Chapter Text
At Park Youngjin's All-Girls Academy, the students were returning from winter vacation, still having withdrawals from their Lunar New Year celebrations festivities yet the halls were still buzzing with excitement as endless chatter and laughter echoed off the walls. The first day of the second semester ended in a blink of an eye and soon teachers dismissed their students for the day. Of course, there were exceptions and those exceptions were girls that participated in extracurricular activities and organizations.
Myoui Mina was one of those girls.
School Vice-President. Studies ballet at JYP Studios (one of the most prestigious dance schools in Seoul) since she was 5 years old and was arguably the best in the ballerina department. Within the Top 5 students with the highest GPA in her year. Naturally part of the popular crowd.
All of the above barely scratched the surface of what defined Myoui Mina. She was beautiful, graceful, kind, and one of the most sought after girls in the school because somehow the Japanese beauty was still single.
After freshening up in the bathroom, Mina entered the student council room and took her usual seat beside Minatozaki Sana, the current Student Council President, who was talking excitedly to the council's Secretary and Treasurer, Park Jihyo. Both turned and greeted her with vibrant smiles which she returned equally as vibrant, flashing her trademark gummy smile.
The three were good friends and chatted among themselves until the rest of the members walked in. Despite her very cute appearance and bubbly personality, Sana's leadership and authority were never questioned by anyone and she was respected among her peers; Mina was no exception. The meeting went smoothly, mostly discussing the annual spring festival in May clubs would showcase what they're all about and recruit members for the following year, various activities ranging from talent shows and plays, and of course, catering for food. It was a 3-day event that all students looked forward to as a reward for their studying.
"So that wraps up this week's meeting. We'll talk more about the Spring Festival next week but we also have to plan events for the rest of the year. Meeting is adjourned!" Sana grinned and waved off members of the student council as everyone packed up their belongings.
Mina walked between Jihyo and Sana as the three of them were making their way to the subway station when Sana nudged her shoulder with her own. "Hey, girls! I heard from Sunye-sunsaengnim that we'll be getting a transfer student in our homeroom starting tomorrow! We've never had a new student show up in the middle of the school year before."
"Really? That really is a surprise. I wonder why she didn't start today," Mina commented, humming thoughtfully to herself with pressed lips.
"Probably paperwork or transcript error. You know, the usual stuff," Sana suggested with a shrug but then smiled. "But get this. I heard she's Japanese! What are the odds?"
Jihyo couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head slowly. "Seriously. We're going to have three Japanese students in one homeroom, namely ours? It's kind of funny. I wonder what she's like."
Mina hummed again. "I wonder what she's like too."
The news about the transfer student spread like wildfire by the time Mina arrived to homeroom. It didn't surprise her considering this was an all-girls school and girls had a terrible habit of gossiping.
"Alright, girls. Settle down," Sunye sunsaengnim hollered over the class which quickly died down from her command. Sunye cleared her throat before speaking again. "It's clear to me you all have heard we have a new transfer student. I trust that you all will make her feel welcome to help her adjust to a new environment." She paused once more and turned to the open door with a smile. "You can come in now. Don't be shy."
Mina watched as a girl with thick-rimmed glasses, a bob haircut adorned with a simple white headband, and a large blackpack entered the room, looking meek and hesitant from her posture. The girl already looked so lost, it was almost painful to watch. The girl has yet to say a word and the class was already whispering things about her. Sunye clapped several times for silence. "Go ahead and introduce yourself to the class."
The new girl's eyes darted to every part of the room except anyone's eyes and she tightly gripped the straps of her backpack. "M-My name is Momo. Hirai Momo."
"What did she say? She was so quiet."
"I think she said her name was Momo? What kind of name is that...?"
"Look how thick her glasses are."
Mina heard her classmates whisper (not so quietly, she might add) about Momo, her eyes then flickered to Sana who sat two seats away from her right.
"Momo? Like 'peach' ?" Sana mouthed to her. It made sense to them since "momo" meant "peach" in Japanese.
Mina only shrugged in response before turning her attention back to the new girl. The more she looked at Momo, Mina could feel herself getting more and more annoyed.
Momo's terrible posture bothered her.
Momo's headband that was 7 year old fashion bothered her.
Momo's large book-filled backpack bothered her.
The painfully awkward smile Momo gave her when they made eye contact bothered her.
In short, everything about Hirai Momo was irritating Mina.