16. Cliché Seduction

Somin, Mia and Teho

The girls walked out in a good mood, Mia was in the middle of telling Somin a funny story from the day before when a deep voice interrupted them from behind.

"Where are you girls going?" Teho asked.

That voice sounds familiar. Somin's instincts alerted while listening to the lazily enunciated words dripping with sweetness.

I've heard it before. She realized.

Mia rose to the occasion and answered by turning herself to the source while Somin didn't even look. Instead, she gazed at the pavement.

No, not him. Somin thought, too tired to deal with him in that moment, yet her heart raced with nervousness.

...

"Hi!... ehm?" Mia smiled and raised a brow at Teho.

"Kim Teho, photography major. Now my day is complete because you've graced me with your extraordinary beauty," he said cockily.

"Can you be any more cliché?" Somin gave him an icy glare.

"Oh, pink hair. I didn't notice you there," he said nonchalantly.

The beautiful boy relished in her desperate display of "cool and collected" while she obviously stewed with emotion.

"You really want to stay close to me, don't you?" he continued when she didn't respond.

While Mia confusedly stared at both of them, "You know each other?"

Teho took Mia's hand and pretended to kiss it.

Somin rolled her eyes, "Mia, he was very rude to me yesterday at school," the pink paintress was raging all of the sudden.

"Hold your horses, pink hair, using such harsh words. I asked you to move your butt and you obliged," the photographer smiled widely.

Somin stared into the distance fuming with anger, focusing on the end of the road.

I want to slap his smug face. Somin's hand made a small angry fist.

"Interesting," Mia said, "Kang Mia, dance major," winking cutely at him.

"And pink hair is...?" the curious boy pushed.

"None of your business," Somin answered sharply.

"Whoa there," the boy gestured in pretend shock. Loving the theatrics, he stared into Mia's eyes.

"Let me show you around the school, Mia. As your senior I can teach you a lot," Mia only smiled in response.

"Mia, no. He's full of shit," Somin pleaded.

"Well, I've spoken to you once and you're suddenly an expert on how I am, pink hair?" Teho enquired a bit annoyed by her defiant demeanor.

You make me feel some type of way. Teho felt unusually nervous.

"Her name is Lee Somin, a painting major," said Mia.

"Ya, Somin-ah!" out of nowhere Teho yelled in mock distress and Somin looked up at him through rage-filled eyes.

"Hi there," he laughed out loud and Mia laughed too because it was so intoxicating.

"Stay away from me, I have no intention of being your friend," Somin sharply said.

Teho was caught by surprise by her stone-cold honesty, "Oh, so you wanna be more?" he mocked her.

"Somin-ssi, don't be that harsh. It's only our second day at school. Try to relax, will you?" Mia pleaded.

"I'm gonna speed up and go work, it'll be more pleasant than listening to this boy bullshitting you," Somin ran off.

"What was that for?" asked Teho, "I didn't do anything bad, I swear. I saw her yesterday for the first time."

Sorry for the lie, maybe I was a prime asshole. The much-needed self-reflection finally made it to his brain.

Mia playfully batted away the hand he offered her, "She's already had a hard time here, don't push her buttons, please. I have to live with her."

And with that, the tall dancer ran towards Somin. Teho saw the girls stopping in the distance and slowing again. Mia hooked her arm through Somin's and all he could hear was a distant laugh. The shocked photographer was left with his thoughts.

Huh.

...

Mia's mind was swirling while watching Somin relax again.

Cute one. Ran through her mind.

I can use some boy time. At least days won't be just hard work or part-timing all the time.

She entertained the thought of being pursued by him.

An image of piercing brown eyes looking at her from behind a short blonde mane came up. The girl's red lipstick was inviting and Mia's heart sank a little.

I need to focus, this boy would do.

Red lips curved to a sad smile, Ara was disapproving.

...

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