"Jean?"
Maureen was surprised. Jeanice Ainsley, Maureen's junior when she was in middle school.
Jean is the only person Maureen considers a friend. When Maureen was in the third grade of junior high school, Maureen was accidentally caught in a crowd of students fighting mass. At that time, Maureen was eating at a seafood restaurant with her late mother.
It just so happened that Jean was there. And if it wasn't for that girl who was standing on the front line to keep out the fighting students, Maureen, her late mother, and the customers who were eating there might not have survived either.
Is Jean that strong?
Of course.
Jean was a Taekwondo black belt holder since the first grade of middle school, and the girl also takes several athletic classes such as volleyball and swimming. Strong self-defense abilities accompanied by a fit body due to athletic activities.
At that time Jean was in the first grade of junior high school. However, when Jean advances to the second grade, she is forced to move to her grandfather's residence for one year due to causing trouble too much by fighting with other students.
Just as Jean transferred schools, Maureen had an accident that left her in a coma for over a year.
They never communicated again after that.
And now, the girl who was two years younger than Maureen was standing behind her.
"Why did you attend orientation? Shouldn't you be in third grade? Haven't you been in school for two years?"
Maureen still couldn't believe what she saw in front of her eyes.
Jean waved her palm in front of Maureen's face to wake her from her daydream. "Hey! Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Oh ... That ... I had an accident that put me in a coma for over a year."
"So, are you okay now?" asked Jean, with a worried expression.
Maureen nodded assent to Jean's question.
"How is your mother? Is she well?"
Maureen was silent for a moment. Her silence made Jean feel bad.
"My mother died in that accident."
Hearing Maureen's answer made Jean surprised. Without hesitation, Jean embraced Maureen's body and hugged her very tightly. "It must be hard for you."
From the front of their line, several student council members saw the scene of Jean hugging Maureen. "You two lovey-dovey, who are hugging each other very lovely, come forward!"
Jean ignored the student council members' orders. What's more important to her was that she wanted to hug Maureen a little longer. In addition to missing Maureen, whom she considers her sister, Jean also feels sad because Maureen has lost her mother.
"Didn't you hear me? Move forward!"
Maureen finally let go of Jean's embrace. With the most sincere smile, Maureen thanked the only friend she had not seen in a long time. "I'm fine."
Feeling ignored, the student council member wearing a red alma mater coat approached Maureen and Jean. Now, he was in front of the two girls. The figure of a large man with curly hair that almost covers his ears, and a mustache that is quite thick for the size of a high school student.
That person looks too old for a high school kid. Even so, he was someone who sat in the second grade.
Without further ado, his large hands grabbed Maureen and Jean's collars, dragging them both to the front of the line.
Maureen and Jean became the center of attention of all students of the orientation period.
Instead of feeling afraid, Maureen was even more surprised at Jean's attitude, who remained calm even though she was treated a bit harshly by a senior. Because usually, Jean will immediately kick the genitals of anyone who are rude to her, no matter who it is.
Has Jean repented?
"What were you two doing earlier?"
No one answered.
"Now, do what you guys did earlier, so we can all see it. Hurry up and do it!"
No one had moved yet, making everyone wonder what the two girls had just done to be dragged forward by the student council members, who were in charge of the orientation activities in the main hall of this Caius Ballad Private High School.
Jean smirked. The girl took a step forward and immediately wrapped her arms around the senior's neck.
Yep.
Jean hugged the senior, as she had done to Maureen before.
The male students who also participated in the orientation period became very noisy.
Of course, someone like Jean, whose beauty was no less than Maureen's, hugged a student council member in front of all of them.
"W-what are you doing?!" shouted the senior after Jean let go of her arms.
"Huh? Didn't you tell me to do what I did with Maureen before? We hugged. Am I wrong?" Jean replied with a made-up innocent face.
"Chough~..." the senior cleared his throat as he tried to clear his throat. "Shut up!"
The atmosphere, which was quite noisy, was instantly quiet.
"You two return to the line. Next time, pay attention when your seniors at the front are talking! Do you understand?!"
Jean and Maureen were finally back in line. Maureen turned to look at Jean, who was standing behind her, only to get a smile that Maureen didn't understand what it meant. Maureen shook her head and looked back ahead.