Egocentric [Book I]

Warmth

“The answer is -1.”

Eleven forty-five on the clock, Minah, Eunri and Nara were still inside the cafeteria after finishing lunch. There were a few people with them there, lounging around instead of heading back to the homerooms, chatting among themselves about random things.

The three, on the other hand, were arguing about page thirty on their textbooks, seatwork two: item number nine.

“No, I solved it twice.” Minah disagreed, pointing at her notebook to show Eunri her solutions. “The answer is supposed to be 1, not the negative.”

“That’s just wrong!” Eunri shook her head and snatched Minah’s notebook away. “See, you missed this part. You have to change the signs.”

“No you don’t.”

“Nara, what’s the answer?” Eunri asked.

“I got zero.” Nara replied, giggling at the fact that she had to be the middle one. The first two sighed in exasperation and continued bickering whether whose answer was right.

“It’s -1, Minah. You have to change the signs there.”

“No, you’re mistaken.”

“The correct answer is zero.” That familiar voice – not to mention, irritatingly familiar – stated his point in the middle of their quarrel. Its owner came into view from behind Minah, and she glared at him as she closed her notebook loudly. “You should listen to your friend, you know,” He pointed at Nara, who had her mouth shut at the presence of K’s leader. “She’s smart.”

“Why are you here?” Minah asked without so much of a ‘how do you do’, making Suho chuckle. He confused Minah the most, because one day he wanted to beat her up, and now he was suddenly amused with whatever she had to say.

“Well, this is the cafeteria.” Suho shrugged and pulled a seat in front of her. Eunri and Nara just quietly watched and waited to see if Minah’s bad-mouthed alter ego would appear again. “All people are allowed to come here.”

“Okay, let me rephrase that.” Minah started packing her things inside her bag because as soon as Suho sat down, she figured he would be staying there for a dreadfully long time. “Why are you here at our table?”

“Oh, I didn’t know students can have reserved tables here now.”

“You have a reserved table for your stupid group. How can you not know?”

Eunri gasped and widened her eyes at her friend, but of course she was ignored. Like she always said, Minah had a death wish.

“You have a tongue too sharp for such a short height.”

“Oh please, you talk like you’re a six-footer.” Minah spat, slinging her bag over her shoulder before gesturing to the other girls to stand up. “Come on, let’s go.”

Suho grabbed her arm when she tried to walk past him, and pulled her back so they were face to face. “I’m not done talking to you.”

“Do I look like I give a shit?” Minah yanked her arm back, and that was all it took for Suho to be completely pissed off. That wasn’t new to Minah anyway, because she had been making people aggravated with her ever since her second day of school.

But this was different, because it was Suho. And so, Eunri and Nara stepped back when Suho stood up from his seat. This called the attention of both notorious groups, since they were practically the only people left inside the lunchroom.

“You have no idea what happens to people who speak to me like that, don’t you?” Suho threatened. Minah was right about him not being a six-footer and all, but he was still taller than her, and that made him slightly more intimidating.