NINE : A BEGINNER'S VISIT

“Okay, so today we’re going to have an internal selection since more members signed up compared to last year and we have to choose the best players for this tournament. Here’s the draw: first round you’re going against everyone, then we’ll put 2^nd and 1^st placing players into the next round, which they would fight again, and again and the process would repeat until we have the sufficient amount of players for the competition,” Youngwon; Siwon’s secretary, announced as everyone gathered and listened to him. Then, everyone headed to the table to find their names.

Nana was thankful that she wasn’t placed with either three of the listed player. They were all separated. I guess it’s fair enough. As everyone saw their names, Siwon then began their selection. It was undeniably quite easy for Nana as she aced the 1^st placing for the first round, the 2^nd, 3^rd round, and they’ve reached the quarter finals. Chunji suggested that they stop since the players are already chosen but the audience who were there protested, and even the guide teacher, Mr. Kim wanted them to finish the selection. So, the rest of the quarter finalists continued with the selection.

In the end, as expected, Nana went against Kyungmi while Luhan went against Chunji. The outcome for both sides were as expected and after the finals ended, the crowd cheered on, as if expecting Luhan and Nana to go against each other. This time around, even Siwon cheered along with the crowd. Luhan and Nana both sighed at the sight of their President. But still, the two of them gave in and started a combat. Before they began, Luhan had told her that he could beat her easily without her even getting a single point and Nana snorted at his statement.

“That’s impossible, Luhan. I should be the one saying that to you,” she said and smirked at his baffled look. “Oh, you’re confident aren’t you, miss? Well, you’re wrong,” he replied and tilted his head to the side. “Okay, if either one of us wins, the loser would follow whatever the winner says for a whole day, deal?” he challenged and he knew it was difficult for Nana to back down, she hated giving up and saying no to winning. “Deal,” she exclaimed and they both finally began their match. True to his words, Luhan beat Nana that time around, but they were just ½ points apart once again.

During their combat, the deal between them did not even appear in Nana’s mind. All she wanted was to win, but she didn’t know why she was actually distracted with Luhan. She would always lose focus every now and then and she hated it. Finally, Nana remembered about the deal when Luhan held his hand out to her and commented, “I won the deal, Nana. You are now under my mercy.” Despite panting a little with little bruises here and there, well, probably a lot more than what Nana had, he smiled that creepy Ahn Nae Sang look-alike smile and Nana shivered at the sight although trying hard not to laugh.

Settled in his car, Nana pulled the seatbelt carefully as Luhan stepped into his car. Igniting the engine, Luhan looked at her and smiled, “you were so confident that you could win against me. What happened, eh?” “Yeah, rub more salt to my wound, Luhan,” Nana commented and rolled her eyes at him. Laughing, he replied, “no, seriously. You had that dangerous look and then puppy eyes look. I felt so guilty for beating you.” “Shut up before we crash head on with a car or a street lamp, Luhan,” she scolded. “Okay, so here’s the deal. Date me,” he said bluntly and Nana went rigid.

♦

Crap! Why did I even agree to this dumb date?! I’ve never been to one, and this is going to end badly. Until the very last day before the real date takes place, Nana was storming through her half full closet in her room. “What’s all the fuss about, Nana? I’ve never seen you this unsettled about what to wear?” Yura commented as she swiveled on her chair at her table. Scratching her chin with her thumb and her forefinger, her eyes thinned into slits, perhaps wondering why is there a dark cloud hovering over the black-head. Looking at her roommate’s distressed form, Yura got up from her chair. Joining the younger girl at her closet, she shook her head from side to side, “girl, you and I need to go out.”

♦

Nana was a neopath when it comes to shopping or make up or doing anything to her hair. She was taken to shops after shops to try on uncountable outfits which Yura made her put on, varying from dresses to blouses to jeans to skirts and more dresses. Hours spent on clothes, Nana then was pushed off into a rose scented saloon and a lady came to drag her away from Yura’s hands as soon as they stepped in. She was seated on a chair and Nana looked at herself over the huge mirror across her through her large spectacles. “First things first, we need to get rid of this, darling. Well take a look at that! You’re beautiful!”

Luhan:
I’m coming over around 2 hours. Is that okay? ^^ You better reply. A promise is a promise, right? :)

Nana:
Okay, Luhan. 2 hours. Geez :P

Luhan:
Great! See you :)

“Onnie, onnie, what am I gonna do?! I only have 2 hours to get ready!” Nana whined as she flopped down onto her comfortable bed, shut her phone off and just thought about sleeping until the very next day. Then, she wouldn’t have to go through all the troubles of putting herself through shame. “Nana, get up! You better be up or else I’ll personally kick your off the bed, even if you know I can’t do that,” Yura said from across the room. “Fine, fine. What outfit was it that I have to wear again?” Nana said as she dragged herself off her bed and took the clothes she hung in her closet.

She had always liked purple, but this time around, Yura had chosen pink theme instead of purple, so she still had to go with it since she knew next to nothing about fashion. Putting the ill-fitting pink jeans and its white lace layered long sleeved top, Nana used a hair dryer to dry her damp hair and styled them into a braid. Putting on very light amount of makeup, she just had eyeliner, a little blusher dabbed on her cheeks and had a single layer of pink lipstick on her lips. Finally, as a finishing, she wore her rose earrings and a new bracelet she purchased on the streets with Yura the day before.

The glaring red Turbo sauntered at the G-Hall parking lot and quite a number of students were around the parking lot, probably going out on the weekends before the real stress of exams take over them and turn them into zombies. Undeniably, they were all staring at Nana who was entering the car as quickly as possible to hide herself from prying eyes; which is assumed to be something impossible. Once all snug in the red car, Nana was greeted with Luhan’s cheerful smile and a tilt of the head with a greeting. Nana helloed him back and looked down on her fingers that were rigid on her lap. “Chill, Nana. We’re going to have fun today, so, don’t be so stiff and enjoy, okay?” Luhan said as he pressed the accelerator and the car moved forward.

“Here we are! Let’s go, Nana!” Luhan cheered as he reverse-park the car and opened the car door for her. “What’s this place called?” Nana asked as kids cheered and parents running after right behind them.  “It’s the Lotte World! We’re gonna play today, what would you like to play first?” He asked and she just gave him a shrug, “first time seeing all these thingamajig, so, you lead the way.” At times, Nana would gape every now and then and Luhan would sneakily take pictures of her. They started on the 1^st floor where they tried the Drunken Basket Ride. Nana was nervous at first, but the fun caught up to her and she was smiling and laughing in the teacup ride.

Off to the 2^nd floor, they tried the Bumper Car and it was the very first time that Luhan saw Nana laughing so hard, as if she was back in her childhood years and Luhan wondered have she ever had a childhood before? How was her childhood like? Was she a petite, little girl or was she the few tough kids who rebel from the doll house to play soccer with the boys? After watching Nana for a while and static in his car, he was bumped on another car with another male rider. Suddenly, another car crashed onto the other guy and over the noise, he heard a feminine voice shout, “I’ve got your back, Luhan!”

The other male’s friend came by to back him up and the four of them went through a heated battle that four of them had to stop since they were the only people monopolizing the place. The four of them bowed at each other in the end and had a really good laugh together. “That was fun! We should do that again!” Nana said with so much enthusiasm that Luhan could hardly conceal his laughter. “Yah! You’re laughing at me?! Seriously?!” Nana said as she fake punched him a few times and he faked pain as a reply. “Let’s try the roller coaster, I’m sure you’ll love it,” he said with a wink and pulled her hand.

“We’re riding that thing? But is it safe? Can you confirm its safety?” Nana asked as she peered over the line while they waited for their turn. The noise was deafening, but the sound that came from the roller coaster ride was undeniably heardable by Nana and she wonder why did it cause so many ruckuses from just a mere ride of this thing called ‘roller coaster’. Well, it does look dangerous, but Nana’s bundle of nerves burst into unimaginable anxiety. “You know, Nana,” Luhan began, “I always play around here with the other guys or even alone especially when I’m unhappy.” Nana looked over at him with a questionable look.

“It’s true. I actually use this roller coaster ride as a medium for me to release all my anger that I couldn’t express even when I do Hapkido. Especially during those years when I was a rebellious teenager and I couldn’t unleash all those pent up anger. During these rides, I’d scream at the top of my lungs just to let everything go,” he paused as he looked at her in the eyes, “there were even times when I was actually sad to the point that I even screamed until I almost lost my voice…oh wait, I actually lost my voice twice a few years ago.” Nana kept looking at Luhan while analyzing his story. She didn’t know this oh-so-perfect guy actually had that kind of adolescence. Then Nana remembered her own pain, and she went rigid when he put an arm over Nana’s shoulder and smiled brightly at her.

Updated once again. Ugh it feels like this is going nowhere. But I tried T^T Luckily there's no s_mut. I don't think I could write that. Keke >.< Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to KPop. Cause without it, my life would be empty, and I might not even know this place existed.

P.S Credits to the owner of the picture

Updated; October 8
Edited; Feb 19