Chapter Text
Winter Kim
The academy came into view as the car slowed down and it felt like stepping into a circus. Booths lined the courtyard, people shouting over each other to recruit for clubs, some selling gear, others just hanging out like they already owned the place. It was loud, chaotic, and honestly, kind of exciting.
As I stepped out of the car, the whispers start before I'd even fully closed the door. Heads turned, glances were exchanged, and yeah, I noticed the double-takes. It started up immediately and it wasn't subtle at all. Oh well, I was used to this kind of attention. I waved at a couple of students, flashed a wide smile and kept my head high as I made my way to the registration tables.
It didn't take long to find Ningning. She was already lounging near a booth, casually chatting with some of the other athletes like she'd known them for years. When she spotted me, she waved me over.
"Look who finally decided to show up," she teased as I joined her.
"I'm a star," I shot back, tossing my long, flowing hair-although the actual bob cut didn't quite sell the effect.
She snorted. "Yeah, okay, princess."
I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway.
"Well, you're not the only one stealing the spotlight today." She said.
"Oh?" I tilted my head. "Who else should I be worried about?"
"Moon Eunnara. You know, the rhythmic gymnast? She just got here a few minutes ago, and people are already buzzing about her."
"Ah, the crowd favorite," I faked a sigh. "Should I be nervous?"
"You? Nervous? Please."
"Why? Is she your type?" I teased. "Better step up your game. There's a lot of competition."
"What? No!" Ningning sputtered and smacked my arm. "I mean, sure, I'm a fan, but it's not like that. I've got my eyes on someone else."
"Right," I said, dragging the word out. "So, who's the unlucky person this week?"
She groaned. "Shut up."
I laughed, knowing I'd hit a nerve. Ningning's crushes changed faster than the weather, so I didn't bother pressing her on it.
We finished up at the registration desk and grabbed our room keys. Unfortunately, we weren't roommates. Her room was a few doors down from mine but she insisted on walking with me to drop off my stuff first-nothing much, just a small backpack and a duffle bag for now. The rest of my luggage wouldn't arrive until tomorrow.
As we headed toward the dorms, Ningning continued rattling off names of all the big athletes who'd arrived that year, the real reason she wanted to tag along. "Oh, and since we had exchange students this year, Myoui Mina's here too. You know, the ballerina from Japan? And Chou Tzuyu, the junior world champion in archery from Taiwan. Also Nayeon, the insta-famous golfer and Jihyo, the soccer star. Basically, it's a superstar lineup this year."
"Sounds like fun," I yawned, tossing my key in the air and catching it, not really interested. All I wanted was sleep. I'd barely gotten any last night, thanks to Ningning who insisted on playing games until midnight. But look at her, still as energetic as ever.
We stopped in front of my room and Ningning suddenly lowered her voice. "Then there's the Jiminator."
Huh? I blinked. "The what now?"
"Jiminator," she repeated, barely able to keep a straight face.
"That's... the dumbest name I've ever heard."
She grinned. "Oh, you think it's dumb now but wait until you meet her. Jimin, that's her real name, I think. She's, like, the scariest person on the court. A total beast. She's a tennis player. And let's just say she's... intense. So you should be careful."
I crossed my arms. "Intense how?"
"She plays like she's got a grudge against the world. No mercy, no hesitation."
"How do you even know all of this?" I arched an eyebrow.
"I did my research."
"Oh, really? And what does 'research' even mean in your world?"
She leaned in like she was going to drop the world's juiciest secret. "Okay, so, Mina was Bambam's ex-"
"Mina? The ballerina?"
"Yes, keep up!" She waved a hand impatiently. "So Mina was Bambam's ex, Bambam is close with Nayeon, Nayeon is tight with Irene unnie, Irene unnie had known Seulgi, Seulgi is close with Haechul, Haechul was Momo's ex, and Momo is besties with Dahyun. Dahyun had gone to the same school as Chaeryeong, who's friends with Yeji, who just so happened to have gone to the same high school as Jiminator. Apparently, she had been a legend there. The kind of girl everyone had known and avoided."
I stared at her, dumbfounded. "You expect me to follow all of that?"
"It's not that hard if you've got a good memory. Anyway, she's kind of a big deal." She shrugged.
"Right," I muttered, already half-regretting asking. "Good to know."
"And," Ningning added, holding back a laugh, "You should probably avoid calling her Jiminator to her face. Pretty sure she hates it. If you call her that, you might not live to see the next tournament."
"Very dramatic. Is she at least hot?"
Ningning groaned, "You would say that."
"What? It's a valid question."
Before Ningning responded, the door in front of us swung open. Standing there by the doorway, was a girl with sharp eyes and a stare so cold it could probably freeze fire.
"Uh... hey, Jimin!" Ningning blurted, her voice pitching up awkwardly. "We were just... uh... talking about how awesome you are! On the court, I mean. You know, all that winning stuff. Jiminator, right?"
I turned to Ningning, wide-eyed. Did she seriously just say that out loud?
Jimin-who I now realized was the Jiminator-stared at Ningning like she was deciding whether or not to bury her alive. Then her gaze shifted to me and I swear the temperature in the hallway dropped a few degrees.
"Are you in my room?" she asked, pretty robotic.
I glanced past her at the empty bed on the other side of the room and realized that, yes, I was.
Great.
I flashed her my warmest smile, trying to save my buddy from having her wig pulled, "Looks like it. Guess we are roommates now."
Jimin didn't smile back. Instead, she stepped aside to let me in.
"Good luck," Ningning whispered as she backed away then ran.
Of course. Anyway, at least my question was answered. She was hot-and cold at the same time. Her pale skin complimented her cat-like eyes with long eyelashes. She had a defined nose, full lips and long black hair that flowed over her shoulders.
Well, this would be interesting.
I stepped into the room, taking in the space. The walls were painted in soft pastel shades. A large beanbag chair sat in one corner and the bed was covered with a light blue duvet. Bright throw pillows were scattered on the bed and there was a colorful rug by the bed.
A desk near the door held a few open books and a laptop. I walked over to the desk where I noticed some personal touches, framed photos and some...uhh unknown brand makeup. This was clearly her space. I glanced at the desk near the window. I guessed I'd take the window side. Outside, it offered views of the academy's tennis court. Well, not bad.
"I guess since we're roommates now, we should at least introduce ourselves," I said, leaning casually against the desk as Jimin unpacked her neatly folded clothes. "I'm Winter-well, Minjeong but most people call me Winter." I gave her another friendly smile, hoping to thaw some of the ice she was radiating.
She didn't even glance at me as she zipped open another bag. "I'm Jimin."
I blinked, waiting for her to say more but nope, that's it. I cleared my throat, trying not to let the awkwardness settle in. "That's it?" I asked, half-laughing.
She paused for a moment, finally meeting my eyes, "What else is there to say?"
"Well, I don't know... maybe something like, 'Hi, I'm Jimin. I play tennis and people call me Jiminator, but I'm actually super chill and nice once you get to know me. How about you? What sport do you play?' You know, that's how the conversations sequence goes,"
Then I heard her sigh. "I'm not a good conversationalist."
"That's fine. I can teach you. We'll start slow. So, Jimin..." I tried again, sitting on my bed. "Any hobbies outside of court?"
"No. Just tennis."
"That's all? No binge-watching dramas? Or favourite artists, Taylor Swift perhaps? How about favourite movie at least?"
Silence, "Rapunzel," she said after a while.
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from laughing. That was unexpected. And adorable. "Hmm," I played along, trying to match her seriousness. "I don't really have a favorite, but I love action films. How about food? What's your favorite?"
"Pork cutlet," she answered firmly as if trying to end the conversation there.
I nodded, smiling a little. "Solid choice. I'm all about sweets like jelly, chocolates, candy."
She didn't respond, her focus drifting back to the task at hand but I wasn't done. "Alright, favorite color?"
Her head snapped up, "I don't think this is necessary," she said with a sigh, annoyance perhaps, "Are you always this nosy?"
Meh. Not unfazed, I pursed my lips. "Not really. I'm not Ningning but we're going to be living together. I think it's necessary to get to know each other,"
She didn't respond and back on neatly folding her clothes. For someone so intimidating on the court (or so they said), her movements were elegant. She didn't have much luggage, maybe it hadn't arrived yet.
"Okay, how about this?" I offered, trying a different approach. "We don't have to be besties or anything, but at least let me know if you're a morning or night person. I'd hate to accidentally wake the Jimin... uh, wake you up."
She paused, "I'm fine with mornings."
"Great. Me too. Kind of. As long as there's coffee."
She let out another small sigh. "Noted."
Encouraged by the small progress, I pressed on. "Alright, so we've got morning preferences down. Any ground rules? Like, do you need absolute silence after 9 p.m., or are you okay with music?"
"I prefer silence after 11 p.m. at least," Jimin said.
"Noted," I replied with a quick nod, making a mental note not to blast music late at night.
"How about... food in the room? Are you a strict no-snacks type or are chips and chocolate fair game?"
"As long as you don't leave crumbs everywhere, I don't mind."
"Good to know. I'm not a crumb-leaver." I grinned then paused thoughtfully. "Okay, what about laundry? Are you one of those people who'll throw a fit if my socks accidentally end up on your side of the room?"
"I think I'll survive as long as your socks don't smell."
"Fair enough. No stinky socks. Got it. What about visitors? Are you okay with people coming in and out or do you prefer to keep the room our personal temple,"
"I'm fine with visitors but don't turn this into a party zone."
"Duly noted. You won't even know they're here," I assured her.
She exhaled sharply. "Anything else?"
I tapped my chin dramatically. "Hmm... Cleaning. Are you one of those 'clean-as-you-go' type, or do you leave stuff everywhere and have a cleaning spree once a month?"
"I clean regularly," she replied matter-of-factly. "But don't expect me to clean up after you."
I pretended to be offended. "Me? A mess? Never. I'm as neat as a pin."
She raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. "We'll see."
I chuckled tiredly as the sleep catching up to me. "You'll see. I'm a great roommate. You might even end up liking me." I shrugged and flopped onto the bed, pulling the covers over me. "I'd love to get to know you more but I'm really tired right now. Do you snore when you sleep?"
Jimin didn't answer right away. I heard her moving around the room and then she spoke. "You seem very interested in me."
I cracked one eye open and caught her gaze. She was already looking at me. "Quite presumptuous, but you're right. I am interested, my dear roommate. Not in a creepy way, though. I just think it'll be easier to live together if we're not totally awkward."
She studied me for a moment. "Awkward?"
"Yeah. You don't have to like me, but let's at least try not to hate each other. Deal?"
There was a long silence before she nodded. "Deal."
I smiled to myself, feeling a small sense of victory. "Or we can like each other. By the end of this semester, let's be friends, Jiminator."
Her smile vanished in an instant and replaced by a fiery glare. "Don't call me that."
"Right." I held my hands up in surrender, "But you know, it's kind of a badass nickname if you think about it."
She rolled her eyes, turning her back to me again but I noticed her shoulders relax just a little. As expected, they were exaggerating. She seemed fine to me. Well, very fine. My gaze wandered over her body. She had a great figure with an athletic build that was both toned and feminine. Her waist curved into her full hips. The loose shirt she wore couldn't entirely hide her fuller chest. She was tall with long legs that seemed to stretch forever.
Very very fine, indeed.
I chuckled softly and closed my eyes, pushing away the thoughts before they could take root too deeply.
_______________
Jimin snored.
Maybe that was why she hadn't answered my question earlier. I groaned and opened my eyes. Unable to resist, I climbed down from my bed and walked to her side.
She looked-well, not as pretty-no, I took that back. The corners of my lips twitched slightly as I stared at her. She was still very pretty, just tired. Exhausted, really. I had fallen asleep earlier and woke up at midnight but I had no idea what she'd done all day to end up like this. Maybe unpacking had drained all her energy.
She almost looked lifeless, the only sign of life being the soft rhythm of her breathing and the...rather loud snore. I sighed, giving up on the idea of waking her and instead retreating back to my bed. Grabbing my noise-canceling headphones, I muttered to myself, "Pretty privilege at its finest."
When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I noticed was that Jimin wasn't in her bed. It was already made, the blanket neatly folded back and everything seemed so... put together. It made me feel a little lazy as I lay there for a moment, half-awake, trying to process everything.
My stomach growled.
I glanced at the clock. It was already past nine and I had missed the early breakfast rush. I rubbed my eyes and get up to start my morning routine. It wasn't the worst thing to wake up to an empty room, at least there was peace. As I got ready, I tried not to think about where Jimin had gone. Maybe she had gone for a walk or was already busy with something. I didn't know her routine yet.
Once I was dressed and decent, I headed to the cafeteria to grab something to eat. Today was a chill day. Registration had already been handled the day before and all I had to do was kill time until my luggage arrived.
The cafeteria was less crowded than usual, but there were still a few students milling about. They head turned to me as I walked past them, I smiled warmly. I grabbed some food and scanned the room, eventually spotting Ningning sitting with some girls at a table. She looked a little anxious as she fiddled with her phone.
"Hey!" I waved, walking over to her then turned to the other girls, "Hello, everyone,"
They all smiled and waved at me. Ningning looked up and gave me a relieved smile while clutching her chest, "You're still alive! I'm about to call Nanny Liu,"
"Why wouldn't I be alive?" I slid into an empty seat, next to Ningning.
She leaned in to whisper, "You know, Jiminator," The other girls immediately burst into laughter.
Before I could answer, the girl across from me chuckled and extended her hand. She had sharp eyes, her honey-blonde hair tied back into a neat ponytail. "You can ask for a room change, you know," she said playfully, "Oh, I'm Hwang Yeji, by the way. A tennis player too,"
I took her hand with a small smile. "I'm Win-"
"Winter Kim," she interrupted with a grin, letting go of my hand. "Everyone knows you. There's been buzz about you attending this academy for weeks now. I thought Ningning was pulling one of her pranks but here you are."
Another girl chimed in. She had short, ash-brown hair styled messily. She leaned back in her chair casually. "Why are you in the dormitory building, though? I thought someone like you would be staying in one of those fancy apartments off-campus. Or at least a single dorm room,"
She smiled, revealing a row of perfectly straight teeth. "Oh, and I'm Ryujin. Soccer."
I brushed off the comment. "I like the dorm better and living in a single room ruins the experience. Where's the fun in that?"
"Wish I could say the same," another voice piped up. This girl had a bright smile and long wavy hair. Her playful aura matched her teasing tone as she said, "I'd pick a luxury apartment any day, but I guess chaebol are build different."
She tilted her head slightly and added, "I'm Nayeon, by the way."
I smiled at her. "Yes, I know you,"
Nayeon winked at me in response but Ningning brought the focus back to the original topic, "Okay, back to Jiminator. How is it spending a night with her?"
I shook my head and cut into the cutlet, shoving a piece into my mouth. I was starving. Pork cutlet was her favorite food, wasn't it? Maybe I could ask the staff to pack some for her before they changed the menu.
The girls all stared at me. They were definitely eager for gossip. I sighed then waved my fork dismissively, "She's fine. She's just not much of a talker." I paused, smirking at their wide-eyed expressions. "You make it sound like she's actually beaten someone up before."
Yeji raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "So, she didn't scare you into sleeping with one eye open? She's infamous you know,"
"Infamous for being silent and folding her clothes neatly?" I questioned, a little annoyed, but didn't make it shown.
Ryujin snickered. "That's progress that she didn't punch you for breathing too loud."
I kept my mouth shut from telling them that it was her that was being a little too loud last night--her snore I meant. Clarification, "You're all exaggerating. It's not like she's out here plotting to kill her roommate or something." I said lazily.
Ryujin smirked, her voice lowered with drama. "Oh, don't be so sure. She once injured a player on the court. Rumor has it she did it on purpose."
I frowned,"Really? Isn't that... against the rules?"
Yeji leaned forward, "It's not technically illegal unless the umpire decides it was deliberate. But everyone who saw that match swears she did it intentionally. Jimin's got this... ferocious style on the court. It's why so many players avoid her like the plague."
Ryujin nodded, her smirk widening. "That's why they call her Jiminator. She doesn't just play to win, she plays to dominate, to crush her opponent,"
I frowned, trying to reconcile this version of Jimin with the quiet girl who elegantly folded her clothes last night. "I mean, she is intense but she doesn't seem like someone who'd go out of her way to hurt anyone."
Ningning snorted. "That's because you spent one night with her, Winter. Wait until you see her on the court. She's like a tiger ready to pounce."
"Still, no need to exaggerate," I shrugged, "Maybe it was an accident,"
Nayeon, who had been quiet until now finally spoke up, "If it happened once, maybe you could call it an accident," she began as she looked at me. "But she's injured multiple players before. One of them was... Jeongyeon."
The group went silent.
"Her powerful shot hit Jeongyeon right in the stomach during a match," Nayeon continued, she sounded both frustrated and annoyed. "It wasn't just a light hit. The injury was bad enough to take Jeongyeon out of the competition entirely. And guess what? Jimin went on to win first place."
I blinked, unsure of how to respond but Nayeon wasn't finished.
"The umpire didn't call it deliberate. They said it was just part of an intense match," she said and leaned back in her chair with a scowl. "But everyone knows better. Jimin's powerful, sure, but she's also cunning. Smart enough to know exactly how far she can push without crossing the line or at least not in a way the officials will catch. That's the kind of player she is. Ruthless and calculated."
Her eyes softened slightly, "I'm telling you this for your own good, Winter. She's not just someone you can shrug off. She's someone capable of hurting people-literally-and making it look like part of the game. If she can do that to opponents on the court, who knows what she's capable of off it?"
The girls exchanged glances. Nayeon's words weren't just idle gossip. She was warning me and genuinely wanted me to heed.
"Well, what happened to Jeongyeon?" I asked cautiously.
Nayeon's lips curled into a smile but it didn't seemed sincere, "She sulked for half a year and then switched to a different sport. Guess she was too embarrassed to stay in tennis after that match."
That was a huge blow. My stomach twisted uneasily but Nayeon continued before I could respond.
"But that's okay," she added, her voice became brighter as if trying to steer the conversation toward something less grim. "She's so much happier in volleyball now. Apparently, she's really good at it. Some even say she's thriving."
The other girls nodded in agreement. Ningning leaned forward, her elbows on the table. "Yeah, I heard she made it to nationals in just her third year. Not everyone can bounce back like that but Jeongyeon is something else."
"Good for her," I nodded but my mind was still stuck on Jimin. As the conversation drifted into lighter topics, I picked at my food, the taste suddenly bland in my mouth.
"Anyway," I muttered, pushing my plate away, "I should head back. I'm still waiting for my luggage."
The girls nodded and gave me quick goodbyes as I stood up from the table. I glanced at the counter where the remaining pieces of pork cutlet were being served then walked away. Jimin could easily help herself. But halfway to the door, I stopped. I sighed and repeated, "Pretty privilege at its finest,"
Turning back, I headed straight to the cafeteria counter, asking them to pack some pork cutlet for Jimin. I wasn't sure why I was doing it but it felt like the right thing. Once they had it ready, I returned to the dorm with a small takeout box of the crispy, golden cutlets in hand.
"Miss Winter," the maids greeted in unison and bowed slightly as I entered my dorm. Four of them were unpacking my newly arrived luggage-one carefully hanging clothes, another arranging my shoes, while the others folded smaller items neatly into drawers.
"Hello," I replied with a nod and watched them for a moment. "Thank you for handling this."
"It's our pleasure, Miss Winter," one of them said.
I walked toward Jimin's desk, setting the takeout box down on the edge. While searching for a sticky note, I glanced back at them. "Does it usually take this many of you?"
One of the younger maids who seemed a little nervous, replied, "We wanted to ensure everything was perfect. Madam wanted us to give extra attention since this is your first week."
Right. Madam.
"That's very considerate. But really, you don't have to overwork yourselves for me."
"Oh, it's no trouble at all," the eldest maid chimed in while neatly folding a scarf. "We will come thrice a week to handle Miss's laundry and clean the room. Please feel free to share your schedule so we can ensure we don't disturb you. If there's anything you need or any specific orders, you can contact us through the office desk downstairs."
"Thank you. That sounds convenient. Where will you all be staying?"
"We have our own quarters, Miss Winter. It's on the east side of the dormitory building, near the service entrance."
I hummed and scribbled on a sticky note: Because I'm nice like that. Don't waste it. - Win.
I stuck the sticky note beside the takeout box and imagined the look on her face when she read it. Would she roll her eyes, scoff, or maybe crack a smile?
I turned my attention back to the maids, "Is it comfortable?"
"Yes, Miss," she assured me. "The academy provides us with everything we need."
"If anything isn't up to standard, don't hesitate to tell someone. You shouldn't have to compromise on your comfort just because of me,"
The younger maids exchanged glances. The eldest maid smiled warmly, "You're very kind, Miss Winter. We'll be sure to let you know if there's ever an issue."
I returned her smile, "Good." Then, gesturing toward the box on the desk, I added, "And if you get bored, feel free to speculate who this is for."
They all chuckled softly and their previous formal and polite demeanour softening. I leaned against the wall and made more small talk with them. Then, a familiar sound broke through the room. Thwack. The sound of a tennis ball hitting the court. My eyes darted toward the window. The sun had dipped lower in the sky, casting golden hue across the tennis court outside.
There, just beyond the glass, I saw her. Jimin.
She was on the court alone, practicing. The way she moved was precise and almost mesmerizing. She served the ball with such power that it seemed to slice through the air, so much speed, so much force. I could see why people call her a monster on the court.
Thwack. The ball bounced and she was already preparing for another serve.
I didn't realize I was standing there, just watching until the sound of the ball hitting the ground a third time pulled me back into reality. It was impressive, no doubt but also... intimidating. I had heard the rumors but seeing her like this on the court, giving it her all felt different. That was a little excessive.
But it felt--exciting.
"Was it for her?" The eldest maid asked as she followed my gaze.
I smiled without looking at her, "Bingo,"
-to be continued-