Genuine | Park Jisung

1

Chatter filled the hallway as Imina walked to her locker. As she took out her things, a group of girls walked past. She happened to overhear part of their conversation.

"Did you hear we're getting a new student?"

"I heard it's a boy."

"I wonder if he'll be cute."

She rolled her eyes.

It's just a person.

After finishing at her locker, she made her way to her homeroom. As usual, she's one of the first ones in the classroom. Since school hadn't started yet, she went on her phone to play a game.

The warning bell rings as more students enter. She heard a person sit down next to her and immediately start talking.

"Okay, class", the teacher said, "I'm gonna take attendance and then we can get started."

Forty-five minutes later, students made their way to their first period classes. Imina's classroom was louder than usual but she shrugged it off, not finding it too weird. It was only noticeable that something was off when the teacher still wasn't there when the bell rang.

Two minutes later, the teacher rushed in. "I am so sorry I'm late. The hallways were crowded and so was pretty much everywhere. Lots of commotion going on. Anyways, let's get started. Take out your notebooks."

The class fell into its routine of silently copying down notes from the board and listening to the teacher explain. They managed to be productive for thirty minutes before there was a knock on the classroom door, followed by the door opening.

Walked in was the vice principal and an unfamiliar boy. Imina figured it was the new student that she'd heard those girls talking about earlier.

Now, she wasn't one to drool over a boy but this one was something else. She'd never seen someone so attractive. He had peach-colored hair, gold earrings, some of the clearest skin she'd ever seen and a face that was equal parts handsome and adorable.

The vice principal and Mrs. Williamson exchanged a few words before Ms. Carns turned to the class.

"Students, this is Jisung. He's new. Be nice."

With a warning look, the vice principal left the classroom.

"Well you heard Ms. Carns, this is Jisung and you are expected to be nice to him. We mean it, too. Don't be jerks."

"What if I wanna be a jerk?"

Imina wasn't the only one who rolled her eyes at the students comment.

"Then I suggest you stay away from other people." Mrs. Williamson turned her attention to the new boy and ushered him towards a desk. "Anyways, why don't you take a seat?"

Imina find out a bit amusing how she sat him down towards the center of the room, as if he needed more attention.

For the rest of class, Imina would glance at Jisung. It wasn't just because he wasn't particularly horrible to look at but she wondered if she could get a read on what type of person he was. She'd seen people, especially girls, talk to him and he seemed pretty nice but "nice" didn't have a set definition.

The rest of the morning went back to usual but lunch was a different story. There was a horde of students at a table as if they were moths drawn to a flame. Imina soon discovered that the flame in question was the new boy.

She internally rolled her eyes. She didn't get it, he was just a person. What was even more baffling to her was the fact that her schoolmates didn't seem to like socializing with each other but suddenly everyone wanted a) a new best friend and b) was buddy-buddy with each other.