Taehyung's perspective

It was recess, and as directed by So Hee I went to the cafeteria, of course, I had to know her friend circle to know her better. As I walked into the bustling cafeteria, the noise and energy of the students hit me immediately. It was a maze of tables and chatter, a mix of laughter and animated conversations. I scanned the room carefully, trying to locate So Hee based on the directions she had given me earlier.

Finally, I spotted her in the left corner near the windows, sitting alone. She was absorbed in her phone, occasionally taking a sip from what looked like a milkshake. The solitude of her corner contrasted sharply with the lively atmosphere around her. It seemed like a deliberate choice, a quiet haven amid the chaos of the cafeteria.

I made my way over, dodging groups of students engrossed in their own conversations. As I approached her table, I raised my hand and gave a small wave to catch her attention. Her eyes flicked up from her phone, and she greeted me with a smile that seemed genuine despite the busy environment.

"Hey, So Hee," I said as I reached her table. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

She shook her head, her smile widening as she gestured for me to sit down. "Not at all. I was just catching up on some messages. I'm glad you made it. I thought we could grab some lunch together and I could introduce you to a few of my friends."

I took a seat across from her, noting the way her demeanor shifted from her earlier, more guarded self to a more relaxed and friendly version. The transition was subtle but noticeable.

"So, how's your first day going so far?" she asked, her eyes warm and curious.

"It's been good," I replied, trying to keep the conversation light. "A bit overwhelming, but I'm getting the hang of it. Thanks for the tour earlier. It really helped."

"Mention not," she said with a smile when I thanked her again for the tour. "Anyway, did you make any friends here yet?"

"Yup, I think I did find one," I replied, trying to keep my tone casual but with a hint of playfulness.

Her eyes lit up with curiosity. "Really? Who? I might know them!"

I met her gaze, a small smile tugging at my lips. "You," I said simply, and then let out a shy, low laugh, the kind that was more about testing the waters than anything else.

To my surprise, she blushed a little, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. "You really are funny," she said, clearly a bit flustered but still smiling.

"What? I ain't kidding," I replied, leaning in slightly as if to emphasize my sincerity. "Do you not want to become friends with me?"

She hesitated for a moment, her eyes searching mine as if trying to gauge how serious I was. "It's not like that..." Before she could say any further her friend gathered around, "Yaaaaaaa, lunch on Hee-ya!" they shouted, all but engulfing her small figure in a friendly ambush. They seemed cute, full of energy and affection for So Hee.

"Yah! Stop calling me that! And no, not today. I came early only because we have a new member," So Hee protested, though there was a playful lilt to her voice.

"Nope, no excuses, rules are rules, no exception! And who's the new member? I thought we were going to surprise you!" KK, one of the more boisterous ones, exclaimed.

"Idiot, he's sitting right in front of you," So Hee said, gesturing towards me with a bit of exasperation.

KK and PP turned their heads toward me, both of them looking utterly confused as they tried to process the situation. "Hee-ya, who's he?" PP asked, her brows furrowing in curiosity.

"He's Taehyung, the new transfer, and apparently the hot topic of the school!" So Hee replied, a hint of amusement in her tone.

I wasn't aware that I had already become a hot topic around the school, so when I heard it, I couldn't help but become a bit more cautious of my surroundings. That's when I noticed it—the subtle stares and glances being thrown my way by other students in the cafeteria. It was as if I was under a spotlight, and the realization made me slightly uneasy.

Before I could dwell on it too much, PP's voice snapped me back to reality. "Oh, he sure is a fine piece of art," she remarked, her tone half-teasing, half-admiring. But then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she added, "But guess what? Someone else joined our school today!"

"Who?" So Hee asked, her curiosity piqued.

KK couldn't contain her excitement any longer as she announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, the one and only, Park Jimin!" and just like a magician, Jimin appeared in front of us, seemingly out of thin air. For a split second, everything seemed to go into slow motion. I barely had time to process what was happening when So Hee, startled by Jimin's sudden arrival, accidentally knocked over her shake. The cold liquid splashed all over me, drenching my shirt and making me jump back in shock.

In the midst of my reaction, I grabbed my bag, but in my haste, I accidentally swung it toward KK, who was standing too close. The bag hit him squarely in the chest, and with a comical yelp, he lost his balance and fell backward, landing on the floor with a thud.

Meanwhile, So Hee, who had been precariously perched on the edge of her chair, tumbled backward as well, landing on the ground in a dazed heap. Her eyes were wide with surprise as she looked up at me, still holding the now-empty cup.

The only ones who remained unaffected were PP and Jimin. Jimin stood frozen, his eyes wide with shock, clearly not expecting the chain reaction he had set off. He didn't even blink, as if he was too stunned to move. And then there was PP, who, in stark contrast to everyone else, was calmly munching on her chips, completely unfazed by the chaos unfolding around her. It was as if this kind of thing happened every day, and she was just waiting for the dust to settle.

For a moment, no one moved. The entire cafeteria seemed to have gone silent, all eyes on our little group. Then, as if on cue, the silence was broken by So Hee's soft groan as she tried to pick herself up from the floor. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment, but she managed to give me a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Taehyung. I didn't mean to... well, this."

I glanced down at my soaked shirt, then over at KK, who was still sprawled on the floor, trying to catch his breath. A laugh bubbled up from somewhere deep inside me, and before I knew it, I was chuckling softly. The absurdity of the situation was too much to take seriously.

"I guess I should have expected this, considering the day we're having," I said, shaking my head in amusement.

Jimin finally snapped out of his shock and rushed over to help So Hee up, his face a mixture of concern and apology. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to startle you all like that."

KK, still on the floor, groaned as he rubbed his chest where my bag had hit him. "Man, you've got a strong swing, Taehyung. Remind me to stay out of your way next time."

PP, still munching on her chips, finally spoke up, her voice calm and unconcerned. "Well, that was entertaining. Anyone want a chip?"KK, still on the floor, gave an exaggerated groan. "I would rather appreciate a hand to help me get up!" he grumbled, looking up at us. Jimin, always the considerate one, quickly bent down to help him to his feet, while I extended a hand to So Hee, pulling her up gently.

As soon as she was back on her feet, So Hee let out a laugh, trying to shake off the embarrassment. "What a great introduction party here, guys!" she exclaimed with mock exasperation. Then, her eyes lit up as she turned to Jimin. "But hey, Jimin!" she said, her voice filled with warmth as she hugged him tightly.

The sight caught me off guard. I hadn't realized how close Jimin was with So Hee and her friends. There was a level of comfort and familiarity between them that I hadn't expected. They seemed completely at ease around each other, like they'd known each other for ages.

"I didn't know you were going to join us," So Hee said as she pulled back from the hug, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Why didn't you tell us? We could have prepared something to welcome you!"

Jimin smiled sheepishly. "Well, to start, it was sudden for me as well. Namjoon hyung just asked me to transfer here, you know, with you joining the attack and..." He trailed off, realizing he might have said too much.

So Hee, quick on her feet, cut him off with a playful but pointed remark. "Yah, Jiminie, enough! Don't be a tattletale, haha. Namjoon just wants you to study, you know? See Taehyung here, he's also here to study, so you should focus on your books too."

I couldn't help but be impressed by how smoothly she deflected the conversation. She really knew how to steer things in the right direction when needed.

Turning to KK, So Hee continued, "KK, how about you help Taehyung with his clothes, and I'll buy you guys lunch. Hmm? Go fast, the break's about to end."

KK nodded, still rubbing his chest where my bag had hit him earlier. "Sure thing. Let's get you cleaned up, Taehyung," he said, giving me a friendly pat on the back.

KK led me to a quieter area where the bathrooms were located. As I looked down at my soaked shirt, he chuckled softly. "Man, you really got the full So Hee experience on your first day. She's always been a bit clumsy, but I guess that's part of her charm."

"Yeah, she does have a way of making an impression," I replied, trying to sound casual, even as my mind raced with questions.

KK grabbed some paper towels and handed them to me. "So, how are you liking the school so far? You seem to be adjusting pretty well, considering all the attention you're getting."

"It's been interesting, to say the least," I said, dabbing at the wet spot on my shirt. "I didn't expect to become the 'hot topic' on my first day, though."

KK laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, that tends to happen when you're new, especially if you're as... well, let's just say you have a presence that people notice. But don't worry, it'll die down soon enough." I laughed along with him.

When we returned, So Hee and the others were waiting for us, the earlier chaos already forgotten. She greeted us with a bright smile, clearly trying to put the incident behind her. "All cleaned up?" she asked, her tone light and friendly.

"Good as new," I replied, returning her smile.

"Great! Let's feed our hungry stomachs before the break ends," So Hee said, stuffing her mouth with a burger. I couldn't help but chuckle at how carefree she seemed now compared to the earlier chaos.

As we started eating, I couldn't shake off my curiosity about something she had mentioned. "So what's the deal with you buying lunch for everyone today?" I asked, genuinely curious.

So Hee paused, wiping her mouth with a napkin before flashing me a mischievous smile. "Oh, that. Well, now that you and Jimin are part of the group, you should know the rule."

Jimin and I exchanged glances, both of us leaning in a little to hear her explanation.

"So here's the deal," she continued, gesturing between the two of us. "If anyone enters the cafeteria within the first ten minutes of recess, they have to buy lunch for the rest of us. It's like a fun penalty for being too eager," she explained, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Ah, so that's why you gave an explanation earlier," I said, understanding now.

"Exactly! But there's more to it," So Hee added. "When we enter after ten minutes, we also make sure to leave after ten minutes. It's a way to ensure we spend proper time together, and no one's left out. If there's an emergency, though, you can buy lunch and leave early. It's just a little rule we came up with to make things more fun."

Jimin raised an eyebrow, a playful grin spreading across his face. "So, you guys have a whole system going on here."

"Yup! It keeps things interesting and gives us a reason to stick together," So Hee said, taking another bite of her burger.

The rule seemed simple enough, but it was a clever way to keep the group connected. It also made me realize how tight-knit they were, something that was becoming more apparent with each interaction. 

So Hee turned to Jimin with a curious smile. "So, what are your major and sub-major?" she asked, clearly interested in getting to know more about his academic choices.

Before Jimin could answer, KK jumped in, his voice muffled by the sandwich he was stuffing into his mouth. "Psychology and Communication, same as mine! He totally copied me—my major, my sub-major, even my clubs!" he whined playfully, his exaggerated tone making all of us burst into laughter.

KK, still pretending to cry, added, "He's a thief, I tell you! Stealing all my ideas!"

Jimin just shook his head, grinning at KK's theatrics. "It's not like that, KK. Great minds think alike, right?"

We all laughed again, the light-hearted banter easing the tension that had built up earlier.

PP, who had been quietly enjoying her chips, looked over at me with a curious expression. "Let him be. What about you, Taehyung? What are your major and sub-major?"

I paused for a moment, considering my response. I knew I had to stick to the story Namjoon had carefully crafted for my cover. "I'm majoring in Business Administration, with a sub-major in Marketing" I replied, keeping my tone casual. It was a solid choice, one that aligned with the persona I was supposed to portray.

"Wow, that's impressive," PP said, nodding appreciatively. "Sounds like you've got a good plan in place."

I smiled, trying to seem modest. "Yeah, I figured it would be useful, you know? Covers a lot of bases."

I turned to the group trying to mix in. "What about you guys? And what clubs are we talking about?"

PP, who was always the straightforward one, spoke up first. "I'm majoring in Cyber Security with a sub-major in Ethical Coding. And as for clubs, I'm in the Cyber Defense and Tech Innovation clubs," she said, a hint of pride in her voice.

She then nodded towards KK and Jimin. "You already know about these two—Psychology and Communication majors, both of them. And you probably guessed by now that they're in the Debate Club and the Drama Club together. Jimin's also in the Dance Club; he's pretty good."

I chuckled at the thought of Jimin and KK being in the same clubs, imagining how their dynamic would play out during meetings.

PP continued, "And I'm assuming you already know So Hee's major?"

I glanced at So Hee, who gave me a small, knowing smile. "Yeah, she mentioned she's majoring in Business Administration with a sub-major in Management," I said, recalling our earlier conversation.

"Correct," So Hee confirmed with a nod. "I'm also in the Student Council and the Entrepreneurship Club. Keeps me busy, but I enjoy it."

Her involvement in so many activities made sense. It aligned with the image she had been projecting—someone who was both ambitious and capable. It also explained why she seemed so well-connected and respected among the students.

"So, what about you, Taehyung?" So Hee asked, shifting the focus back to me. "What clubs are you planning to join?"

I paused for a moment, considering my options. Joining the right clubs would be crucial for blending in and gathering the information Namjoon needed. "I'm thinking of joining the Photography Club," I said, keeping my tone casual. "And maybe the Entrepreneurship Club"

The mention of the Photography Club and Entrepreneurship Club drew a mix of reactions from the group. So Hee's eyes brightened with interest.

"Photography Club sounds cool," she said, a hint of enthusiasm in her voice. "And the Entrepreneurship Club is right up my alley. You'll fit in perfectly."

Jimin nodded in agreement. "Both are great choices. The Photography Club has some really talented members, and the Entrepreneurship Club is a great way to get involved in projects and ideas."

PP, still munching on her chips, gave a thumbs-up. "You'll get along well with the people in both clubs. They're pretty active and always have something interesting going on."

KK, who had finally settled down, added with a grin, "And who knows? You might end up doing a project with So Hee. She's always working on something."

So Hee chuckled. "Yeah, and I could always use more creative minds around. We've got a lot of exciting things planned."

With the conversation flowing smoothly, I felt more comfortable. It seemed like I was on the right track. The group's easy camaraderie and the way they spoke about their interests and activities gave me valuable insights into their dynamics and priorities.

Author's note:

Another update!