminded her of the time they were happy. They were in love. Or so she thought.

 

“Mina sweetie, are you excited for your Junior year?” Her mother asked as they were heading to her dorm for the coming term. No words came from her. Just a simple nod to get her answer across. They arrived at her dorm and settled her things before mother made her way to the airport for her return flight to Japan.

 

“Thank you for sending me here mom. Have a safe flight.” Mina said hugging her mother.

 

“Sure thing sweetie. Just have the best term.” She answered back as she went inside her car. Mina waved goodbye as the rear of the car disappeared from her sight.

 

 

 

 

 

Finally some peace and quiet, Mina thought as she laid on her neatly-made bed. Mind trying to wander away a certain someone who had recently hurt her. She was drifting to sleep when she heard the door slam to the wall causing her to jolt from her mattress.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry!” The petite intruder said guiltily showing her incredibly deep dimple, her blonde hair tied in a messy pony tail. “I accidently kicked the door a little too strong. My hands are busy at the moment.” She added showing her hands juggling a few bulky bags and what Mina assumes as a guitar case.

 

Mina groaned because her tranquility was short-lived by this new face. She went back into her bed, sandwhiched her head on her pillow and tried to drift off. She just wanted to rest. But surely this new girl makes it so hard.

 

“Can you please be quiet?” She arose from her lay and warned the new-comer.

 

“What? What did I do?” The blonde asked.

 

“Please arrange your things quietly. I just came from a flight. I’m trying to rest.” Mina calmly stated massaging her temporal to appease the impending headache she starts to feel. In small dorm room like this, even the small movements can irk a roommate.

 

“My bad! I didn’t mean to disturb you. By the way, my name is Son Chaeyoung. I’m a freshman from the Art deparment!” The girl named Chaeyoung strided on Mina’s side of the room and extended her hand, her cat eyes sparkling in anticipation.

 

“Pleasure. I’m Mina. I’m a junior from the Science department.” Mina introduced, shortly shaking her roommate’s hand just so she can put an end to this encounter.

 

“Ooh! That means you are my sunbaenim! Cool!” Chaeyoung’s care-free attitude and perkiness isn’t sitting too well with Mina. She just wants to wallow in silence before the term starts in two days. But she has a gut feeling that it would be nearly impossible with this jaunty petite blonde staying on the other side of the room. And she was right.

 

Chaeyoung isn’t like her previous roommate who was quiet and proper like she is. But her Joohyeon unnie had just graduated so she’s stuck with a different person. Whether its for the good or bad? She can't tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metals clinking against each other and singing woke a certain brunette from her deep slumber. She looked at her phone on her bedside and it shows 6:30AM. She grumbled at how early her rest was disturbed. She rubbed her eyes and sat up on her bed, ready to give her roommate a piece of her mind.

 

“Chaeyoung-ssi, what on earth are you doing at this time of the day? It’s so early.” Mina asked the blonde who was busy preparing breakfast on their small kitchenette. The used pans and plates scattered on their sink peeved Mina. The kitchen looked so messy, she thought.

 

“Good morning, Mina-sunbae! I was just making our breakfast! We have a big day ahead being it the first day of the semester!” Chaeyoung chirped, balancing two plates on her hands as she made way to the dining table just beside the kitchenette. “And don’t worry, I’ll do the dishes. Please have breakfast with me.” She added happily.

 

“No thank you, Chaeyoung-ssi. I value my sleep more than food so please dial the noise down in here. I’m going back to bed. Don’t wake me up!” She sassed as she made her way back to her space in the room, not giving her roommate a chance to speak.

 

Chaeyoung shrugged but she understood so she ate her breakfast as quietly as possible to not agitate her now asleep roommate. Getting ready without much noise and made her way out to her first class of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

The day was dreadful. She was not in the mood to study yet, let alone socialize with her classmates whom she rarely knows. She only surrounds herself with a few friends to manage her interactions. Mina is a huge introvert, and she’s okay with that.

 

“Heeey Minaring!” Someone shouted her name in the hall and she did not need to turn around to know who that high-pitched voice belonged to. An arm made its way to her shoulders, and from the scent invading her nose, she knows it is her close friend, Sana.

 

“What do you want, Sana?” She glanced at Sana briefly and continued her walk to the cafeteria.

 

“Hey! Is that a way to greet your best friend?” Sana jokingly voiced, acting all hurt like the drama-queen that she is.

 

“Eh. That’s debatable.”

 

“Well, I am hurt. Now you have to buy me lunch!” Sana dragged Mina into the cafeteria where their other friends are already seated, happily chatting about their day.

 

Sana and Mina ordered their food and  sat at their table unnoticed as their two eldest friends are bickering as always. One is already stuffing her face with hotdogs and the other reading her favorite novel unbothered by her surrounding. Mina thought of that as an impressive skill to be honest.

 

“Hey guys! How as your day so far?” Sana initiated as their friends seemed to have their own world.

 

“Sana! Can you please tell Jeongyeon not to draw on my face when I’m asleep? She can’t seem to understand me when I say it?” Nayeon annoyingly said.

 

“Then don’t sleep around me!” Jeongyeon defended laughing seeing Nayeon pissed as hell.

 

“We are roommates, you psycho! How am I supposed to do that!” Nayeon countered turning away from Jeongyeon and finally faced Mina who was enjoying the entertaining banter before her.

 

The girl stuffing with the hot dogs choked as she forced the last piece inside catching everyone’s attention on her. “You lose, Momo.” The girl reading her book uttered as she turned another page.

 

“No fair, Ji! That was the last piece! It could have easily went in if I could soak it in Soda!”

 

“The deal was 10 dry hot dogs or else you do both our laundry for 2 weeks.” The girl named Jihyo stated glancing at Momo before she whines.

 

“Well who can even stuff their mouth with 10 hot dogs? This is stupid.” Momo sulked. It was a stupid bet, she thought.

 

“To be honest, I just dared you to stop you from babbling.” Jihyo said earning laughters from their table as Momo sunk into her chair face beet-red.

 

Mina was observing her friends fascinated. She’s still wondering how these people became her friends when she was this awkward silent girl. But she’s grateful for them. No day is boring with her friends around.

 

“Oh and Mina, I’m sorry about you and Bambam. I heard the news.” Jihyo casually stated, finally addressing the elephant in the room. This was the topic Mina dreaded to talk to with her friends. It triggered the slight constriction in her chest while chewing on her salad. And she was never the type to bear her feelings aloud. Feelings are overrated in her opinion.

 

“I’m fine guys. I’m okay. It happened. That’s that.” Mina convinced more of herself than the people surrounding the table. Each giving her sympathetic looks as they munched.

 

“He was never the one for you, Minaring. You deserve so much better.” Momo added, squeezing her hand lighty for comfort while all agreed with her statement.

 

“I get that. Can we please just drop it?” This conversation was getting uncomfortable in Mina’s part. She would just like to bury this topic together with the ache that comes with it. And if possible, never to open it up again and speak of it.

 

Her friends continued their banters as per her request and she decided to eat her food in peace with headphones on. Trying to drown her loudly beating heart because of the previous conversation.

 

Mina was minding her own, scrolling on her phone, listening to her music as to pass the time when a shadow suddenly appeared beside her.

 

“Hello! Mina-sunbaenim! Enjoying your lunch?” That voice churned Mina’s stomach not in a good way. It was the voice she’s been ignoring and avoiding since the first time they met. And now it approached her.

 

“Who might this adorable lady be?” Sana quickly stood up trying to shake the woman’s hand. Already on her side, conjuring up a conversation as the social butterly or flirt that she is.

 

Chaeyoung extended her hand and introduced herself to everyone casually. Greeting them as they greeted her back. Well, except for one. But Chaeyoung didn’t pay any mind to Mina’s cold shoulder. She just wants to check up on her roommie who didn’t eat her breakfast. Genuinely concerned of her unhealthy routine.

 

“You’re Mina’s new roommate? This should be good.” Jihyo said voice laced with fascination.

 

“I’m fine, Chaeyoung-ssi. Go back to your seat. If you mind.” Mina answered nonchalantly already back to scrolling on her phone.

 

“Don’t mind her Chaeyoung! She’s not good with people.” Nayeon joked, earning a glare from Mina but a dimpled smile from Chaeyoung.

 

“I kinda noticed that, Nayeon-sunbae. Well, I should be heading back to my table. I don’t want to disturb you any further.” She strode back to her table leaving Mina’s group alone. Mina thanked the Gods at this. Finally, she can savor the few minutes left on her lunch before another tedious class begins. Or so she thought.

 

 

“Mina! You didn’t tell me your new roomie was a cutie!” Sana squealed already obviously crushing on the blonde. Mina made a disgusted face at the notion. Chaeyoung? Cute? The absurdity of Sana’s taste is astounding at times but Mina’s chose to ignore Sana’s question and carried on with her scrolling. The lack of attention irked Sana, nevertheless, still went on about Chaeyoung officially ruining Mina’s day.

 

Don’t get Mina wrong. She has nothing against Chaeyoung. She may not be good with people but she was never the type to be crude. She interacts with them as decently as she could. But why is Chaeyoung triggering her so much? She can never tell.

 

Mina shrugged at the thought as they all parted ways for their next class. Mina just wants to survive this semester unscathed, unbothered and unhurt. And she’ll try with all her might to do so.