Together | SF9

5

"Deokhye? You're name is Deokhye?" Nari asked and Deokhye nodded in response. "Like the last princess of Korea?"

Again she nodded, "But I'm far from being a princess."

Nari found a new friend whose seat is just behind hers. This demoiselle was like Nari, short and has a young face. They'd surely match well.

"First, you have to be careful of our classmates." She warned Nari who just frowned. "They may look nice but not everyone here really is. Especially Taeyang. He's kinda snob like Zuho."

"Do I have to avoid them?"

Deokhye shook her head, "No need to do that but if you could, do not always confront him and his friends. They're a bunch of boors."

"I don't think so." Nari said before glancing at the three boys at the corner of the room.

Unlike what Chani usually do, he haven't approached her. She looked at him when she introduced herself in front of the class, expecting him to greet her. Was her idea about Chani wrong?

On the other hand, while Taeyang and Chani were busy talking, Zuho easily noticed Nari's eyes that were staring at them. She quickly looked at another direction when Zuho looked at her.

Zuho nudged Taeyang who was still sharing a story to Chani. He pointed at a certain direction as he moved his head a bit.

"Seo Nari?" Chani asked and Zuho nodded. "Don't mind her." He added.

"She was staring. How can I not be bothered?" Zuho asked.

"Don't tell me you're thinking she's interested in you?" Taeyang asked and Zuho just shrugged his shoulders.

People always find Zuho interesting because of his looks, his height, and even his stupidity. But Nari don't know yet that he's an idiot so she wouldn't be charmed by that.

"You guys don't have to treat her like the other girls here. She may not be interested in us just like that girl, Deokhye."

"She's your friend, Chani, right?" Taeyang asked but Chani shook his head.

"I'm just being nice since she's new. We'll know soon if she should be a friend or just a fan." Chani said.

•••

Everyone lined up in the canteen for their food. Nari stayed in the table waiting for Deokhye while she's buying food for herself. Nari packed herself a food for lunch.

She was playing with her phone and would glance at Deokhye who's still buying her food. But something caught her eyes.

Students near their table were staring at her. They would be chatting and continue looking at her.

Deokhye finally arrived holding the tray that has her food. "Nari, what did you do this morning?"  She asked.

"Earlier? Nothing? I went to the principal's office to get my schedule." Nari said and gasped as she remembered she wanted to meet and formally greet Mrs. Kam.

"Students behind me were actually talking about you. I heard your name and they said the new student. So I knew it was about you."

"I didn't do anything besides -" Nari stopped talking when her eyes caught Inseong. His eyes really scare her. She finds it cute but scary as well.

Deokhye followed the direction where Nari was looking. "Inseong? Stop looking at him. People would think the rumor was true."

"Rumor? What rumor?"

"You're the reason why Mina broke up with him. That's what they believe. So as long as you don't talk to Inseong or at least do anything involving him, then you're good." Deokhye said.

"Fine. I understand." Nari said and grabbed on the yogurt milk. She was opening the plastic of the straw when someone took it from her hands as well as the drink.

"Strawberry. My favorite."

"Park Mina?" Deokhye and Nari whispered her name together.

"How's the whore doing?" Mina asked after putting the straw into the hole of the yogurt drink.

Deokhye and Nari ignored Mina and looked at each other. Deokhye squinted her eyes on Nari telling her not to do anything. But doing nothing and saying something would both make things worse.

"Ah. So you're pretending to be cool?" Mina said before smirking. She removed the straw from the yogurt milk. She turned it upside down and slowly squeezed it while suspending her hand above Nari's head to spill it.

"Does it feel refreshing?" She asked.