My Bully, My Love | NCT Mark

02| My New Buddy

"Miss Mina Kim! What a pleasure to meet you. Are you excited for your first day of school?" bellowed a round, short lady sitting behind a computer desk. With a warm smile, she reached out to shake Mina's hand without leaving her seat. "Oh, sorry, where are my manners? I'm the Guidance Officer, Mrs. Suenghee, but you can call me Manjoo," she blurted out, pushing aside the stray strands of hair that found their way onto her glasses.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Suen- Ah, Manjoo!" Mina chuckled nervously. Mrs. Suenghee cackled in response and gestured toward an empty chair in front of her desk.

Throughout Mina's time in her office, her heart never stopped pounding in sync with the ticking clock on the wall above Mrs. Suenghee's head. A sense of light-headedness washed over her, making her feel queasy. The combination of strong coffee and air freshener lingering in the cramped office only worsened the feeling.

"How are you settling in so far?" Mrs. Suenghee chortled, tilting her head to the side as if it would grant her a better view of Mina. Nervousness overwhelmed Mina once again, causing her to bow her head and fidget with her fingers. Thankfully, the Guidance Officer picked up on it. "I see. It's okay to be scared on your first day. We've all experienced it. The best part is that it'll go away, and you'll be enjoying yourself in no time!" she cheered.

Enjoy herself? It had been a while since Mina had done that. However, something about Mrs. Suenghee's uplifting humor and reassuring words dispelled any doubts in her head.

'So this is the kind of power a Guidance Officer holds?' Mina thought.

"Well, to make things easier, I've assigned you a buddy! Hooh-Ray!" Mrs. Suenghee cheered.

"A buddy?" Mina repeated.

"Yes, someone who will help you get comfortable with your surroundings and make friends," Mrs. Suenghee continued, getting up from her seat and walking toward the door of her office. "I'd like you to meet Seulgi. She's in almost all of your classes, and her roommate just transferred out, so she has an open space for you in the dorms," she explained as she opened the door for the girl.

As soon as their eyes met, Seulgi made her way over to Mina. She stretched her arms out and enveloped Mina in a hug, lifting her off her seat.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, roomie! Let's be friends," Seulgi twittered, shaking Mina's hand vigorously with both of hers.

"Wait, dorm? Roommate? I don't understand," Mina questioned, redirecting her attention to the Guidance Officer, who had returned to her seat. "I never signed up to stay in the dorms here..."

"Well, someone did. It says right here that your school, dorm, and cafeteria fees have all been paid in advance," Mrs. Suenghee read from a piece of paper, adjusting her glasses. "It also says someone came in early this morning and brought all your luggage. So your things are waiting for you in your new home." She concluded, leaving Mina feeling confused and overwhelmed.

"Don't worry, Mina. I'll make sure you're comfortable and have a great school life," Seulgi reassured her, never releasing her grip on Mina's hand.

'I don't understand, who paid for all of this?' Mina wondered internally, feeling a mix of curiosity and bewilderment.