THE TRANSFER STUDENT

Mealtime Madness

"Ya! It's lunchtime! Yoojung-ah, what do you wanna eat?"

Jieun turned to her right slightly and saw another good-looking boy seated diagonally across her, leaning over to talk to Yoojung.

What's up with this school, why are there so many handsome guys around, Jieun thought to herself.

"Ya, Kim Taehyung. Can't you see that we have a new friend over here? Do you not know how to say hi?" Yoojung frowned and gestured briefly towards Jieun. Jieun smiled awkwardly.

Taehyung turned his head to look at Jieun and let out a huge grin. "Oh- annyeonghaseyo. I am Kim Taehyung, it's nice to meet you."

"I am Lee Jieun, please take good care of me!" Jieun smiled gratefully, feeling almost relived that Taehyung was not cold like Jungkook, despite being as handsome. Taehyung stretched out a hand and Jieun shook it.

"You know," Taehyung stood up and walked towards Jieun. He bent down and whispered into Jieun's ear. "Ignore that punk, he's always like that. Don't let it get to you."

"I can hear you, you know, Kim Taehyung." Jieun turned around, only to see Jungkook with his head still rested on the table. But the very fact that he talked to Taehyung made Jieun well-aware that they were actually friends. Taehyung gave Jieun a guilty look and shrugged.

"You wanna lunch with us, Jungkook?" Taehyung asked cautiously. Even though he was Jungkook's friend, he still had to be this wary? Jieun could not wrap her finger around it.

"No."

"Not feeling good today? Alright, we'll pack something for..."

"No, it doesn't matter." Jungkook lay on his table, not even bothering to glance at Taehyung for even a split second. "Go."

Yoojung did not wait for him to say it twice. She leaped to her feet, nudging Taehyung and a startled Jieun towards the door.

"Jimin-ah, lunch!"

Jieun watched as a petite-framed boy who was sitting on the seat next to Taehyung glanced up from his table for the first time. He wore black thick-framed glasses and smiled shyly when his name was called. Jieun hadn't even noticed him until now, because all this while he had his head buried in his books.

"Coming!" He capped back his black fountain pen and closed his books. He took off his glasses and placed them on the table, and Jieun couldn't help but notice how gorgeous his eyes were. When he walked past Jieun, Jieun caught a whiff of his scent. Flowers and baked apple pie. Sweet.

The four of them headed towards the canteen. Yoojung hopped onto Taehyung's back and Taehyung piggybacked her, running ahead of Jimin and Jieun. Jieun watched as Jimin fiddled uncomfortably with a keychain of a dog wearing a yellow tracksuit hung on his wallet as his eyes followed after the two, who were now hitting each other and laughing hysterically.

"So... you're Jimin?" Jieun asked tentatively, after much hesitation.

Jimin finally managed to peel his eyes away from the rowdy pair after a couple of seconds, and he turned to Jieun with a small smile on his face.

"Yes, that's me. I'm Park Jimin."

Jieun smiled.

"That's beautiful." Jieun didn't even know why she said that. But the way Jimin smiled shyly, the way he said his name with his voice trailing off at the end... everything made her want to say what she had said.

"I mean," Jieun looked away flusteredly. "That's a really pretty name. It matches you really well." She glanced over at Jimin to see if he was offended, but was relieved when she saw Jimin beaming back down at her.