“Did you see? Younghoon sunbae did smile at her!”

“He did? Does anyone know who she is?”

Chanhee paused as he walked in the classroom, his female classmates were all buzzing about a certain new student. Which was a little odd, a new student in their junior year, and their school rarely accepted new students.

He made his way around the room and plopped down beside his friend, Kevin was in the middle of browsing through his textbooks.

“What’s this noise all about?” Chanhee asked, a little annoyed with how his female classmates were flitting about.

“Some new student being sunbae or something.”

“That’s an issue?”

“For them, I think.” Kevin mused, Chanhee was about reply when he saw Juyeon walked in, the room grew quiet for a bit, as usual. The girls paused and took glances at him, the male was on his phone and then he looked up.

The girls looked away.

Kevin chuckled, Juyeon’s eyes landed on his friends and he joined them.

“You have training right away? Wow, your life .” Chanhee mused as he noticed the male’s duffel.

“They’re serious about the finals this year.” Juyeon replied as he took his seat, he set his bag down and took a quick glance around them.

“Guys, did you hear? The new student is going to be in our class,” Song Chaerin said as she sat down across Kevin.

“Is that really a big deal? Who is this new kid?” Kevin said, the girl was about to speak when the room turned quiet again.

Juyeon set his phone down just as a petite girl walked in the room, she had medium-length hair that rested on her shoulders. She turned her head and looked around the room, the other students were all staring back at her.

But that didn’t seem to faze the girl. Chaerin was grinning at Kevin, she was about to stand when the new student took her seat just in front of Chanhee’s.

“Hi, you must be the new student.” Chaerin said as she leaned over the desk, the girl paused and she turned to face her.

Juyeon tilted his head, this was the girl from earlier. The one carrying Lee Hyunjae’s bag, Ugly Navy Blue girl.

“Yeah, I am.” She replied, Chaerin smiled and stretched her arm, but their teacher suddenly walked in. Everyone straightened up, Kevin elbowed Juyeon.

“She’s pretty.” He mouthed, Chanhee shushed them as the teacher finally spoke.

“Well, I am aware that you all probably know each other by now, but I was informed that we have a new friend joining us today,”

All eyes went to Ahyoung, but the girl was already doodling on her iPad, Chanhee grew amused.

“Right, class president?” The teacher cleared , Chaerin eagerly nodded on her seat, she gestured towards the new girl.

“New student? Would you like to introduce yourself?”

Juyeon and Kevin looked at the new student in front of them, she was still doodling on her iPad, not even bothering to look up.

“New student? Where are you? Lee Ahyoung?” Their teacher was checking the note on her desk, still no reaction.

“She’s here.” Chaerin raised her hand and pointed at the girl, Juyeon noticed how the girl let out small sigh and she put her Apple Pencil down.

“Would you like to introduce yourself to the class, Ahyoung?”

“No.” She said, the teacher halted and all eyes went to her.

“What?”

“You asked if I would like to, I don’t, seonsaengnim.” She met the teacher’s gaze, Chanhee turned his head away, hiding his grin.

“O—Oh, still, you should, your classmates would like to hear your voice and get to know you a..bit.”

“Ah, then why did she even ask?” She mumbled under breath, Kevin pressed his lips together, Juyeon shook his head.

Chaerin was looking at the girl with a smile. The newcomer stood up from her seat and gave the class a quick bow.

“Nice to meet you all, you can call me Ahyoung.” She said in a quite voice, the guys in the class clapped their hands as they stared at her.

Juyeons saw the girl’s lips thinned briefly and then she sat down.

“A badass.” Kevin mused to himself, then Ahyoung’s eyes suddenly went to him and he shrunk back on his seat.

“Thanks.”

Ahyoung ran her fingers through her hair as she watched her schoolmates rush towards the cafeteria, she didn’t feel like eating. She barely escaped the class president’s invitation earlier, she was just too…sunny that it irked the Lee girl.

She walked through the door and heard her brother’s voice, she was about to turn back but Lee Hyunjae caught her by the arm.

“Ahyoung, I’m so sorry. I forgot~”

“You forgot?” She hissed in reply as her brother dragged her across the place, she could feel some students looking at them.

“I am used to not having you around, Young. I’m sorry, I guess~”

“Wow, you even left your freaking bag, oppa. How the hell would you go to your meet then? By wearing your~” She halted when a hand covered , she glared at the tall male.

“Hi, are you hungry?” Younghoon asked, he dropped his hand.

“I agree, he was being stupid. Let’s get something to eat first then you can continue killing him later.” Younghoon commented, they were walking towards a table, Hyunjae batted his eyes at her.

“You were so excited to have me here, it still amazes me that you let me ride the bus when I don’t even know how to get to this place.” She said through gritted teeth, Younghoon grinned and pulled the chair for her.

Ahyoung was about to sit when she noticed another male already seated at the table, Hyunjae paused and looked at her.

“Ah, this is my friend, Jacob. Cob, this is my sister, Ahyoung.”

The male smiled at her and offered his hand.

“Well, I guess, you can call him sunbae or..oppa, you decide.” Hyunjae mused, Younghoon was glancing the menu by the counter.

“This kid went to an international school, so speak freely.” Hyunjae added with a grin, the older male gave her another shy smile.

“So, speaking in English is..speaking freely.” Ahyoung slowly said, Jacob grinned as the girl shook his hand.

“You can call me Bae.”

“Bae?” She replied with a tilt of her head, unsure.

“Oh, it’s my family name. Bae Joonyoung.” Jacob quickly explained, Ahyoung slowly nodded her head.

“I’m not calling you Bae.” She mused, and then Younghoon nudged her.

“Let’s get something to eat.” He said, Hyunjae beamed at her.

“Oppa will buy you food.” Her brother said as he pulled her to the counter, Younghoon and Jacob followed the two.

“Stop it, oppa.” She shuddered in reply, Jacob grinned before speaking.

“I see they’re total opposites.” He said to his friend, Younghoon nodded back.

“I’ll get us the meal set then, you can grab a salad if you want.” Hyunjae said to her before moving forward.

Younghoon watched as Ahyoung approached the salad bar, she was peering over the fruit display.

“Oppa, I want that.” She spoke while trying to reach for the upper shelf, Younghoon nodded and got it from her.

“They have that pomegranate thing you like.” He said to her, Ahyoung nodded back as she peered over the container lid.

“How’s your first day so far?” He said with a smile, Ahyoung rolled her eyes in reply. Younghoon chuckled, and with one hand resting on her shoulder, he gently pushed her to move forward.

“But, oppa,” She quietly said, Younghoon leaned down to hear her clearly. And the female students grew green with envy.

“I want coffee. You don’t have that here?”

“That’s something you have to live with, sweetheart.” He smiled again, Ahyoung frowned.

“Let’s get coffee before going to school tomorrow then.”

“Changmin’s still down with the flu?” Chanhee asked as they picked up their trays, Juyeon nodded back and they moved along.

“I hope he gets well soon.” Kevin said as they reached their table.

“Everyone’s talking about the new girl, she’s…something.” Chanhee mused as he rubbed his chopsticks together.

“Don’t you feel bad for miss Shin earlier? She looked like she was about to cry,” Juyeon commented in between bites.

“It’s not every day that you hear someone say things like that, and,” Kevin’s brows rose, students were staring as one of the popular kids walked towards the girl standing by the doors.

“It’s her. How does she know the swim team’s ace?” Chanhee asked, Chaerin sat down with them and paused.

“They’re serving my favorites today.” She said to Juyeon, the male grinned at her and nodded.

“Hyunjae sunbae must have a thing for her then. Already?” Kevin mused, Chaerin followed her gaze.

“The seniors are interested in her too. Wow, the girls must hate her.” She mused as she eyed the group of senior girls huddled at another table, they were all staring daggers at Ahyoung.

“Oh.” Chaerin saw Younghoon approached them, and then he smiled.

He actually smiled as he playfully the girl’s mouth with his palm.

“Oh, the seniors already got their claws on her.” Chanhee murmured as he started eating, Juyeon tilted his head.

“Don’t you think she looks familiar?” He spoke up as Ahyoung was joined by the three older boys to line for food.

“Her? It’s my first time seeing her.” Chaerin said to him as she opened her juice box.

“Really? I..” Juyeon trailed off, then his brows went up, his spoon hovering over the bowl. His eyes were on the girl as Younghoon helped her reach for something.

“I feel like..I’ve seen her somewhere.” He finished, Chaerin and Kevin grinned at each other.

“Why? Are you interested future team captain?” Kevin teasingly said, Juyeon eyed them warily.

“No.” He replied with a sigh and continued eating.

“She’s actually pretty, ridiculously so. Do you think Hyunjae sunbae and Younghoon sunbae will be fighting over her? Look!” Chaerin jutted her lips at their table, the girl was sandwiched between the two males.

“But those two have always been good friends, with Jacob sunbae too.” Kevin commented as he spooned his rice around.

Juyeon finished his meal, he took a long sip from his drink, his eyes went to the girl again. He couldn’t help but notice how uncomfortable she was, and how she kept on checking her phone.

“Hey, how about you try and be her friend, it must be hard for her to be in a new school.” Chanhee said, Chaerin glanced at the girl again.

“I don’t think so, you saw how she just ate up miss Shin earlier. She’s an ice princess. She’s scary.” She mused, Kevin scrunched his nose.

“I don’t think so.”

“She looks like she’d hiss at me if I say hi to her.”

Juyeon loosened his tie as he left the coach’s office, the man had asked for him right after lunch. The coach wanted to discuss their training schedule, their team captain, Sangyeon was still overseas with his family and won’t be back till next week.

He made his way across the courtyard and took his usual shortcut back to the main building. Then he heard someone speaking.

“I know, I know. Are you already there?”

He looked up and noticed a girl walking ahead of him, she was staring at the walls as she moved along.

“Really? Give me a sec.” She chucked her phone in her coat pocket and approached the wall, Juyeon saw how her forehead creased as she touched the wall.

Then the girl started to look around, she spotted the plastic chairs lying about, she dragged them towards the wall and stepped back, as if estimating its height.

He paused when the girl added another chair over the one she just placed and climb over it. Her head barely reached the top.

Juyeon looked around them, wondering how come no one was yelling at her yet. Her phone started ringing again, and she took it out.

“I know, I’m trying! But I can’t seem to..get over this wall. This freaking school, really.” She was speaking in Korean now.

Only, she didn’t say freaking.

Juyeon noticed how the chairs were wobbling a bit, he glanced around and spotted a bunch of plastic crates that the school’s maintenance staff used to store food and other supplies. He jogged towards them and started gathering a couple of the items.

Ahyoung paused as soon as she saw the male piling up the crates, her eyes went to the male.

“Oh.” She said, Juyeon looked at her.

“This is an easier way out.” He spoke to her while gesturing towards the pile of crates, Ahyoung’s brows went up, surprised.

“Are you heading out too?” She said to him, Juyeon shook his head and nodded for her to get on the crates.

“These wont stumble. I’ve seen the other kids try it too.” That was his reply, Ahyoung slowly nodded back.

“Okay, thanks?” She muttered, Juyeon nodded back and watched as the girl stepped onto the crates, he held onto the bottom one as it wobbled a bit. He turned his head away just as Ahyoung leapt over the wall.

“A—All good?” Juyeon called over, a strawberry flavored lollipop landed on his feet.

“Yes, all good. Thanks, you strange person.”

“I—I’m not strange.” He blurted out as he picked up the candy, he heard her chuckle.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then, classmate.”

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