-ˋˏ ༻ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 ༺ ˎˊ-
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The defeaning purr of his motorbike stood out against the quiet shuffling of feet as he zoomed past the endless number of students with practiced ease. You could say, he was somewhat too reliant on his skills that he allowed himself to drive recklessly. It's a habit he's developed over the years of riding his precious motorcycle, and it's something he's never been able to get rid of since.
Not that he wanted to, of course.
Han Seojun slowed his bike down upon fixing his eyes on his parking spot through the glass of his helmet. Empty and ready for him, as usual. Since everybody in Saebom High makes a point of avoiding it because they know it has been⎯⎯unofficially⎯⎯declared as his.
After slipping out of his helmet, Seojun pulls the key out of the ignition and swings his legs over the seat until his feet are on the ground once more. He straightens his hoodie by the hem and runs his fingers through his hair, not wanting to unknowingly walk around campus with helmet hair and look like a total buffoon. Though with a face like this, the chances of it happening are quite low.
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Jugyeong walking by with something red smeared on her face. Lipstick, probably. That, or her nose was just bleeding. Either way, Seojun had a feeling she was unaware of the stain.
He shakes his head, unsurprised. How half the boys in Saebom High find that girl attractive is a mystery to him. A mystery he would like nothing more to solve if it means getting into Suho's nerves.
His hands involuntarily curl into fists at the name. He sure would love nothing more than to have a replay of what happened yesterday, but getting in another fight with the golden boy not even a day after their first wouldn't end well for him. Especially when the school favors Suho and doesn't even try to hide it. In their eyes, Suho is an angel who could do no wrong.
Seojun clenches his jaw; if only they knew what kind of sickening person Suho truly was. Will they still treat him the same? He couldn't help but wonder.
His grim thoughts vanished when he spies a familiar petite stature up ahead. Hands loosening and jaw relaxing, Seojun smirked. Even amongst a crowd, he'd recognize that girl instantly. Shoulders pulled back and chin lifted impossibly high, it would be simply absurd to not know who that was the moment you saw her.
Natalia Kim.
Anyone with functioning eyes knows she's the definition of the word stunning. With her raven hair, rosy cheeks, pouty lips, big doe eyes, and pale skin; Natalia looks positively ethereal. But unlike the rest of the male population in Saebom High, her pretty face wasn't what intrigued him⎯⎯it was those sharp eyes which promised hell, and her snarky mouth that never fails to make it difficult for Seojun to detest her.
So enraptured in his thoughts, Seojun didn't even notice his feet were ever so slowly pulling him towards Natalia until his shoulder suddenly collided with her own.
000
Listening to music has always been Natalia's way of escaping from her reality. When she was feeling like shit, she listened to music to make herself feel better. When her parents were fighting, she blasted a couple of Bruno Mars songs at the highest volume to drown out their voices. And whenever the going gets tough, like right now, she listens to the playlist of songs she'd made ten years ago, way before she left Korea.
In short, Natalia enjoys listening to music just as much as she likes shopping online. If not, more. That was how much she loves music. Heck, she even wanted to become a singer once. Until she heard firsthand how awful her voice actually sounds. Of course, young Natalia wasn't the type to give up so easily and opted for learning how to play instruments instead.
She gave up half-way once she realized learning how to play instruments wasn't the same and as easy as learning the lyrics of a song.
Natalia yelped when a shoulder bumped into her unexpectedly. She held her arms out in front of her, barely stopping herself from falling face-first into hard concrete and what would've been one expensive nose job had she not steadied herself on time.
Ripping out her airpods from her ears, Natalia whirled around, her skirt brushing against her knees, mouth wide and ready to cuss out whoever her assailant was, only to connect gazes with⎯⎯"Han Seojun?" She spat, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Seojun forced his lips to upturn into a pompous smile to hide the panic flaring in his stomach. Truthfully, he himself doesn't know why he approached her either, but he'll be damned before he lets her know that. He finds his 'saving grace' in the form of Lim Jugyeong moments later, who, much to the disappointment of his humor, no longer had a red stain on her face.
"Are Lee Suho and Lim Jugyeong dating?" is what he ends up blurting out.
Natalia couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Are you seriously asking me that?" She deadpanned. Her eyes wandered to a group of freshmen passing by. They whispered to each other as they pointedly stared at her and Seojun, no doubt conjuring up some scandalous stories they'd inevitably tell everybody else later.
Natalia glared at them; they immediately lowered their gazes and dashed away. Her eyes softened with satisfaction then, but the fire in them returned when she turned to face Seojun once more, regarding him with a much dirtier look.
Seojun tutted, "Just answer the question, princess. You're friends with Jugyeong, Sua, and Sujin, aren't you? You eat lunch together, hang out with each other..."
A cruel smile crawled up her face, "Woah, have you been secretly watching me or something?" Natalia says in a mocking manner, "It seems like you know so much about me now." Her tone was sweet, but her words, dripping with passive aggressiveness, gave away her malicious intent.
"Hardly," Seojun scoffs, Natalia doesn't believe him. He squints his eyes, as if coming to a realization, "You're quite full of yourself, you know that right? I doubt you've ever been told this before but⎯⎯not everything is about you, princess."
Natalia would have been offended had the words not come out of a hypocrite's mouth. "I think this is a bit of a pot and kettle situation, no?" She countered, recalling all the times he too had shown the qualities of a self-centered person.
Seojun merely arched an eyebrow in response.
"Listen," Natalia starts with a tired sigh, "I've already returned your helmet to you. You have nothing more to gain from me. Do us both a favor and let's never talk to each other again unless it's about school matters, all right?"
Silence.
Natalia took it as her cue to leave, though not before she said, "And if you're so desperate to know if Suho and Jugyeong are dating, here's a genius tip: go ask them yourself." And then she was off.
Left behind, Seojun was alone with his thoughts once more. He knows any 'interest' he has on Natalia should've disappeared at that. The girl herself made it very clear she dislikes him, hates him even, but for reasons Seojun himself cannot seem to decipher, her hatred for him only serves to intrigue him even more.
He lets out an annoyed groan as he slaps a palm over his forehead, irritated with Natalia and most especially with himself⎯⎯because for the first time in his life, he was stressing over a girl who was neither his sister nor mother.
author's note. . . short chapter cause it's new years eve where i live, but y'all got more natalia x seojun scenes so ig it's alright lol.
(chapters are unedited and will remain as such until i've finished the writing the entire book)