Chapter 15
Seoul, South Korea
~Phoebe~
Class was more interesting than I thought. I didn't know it was actually a transwoman that developed the microchip. I noticed some stares and whispers while I sat trying to focus on the professor.
Even girls were staring at me. It was weird as hell, did this happen at my old school and I just never noticed?
No way. I shook my head.
My second class is Algorithms and Analysis. When I walked in the door, I noticed class was mostly all males with only one other girl. My other classes had a low girl to guy ratio, but not this low.
I let out an exhausted sigh. This was a male dominated field, and I know that. But still seeing only one girl in a class of 22. That sucked.
But I took a seat next to her, "Annyeong haseyo" (Formal hello in Korean)
"Wow, you're saying hi and sitting next to me?" The girl asked shocked. Like she couldn't believe it.
"Yeah, why not? Us girls gotta stick together in this field." I gave her a small but genuine smile.
"I guess, but you don't look like someone who would associate with me…" Her words drifted off.
"What do you mean, you're a person, same as me aren't you? Or are you a werewolf?" I joked.
"I mean you dress so, nice, and you're so beautiful, you are number one on the freshman hot or not list. That makes you one of the most popular girls, being seen with me will drop you down on the social latter." She tried to reason with me.
I busted out laughing.
"I'm Phoebe, and I do not care about something as lame as popularity. I do what I want." I was proud of that statement.
It was true. I had no one to tell me what to do, not in the same sense. I could live my own life have friends, go out and do karaoke like all the Kdramas. I had a taste of freedom, and I'd do anything to keep it.
"I'm Kango So Mi and I can't believe you are sitting next to me." She was even blushing.
"You're cute."
The professor walked in, and he was handsome.
He looked familiar…
"Professor Kim. Welcome to Algorithm's and Analysis."
The professor's eyes glanced over the room, before settling on me. And he smirked.
Kim…
Oh my god.
He's from the cake shop. He was with the son of a bitch Kim Taeyung. They're related; I know it.
"No homework tonight, it's your first day, but next week, I won't go easy on you." His eyes were locked on mine.
"The professor hasn't stopped looking at you the whole class." Kang So Mi mentions as we walked out of class.
"A lot of people here are staring at me, maybe it's because I'm so tan." I laughed "What are you doing for lunch?"
"I have another class right after this one; I won't eat until later." Kang So Mi spoke nervously, like if she rejected me, I might rethink our friendship.
"Here. Give me your number, I'll text you and we can meet up sometime, if you're interested in being my study buddy for this class?" I handed her my phone.
She looked skeptical taking my phone. Like she was waiting for someone was playing a cruel trick on her.
"I'm new here, you are my second friend." I gave her another genuine smile.
"Bye, Kang So Mi!" She was so surprised, it was cute. Protector her at all costs.
"Bye, Phoebe." She waved back at me with a big smile on her face.
I am starving, the campus is so huge, I keep getting lost. It took forever for me to find the cafeteria.
I picked out an apple, rice balls, with a chicken dumpling, a cup cake. With a black tea and a water to drink. As I pulled up to the cashier.
Someone approached me from behind.
I froze, my whole body tensed up. I stopped breathing. I felt sick. I could feel their solid chest on my back, their warmth leaking through my top.
Then it hit, the sweet musk of mahogany and vanilla as it wrapped around me. Filling my nose, becoming the only thing I smelled.
Before I could say anything, he handed the cashier his card.
"What are you doing?" I asked in English.
"Paying for lunch." He answered in Korean.
"Well, don't, I appreciate it, but I'm no one's charity case." I firmly stood on my position.
"I don't do personalized charity work. I do what I want. And I want to pay for your lunch. Suck it up and take a seat at my table." He pointed at the direction where he and his friends were sitting.
As if.
I took my tray and walked to a table at the other end of the cafeteria by a window and sat down, started eating my rice ball.
The screeching of the chair next to me echoed through the cafeteria. Silencing everyone.
They all turned their heads and looked at me. Or rather, Kim Taeyung taking his seat next to me.
And queue the rumor mill…
"Why?" I glared up at him; I know the annoyance was radiating off me.
"Why what?" He smirked menacingly at me.
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Doing what? Exactly?"
"Going out of your way to purposely problematize my life?" I sighed.
"Because. You. Are. Mine. And the sooner you and everyone else realizes it, the better." His smile was sinful. But his words turned me off completely.
"I've told you before, I'm not interested. I want to study, not trade one controlling man for another, okay? Go away and harass a different freshman."
"I don't want any other freshman." His was whisper was so seductive it sent a shiver down my spine.
"Theres plenty of other girls who you can conquer." I rolled my eyes and scoffed.
"But none of them are you." He winked.
Seconds later the entire table screeched, and I was now surrounded by all of his friends.
Just me and 5 guys at a table. Great.
"You look disappointed to see us? That hurts my feelings, Phoebe." Park Suho all but mocked me in Korean.
"Wow, wonder what could have given you that impression?" I rolled my eyes and propped my chin on hand resting my elbow on the table and sighed.
When was Cherry going to get here?
"I see why you're the school's new campus goddess. If you don't want Taeyung, you can have me instead, the names Jung Younho, and that's my cute little brother Jung Yoongi." He was a man with almond eyes and ear piercings. His hair styled perfectly, like he never slept.
I scoffed and just prayed Cherry would rescue me. Hurry up and get here, girl.
"She looks like she doesn't want to eat with us, why push it Tae?" The fourth friend asked.
"I don't care, she's my girlfriend, I'll sit with her if I please." He smiled so confidently it pissed me off.
All four boys turned to him in shock.
"Girlfriend?" They were so in sync; it sounded practiced and staged.
I could tell by their genuinely surprised faces, it wasn't.
"I'm not his girlfriend." I said firmly in English.
I was so consumed with my annoyance of them I didn't notice the room taking pictures and gossiping among themselves as they all watched the show go down.
"Ouch, damn, the great Kim Taeyung was rejected for the first time ever!" Jung Younho teased smacking Kim Taeyung on his back.
"It's not the first. More like the fifth from her, but each rejection only solidifies my choice more." His voice dripped with sarcasm.
"I'll reject you a hundred times if that's what it takes for you get the message through your thick skull." I growled at him.
"Tae, I don't think you have what it takes to tame this girl, let alone claim her." Park Suho added teasing him.
I'd had enough.
I stood and slammed my hands on the table, "I am not an object to claim like a prize in some video game. Fuck off!" I jerked my tray off the table and walked away.
The sound of footsteps followed me.
"Go away already!" I turned around and yelled.
"No can do,Yeobo." He let his pet name for me roll off his tongue like a delicious desert.
"Ugh!" I stormed off. Letting everyone video and take pictures of the whole scene. I didn't care I just wanted out of the cafeteria. Away from the prying eyes and gossip.