Imperfectly Perfect 2

73 : Other Presidents

"Hello! I'm Lee Chaeryoung." A girl who just entered the student council's office announced herself in a polite slight bow and an apologetic soft smile. "I'm so sorry I'm late. I got held up in cheer practice back at my school a bit."

Mina's mouth was agape for a couple of seconds. She is certainly one good person when it comes to controlling her emotions, furthermore her facial reactions but this is certainly one of those scenarios where she has failed to exhibit that very trait of hers.

"That's okay!" Jihyo quickly answers in a welcoming tone. She and Mina have been sitting around the semi-long office desk talking about the details of the upcoming joint leadership camp before the new girl walked in. "Please, come in."

"Thank you." Chaeryoung smiles and slightly bows again before moving her legs to walk towards them. "Were you two here that long?"

It is the late afternoon of Saturday at the student council office. Four council presidents of each of the universities who have agreed to orchestrate the said camp training were scheduled to meet today.

Mina innocently clears her throat and speaks nonchalantly. "Not that long. Just about an hour."

"Oh, my—" Chaeryoung's expression immediately shifted into something worrisome. "I am really sorry."

"Nah. It's fine! Shrug it off, girl!" Jihyo continues the conversation with a cheerful smile. "And we actually started the meeting. Please sit wherever you want. By the way, did you have trouble finding where this office was?"

"Just... a bit." Chaeryoung softly answers while she pulls a chair and sits with the two other council presidents at the table. "The students here were nothing but helpful when I asked for directions."

"I'm sure they were! Everyone would want to help a beauty like yours. I haven't introduced myself yet, haven't I? I'm Park Jihyo." Jihyo energetically offers a handshake to the new girl in the room to which the latter quickly takes. "Nice to meet you."

As soon as Jihyo got back on her seat, Mina stood up to follow the politeness in the room. She also offers a handshake to the cheer girl. "Hello. I'm— My name's Myoi Mina."

Chaeryoung takes the resident council president's hand. "Nice to meet—" However, after about two seconds she suddenly halts her hand movements and scrunches her eyebrows. "Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Haven't we— I think we've met before."

"Umm— Ah." Mina awkwardly smiles. She gently retracts her hand from the other council president's hand. "Yeah. I think we did. And a couple of times, I suppose. If we both remember it correctly."

JIhyo chimes in. "Oh! You two already know each other? Great!" She claps her hands excitedly, oblivious of the awkward details of how the two other girls actually met. "That means better teamwork!"

Chaeryoung just maintained a knowing smile while Mina clears her throat, composed herself, and just faintly nodded.

—— About an hour earlier ——

"Should we start with just the two of us?" Mina asks in a bit of wonder.

The council presidents agreed that they will be reviewing and finalizing the details of the leadership camp today since it is already scheduled to happen at the weekend of the first week of March, exactly a week from now.

"I think so." Jihyo nods. "One of the presidents can't make it because she has to help in her grandmother's flower shop while the other one will be a bit late. She said that she has to finish cheer practice first. So for now... Yeah. I think it'll just be the two of us so we might as well start."

The resident council president smiles and scans through the pile of papers in the office desk. After about a minute, she takes out a couple of stapled white printed papers. "Here." She hands one to the other girl and keeps one to her.

"Thanks." Jihyo immediately scans the first and second page. Then, she turns to the other council president who was patiently waiting for her to be on attention again. "This is very detailed. You are indeed one of the best organizers. I vouch for that."

Mina faintly chuckles. "Everyone in the council helped me and pitched their ideas. Plus, you and your officers organizing the venue is also a feat of your own."

"Well, we just had different tasks to take. Good thing we both have a good team to rely on." Jihyo playfully winks. "Now that we have a program drafted and the venue reserved. I'm starting to get really excited for this leadership camp!"

"I bet you are! This will be your first time, right?"

"Yeah." Jihyo rolls her eyes. "Talk about the lousy council presidents that my previous years in our university had."

Mina simply laughed at her in response.

"I heard that Chaeyoung will be joining in place of your school's soccer captain?"

"Ahh. That's right. Lucky her."

"Unlucky you."

"Huh?" Mina slightly tilts her head. "What do you mean?"

"You will be fully guarded. Isn't that tiger cub the jealous type?" Jihyo raises an eyebrow to her. "Mina, the leadership camp is going to be a three days and two nights event. All the time, you will be with student leaders from four different universities."

"And...?"

"Ugh. This is different, Mina." Jihyo rolls her eyes. "You will be surrounded with a different crowd this time. They are not your usual normal, boring, easy go-lucky kids. They are student officers from prominent universities. I bet they are all achievers with high standards in life."

"So— so...?" Mina awkwardly smiles. "Sorry. I'm not following you."

"It means that the majority of them, if not all, would flock and try to start a conversation with you since it is logical for people like them to be attracted to a council president, a law major, a straight A student, not to mention a sizzling hot girl like you."

Mina scoffs and shakes her a bit. "You're overemphasizing my charms. I'm now getting an idea why you and that tiger cub are good friends."

"Hey! Don't lump me in with her for that matter!" Jihyo waves her hands in disagreement. "I know that us being politicians in our own school have our own way with our words. But, Son Chaeyoung is definitely in a whole other league when it comes to playing with her words. She could get any girl with her romantic—" She purses her lips and glances at the other girl on the table. "Sorry. I didn't mean it in a bad way."

"It's fine. I know how Chaeng is indeed good with her words." Mina smiles at her sincerely. "And don't worry. You don't need to apologize. That tiger cub's words might be playful at times, but I trust that she only uses it with me."

"She better should." Jihyo chuckles in teasing.

"Yeah." Mina slowly nods, chuckles, and playfully squints. "She better should."