The next day, when Yunho entered the cafeteria, he knew something drastic had happened. The room was twice as loud that it usually was. The girls that usually flocked around him once he walked in and made him sit with them were not looking his way. Instead, they were looking at the kitchen and talking to each other very excitedly. He shook his head in amazement. He had tried for weeks to distract them into fawning over someone else, or even disguise himself as someone else. It never worked. Finally, I get to sit where I want.

“Hey, what’s going on?” He asked as he slid into this seat at the table with the rest of his friends. He exchanged a fist and turned to a brown haired man with a sharp jaw. “Changmin, I think this is the first time where I’ve seen your mouth open in astonishment instead of being open for a piece of food.”

“Shh!” Changmin elbowed him. “Just listen!”

So Yunho shut his mouth and listened, still puzzled why his friend wasn’t eating. Suddenly he noticed the racket going on in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry miss, but for the final time, there are no croutons left!” One of the cafeteria ladies snapped.

“I understand the cafeteria seems to have run out of croutons, but I’m sure this isn’t true because this university is ranked number one for preparedness, quality, and hospitality,” said a very familiar voice.

Yunho turned and craned his neck. Just as he thought, Soo-yeon was standing there, wearing a hideous jacket with mismatched colored squares all over. What is she doing?

“It seems this statement is false, as the cafeteria is not prepared. I don’t think a college website would spread lies though. Strange too, don’t you think, that the site says in the cafeteria inventory that the supply is restocked every Sunday, and yet, it’s only Monday.” Soo-yeon took out her phone and was scrolling on the screen. She turned and raised an eyebrow. “Should I take your word, or the site’s word?”

“Miss, I’ll have you know, that the supply is not in a closet right next to the kitchen as you may believe, but in a different section of the campus!” The lady shot back. “It is not that easier to refill food when we run out!”

“I see.” Soo-yeon turned, so that Yunho could see her disinterested face. She beckoned over another cafeteria lady and whispered something into her ear.

“I am Park Eun-han, and I have been working in this cafeteria for seven years!” The lady continued, her voice rising. “I refuse to tolerate such behavior from a girl like you! You should be grateful that you are getting food at all! I will report you-“

“Here you go miss.” The cafeteria lady returned with a satchel in her hands.

“Thank you.” Soo-yeon took the bag. “Ms. Park, I assume this is your bag?”

“Yes-you little thief!” The lady lunged across the counter, her hairnet bouncing.

Soo-yeon dodged. “On the contrary, who is the thief?” She reached into the purse and brought out a bag of croutons. “Well, look at that, a bag of croutons that seems to have come from the cafeteria,” she said examining it. “Look, it even has a package sticker that says its destination is this lunchroom. Perhaps you forgot about this?”

The cafeteria suddenly became deathly silent.

The woman paused in mid-reach. Her face turned red, her cheeks trembling in rage. “You-you-“

“Enough.” Suddenly the students that had gathered to watch the commotion parted to reveal a man in a suit and a lanyard, marking him as a university employee. He sidled through them, his gelled hair in full view as he looked down to make sure he didn’t trip.

The cafeteria lady paled. “Mr-Mr. Kim!”

“Ms. Park, won’t you agree it’s quite pitiful not only were you caught stealing, which is an automatic dismissal, but the person who caught you red-handed was not a fellow employee?” The man walked over, his dark eyes flashing. “It was a customer, which we must serve faithfully. But even more importantly, the customer is a student, a person who learns from our example. After all, this is still a school, even if it is a cafeteria.”

“But-but-“ The woman pointed accusingly in Soo-yeon’s direction, who was examining her nails. “How do you not know she’s framing me?”

“Well I guess I could check the video footage, but that means I would have to send it to the police for a full report,” the man said wryly. “Would you like that?”

The woman collapsed to the floor, bowing. “I’m so sorry sir!” She cried out. “It’s just my boy…he needs food…I have no money…”

“And you decided to lose your honor through theft instead of begging for charity?” The man turned away with a look of disgust on his face. He turned to a lady by his side, who was clearly his assistant. She had followed him through the crowd, adjusting the walkie-talkie at her waist and had been clicking her pen on her clipboard. It had been the only sound that could be heard throughout the room. “Give Ms. Park immediate dismissal and let her take only one day to pack her things. Make sure she receives unemployment benefits, but do not offer a letter of recommendation.” He looked at the women. “Be glad we are not pressing criminal charges.”

“Yes sir!” She said, her voice muffled as she was still bowing on the floor, her body trembling. “Thank you sir!”

“Assist her,” Mr. Kim commanded his assistant. The woman immediately complied, bringing Ms. Park to her feet and leading her away from the cafeteria.

The man then went behind the counter and washing his hands. When he had dried them, he turned and took the bag of croutons from Soo-yeon’s hands. He opened it, causing the sound of plastic crackling to fill the silent room for a second. He filled the tray where the croutons were supposed to be. Once the tray was full, he threw away the bag and bowed to Soo-yeon. “I am sorry that you had to experience such an incident in a cafeteria under my control.”

She bowed back. “I am sorry I did not report this situation to you discreetly, sir,” she replied.

He smiled, then left the kitchen and walked of the cafeteria.

When he had done so, the room exploded in talking. “Whoah, that was fierce!” Someone commented from Yunho’s left.

“I heard she always manages to twist the truth so that the people she doesn’t like easily get targeted for committing crimes,” a guy replied. “I wonder how long that cafeteria lady has been on her bad side.”

“But she isn’t rude! Did you see the way she talked to the manager?”

“Hah! Probably because she likes him.”

Yunho shook his head. “Wow.”

“Wow indeed.” Changmin took a bite from his lunch. “Do you know her?”

“Her name is Soo-yeon. She’s in my economics class.”

“Does she always act that way?”

Yunho shrugged. “She doesn’t really talk a lot in class. It’s like she’s an outcast.” His heart hurt as he heard the words of truth leave his mouth. Why does she close herself off, letting people make misinterpretations about her?

Changmin nodded and kept eating.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yunho saw that Soo-yeon was heading for the exit. “I’ll catch you later okay?” he said as he stood up.

“Where are you going?” Changmin asked before shoving another spoonful in his mouth.

“I just realized I forgot my textbook in class,” Yunho fibbed.

Without waiting for a response, he took off.