"Did he tell you yet?" Dal-mi asked looking up from the observation table she was drawing.
Ari scrunched her nose due to the ammonical smell that evolved from the test tube while she was heating it.
"Probably nitrate," she announced.
"Choi Ari! I wasn't asking that?" A slap on her left arm finally made Ari avert her gaze from the experiment.
Beomgyu, Ari, and Dal-mi always stuck together in school. They were together even now, as a group in the Chemistry Lab. It wasn't like anyone wanted to befriend them anyway. Beomgyu sucked in academics. So did Dal-mi.
Ari's grades were so-so.
"Who told me and what?" Emptying the contents of the test tube into the wash basin, she turned to face Dal-mi.
"You idiot. Of course she was asking about Yeonjun." Now, Beomgyu joined them too. This guy loves poking his cute nose onto things.
Unknowingly, she smiled upon hearing that name, "Oh, yes. That day I asked him his username which he gladly gave. He was the first to text."
"Jinjaaa?! I never thought The Choi Yeonjun would text someone on his own! I heard he's got standards as high as the sky."
"Standards? My foot," Beomgyu scoffed. "He's a huge ass flirt."
"Yah! At least don't badmouth him in front-" Dal-mi never got to complete as Ms. Song shouted with all her rage.
"LEE DAL-MI! WHAT DID I INSTRUCT ABOUT CHATTING IN THE LAB? YOU THREE ARE BECOMING ADAMENT DAY BY DAY! AM I A JOKE TO YOU?" Of course she was, Ari thought.
Not to mention how she always targeted Ari and her friends.
----------------------------
Ari giggled into the pillow before shoving some snacks on to her mouth. Well how couldn't she?
yawnzzn
Did you eat?
ariii.ah
I'm having snacks rn. Wbu?
Not yet. But aren't you tired?
Why would I be?
From running around in my mind...
......
"Yaaah! Ask me out already, will you?" She squealed as this was the first time any guy was actually hitting on her.
Born in an abusive household, she always felt strange when someone was being nice to her.
"Ari?" The sudden voice entering her room startled her. "Eomma wants you to get ready in 10 minutes or else she'll leave you here."
"Then tell her I'm not going anywhere." She'd rather stay home to chat with Yeonjun than attend some stupid event.
Soobin sighed before looking away to go out, "She'll be taking your phone with her."
That's it.
---------
Ari never wondered the party would be this fancy. There were almost all kinds food, much to her amazement.
"Omo! Aren't you San-young?" Suddenly she heard her mother shout excitedly before hugging a woman who seemed like her age.
"Oh my, has it been 20 years? Where were you all this time?"
She learned from her brother that the woman was their mother's high school friend. They chatted endlessly getting all nostalgic of their days.
"Who'd have thought I'll run into you here?" Ari's mother chuckled as she sipped her coffee.
"We almost didn't come here because of my son's academy today. But look, fate wanted us to meet again."
"Your son goes to an academy? That's so impressive! I bet he does well in studies since you were also serious back then."
"Don't even get me started! I'm tired of telling him to relax and be less competitive. He's not even social." San-young sighed.
"See, I told you he'd take after you."
"Yah? It's not funny," San-young hit her shoulder before calling a boy who was sitting two tables away.
Just then a phone call came and San-young excused herself.
"Son, which school do you go to?" Ari's mother put on her most charming smile after seeing the fine young man before her.
"Sa-rang High School." And she couldn't help but gulp.
It was the most prestigious school in Seoul.
"Are you also into others apart from studying?"
He found her pretty weird, but decided not to show his disrespect, "Uh, I play the piano some-"
"Ari-ah? Where did you go? Come over here!" She cut him off mid-sentence and he was getting annoyed.
"You won't believe who I just met. My high school friend San-young. This is her son." She started getting all loud while he didn't even bother looking at Ari.
"He's good at everything it seems! She says he's the best student of his school. What was your name again, son?"
This was it.
This was the thing Ari despised with all her being. The thing which made her blood boil even now.
Comparison.
"Kang Taehyun."
"Taehyun-ah, it'd be nice if you teach some brains into this idiot standing here," she laughed and his lips curled up, slowly.
Not because of what she said.
Instead his gaze was busy observing those balled up fists and the death glare she was sending to her mother.
For the first time, their gazes met.
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His, a spark of curiosity and cold contempt.
And hers, nothing but jealousy and disbelief.
---------------------------
Not a very pleasant first meet xD
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