LOVEPHOBIA

The First Encounter

Park Areum was running late for school. She had overslept and missed the bus, so she had to take a taxi instead. She hoped that her teacher wouldn't have come already. She hated being scolded in front of everyone as she had never in her life been scolded before.

She rushed into the school building, clutching her backpack and trying to move past the other students. She looked like a mess with her hair in a messy ponytail which she did just before entering the school. She thought she would first get to her class and if the teacher wouldn't have come by then, she would go to the washroom and properly tie her hair to look like a human.

She turned a corner and headed towards her classroom, which was on the third floor. She was so focused on getting there that she didn't notice the boy coming from the opposite direction. They collided with a loud thud, sending their books and papers flying in the air.

"Ouch!" Areum exclaimed, rubbing her forehead. She looked up and saw the boy who had bumped into her. He was tall and handsome, with dark hair and brown eyes. He wore glasses and a neat uniform, and he had a serious expression on his face.

"I'm sorry!" he exclaimed hurriedly, before bending down to pick up their belongings. "Are you alright?"

Areum frowned looking at the mess she created on the floor. She took her books from him and said guiltily, "I'm sorry too! And yes, I'm fine. I hope you are too. I'm sorry I have to cut this meeting short as I need to hurry but I hope we meet sometime again."

He looked up at her and said, "It's alright as I need to hurry too. Well then, see you next time!"

They both got up and walked away from each other and ran towards their classrooms without looking back anymore. 

As Areum reached her class, she saw that fortunately the teacher hadn't come yet. So, she decided to go to the washroom and tie her hair properly as she planned. She came back and finally let a sigh of relief.

Just then, her friend Song Yuna entered the class and Areum understood that she probably was roaming around the corridors. "Something really interesting happened outside just now that you need to know urgently!!" Yuna said while trying to catch her breath. Areum was used to this as this happened almost every morning when Yuna would repeat the same sentence and then say something about someone's love life, or would talk about some fight that happened or this or that.... the list of the useless things she said in the morning could literally go on forever. So she asked in an uninterested manner about what had happened now. "You won't believe it! I heard the teachers talking about some competition or Olympiad in the national level and I guess they were talking about taking you to represent the school!!! That's just amazing!! I'm so happy for you!!! CONGRATS!!!", at this point Yuna was practically shouting. Areum's eyes were about to bulge out of their sockets. She really couldn't believe this. But she tried to play cool and said, "You might have misheard it..... Or probably I am that amazing", she smirked.

After a few classes, Areum was sitting in her seat, listening to her teacher explain some algebra problems on the board. She was bored out of her mind, as math was not her favorite subject though she was good at it. She preferred literature and art, but she had to study math for god knows what reason.

She was about to start daydreaming when she heard her name being called by the teacher.

"Park Areum," Ms. Hana said in a stern voice. "Please come to the front."

Areum jolted awake back to reality and got up from her seat. She walked nervously to the front of the class, wondering what she had done wrong.

"Yes, Ms. Hana?" she asked politely.

Ms. Hana handed her a slip of paper and said, "You have been selected to participate in the math olympiad training program. You will join five other students from our school who will represent us in the national level competition next month."