Imperfectly Perfect (MiChaeng SaTzu)

2 : The Transferee

Seeing the dean sooner is surely not an exciting agenda for most, if not all of the students in the university. The council president is no exception to that impression.

Mina is now traversing the main building like a regular politician in the midst of an electoral race. She smiles and nods with some of the students she is slightly acquainted with and says hi those who she is a little closer to.

She obviously did not bother to be faster than she normally does because evidently, she climbed down the stairs like a princess on a red carpet, greeting every paparazzi she could along the way.

The student council office is located on the fifth floor while the dean's office is on the first. The school is oh-so proud that its main building is a state-of-the-art facility with six floors, but the management never admitted that it is also lacking a state-of-the-art elevator.

The council president has now finally reached the hallway adjacent to the dean's office. She is now reasonably a bit breathless after the five floor trip going down the building which could basically pass as a minor hiking activity.

"I hope they at least have one good thing for me." She mumbles to herself before knocking on the door thrice, turning the knob consecutively, and eventually entering the room.

Sitting there silently inside the dean's office is a female student who looks confident enough to easily pass as one of the campus' sweethearts. She has a well-built physical appearance, more of a fit type. Definitely a little smaller than Mina. Has brown hair that naturally highlights her chiseled facial features.

"Mina, this is Son Chaeyoung." The dean started as soon as Mina stepped in. "She is a transferee. I want you to show her around the campus, guide her to the club offices. You know the drill."

Then, the dean turns to the girl who has been sitting in front of his table. "Chaeyoung, this is Myoi Mina. She is the student council's president. I assure you she is one of the elites here. You are in good hands with her."

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

"Mina?" The dean calls the council president's attention after a minimum of about five seconds of total silence, wondering why the renowned attentive straight A+ student is not responding. "Would you like to grace our new student with a hi?"

Mina is just standing in front of the dean's desk, staring at the new student. Her right hand is raised, covering her mouth.

Failed Exhibit A: Myoi Mina always pays attention to her teachers.

"I— Umm— I—" The council president stutters and is obviously unable to form a proper sentence.

Failed Exhibit B: Myoi Mina never stutters.

"Owkay?" Mina finally spoke a word. However, she meant to affirm, but her tone went out to be more like a sloppy question.

Failed Exhibit C: Myoi Mina never answers unsure.

The dean is beginning to stare at the council president with heightened concern of this new found, unsettling behavior.

Mina then felt the stare so she quickly recovers by clearing her throat to socially signal a restart to her responses. She flashes her famously assertive gummy smile."Yes, sir. I— I know the drill. I will make sure to let her feel at home in no time."

"Good." The dean waves his hand at them, indicating the wrap up of their conversation. Then, he changes his expression into something worried. "And please get yourself enough sleep later. You seem unfocused today."

The council president simply bows in acknowledgement.

A grin, a broad and mischievous grin. As Chaeyoung entertainingly watches how the great Mina struggles to maintain her composed 'council president look', the smaller girl has the widest grin plastered all over her face. She obviously didn't even try to hide or suppress it at the least.

Red as a tomato. That is what the student council president looks like right now. She immediately walks out of the room. She did not even bother to invite the transferee to follow her which is pretty much a good first step if she is supposed to be taking her on a school tour.

Right after stepping out of the faculty office, Mina has been taking long strides like a young lady walking in an alleyway in the depths of the night while being followed by a suspected street robber, which in this case is Chaeyoung. She just goes straight to and through the hallways without looking behind her.

"Hey! Aren't you forgetting something?" Chaeyoung shouts as she tries to catch up with the council president who just seems to have upped her walking speed a notch. She trails her sentence, whispering to herself. "Or someone, in my case."

Mina just continued brisk walking in the hallways.

Chaeyoung called out once again. "Minari!"

And the council president finally stopped on her tracks. Steeply and abruptly. She turned around to the transferee's direction with a clearly annoyed face.

The transferee took this chance to get to the other girl's side. She immediately jokes in between puffs after catching up to Mina. "That was a good chase, Minari."

"What made you think that you can still call me by that name?!" Mina whispered in a hiss, enough for just the both of them to hear. "And please don't act like we are some close friends."

Although their conversation is discreet, they are still beginning to earn some attention from the loitering students along the hallways.

Being a personality in the university for almost three years, Mina knew better about how these simple scenarios could turn out as one hot topic for another gossip session of the bored students in the university.

Chaeyoung just stood there for a while, a bit dumbfounded, planted by Mina's side. Then, she started beaming like a crazy kid. She is not saying anything though, just grinning at the president in a teasing and taunting way.

For about a minute or two, they conjured a staring battle until Mina's cold leers finally surrendered. With a deep and heavy sigh, she spoke again. "All right, let's just get this school tour over with as quickly as possible."

The council president continued moving her legs. Her footsteps are now calmer, but not that much slower than before. Chaeyoung is perfectly matching her strides this time, trying her best not to be left out again.

"No lengthy questions." Mina starts without looking at the smaller girl beside her. "Promise me."

"Got it!" Chaeyoung quickly replies.

"No detours." Mina adds.

"That would have been nice. But..." The transferee pouts, then sighs. "Okay!"

"And, no take twos." Mina stops and stares at the other girl seriously, waiting for a reply. "I don't want to repeat anything with you."

"I... am not sure what you exactly mean by—" Chaeyoung instantly earned a menacing glare from Mina, stopping her from whatever she was about to say. She abruptly raises both her arms in submission. She apologetically smiles. "Okay, okay. I promise that I will behave, Ms. President."

And, that was the most decent conversation they had for the whole mandated school tour.