Yeorin left the class all flustered, his heart racing with anxiety. The air was cool and soothing, but Yeorin was profusely sweating. "How could it have happened?" He asked himself, still trying to process the events that had just transpired. He had forgotten to put on his glasses and nose mask, and to make matters worse, he had forgotten both his glasses and nose mask at Seo Jeong Coffee Shop. He felt vulnerable and exposed like he was walking around naked.
"Gosh, gosh, gosh...." He muttered to himself, continually checking his pockets as he was exiting the lecture hall.
On stepping out, there were a ton of people anticipating his exit and waiting to see him up close. Yeorin took the first step out of the lecture hall and in no time, students rushed over him, asking him a series of questions.
One among the lot was - Jin Seol-A, heiress and only daughter to the largest player in the makeup industry. Her outstanding look set her aside, she watched him from afar and felt a sudden connection, "where have I seen him before?" She asked herself while leaning on a pillar just outside the class.
"Give me your number," a girl who was dressed in denim baggy pants and a white T-shirt uttered, stretching her phone towards his face. Yeorin looked up, only to catch her soft gaze.
"M-mwo (what)?" Yeorin stuttered.
"Your number, give it to me." She further requested, "You're that freshman everyone has been talking about right? The new scholarship kid."
Yeorin became confused by her words, "Everyone? Talked about?" Why did she have to sound condescending, regardless of whether he was on scholarship at Jukheon, he was still a student. "Don't tell me they do that high-class student and scholarship student hierarchy system here too." His mind wandered wide.
Her soft and tender voice broke into his thoughts once again, "you're much cuter than they explained," she further commented. "What's wrong with him, he's just standing there? My hands are aching me already for Christ's sake," her mind wondered.
The students that were around had started to mutter indistinctly, "Did he just snub Jeong Mi? What's his deal? He's not even that cute. What a poser he is."
"Oh.. Well, how about you give me yours and I type in my number," she said and dipped her hands into his jacket's inner pocket and drew out Yeorin's phone; she typed in her number and called it. I'll message you later, so be expecting it," she said and strode away elegantly.
Still watching from a short distance was Jin Seol-A, contemplating whether to approach Yeorin or not. Seol-A could see that Yeorin was feeling uncomfortable with the number of people that had approached him. She took the same philosophy class with him and caught his eyes just for a moment and was taken aback.
"Make way!" Seol-A ordered. Bora, who had been thinking of Yeorin's attitude, just came outside the lecture hall only to find people hovering around him, "There he is." She said to herself and started walking towards him.
"You might want to come with me," Seol-A suggested. Her beauty was in full bloom, her face radiant, her demeanor elegant, her hair well patterned and her eyes looking like the moon in the daytime.
"Who the heck is she again?" Yeorin asked himself and sighed. He looked around her face and Seol-A didn't have that condescending look like most of the rest who had come to meet him. Her countenance was rather friendly and welcoming, though he was uncomfortable with Seol-A, he needed an excuse to leave the place.
"Ya (hey you)!" A voice shot through the air, it was Hyun Bora. Everyone started to scamper the moment they heard her voice. Bora was highest in the high-class, in the hierarchy of things, Bora was number one in the school, ever since her days at Jukheon High School.
"Oh no! It's that crazy girl from class," Yeorin was left with no choice, he didn't want to have anything to do with Bora, and seeing the way the students took to their heels when they saw her, she must have had a lot of power and influence in the school.
Seol-A was starting to recede when Yeorin took hold of her hands. Everyone within their radius suddenly became shocked. Seol-A's eyes widened, and her cheeks started to blush, his face starting to become profusely red. "Gada (let's go)" Yeorin said.
"Eo-eodigaeuseyo (where are we going)?" Seol-A asked, her voice trembling.
"Molla (I don't know), but let's just go." Yeorin said, tightening his grip, Seol-A smiled, "I think I know a place," she said. And they both started walking.
Everyone was shocked. Bora, who wanted to know why Yeorin had snubbed her, was also dumbfounded.
"Seol-A's got herself a new guy?" Ji Hyun, a member of the top tier boys said. The Top Tier Boys were standing at the other side of the campus, looking directly at what was going on, "that guy has been making too many raves lately. I saw him with Han Ri Ta a couple of times."
"Geumanhae (stop it), Han Ri Ta? Jinja (seriously)?" Another member of the top tier boys - Joong Oh asked.
Their leader - Bang Su Ki, just stood there, his hands in his pocket, looking at how the events surrounding Yeorin's presence were unfolding, "what's his name?" His thick mature voice resounded in the air.
"Bro... What the heck," Ji Hyun said, cringing, "that sent shivers down my spine."
"We'll have to find that out. I guess, looking from here, Bora seems to be into him too." Joong Oh said. Su Ki's countenance suddenly altered, Yeorin was stepping beyond his line and Su Ki for sure was going to do something about it. "I think I need to have a word with him."
*Meanwhile*
A black Bentley pulled up in the school courtyard and Ri Ta stepped outside, her black chin-high boots clicking on the floor as she took each step. She could feel the weird tension in the air. "What could have happened?" She asked herself. There was only one person who could cause such an atmosphere - Su Ki. She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, "Happy I left him, he's such a case."
Ri Ta strode with her regular elegance, feeling on top of the world, "Oh! Yeah, Yeorin," she remembered. She took out her phone and dialed his number.
"You've gotten in touch with Mun Yeorin, leave a message." Yeorin's voicemail rang out.
"He's weird, even with this?" Ri Ta said and blushed a little. She turned her head around and saw Yeorin holding hands with Jin Seol-A, "mwohanya (what's he doing)? Jin Seol-A?"
The lock beeped and Seol-A pushed the door open, "up here," she said with a broad smile on her face.
They got to the topmost part of the building, all the way to the roof. Seol-A looked at Yeorin's face, he seemed to be amazed by the place, "I never knew there was a place like this here," Yeorin uttered, surprise etched in his voice.
Seol-A chuckled, "I knew you'd like it, you always seemed secluded during lectures, so I thought you'd like a place like this, somewhere to be alone."
"During lectures?" Yeorin asked, his confusion unyielding.
"Hmm (yes), I'm also an Econs Major."
"No way, how come I've never seen you in class?" Yeorin asked.
"Well, I always see you in class. Always!" Seol-A added, "Seol-A, Jin Seol-A," she said softly, stretching her hands out for a friendly handshake.
"Mun Yeorin," Yeorin said, his reply short. The flow between the two lasted for a while, they both found each other friendly and likable. They spent almost an hour together, though much was not said, Seol-A already had feelings brewing.
"I think I should head back to my room now, thanks," Yeorin said, dusting the back of his trousers, and removing any slight dust and stain.
"Oh yeah, gada (let's go)" Seol-A replied.
"No need to escort me, I know my way back, thanks," Yeorin was trying to squash whatever thoughts Seol-A had, but she was persistent, "I have to return to my dorm room too." She said, smiling from ear to ear.
They were halfway down when they both came across Han Ri Ta. Seol-A wasn't fond of Ri Ta and the feeling was mutual. "What are you doing here Yeorin?" Ri Ta asks, sounding rather annoyed. ''Jin Seol-A!" She screamed, her eyes burning with fury, "Don't touch him again, okay? Know what's yours and what isn't. Yeorin let's go."
Yeorin's eyes narrowed and all the smile that was once on his face suddenly vanished. His face became pale. His heart was racing with anxiety. His cold demeanor making its way into the light, he hissed and walked past Ri Ta.
As Yeorin walked out of the building, he felt like there were thousands of eyes looking at him. He held his head down and walked as fast as he could towards his dorm. On getting to his dorm building, he collided with a tall, brooding figure. Apologetically, Yeorin looked up to meet the stranger's gaze. Su Ki's piercing eyes locked onto his, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. The tension was palpable, like a spark waiting to ignite. Fellow freshmen were already getting ready for an exciting and epic battle between the two.
"Watch where you're going," Su Ki growled, his voice sending a shiver down Yeorin's spine.
Yeorin's eyes narrowed, "Sorry, I wasn't looking."
Su Ki's gaze lingered on Yeorin's face, searching for something. His eyes were piercing, intense. Yeorin felt a shiver under the intense scrutiny. What was this stranger's problem?
The silence between them stretched, thick with unease, leaving the students around rather anxious. It was as if they were sizing each other up, waiting for the other to make a move. The air was heavy with tension, and Yeorin's heart raced with anticipation. What would happen next?
Su Ki's gaze finally broke away, and he turned to leave. But not before Yeorin caught a glimpse of something peculiar - a small, intricate tattoo on Su Ki's wrist. It looked like a symbol from an ancient language, and it seemed to gleam in the sunlight.
Yeorin's curiosity was piqued. What did the tattoo mean? And why did Su Ki seem so... intense?
As Su Ki walked away, Yeorin felt a strange sense of relief wash over him. But it was short-lived, as he realized that he had just collided with someone who seemed to be hiding secrets of his own.
Little did Yeorin know, Su Ki was watching him from afar, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. There was something about Yeorin that seemed... familiar. And Su Ki's instincts were never wrong.
The two strangers went their separate ways, unaware that their lives were about to become intertwined in ways they could never imagine. The tension between them was far from over. It was only just beginning.