The sun rose over Jukheon University, casting a warm glow over the bustling campus. Students rushed to their first day of classes, some looking eager, others bleary-eyed and others nonchalant. Flowers falling off trees gave that fall vibe. The musty green scenery was astounding. To the right, one could see the tall, famous Bukhansan Mountain.
Bora, dressed in a black mini gown overlaid with a purple leather jacket, walked towards the art studio, her heart racing with excitement. She had spent the previous days exploring the campus and meeting new people, but today was the real deal. She adjusted her cloths well and walked into the lecture hall.
Upon entering the lecture hall, she spotted Ri Ta, looking stunning in a red dress, "she sure knows how to attract attention." Seated beside her was Song Mi, sitting quietly, his eyes fixed on his book. "Wow, I didn't know Ri Ta and Song Mi would be taking his course."
The professor began by introducing himself, and Bora found herself engrossed in the class already. She couldn't believe how much she was enjoying it.
She sat down at the rear looking, looking elegant, her eyes scanning the room for familiar faces. Not only that, but she spotted Cha On Dam's friend, Yun Jo Jo, and smiled
The art professor began the class, and Bora found herself lost in the creative process, her worries about her family's expectations momentarily forgotten.
Bora stood up from the rear of the class where she was seated and went to join Jo Jo. Jo Jo who was a walking fountain of art knowledge, was enamored by the professor's lesson that she didn't notice Bora coming to sit next to her.
Bora slid her hands slightly through Jo Jo's shoulders, Jo Jo who seemed utterly focused, shivered and turned her gaze towards Bora, "Oh Bora, what are you doing here? Jo Jo asked, "wow you're taking this course too?" She asked with her very thin womanly voice.
Bora, who was happy she had found a person she knew closely, smiled from ear to ear, "yes, I'm an art major, of course I'd have to take this class."
Jo Jo's eyes widened with awe, everyone knew her parents always made the decisions for her, even up till her love life with Su Ki. It was all pre-planned. "How did your mom allow you to study art? I thought you were going for something like business management or political science," Jo Jo asked in a low voice.
"Well, I agreed with them, that is why I went to Paris. I actually went there for a course in business administration and management, so I could come back to study what I really had a passion for." Bora said, her voice just a little bit above a whisper.
The two who weren't that close in high school started getting cordial as the lecture went on, helping each other understand the material as the lecture went on. Jo Jo had always been artistic, her dad was a famous artist who also owns a museum in Gangnam, so it was just her walking in her father's steps. Though unlike the rest, her dad didn't force her to study art, but she was always so immersed in her father's and other artworks that she became a lover of art.
The class started drawing to an end. The lecturer, who had saved the Introduction of the students for the end of the agenda, started to call out the students' names one after the other. He got to letter H and the most uncanny thing happened. Ri Ta got to find out she was taking that same course with Bora.
" Han Ri Ta!" The professor called out and Ri Ta stood up, her red dress making her look dazzling, every guy in the class was drooling over her looks and she was enjoying the attention. The professor went further, "Hwan Song Mi!" The cool and perfectly dashing freshman stood up in attention to his name being called, "Ne (yes) he said and sat back down. He and Ri Ta sat beside each other, just as it was back in high school. Lastly, the last name in letter H shot out of the lecturer's mouth, the name re-echoing within the studio, "Hyun Bora!" The nicely-dressed-fairly-looking girl stood up and the whole attention that was once on Ri Ta suddenly switched to Bora.
"Dang! She gets prettier every time I see her." Song Mi whispered. Slowly, Ri Ta started boiling, it was game on for them. Jo Jo and Bora noticed the fire that shot out of Ri Ta's gaze, knowing they were about to have a repetition of high school.
"Why are you so unlucky?" Jo Jo asked Bora.
"Unlucky?" Bora replied, confusion sewn in her speech.
"Yeah, you and Ri Ta have always been in the same class, ever since middle school, and you guys fight every year." Jo Jo said and chuckled.
Bora started laughing softly, and slowly it grew louder and louder. They were done with the first class of the semester, and she knew for sure Ri Ta would come over to annoy her.
In her red dress and her chin-high boots, Ri Ta walked towards Jo Jo and Bora. "Speak of the devil, and he'll appear." Jo Jo said, loud enough to make Ri Ta hear, but apparently Ri Ta enjoyed every form of attention she got, regardless if it was good or bad.
"Well, this devil is for sure going to see you in hell." Ri Ta said, facing Jo Jo. "This was meant to be for Bora. Why is she facing me?" Jo Jo thought to herself. She smiled and bade Bora farewell.
Ri Ta turned to Bora, looking deep into her eyes. The silence between the two was visible enough that it could be seen in the air.
"Try not to look at me too much, I don't want someone like you to fall for me." Bora broke the silence, packing her bags, getting ready to leave the lecture hall. Ri Ta's eyes narrowed, disgust displayed and portrayed on every inch of her face, "mwo (what)! Fall for you, ha-ha-ha." She said and chuckled loudly. Ri Ta sneered, her eyes blazing with anger. "You think you're so much better than me, don't you?" As she spat out the words, her mind raced with memories of their past clashes. "She always manages to get under my skin..."
Bora rolled her eyes, her expression unyielding. "That's rich coming from you, Ri Ta."
Meanwhile, Bora's thoughts flashed into their complicated history. "Why can't she just leave me alone? I'm tired of this endless bickering..."
".... Fall for you? What a joke, I'd rather fall in love with a hobbit than fall in love with you. It's no news that we hate each other and I hope it stays that way." Ri Ta said, her eyes dashing with fury.
Bora was touched by her words, this was a person who she once called a friend, and now they are mortal enemies. "Why do you hate me? Just tell me, why?" Bora said in a low voice.
"It's okay for you to deny it, but don't you dear tell me you've forgotten about what you did, don't you dear, I'd never forgive you." Ri Ta said, her eyes opened wide like that of an owl. As they continued to exchange barbs, their voices rose, drawing the attention of nearby students.
Tears started to gather in both their eyes, their banter stood the once moving class still, everyone watching in confusion, trying to understand what really happened between the two. Jo Jo who had left the scene, just stood aloof watching the two exchange words. Jo Jo walks back and holds Bora's hand, "this is a bad way to start a semester guys, wait till the middle of it, I'm not saying you both shouldn't fight. I actually like seeing you two fight, it's enjoyable and at the same time annoying." She took a deep sigh, "Just tell us what went on with both of you."
"Jeoldae (never)!" Ri Ta and Bora echoed loudly, walking out of the classroom from opposite angles. With tears in her eyes, Bora walked as fast as she could to her dorm room. She knew her roommate On Dam wouldn't have been done with her class yet, so she had enough time to cry her eyes out.
Her room door swung open and was shut with ferociousness, she bounced on her bed, covered herself and started crying profusely. About a minute later, the door opened, and she wiped her face quickly, "Annyeong (what's up) On Dam." Her voice still diluted with tears.
"You guys are really a case," a voice said. From under the sheets, she recognized the voice clearly, it's a voice she had been hearing the whole day.
"Yun Jo Jo?" Bora said, confusion etched in her voice," yeogiseo mwohae (what are you doing here)?"
"This is my room, me and On Dam.... Wait, are you the last person On Dam was talking about?"
Bora took the bedsheet off her totally, and they both started laughing, "isn't this a very funny coincidence, I'm happy we're roommates though." Bora said, wiping off the tears left on her face as she jumped into Jo Jo's arms for a tight hug.
"But where were you sleeping throughout orientation week?" Jo Jo questioned.
"At home, my dad begged me to stay a week with them," Bora said, and got off her bed. As if on cue, On Dam walks in, seeing the two all cuddly and joins them, "I love you guys." She said, and they all laughed heartily.
Meanwhile, Ri Ta who still had to go to class for her last lecture of the day, went to the library to get set and also douse her anger. There was movement here and there, indistinct chattering among the students, the smell of musty old books stacked in very fine layers, even the smell of the oak wood used to make the tables and chairs in the library was unique. She was singing as low as she could so as not to disturb those in the library, but at the same time savor the music playing in her earphones. She sensed a person was looking at her and rose up her head to find out she was right. A guy dressed in an oversize sleeveless sweatshirt, with a white shirt underneath, putting on dark shades and a nose mask, his hair cut in a fringe, with a little hanging over his left eye was looking at her. "Yepoda (he's handsome)" these words rang in her thoughts over and over again, making her smile at him.