⇉ the one where she meets the boys.
part two
Juno's feet pad softly on the wooden floors as she exits her room, latching it shut behind her with a soft click. It would've been wise to unpack first before leaving, but she decides to just procrastinate. She glances at the door beside hers, room 21, wondering if the grumpy white-haired boy from earlier is finally taking that long-awaited nap.
She does feel slightly guilty for causing such a ruckus. Instead of getting embarrassed, however, she just laughs to herself as she recalls that boy's annoyed expression. She's barely been here an hour, and has already managed to get on someone's nerves. Disappointing, but unsurprising. Juno sobers up quickly, though, when she realizes that she's going to have to be friendly and amiable in order to make new friends here.
"Well, f*ck it," she mutters to herself, a scowl forming on her lips. It's not like she can't be nice and outgoing, she just usually prefers not to be. It takes too much effort, and, truth be told, she's probably better off just being alone. The kids here are probably all crazy wackos anyway.
So is she, but that isn't the point.
Juno wanders around for a while, head held high even as she finally comes to the conclusion that she is hopelessly lost. She climbs the stairs to the fifth floor, looking around for somewhere to go. Her stomach rumbles loudly, and she decides that she needs food. All she's eaten that day was some cereal at breakfast - which she hadn't even finished because she was so furious about coming here. When she's angry, she has no appetite.
She comes upon a door, one that looks very different from all the other ones she's seen so far. Thinking nothing of it, she tries the handle, but it doesn't budge. Brows furrowing, she tries it again. It stays locked.
Suddenly, someone opens it from the inside. A pleasant-faced woman with a stern expression walks out, and Juno steps back. "No students are allowed past here," she informs, a brow raised.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Juno pivots on her heel to leave, but the woman's voice stops her.
"Are you new here?" she questions, sounding somewhat bewildered. "Most students already know to keep out of this floor, you see."
"Yes, I just arrived today."
"And what year are you in, dear?" The woman seems strangely contemplative.
"The last."
"Oh," she remarks, blinking rapidly. "How curious." Juno wants to ask her precisely what she means, but then she speaks again. "Is there anything in particular you need? It's a large school, so I understand if you're lost."
"As a matter of fact, I am," Juno smiles sheepishly. "Do you know where I can get some food?"
The woman gives her an understanding smile, a bit amused. "The cafeteria is on the second floor. Just walk straight forward from the stairs and you'll see it. Dinner is in a few hours, but there should be some snacks there you can feel free to take."
Juno bows respectfully. "Thank you." But she walks away unsettled, still able to feel the woman's eyes on her as she leaves.
The cafeteria is enormous. Oval and rectangular long tables, wooden chairs, stools, and even some couches are scattered throughout the large space. The windows stretch from floor to ceiling, displaying a pleasant view of the lush green manicured fields outside. To the right is what looks like an empty buffet setup with some doors in the back, most likely where the kitchens are. The entire place is lavishly decorated. But what snatches Juno's attention are the snack containers and receptacles spread out along the farthest back wall.
Her eyes light up, and a gleeful squeal escapes her lips as she rushes over. She excitedly opens various cases to see what's inside, finding it difficult to make a choice on what to eat. Finally deciding on a Pepero pack and banana milk, she figures a bag of chips in addition won't hurt. But just as she reaches for the very last package of honey butter chips, someone else does.
"It's okay, you can have it." It's a male voice that speaks.
Juno does take it, then straightens to give him a grateful smile. "Thank you," she begins to say meekly, but the boy's face makes her double-take. Are all the guys here cute?
"No problem." He grins back brightly. "You looked so excited, I couldn't possibly take it from you," he said cheekily, and heat rushed up her neck at the idea that he'd been watching her. Upon entering the cafeteria, she'd ended up just assuming that it was empty without actually bothering to check.
"Don't judge me, I'm starving," Juno quips easily. She opens the bag of chips and angles it over to him, a silent offer. He shakes his head at first, but at her insistent stare, he hesitantly reaches in and takes a chip. Then she digs in, munching away happily.
"You're new here, aren't you?" he asks suddenly, and she nods. "What year?"
"Last."
"Oh."
"Why?" Juno questions, cocking her head to the side as she recalls the woman's reaction from earlier when she'd told her the same thing. "Is that weird?"
"It's just that the only new students we ever get are the first years," he replies. "It's always a new crop every year, so all of us seniors have been together since we were sophomores. I've never actually heard of a new student coming in the second or third years before."
"Hmm, that is interesting." Juno chews slowly, deep in thought.
"Well, I guess there's a first time for everything." The boy extends his hand to her. "I'm Jeno, by the way."
"Juno," she introduces, and they shake hands. Her gaze drops to his, unable to help but notice how his large hand wholly envelops her much smaller one. It is surprisingly smooth, soft, and warm where her own is rough and cold. She simultaneously feels the need to snatch her hand away and let it linger there.
"Our names are really similar," Jeno comments, pulling away - both to Juno's disappointment and relief. "Anyway, it was nice to meet-"
"Jeno!" A sudden voice from behind them makes the two turn around. Two more (very attractive) boys are approaching them through an entrance on the other side of the room. "We sent you down to bring us food, not chat up pretty girls."
Jeno just rolls his eyes at the brunette who'd spoken. "Then you should've come to get the snacks yourself, Haechan."
"I haven't seen you around here before," Haechan ignores Jeno, turning to Juno. However, as her slow brain is still struggling to register the earlier comment about her attractiveness, Juno is zoned out completely. Haechan snaps his fingers in front of her face. "Hello?"
"Yeah, she's new in our year," Jeno tells them.
"That's odd."
Juno finally tunes back into the conversation. "I've heard," she comments.
"Anyway. I'm Donghyuck, but I go by Haechan. And this is Mark," Haechan says, gesturing to the guy beside him who has essentially been mute this entire time. "Excuse him, he just kinda sucks at talking to girls."
"I am not!" Mark protests indignantly, elbowing Haechan in the ribs even as a red flush blooms in his cheeks.
His cuteness makes Juno smile, and she waves at him. "Hi, Mark. I'm Juno."
"By the way," Jeno cuts in, turning his full attention to the girl. "What's your flair?"
Her brows furrow with confusion. "Pardon me?"
"You know. Your flair."
"Um..." Juno purses her lips. "I don't know, I guess I have a flair for the dramatics?" she responds, shrugging her shoulders.
The three boys chuckle at her, and she grows more confused. "No, he means your power. Like your ability." At the unchanged expression of befuddlement on her face, Haechan elaborates. "That's why you're here, because you have a gift?"
His words swirl around in Juno's brain, the entire situation slowly beginning to make sense. Jeno explains. "Mark, for example, can clone himself." And Juno watches, utterly flabbergasted, as the boy in front of her dissociates into two of himself, and then back into one. She blinks at him, mouth agape.
The pieces are slowly starting to fall into place.
After discovering her... ability about one year ago, scared and thoroughly baffled, Juno had kept it to herself. As she tried her best to keep it under wraps, she'd also been in the process of figuring out the logistics of it all - how exactly to control it, what its impacts were on her body, etcetera. Evidently, she had not been entirely successful, and she could only hide it for so long. Soon enough, her parents deemed her strange enough to send away. To send here. The point was, Juno had come to terms with the fact that she was a freak of nature quite easily.
Yet here she is, being told that there are others like her. So many, in fact, that they're gathered here, inside this school.
But how? Why? Question after question flowed through her brain as it whirled furiously. As far as she was concerned up until one year back, special abilities and powers only existed in fiction; novels and blockbusters that, to many, served as a much-needed escape from the harshness of reality. Apparently, however, they are reality. It is almost too much to wrap her mind around.
"I think she zoned out again." The comment snaps her back to the present. Haechan peers at her curiously, a brow raised. "You do have a power, don't you?"
Without a word, Juno raises her hand. They all watch, transfixed, as she reaches out with a finger. The topmost plate on the stack sitting on a large counter a few meters away suddenly rises, too. It hovers in the air for a minute, and then she jerks her finger slightly, a sharp movement in her direction. The plate suddenly flies towards them and lands cleanly on top of Mark's head.
They stare at her, and she shrugs. "I guess that's mine."