The School Tour

~Lee Yul~

She reached out and touched my face, her fingers grazing my skin with an unsettling familiarity. My breath hitched, and I froze, unsure of what to do. The moment stretched too long, too strange, until instinct took over. I shoved her hand away, a little harsher than I intended, and pushed open the cab door.

"I'll just take another cab," I mumbled, my voice strained, avoiding her gaze. Before she could say anything, I stepped out, the air outside a welcome reprieve from the suffocating tension. I didn't look back. I couldn't. Instead, I walked briskly, almost running, as if I could outpace the awkwardness and confusion that clung to me.

But where was I running to? The question hit me like a wall. There was nowhere to go but forward—to the school I was already late for. My first day, and this? This bizarre encounter? I shook my head, trying to make sense of it.

She was wearing the same uniform. That meant she went to the same school. And now, I'd have to face her there.

But why had she done that? Her touch wasn't casual, wasn't meaningless. It felt deliberate. Did she... did she remember me?

No, that couldn't be it. It didn't make sense. I'd heard about the accident, how she'd lost her memory afterward. I shook the thought away. No, I couldn't let my mind go there. It was too much. Too confusing.

Focus. I needed to focus. I was already late, and standing here wouldn't change that. I had to find another cab and get to school. Whatever just happened could wait—though I had a sinking feeling it wouldn't.

I reached school and was in the staff room with my Homeroom teacher Ms. In Na. "Well, as this is your first day so I am letting you go. But make sure you don't come late again, ok?"

"Yes ma'am, I am sorry. I will be on time from tomorrow." I said respectfully.

"Good! Now let's go to the classroom. Everyone will be waiting for me." She said with a smile. I nodded and went after her to my new class room.

I followed Ms. In Na into the classroom. The kids were chattering and playing, some laughing loudly over a joke.

As I scanned the room, I spotted her—the girl I'd met in the cab earlier. So we're in the same class. Great. She was sitting next to another girl, discussing about something and looking confused.

"Good morning, students!" Ms. In Na said cheerfully. The class responded with a chorus of greetings. "We have a new student joining us today. Please come up and introduce yourself," she said, gesturing to me.

I walked to the front and faced the sea of new faces. "Hi everyone, I'm Lee Yul. I'm a transfer student and I hope we can all get along. Thanks!" I finished, and most of the class clapped to welcome me, except for the girl from the cab. Her face was one of complete surprise. Maybe she felt embarrassed. If so, I'll just pretend I don't remember our earlier meeting.

"Okay, I am happy to see you guys cheering up your new classmate. Well then, Lee Yul, please take a seat."

"Yes ma'am."

"Oh, wait... one second, you are completely new here, so it will be tough for you around in the school," Ms. In Na continued while calling out someone's name, "Na Ri, as you are the class president, I would like you to give Lee Yul a tour around. That's fine with you, right?." 

On saying this, the cab girl stood up from her seat- (okay, I don't want to call her that but I can't help it), "I am sorry Ma'am, but I don't think I will be able to help him," the cab girl replied stammeringly.

"Why, Na Ri, are you busy with something?" Ms. In Na's voice rang through the classroom with its usual warmth, though tinged with curiosity. Without pausing for long, she added, "If you don't have time, it's fine. I'll just ask another student to help Lee Yul settle in."

Na Ri, the cab girl—felt the weight of several pairs of eyes shifting to her. A sigh of relief almost escaped her lips. She was ready to be spared from the awkward task, but her reprieve was short-lived.

A voice interrupted the fleeting moment of peace. "But Ms. In Na," it said with an easy confidence, "she's the class president. Shouldn't she take the responsibility of showing the new student around?"

Heads turned toward the source of the voice. His tone held a teasing edge, and Na Ri's expression betrayed her immediate reaction. A faint blush bloomed across her face—not out of shyness, but rather irritation. Her lips pressed into a thin line before she turned to face Ms. In Na.

"Chae Soo is right, Ma'am," Na Ri said, her voice measured but firm. "As class president, it is my responsibility." Then, with a deliberate grace, she turned to the boy in question.

The guy—who's name I realised is Chae Soo, was sitting comfortably, his smirk firmly in place. Meeting his amused gaze, Na Ri flashed a sharp, overly sweet smile. "Thank you so much, Chae Soo, for reminding me of my duties."

The boy leaned back in his chair, still wearing that infuriating smirk. "You're always welcome, Na Ri," he replied, the amusement in his voice unmistakable.

Na Ri sat back on her seat, her back straight and her composure intact, though a subtle tension lingered in her movements. Ms. In Na, sensing the energy in the room, redirected the class's focus. "All right, Lee Yul," she said, gesturing toward me. "Why don't you find a seat?"

I nodded quickly, avoiding the ripple of interest that my arrival had stirred, and slid into a seat near the back. From there, I couldn't help but notice Na Ri's rigid posture, the subtle flare of determination in her eyes, and the way Chae Soo's smirk only deepened as he glanced her way.

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As the lecture ended, the room dissolved into chaos. Students bid their polite "good day" to the teacher, but the moment she left, the classroom transformed. Some sprinted out, eager for a break, while others flocked to their friends' desks, gossiping animatedly as though they hadn't seen each other in years.

I maneuvered my way through the lively crowd, my eyes set on Na Ri's desk. But before I could reach her, I noticed Chae Soo—yes, the same guy who had made her blush earlier—standing by her, his expression darker this time.

"Why did you tell everyone about me having a girlfriend earlier?" His voice was low, tinged with frustration.

Na Ri didn't miss a beat. "Well," she began with an innocent tilt of her head, "the way your girlfriend was flaunting being your girlfriend to her classmates, I thought you both wanted to make it public. So, I just helped by letting our classmates know." Her expression was serene, almost too serene.

Chae Soo's eyes narrowed. "You have no right to do that. Whether we keep it public or personal, that's for me and my girlfriend to decide. Just mind your own business." His tone was bitter, each word landing like a jab.

For a fleeting moment, something shifted in Na Ri's expression—a faint shadow of sadness flickered across her face. It was so quick, so subtle, that I doubted anyone else noticed it. Then, as if a mask had slipped back into place, she smiled again, her usual composed demeanor intact.

"Fine," she replied lightly, her voice almost dismissive. "I'll just mind my own business." She turned toward me, her gaze unwavering, and added, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to show Lee Yul around the school."

Without waiting for a response, Na Ri stepped past Chae Soo, her posture stiff but graceful. She reached me with an expression devoid of emotion—neither annoyance nor warmth lingered on her face.

"Let's go, Lee Yul," she said flatly, her tone distant. Before I could respond, she spun on her heel and walked out of the classroom, her steps quick and deliberate, leaving me to catch up.

As I followed her, I couldn't help but glance back at Chae Soo, who stood frozen by her desk, his jaw clenched in what looked like a mixture of frustration and something else—regret, perhaps? But I had no time to dwell on it. Na Ri's retreating figure was already turning the corner, and I hurried after her, wondering what kind of storm I had stepped into.