Home Gallery Wattpad Upvote monsteracademy   "To put it clearly, I'm going to a school filled with monsters?" TWENTY-TWO: Wanted: Manager Tink!...Tink!… Tink! “Joo Ri-ya…” Tink!...Tink!…Tink! “Ya!” Ji Min yelled to catch your attention. “Huh?” You asked lifelessly. You looked up from stabbing your lunch, which had been the reason for the ‘tink’-ing noise every time your chopsticks slammed into your plate. “Stop playing with your food,” Ji Min reprimanded. “Sorry,” you muttered. “What’s bothering you?” Ji Min asked. Your face twitched in displeasure as you relayed what happened two days ago during your Special Class. -- FLASHBACK – “So, do you know someone?” “No,” Lu Han answered indifferently. He was playing with his cube again. “Not even just one person?” “No,” he answered again, to your irritation, in a tone that suggests you were annoying him. “How could you not know anyone?” You asked through gritted teeth. You were trying hard to control your temper. “Aish! I knew it. This jerk is totally useless,” you grouched to yourself, though you really couldn’t care less if Lu Han heard you, which he actually did. “Why are you nagging like I’m the only person in this project?” He asked apathetically. “I grew up around humans so I don’t know any other monsters aside from the people in this school.” “Then you’re more useless,” he simply said. “Mweo?” “I do know a lot of people for our project,” he amended. “Then give me their names already! Aish!” “They’re all in China.” “Then go to China, damn it!” You yelled, finally reaching your limits. “Aish, so noisy,” he muttered, leaning his head away from you while picking his ear with his pinky finger. “Did you know you look and sound like an angry grizzly bear?” Grizz…grizzly? “YOU!” You yelled, now in rage mode. “Song Joo Ri, what’s happening out there?” Doctor Jung asked. “You know what? You were right. You should find yourself another partner!” You slammed your pen down and stomped over to Doctor Jung. “I want to change my partner!” “Eh?” “That jerk is totally not cooperating and is the crudest creature on this planet!” You whined. “C’mon now Joo Ri. If you really wish to change partners, you must give me a valid reason,” Doctor Jung told you. “Aren’t those reasons valid enough?” “From what I see the both of you are just being childish. You two, sort things out. I’m not going to let you change partners,” Doctor Jung smiled. “Aish! Why did you pair us anyway?” “Didn’t I explain earlier that the pairings were chosen at random?” He smiled wider. “Besides, I think being partners with Lu Han would be good for you.” “What do you mean?” “He’s a smart kid.” “And I’m dumb,” you probed. “No! I didn’t say that,” Doctor Jung smiled guiltily. “Anyways, it shouldn’t be that bad if you two would just try to get along. “Aish! Fine! Whatever,” you snapped, forgetting for a moment that Doctor Jung was your teacher. You figured he was not gonna let you have things your way so you stomped back to your desk and eyed Lu Han resentfully. “I would guess you failed,” he said. You let out an exasperated huff and slumped on your desk again. “Ahhh. I’m stuck with you. Ottoke? I’m so unlucky,” he sighed. -- END OF FLASHBACK -- TINK! TINK! TINK! TINK! You stabbed harder on your food, imagining all the while that it was Lu Han’s face on your plate. “AISH! THAT JERK!” “Poor thing,” Ji Min muttered as she watched you abuse your food. “I know right? I even pity myself!” You groaned. “I meant the food, not you,” Ji Min said. You gave her a frown but she just laughed at you. “Nothing but trouble seems to happen to me. Wae? My friend back home used to tell me I’m a magnet for trouble. And now I’m really starting to believe her,” you sulked. “How about you Ji Min-ah? Do you know any canine or feline outside school?” “No, sorry. Most monsters I know are sea creatures,” she answered. “Gaaah! It has already been two days and that jerk still hasn’t done anything to help. He didn’t even ask about our project! He doesn’t care at all! ‘If you really plan to fail, I can ask for Doctor Jung to change my partner’,” you mimicked him in mockery. “Now who between us is planning to fail?! Aish! If only I were partnered with Lay, I wouldn’t be having these problems. And my missing grade is gonna be based on that project! I’m gonna fail! I can already see it happening. And it’s all because of that stupid jerk!” Ji Min laughed. “What?” You asked. “I’ve never heard you talk so much about someone,” she giggled. “That’s because he’s so annoying I’ll go crazy if I keep it all in my head! Gaaah!” Your sour mood persisted until your first afternoon period, most especially when you saw Lu Han on your way to your classroom. You wanted to strangle him to death right then and there but half of you still hoped that he might actually have something useful to say for your project. Sadly, you were wrong. He didn’t even seem to be worried about it. Instead, he just threw you a loud ‘Yo grizzly!’ greeting and laughed afterwards. AIIISH!!! Useless, useless jerk! At this rate, I’m really gonna fail if I keep expecting something from him. Gaaaah! But who could I ask help from? Maybe I should talk to Doctor Jung about this again. “Song Joo Ri!” Mr. Bae’s irritated voice brought snapped your attention back to class. “N-ne, sonsaengnim,” you stuttered in panic. Mr. Bae looked at you as though he was waiting for you to say something. Everyone’s attention was on you. You just stared cluelessly at him. “Did you hear me?” Mr. Bae asked. “Sorry sonsaengnim,” you bowed. “Since you are not here to listen, I don’t need you in my class. Out,” he said. “E-eh?” “Now,” he stated more firmly. “Ah n-ne, sonsaengnim,” you mumbled. “Joo Ri,” you heard Chanyeol mutter behind you. He was wearing a somewhat worried expression and so did Sehun. Kai’s expression on the other hand was unreadable, though he looked rather pissed when he glanced back at Mr. Bae. “See you guys later,” you whispered and gave them a smile. You quickly headed out as you wanted to immediately get yourself out of the embarrassing situation. Aigoo! I can’t believe I got myself into trouble just by thinking of that jerk. He is definitely bad luck! You glanced at the time. It was still five minutes after first afternoon period started. You didn’t want to look like an idiot by standing outside your classroom until first period was over, so you started walking down the hallway though you had no idea where you’ll be going. “Joo Ri,” Lay called you when you passed by their classroom. He was just outside the door. “Lay!” You greeted back, your mood getting tons brighter upon seeing him. “Where are you going?” He asked. “Actually, I’m asking myself the same thing,” you laughed. “I got kicked out of history class.” “Wae?” “I was spacing out during discussion so demon king kicked me out,” you explained. “Demon king,” Lay laughed. “Yeah. Chanyeol gave him that nickname,” you laughed along. “It really suits him.” “He’s one strict teacher alright,” Lay agreed, since Mr. Bae was also their history teacher. “How about you, don’t you have class?” You asked while peering through the windows. “Our teacher has an important meeting so we’re on self-study. I was about to go to the cafeteria to grab some lunch.” “You haven’t taken your lunch yet?” “Yes, since I had to meet with my Special Project partner during lunch time,” he explained. Damn. He’s so responsible unlike that detestable jerk. Why am I not partnered with Lay? WAE???!!!!! “Say, since you have nowhere to go, would you like to go with me?” He invited. “A-a-aah sure! I’d love to!” You half-stuttered half-squealed. You couldn’t believe you were getting excited over Lay asking you to the cafeteria but you didn’t care. All that mattered to you at the moment is that you’ll be with Lay. So the two of you went to the cafeteria together. “Too bad, all the good food is gone,” Lay sighed when he looked at the remaining dishes at the cafeteria. “O-oh yeah,” you responded as you tore your eyes away from his face and pretended that you were also looking through the dishes. “I guess I’ll have this one,” he said and told the staff his choice of food. “How about you?” He asked you. “Hmmm,” you muttered as you now seriously scanned through the food. “Oh, I forgot. You just had lunch. You’re probably not hungry. Sorry for dragging you here,” Lay said. “No, it’s alright. I also feel like eating. I think I’ll have ramyun,” you said and asked the staff for a cup of instant noodles. You were not really hungry but your slightly unpleasant mood had you slightly craving for food. The two of you went to the counter with your trays. You delved through your pocket for bills since the food wasn’t part of your free meals. “No, I’ll pay,” Lay told you as he handed the staff some bills for your food. “Andwaeyo! I’ll pay for my food,” you answered and shoved Lay’s hand away before the staff could get the money. “I insist. Besides, I invited you to come here,” he said and was about to hand the money again to the staff. “It’s not like you forced me to come here. I also wanted to eat anyway,” you told him and shoved his hand away again. “This is just like last time,” he laughed. You laughed along when you also remembered the same scene at the library before. The staff was now glaring at the two of you as she crossed her arms, her brows twitching in irritation. “I think we should sort this out. This noona looks like she’s ready to eat us alive,” Lay whispered and the both of you stifled a laugh. “Sorry stubborn princess, but his gentleman will pay for your meal,” he patted your head and finally handed the bills to the staff. Did he just call me…P-PRINCESS? You just stood there in a daze while unconsciously touching the part of your head he patted. “Let’s go.” Lay’s voice brought you back to earth as he headed to a table near the windows. You sat across him, and resolved that what he called you earlier most certainly didn’t mean anything. “Whoa, it’s actually refreshing to get to sit in another table,” he later said. “Now that you mention it, you guys always sit at the same place. Even at the dorm cafeteria, you guys have the same spot at the center. Are those tables reserved for you or something??” “Not really. We used to sit anywhere before, though the guys loved that spot since it’s near the food counter so it’s easier to get a refill,” he chuckled. “So we just found ourselves unconsciously sitting on the same spot whenever the tables are free. Then one day, I don’t know why but people stopped sitting on those tables so it just kinda became our spot,” he explained. “I see. I think I know why,” you muttered as you thought of their many fangirls telling the other students not to sit there because those tables belong to their precious soc