chewing gumㅡ재민

17

noise welcomed nari as soon as she entered the university cafeteria. usually, she would be excited about coming back to the university but it was different this time, especially when something happened a month before she became a junior.

not really liking the idea of sitting with jaemin and his friends, she decided to join her classmates and seniors on their table.

"oh, the beauty of engineering department is here," a male senior cheered for nari, which made her extremely uncomfortable. it really didn't help when that senior put an arm around her shoulders as more seniors surrounded her. at this point, she regretted avoiding jaemin.

another male senior handed her a plastic bottle, offering her a drink. "come on, that's my favorite. i like to drown in it," the senior licked his lips which sent a shiver down nari's spine. she looked around to search for her friends in her class but they disappeared, leaving her alone with the seniors.

she stood up, making some of the students look at them. "i have to go, sunbaenim," she was about to leave when the senior grabbed her hand, intentionally grazing over her thigh.

"we're just offering you a drink, what the hell is your problem?" the seniors were obviously irritated by nari's behavior. kim nari was scared, she scanned around the area to ask for help but they just look away from her. except for one person.

na jaemin.

na jaemin looked at her straight to the eye as he walked towards her, his friends and him have just entered the cafeteria. renjun, donghyuck and jeno followed jaemin. nari couldn't tear her eyes away from her friends but a feeling of liquid dripping on her hand made her look at where it came from.

the senior that was holding her was drenched with the content of the bottle they were forcefully making her drink-alcohol. and she saw a girl holding the bottle upside down and uncapped, hovering over the senior's head. nari pulled her hand away from the senior's grasp as she cover her mouth with her other hand in shock.

the girl let go of the bottle, intentionally making it hit the senior's head. "oh, why do you look angry? i just helped you drown in your favorite drink," she smirked as she crossed her arms, mocking the senior's words earlier. "if you wanted to drink that much then you go drink it. you really did dare to make your junior uncomfortable? you're fucking disgusting."

one of the seniors grabbed her collar, clearly pissed. "who are you?" he then grabbed her identification card harshly. "from theater arts, eh? you should work on your acting skills somewhere else, sophomore."

the girl seemed to be unbothered by the fist grabbing her collar that she even chuckled. "sorry, i thought you were my senior because you look like an actor," the senior seemed taken aback because of what the girl told him. his lips curved to a smile but soon frowned when the girl added, "is acting stupid your forte?"

the senior lifted his fist to hit the girl when a hand stopped him from doing so. na jaemin. before the senior could react, jaemin punched him right into his face and he slumped onto the ground.

the cafeteria became a mess, everyone was fighting. jaemin once again swung his fist on one of the seniors who tried to harass nari. soon, the fight came to an end when the fire sprinkler was activated by the faculty, making the students exit the cafeteria. na jaemin looked at nari whose hands were still shaking due to what happened.

jaemin was about to walk towards nari when someone suddenly hugged him and kissed him on his cheek. "i missed you jaemin," said the unknown girl that helped her a while ago.

nari's breath hitched at the sight. she doesn't know what she's feeling anymore. she felt herself being tugged into a warm hug, still facing jaemin. it was renjun. he continued to pat her back as nari and jaemin continued to stare at each other.

so this is the person he told me he admires, nari thought.