pretty pretense (chaennie)

I.

note: chaeyoung is older than jennie here

...

It was a big day for Jennie Kim. She and her family just moved into Seoul to pursue their growing real estate business. After her father became successful from selling retail land lots in Itaewon, they've decided to invest their lives in the country's capital. Hoping they can run along the competitive family tycoons of the metropolitan.

Jennie thought of this as a simple change. They move to Seoul to get a bigger house, better school, new security and a more established and quiet life. There were no hindrances anymore. She guessed that money can buy that too. But what she doesn't know is that becoming rich can never go simple. And she's going to learn the hard way.

Her mother finally got her into an elite high school in Seoul. The grant for her entrance was a bounty that Jennie knew she needed not to waste her opportunity to do well. Regardless of any circumstance. Not that she doesn't do well.

She always comes first and will always come first. That has been her mindset from the start, you can say that it came from her Father. The only man Jennie admires the most. At least it'll give her a boost in the competitive community she's about to enter. 

The young girl did not know much about her new school, except from the fact that her friends from Itaewon would always say, "Oh! Isn't that the school Park Chaeyoung is in?" That was their response when she first shared the news of the school she was transferring to, although perplexed of who this Chaeyoung was, she did not care enough to pry. Or to give any more thoughts about it. And Park Chaeyoung was such an uninteresting name for her give a damn about. No offense.

First day. 8 A.M. Second floor of the Sejong Building. West wing. Semestral Orientation. Jennie had memorized this out of anxiousness for her first day, but amidst all her efforts, she still managed to lose her way.

And it was already late when she realized that it was not the second floor of the building when she opened a narrow door and found herself in an empty rooftop. Jennie groaned as she rushed to review the brochure map of the campus again. Her eyes scrambling through the paper, she walked towards the nearest edge so that she can see the placement of the buildings, hoping she could make a sense out of it. Aimlessly pointing fingers to different directions.

"New here?" A surprising voice made Jennie flinch. Her weak heart almost fainted. It is clear that she did not like surprises.

While recovering, she turned around to see who owned the voice. It was composed and calm, something Jennie needed right now. "You look lost."

"Ah-uhm." Jennie stuttered when she found herself spacing out in the eyes of the stranger. "Yeah, I just transferred this semester." She managed to spill. But Jennie couldn't quite process the glow that the stranger gave. With tall slender figure, bright red lips, full blonde hair, radiating skin, starborn eyes, an unbuttoned blazer, and an undone tie. It was the combination of all things that made Jennie cheeks swivel into redness. The girl in front of her was honey to her eyes. Sweet but had a stinging aftertaste.

"Sejong is adjacent to this building. You can find the orientation hall on the third room starting from the right." Her upfront instructions just dwindled Jennie more in shyness. The newbie bowed and thanked her, and as she takes a step away from the stranger, "Wait." The blonde haired girl halted the latter.

Not a moment later, Jennie found herself in close proximity with the beaut. Jennie quickly noticed how tall the blonde was, that she could almost hide her whole body in front of her. The thought made her crack a small smile.

Jennie stood still as ice, as she watched the other grab her necktie, "You should tie it a little loose." The blonde girl spoke in suggestion as she slowly traveled her hands under Jennie's collar and started fixing her red necktie. The gentle gesture ironically tightened the brunette's throat, running along the tendrils of tension and fluttery. She couldn't comprehend why she was acting all weird in front of the stranger but she couldn't help herself. All she could do was face the floor and try not to act like her heart was thudding erratically. Even more when she stared down and can't help but to notice their shoe size difference. Jennie never knew that her feet was that small.