By Your Side

Chapter 3

She stared her reflection in the mirror, as if it was someone else. She felt different and bizarre wearing her new school uniform. The debate competition crossed her mind. She was still upset having to leave the debate team when she was fully prepared for the competition. She clenched on her sling bag, trying to hold in her feeling.

The door was knocked repeatedly, and Jimin's bright voice was clearly heard from the closed door.

"Sooyeon a, breakfast!!"

"Almost done!"

She took a last look of her reflection and fixed her bang before making her way out from the room. As soon as she stepped out, Jimin studied her, from head to toe.

"Aigoo.. So pretty.."

She arched her eyebrow in a boasting manner.

"Well.."

Jimin chuckled at her childish behaviour before the both of them went downstairs. Jimin silently let out a breath of relieve seeing her way more better than yesterday.

***

They were walking together towards the school entrance when Sooyeon suddenly stopped. Jimin stopped too, and eyed her as she stared the gigantic building with unreadable expression.

"What's wrong?"

Sooyeon turned to him before letting out a big sigh. She felt nervous for some reason. She's afraid she won't adapt to this school environment. The students here seem different. The girls had an expensive looking hairstyle and accessories. And almost all the boys wore fit pants. Jimin did, too. Her old school on the other hand, only filled with nerd-looking students who had books in their hand all the time. They barely cared about their appearance. By the way, she was still upset to leave the debating team in her old school. According to Jimin, this school had a debate team, but it was not active. Her uncle's face when she saw her the earlier morning made her even more upset. He didn't seem guilty, at all.

"I'm nervous."

Jimin slung his arm across her shoulder and pulled her closer.

"Don't worry. I'm here."

They both turned to each other at the same time before Jimin let put a smile. He then walked inside, pulling Sooyeon with him.

***

Jimin were spacing out when Jungkook suddenly poked his waist. He flinced in surprise before sending Jungkook a death glare.

"This kid..really!"

He then slapped Jungkook's stomach for a revenge. Jungkook moaned in pain as he stared Jimin in disbelief.

"Yah, that's hurt!"

Jimin smirked sheepishly. As soon as Jungkook sat on his chair Jimin grabbed his shoulder and pulled it harshly. Once again, Jungkook moaned in pain.

"Yah, we have a new student."

Jungkook turned to him with an annoyed expression.

"Do you really have to hurt me to tell me such an unmeaningful thing?"

"It's a girl. Beautiful girl."

Jungkook's eyes beamed at the statement, excited .

"Really?"

The pandemonium of the class halted when the teacher walked in. But the teacher was not the reason of the silence. It was because of the unfamiliar figure standing beside the female teacher.

Sooyeon swallowed hard on her saliva when she realised all eyes were on her. It scared her somehow. When the teacher spoke to the class, her gaze wandered, and it landed on Jimin. He was waving at her exitedly, his eyes almost disappear from his smile. She smiled lightly, thankful to be in the same class with him.

"Wah.. she's really pretty."

Jimin turned to Jungkook abruptly, and the guy had his gaze fixed on her. And he was not even blinking. A sense of insecurity somehow took over him, and he smacked Jungkook's head.

Jungkook, again, moaned in pain.

"Yah! What was that for?"

Their quarrel caught the teacher's attention. The whole class had their eyes on them when teacher called out their name. They awkwardly hung their head low, embarrassed.

"Introduce yourself."

Sooyeon turned to the teacher with a puzzled expression before looking back .

"I'm Kim Sooyeon."

She bowed, and the class applaud as if she just finished delivering a manifesto. Some of them even cheered and called her pretty.

She didn't know how to respond, so she just smiled awkwardly.

"You can sit there."

The teacher pointed out an empty table at the very back of the class. It was on the same row with Jimin and Jungkook's table. She slowly thanked the teacher and sauntered to her table. As soon as she sat down, a very feminine voice greeted her. She turned only to find a beautiful girl with a straight brown hair smiling brightly at her.

"I'm Ahn Hyojin.."

Sooyeon smiled, not knowing how to respond.

"I'm..Sooyeon."

"I know. You just said your name earlier."

Sooyeon blinked repeatedly.

"Ahh.. that's true."

Sooyeon scratched the back of her ear, feeling extremely awkward.

"Hye Sooyeon!"

She turned to the voice, it was the boy sitting beside Jimin. Their table only separated by a three feet gap.

"Hye.."

"I'm Jungkook, nice to meet you."

The cute boy waved at her with a wide grin on her face.

"Sooyeon, hye~"

Jimin said while leaning forward, so that Jungkook didn't get between him and Sooyeon.

Sooyeon eyed Jimin who was waving at her with joy. She smile nonchalantly at him before looking away.

Jungkook turned to his left and looked at Jimin's face.

"She's my style.."

He said with a grin. Jimin's expression changed instantly and he scoffed.

"Well, you're not her style."

Jungkook stared him with a deeply knitted eyebrow.

"How would you know that?"

"She's my cousin."(kind of)

"What?!"

His voice was loud enough to make all the students' eye landed on them.

Jungkook covered his mouth and leaned in closer to Jimin.

"Really?"

This time, he said it with a really slow voice. Jimin leaned back and nodded.

"Ayy, you're lying."

"Fine, you'll know soon."

Jungkook eyed him suspiciously, seeking for the truth in his words. He seemed to be talking the truth.