Color Outside the Lines

Chapter 1: The Class President

Wonyoung slumped back into the bench, her arms crossed and a lollipop twirling between her teeth. It was a habit she had picked up from watching her Heejin unnie all the time. She inspected her nails and sighed. In front of her, the same ad had flashed through the billboard one too many times for her liking. But then again, it might be because she has been in this exact office almost every single day and the ad they have chosen happened to be the same. Every. Single. Day.

'Don't you get tired of these ads, Maurice?' Wonyoung asked the receptionist.

The sound of the typing stopped suddenly and Wonyoung smirked a little bit when she could feel the lady behind her breathing a little harder to calm herself down.

'Miss Jang, you are a student at this High School and as a sign of respect it is expected of you to call me—'

'Mrs Seo.' Wonyoung finished off for her as if she's heard this same line before. (And she has. Many many times before). 'I know that. But surely we're close enough for first name basis?'

'Miss Jang, firstly, my first name is not Maurice. Secondly, this is a school environment and a professional environment.' The receptionist had to struggle to keep the calm in her voice as she eyed the way Wonyoung jumped up and strolled to a nearby window.

'You and I are practically best friends.' Wonyoung adjusted the black beanie on her head. 'I mean, I'm in here like all the time.'

The receptionist didn't have enough time to reply as the principal had entered the room. Mrs Seo gave him a quick bow with her head before continuing with the rest of her emails.

'Took you long enough.' Wonyoung said to the tired looking man.

'Miss Jang, you are running on very thin ice, right now. I suggest that you remain silent for these next few minutes.' The principal said, a stern expression on his face.

Wonyoung pretended to zip her mouth shut and saluted her principal.

She followed him into his office, ready to get into her favourite spot on the couch when she realised that there was already somebody there.

'Take a seat, Miss Jang.' The principal said, crossing his hands on top of his desk.

Wonyoung eyed the additional person sitting on the couch 'But—'

'I said, take a seat.'

Wonyoung pressed her lips into a thin line and begrudgingly plopped herself down on the chair. She twirled her lollipop between her teeth so that it made a grinding sound.

'I know that you believe you are used to meeting me on occasions like this, Miss Jang, but I can assure you that today is nothing like our previous discussions and punishments.' The principal said.

Wonyoung turned her gaze out the window, opting to focus on the bushes outside and how they looked swaying in the fall breeze.

'I hope you know that what you did yesterday was a terrible offence.'

'It's just superglue.'

The principal slammed his hand on his desk. Wonyoung didn't flinch but she could see out of the corner of her eye that the third person in the room jumped slightly at the loud noise.

'Miss Jang! Your 'just superglue' stunt has cost the school $16k in damages! I don't know what you were trying to achieve by supergluing the automatic doors together but I sure hope it was worth all this.'

The bushes outside the window came to a halt. Wonyoung swallowed nervously, eyes not leaving the bushes.

The principal sighed and stood up to close the blinds of the window. Wonyoung turned to fix her gaze on the cabinet on the opposite side of the room, instead.