Anonymous Roses

JIN HEE KEPT ON PANTING AS SHE RAN like she was running for her life after she got off the bus. It was 7:45 AM and she was sure as hell that she was late to her class. “Gawd, Jin Hee! You kept on embarrassing yourself! Yesterday and now this?!” she panted. “It’s just your second day in your new school and you’re now about to get demerits. Ugh.”

In all honesty, she really didn’t want to go to school because of what happened the day before—about her, who just transferred in and her new classmates appointed her as their class’ president in an instant. But her beloved Mama Shin kept on hitting her conscience like ‘it’s your second day in your new school and you want to skip it? How can you help your family in Jeollanam-do if you’re like that?’ and that was the reason why she was there, running like her life depended on it.

Well actually, her merits depended on it.

She looked at the Empire Academy’s gate which was now closed and guarded by their strict school guard and that sight made her scowl.“Geez, I’m so late.”

Great, it’s her second day here in Empire Academy and she’s now getting herself into trouble.

She heaved a sigh. No choice, she’d be going to do what her naughty classmates in her old school usually do when they’re late.

She’d have to climb the school fence.

Jin Hee ran as fast as she could to reach the lower part of the school fence (because the Empire Academy’s gates and fences were really huge and tall) which, she bet, is where the school garden was and she also bet that it was the blind spot—where you can barely see the security cameras—and she was sure that she’d be safe by that. She was internally thanking the heavens when she saw a huge cemented object lying below the fence which she could use to climb and reach the fence easily. I don’t have an impressive height though.

She took a deep breath and climbed the fence carefully and silently. It was successful and she made herself sit on the fence but then, she gasped in shock when she noticed that there was nothing to step on for her to go down. If she insisted to jump, she might break her foot or any part of her body. She groaned in utter frustration. This day is throwing jinx on me!

“Hey,” her eyes settled on the tall guy looking up at her—more like he’s frowning at her. “What are you doing up there?”

“I-I… I, umm…” she stuttered as she bit her lower lip, trying to come up with a good answer for him.

He slightly snorted. “Let me guess, you climbed the school fence because you thought we’re late.”

“Umm…” she kept on biting her lower lip while holding onto the fence, tight.

The guy muttered something that made her frown because she couldn’t hear it. He, then, looked at her slightly outstretched his hand to her, keeping his blank stare.

Jin Hee blinked her eyes twice and the tall guy continued looking at her with a blank expression.

“Jump,” he suddenly muttered.

“What?”

“Jump. I’ll catch you.”

She was a bit taken aback when she heard the guy offering her help to get down from the fence. She was actually so embarrassed that someone saw her in this state that she wanted to refuse the offer because number one, she was embarrassed and number two, this guy, even though he was her schoolmate or something, was a stranger to her. Her mother always reminded her not to talk and trust strangers. Who knows, this guy could have been pranking her, not catch her and just laugh his ass off while watching her with broken bones and limbs and no one would know that she died because there were just the two of them in this place (she’s really that dramatic) but when she realized that she’s really, really late and really, really desperate, she didn’t have any choice left but to swallow her nervousness and her pride and throw her worries and anxiety away and jump.

He instantly caught her and he carried her like a bride. His tantalizing cold eyes met hers and she felt like time ran slowly like what she had seen in lousy, cliché romantic movies.

But what really mesmerized her were not his eyes or how his jet-black hair was neatly pushed back, revealing his forehead or his deep voice, but because of his ears poking out adorably.

His elfish ears are so cute. She thought while staring, meeting his tantalizing gaze.

Can I at least touch it?

But before she could reach one of his ears, he suddenly dropped her on the ground.

“Aw! What the heck?!” Jin Hee winced when she felt her butt hurt because of the sudden fall. “If you want me to go down, you can ask me nicely! You don’t have to drop me!”

“You’re welcome,” he muttered with a deadpan expression and left her.

She ran soothing circles on her butt while glaring at him while he walks away from her. What a jerk.

“Ouch. Really dropped me square on my butt,” she winced. I have no idea anymore if I’ll continue encountering total jerks like him in this school.

“Hey, are you okay?” Jin Hee raised her head up, meeting a cheerful stranger who has a smile brighter than the sunshine. She stared in awe.

He looks familiar and…

“You’re cute.”

That made the guy raised his eyebrow. “What?”

Jin Hee’s eyes slightly widened when she realized she subconsciously blurted out words that should only be heard inside her mind. She internally knocked her head and cleared her throat. “I-I mean, yeah, I’m cool. I’m okay.”

Seriously, Jin Hee? Saying what’s on your mind to him? You’re so stupid. Embarrassing yourself like that.

“I mean, no! I’m not! Because a certain jerk suddenly dropped me square on my butt,” she huffed.

The guy chuckled and outstretched his hand to her. “I saw that. Here, let me help you, class pres.”

“Thanks,” she nodded and held his hand. He, then, pulled her up to stand on her feet. She suddenly paused after withdrawing her hand from his hold. Wait, what did he just say? “Wait, you saw us? And you called me class pres?”

“Yes, I saw what happened because I was actually following him,” he beamed and he outstretched his hand again. “I am Koo Han Sol. I’m from Class 12-1 so technically, I am your classmate.”

“Assa! That’s why you looked familiar!” she slightly pointed at him.

He nodded and smiled. “I’m sorry for what Luke did to you. He’s not in a really good mood this morning.”

“But that doesn’t mean he’ll take his pissed attitude out on me by dropping me like that,” she huffed and that made him chuckle.“Wait. Don’t tell me, he’s our classmate too?”

“Ah, yes. He’s Luke Hwang Harrison. He’s a half-American but you’re not allowed to call him Luke unless you’re a member of his family. You should call him Chan Yeol. Hwang Chan Yeol.”

“Hwang Chan Yeol,” she muttered. “So you’re a family member, huh?”

“Nope. Just his business partner. I just like calling him Luke because he’s also calling me Hans,” he shrugged as he shoved his both hands on his slack’s pockets.

“So… you’re friends?”

It took him seconds to answer. “No,” he slightly pointed to the fence using his thumb (trying to shrug her off the topic). “Anyway, why did you climb on the fence? Aren’t you aware of the school schedule?”

Jin Hee frowned. Han Sol took it as an answer. “Nevermind. You’ll know it soon. Anyway, let’s go?”

She nodded and smiled at him. “Okay.”

Jin Hee was really thankful that she was not late to their class. She was also thankful to Han Sol for making her comfortable in his company, totally forgetting what that Hwang Chan Yeol guy did to her. She focused herself on the entire duration of their classes that morning.

She sighed in satisfaction when Laws and Politics, the last class for the morning ended. Since Ah Young was not there to join her in lunch, she decided that she’ll just spend her lunch hour in the school garden’s glass house. After fixing her things, she left the classroom and paved her way to the locker room.

She silently entered the girl’s locker room, ignoring everyone who was bragging about their newly acquired gadgets, jewelry—pieces of jewelry, bags, shoes, stocks or anything that proves their wealth. She opened her locker and to her surprise, she found four red roses inside.

How on earth did someone manage to get these roses inside my locker? And what’s with the roses? It’s not even Valentine’s Day…

“Woah, you received four roses,” her gaze settled on the girl with a black, curly hair and bangs just a few lockers away from her. She remembered this girl. Right, she’s one of my foreign classmates. A Filipina, to be exact.

“Umm, there must be a mistake, Siel… right?” Siel nodded in recognition that Jin Hee said her name right. “I think there’s someone mistakenly put these roses in my locker,” she added. Albeit she wanted to keep the roses (because roses were indeed her favorite flower), she couldn’t do it. Owning something which is not yours is not right.

“This school actually has this so-called tradition aside from having these so-called laws of the elite,” after closing her locker, she leaned her back on it. “When a certain girl received a rose in her locker, someone from the first class elites, those folks from Class 1 is admiring her. One rose from one guy. Once she received her first rose, she’ll receive more roses in the whole duration until the school’s grand ball. The girl that received many roses in that span of time will be the grand ball’s Rose Princess. Which means, she’ll be the center of that party. Sort of the party’s queen and those boys who gave her roses will dance with her. As of last year, our past *sunbae named Im Seol Riwas entitled as the Rose Princess. She just received twelve roses in total and her admirers were so hot. Lucky her.”(*means “senior” in Korean.)

“*Isanghae. I think this school’s tradition is weird,” Jin Hee made a face.(*weird)

“Wow,” Siel muttered in disbelief, with an amused expression. “For someone who spent her first two days here and received four roses in a row to find the tradition really weird… just so you know, all the girls here in Empire Academy wants to be the Rose Princess—well, except for me because it’s too cliché for my liking. But seriously, a transferee like you receiving four roses just two days of staying is really impressive. You must be really something.”

Jin Hee couldn’t do anything but blink and stare at Siel in silence. This is really confusing and weird.

“Now, I’m really anticipating on what will happen next,” Siel muttered in English which made Jin Hee frown in confusion. The lass smiled at her, patted her shoulder and left her.

Her eyes settled on the four roses she’s holding and she couldn’t help but bring these near her nose and inhale it.

Rose Princess, huh?

Little did she know, that someone was watching her secretly, flaunting a small smile on his face.