Jinri always cracks the top 10 of the whole school. It isn’t super amazing, since people only care for the top 3 anyways, but it is superbly miraculous since Jinri almost never studies. Her friends resent her for that very reason.

“One more freaking semester left to make dues of my slowly dropping scores.” Amber drops her head unto the aluminum table. It hurts, but Amber tries not to show it. She whimpers though, slightly. She is sure it didn’t hurt, she convinces herself.

“The fact that you even considered banging your head to the table justifies how much studying you need actually.” Soojung isn’t a bully—she is just really mean in her own loving way.

“Guys quit it.” Victoria calmly reprimands them. Sometimes, she wonders why was she friends with such immature third years. It is exactly like tending your own toddler. “You can ask Sunyoung to tutor you anyways.”

“Upon request.” Sunyoung says lightly, not even sparing a glance to the self-suffering Amber. “Seven bucks per hour.”

“Why seven? I thought you hated the number seven?”

“Because Se7en oppa is fucking hot and I feel like it. Now pay up or get held back.”


“Look, I’ve never even said that I agreed to this shit.”

Times like these, Jinri was grateful she has amazing brain capacity and information soaking and storage powers. It makes her life a whole lot easier. Especially since Sunyoung sucks at tutoring other people.




Jinri loves fashion. She practically breathes it. But she is in no way allowed to wear her Avant-garde clothing items to school even if she bribes the dean. It is a sticky shitty situation, that’s why she has sworn she would get herself into an Arts school. Her preferred arts school doesn’t really have a fashion department, but in the very least, she doesn’t have to study that hard (not that she actually does.)

With Jinri’s attention to studies—or rather, lack there of, she is sure she would get into Seoul’s most prestigious arts high school (Or at least, according to her and the pretty uniforms) Hanlim. She knows someone who had gone through the placement test of a prestigious arts university. Jinri notices it wasn’t quite a high school but it should do. After all, an arts school is an arts school no matter what, right? Himchan is his name. She has befriended him for his funny, Japanese sounding name that makes her think of Honey Senpai.

Himchan has told her that the test was a breeze and anybody could get into any school if they really wanted to. Himchan shouldn’t have said that. After all, Himchan takes all this musical shit more seriously than anybody else. He freaking studied musical theory since he was less than ten years old. Music to him is like fashion for Jinri, he is desperate for it. It is his compulsion. And without a doubt, Himchan passed the tests and interviews with no complications whatsoever. Jinri has expressed that she really wanted to get in and for that, has more confidence than a professional musician.

It is Jinri’s only piece of information and real-life, in-depth, actual believable source. Jinri doesn’t necessarily like Himchan all the lot, in different angles and lightings; he really does look like an anime character or some J-Pop artist. He could be one of the freaking bazillion members of EXILE for all she cared. But with his superbly deep baritone, she isn’t sure if he would receive any lines whatsoever. But she needs him.


“But you don’t even like music or the Arts.” Soojung argues once. “For starters, you’re almost tone-deaf. You’ve got no rhythm whatsoever. And the closest thing you can do, is just act. And you’re not exactly on par with Yoon Eun Hye for that matter. Though you look as pretty as her. Maybe even more so.”

Everything that Soojung said has almost hurt in all the right places. But what she said are not shady lies. It is almost a reality check for Jinri. Soojung really doesn’t like beating around the bush, Jinri should appreciate Soojung for acting that way but she doesn’t. Jinri is immature like that.

“From a friend’s stand point, I really do think it’s best if you study something more, shall I say, stable.” Soojung is actually in no place to say that. At a point in her life, she actually thought about dropping out from high school sooner or later because high school is for sore losers and college sucks dick. “Technician, perhaps.”

“Please stop talking like that.” Jinri pleas silently. “You sound really weird talking like that.”

“Then go and study technician or whatever and I won’t bother you anymore!”

“Why do you care?” Jinri rolls her eyes. Jinri is picking on her school skirt, folding it up a few centimeters before rolling it in a down wards motion.

“Because…” Soojung stops herself. Jinri isn’t sure if Soojung is finding the correct words to finish her sentence to convince Jinri entirely out of her plan or if it is just for some added dramatic flair. “We’re friends.” She says finally.

“No.” Jinri says curtly. “That’s not enough to convince me. If you were to die I could find other friends.”

Soojung looks hurt for a split second but diminishes the emotion. “Fine.” She huffs out childishly, blowing her long bangs in the process.

“If it helps, I’m pretty sure my ideal guy now should be a technician or whatever.” Jinri tries to console but half-asses. She isn’t really guilty.

“Damn you’re naïve. You can’t just date technician dudes. Who knows what creepy geeks you’ll end up with! It’s almost like putting yourself out on eHarmony! And you never know what you’ll get yourself into. I’ve watched too much reality TV shows to see how real this shit is. Like come on! I actually think it’s shameless to lie that you’re freaking 100lbs online when you’re actually 300lbs! I mean, not fat shaming here or whatever but—“

Jinri drowns Soojung’s voice. Yeap, she is not guilty whatsoever.




Since Jinri is not the least bit concerned whether or not she would be graduating from high school, she decides to plunge into Hamlin and place in for an interview. Even with the slight grim yet anticipating atmosphere leeching out from soon-to-be students of Hamlin, Jinri is not the least bit worried. Not even the amazing tenor tones of a petite and slightly round girl could faze her. Jinri is already imagining herself wearing the cute school uniform.

Jinri is tested for several different categories. Singing, which is not Jinri’s forte. Dancing, which is not Jinri’s forte. Acting, which is not Jinri’s forte. Public broadcasting and in the very least, a fine arts program, none of which are Jinri’s forte either or at the near interest of Jinri’s one way mind.

Jinri’s phone keeps buzzing every few seconds with Soojung constantly asking her of any hot dudes on red alert and Victoria’s encouraging texts that are heart warming at first but just grow to become annoying afterwards. Now that Jinri thinks about it, there is one dude who Soojung would approve of being eye-catching. His hair is dyed a brown on the lighter shade and his nose bridge discouragingly high. Looking at his delicate features, Jinri swallows hardly. She probably doesn’t even have the guts to—shit they make eye contact. Calm the fuck down, Jinri. Jinri audibly breathes which only makes her weird and might ruin her chances on making through the audition.

What is that she sees? Is that a—is that a smirk? That freaking cute dude freaking smirked? Jinri knows one thing for sure now. And that is she hates snobby cute guys who thinks and knows that they’re cute. It’s not confidence, it’s just downright snobby. But girls could definitely validate themselves into feeling that way. It isn’t unfair, it is life. And that cute dude is not confident, he is just downright snobby. A major turn-off to Jinri.




The long awaited day has arrived. Everybody is hanging around, eating spaghetti with pesto sauce and ice cream on waffles while Amber comes rushing hastily. Her excuse is that she was studying to rid herself of summer school and for some reason, it sounds plausible.

Jinri was leeching out for the free Wi-Fi from the café. It was compulsory, especially since she ordered something of from the menu (even if she forced Sunyoung to pay for the bill). Her fingers swipe her phone’s screen tenaciously. Hanlim is horrifyingly on point with their timings, it was just a little over 1:58 p.m. and the results are yet to be out. Maybe it's a positive point out of them and perhaps something they are oddly proud of.

“Chill dude. The results are going to come either way you freak out about it or act completely cool.” Sunyoung talks with her mouth full of ten-times chewed French fries.

Gross, Jinri thinks internally. She hasn’t even touched her ice lemonade with no syrup—she was on a strict 700kkal a day diet.

Minutes pass and as Jinri refreshes the website once again, her eyes scan through the list of accepted applicants.

“So?”

Soojung says after a long pause and an alleged skim through of three syllable names.
“Shhh.” Jinri hushes. “I’m still trying to read the situation here.” Her name is not there. “My name isn’t here.” Victoria has that sympathetic look on her eyes but Jinri beats her to the punch. “What does that mean? Does that mean I’m in a different VIP kind of list or what?”

“It means you didn’t make it in damnit.” Amber says simply. “Even I know that.” She says under her breath, Soojung sniggers and Jinri shoots them a glare.

“Well, boo. I guess.” Jinri blows a raspberry. Nobody does that anymore.

“And you’re not sad?” Sunyoung asks carefully with a pointed look. This must be the most bizarre interpretation of disappointment she has ever seen in her life.

“Nah. What ‘s the point anyways? I met a bitch at the auditions, made me not want to enter the academy anymore.”

Before Soojung could rage all over Jinri and possible beat her up with a rolled up magazine, Victoria holds her to her place and covers her mouth.

“Well, I guess we don’t have to pretend to care and comfort you I guess.” Amber shrugs, so does Jinri.