Jisun Yeong's Story

Anastasia saw Jisun and Dal enter the common area. She was surprised to see her roommate waking up so early; Jisun struck her as the kind to stay late. She supposed they did have some things in common.

Their clothing style, however, were not one of those things. Jisun had opted out for an all-black look, the same color scheme as the night before. It was much more revealing than Anastasia would have worn save for a day at a beach or a yacht. Nonetheless, it looked great on Jisun. Anastasia tried to imagine her in a dress like hers and almost laughed at the thought. Could you imagine?

Anastasia also could not help but wonder how Jisun's bedroom was decorated. Was it all black like its inhabitant? She doubted the designers gotten a hold of it; she hoped not as they would have probably had to face a very fierce Jisun. Of course, it would have been with reason. At that thought, Anastasia briefly looked around the apartment which had been decorated for her. Not one item of Jisun's was in sight. Anastasia supposed that couldn't be too welcoming for Jisun and decided that it would be something to bring up in a conversation soon. After all, this was a shared space, Jisun deserved to have some say in the decorations if it was something she cared about.

She greeted Jisun and Dal, who moved beside his food bowl in order to eat. Anastasia was tempted to offer the dog some of her food but it wasn't her dog and she didn't know if Jisun was cool with that. Another thing she would have to ask, although she figured perhaps not, not wanting to step outside of the boundary.

"I found a bunch of food videos last night," Anastasia replied, taking a papertowel and damping it with some water in order to clean up the batter from her dress and the counter as best as she could. "I rarely drink coffee, but I wanted to give it a try. It looked really cute, but left my arm hurting after all the whisking. There's also banana pancakes. I made some extra in case you wanted to try."

Anastasia placed the last pancake on the big plate. Taking a smaller plate, she served herself a couple. As Jisun mentioned overhearing, Anastasia drizzled some maple syrup on top of the pancakes. Of course, it couldn't bother her.

You did answer the call in an open space, Anastasia told herself. What did you expect?

The only thing was she had told Jisun about her major earlier and she had probably overheard that part. Did she need to explain herself? Perhaps not. After all, she had to wait for the first week to pass without her mother somehow finding out about her curriculum for the semester.

Jisun's offer made Anastasia smile. Okay, another go at going out to the city together. Hopefully, Anastasia didn't mess this one up. "I would love that," she said with a nod. "Thank you."

She took her plate and cup and walked over to the dining room table. "I don't think the errand will take long. I hope. My mother just wants to ensure I've been properly enrolled and all paperwork is progressed. I just have to stop by the Admissions office."

Anastasia smiled when Jisun commented on the pancakes; she figured that was a lot coming from her. There had been very few opportunities for her to cook before, so Anastasia did not have a lot of experience cooking different things but she was excited to do it now that there was the chance. There was already a list she had written down of recipes to try, both sweet and savory, and last night she had added more than a few items to the already-long list.

She was taking a bite of the pancake when Jisun mentioned the Fates sisters. Anastasia froze, the fork stopping between the place and her mouth.

The Fates were the only reason that Anastasia had even been allowed to move here in the first place. Leo’s family was closely acquainted with theirs and the three had always been a threatening presence at the Academy. The very few times that she had been around the Fates, they were not particularly awful since they knew who she was and her connection to the Ainsworth’s, especially after the engagement, but Anastasia knew what they were capable of doing and had never dared to do anything that would test the waters. Even the Academy, who tolerated little from their students regardless of their familial background, had swept some incidents under the rug for them.

Obviously, Anastasia planned to interact with the triplets as little as possible. She only needed to stay out of their way for a year since they were incoming graduating seniors.

As Jisun finished speaking about them, Anastasia took the bite of pancake. Her throat now felt dry and she had to take a sip of the coffee in order to pass it down. Should she tell Jisun?

Anastasia wondered if the young woman would hate her or even completely avoid her if she did. However, it would be inevitable that she’d find out. As much as Anastasia hoped to not interact with the Fates, they knew that she was attending Olympus this semester and it would be best to give Jisun the heads up.

“I know the Fates, actually,” she said a moment after Jisun finished her explanation. “They attended my Academy and their family is close to my fiance's family, so I’m… unfortunately aware of their reputation, but I have no affection for them. I’ve had very little interaction with them over the years, thankfully.”

Anastasia poked at the small piece that was left of her pancake. “They were actually the reason I was able to attend Olympus. My mother wanted familiar faces nearby. I suppose in case I needed help, even though they are the last people that I would go to if I did have any issue.”

A small laugh left her lips and she looked down at her food. Imagine actually approaching the Fates to tell them about your personal issues.

Or in case she needed to check in on me, she couldn't help but think. Anastasia sighed.

“I was basically going to get married after the Academy but I wasn’t ready. I managed to convince my mother to let me study in the United States but it was Olympus or nothing and she wouldn’t budge,” Anastasia said, putting her fork down and looking back up at Jisun. She supposed it was better to explain it than have Jisun suppose things. “I… hope that me knowing them doesn’t make you hate me.”

Finishing her drink, Anastasia stood up. She put on the pink kitchen gloves and quickly rinsed the plates and everything she had used to make the breakfast in order to put it in the dishwasher. She supposed it would be easier to just wash it all at once; Anastasia never had to worry about those things before but now it seemed like such a waste of water to rinse and not wash everything right away.

Jisun's question caught her off guard. Even though it was arranged, she had necessarily not thought about it that way since it was something that Anastasia had always expected to happen. She had just thought of it as... marriage. Of course, it had been different when it actually happened; she had been left with emotions she couldn't quite understand but that was a long time ago and Leo was a whole ocean away.

Which reminded Anastasia that she still had to call Leo. Now would be the right time but Anastasia wanted to get out into the city. The weather app had said it would be sunny and she looked forward to a beautiful day. Surely, he would understand.

Taking off the gloves, Anastasia turned to Jisun. "Leonard Ainsworth," she replied simply. The family was old British money so she didn't think Jisun was likely to know them, not when compared to other families.

"I'll be back," she said, walking to her room and quickly changing into a set of clothes that wasn't splattered with pancake batter.

Leo wasn't a bad person; he was caring and had always made her enjoy their time together. Still, he wasn't someone Anastasia actively thought about. Having seen Jisun in shorts, Anastasia decided to pick out her own set. The look was wildly different, clearly, and Anastasia wasn't used to wearing shorts for daily basis. Mostly skirts and dresses. Jisun's style was... nothing like Anastasia had seen before. She wondered what she would look like with a style like Jisun's. Certainly out of place if not outright silly she figured.

"Ready?" She asked, coming back out. The sun shone brightly through the windows and Anastasia was excited; it had been rainy since she had arrived. She was used to cold and rainy weather but had always loved the heat and the sun.

Anastasia smiled as she saw Dal's energy go up and felt her own energy brighten, evaporating away any of the heaviness she felt on her weight after speaking with her mother or the mentioning of the Fates sisters. She wanted to pet him but felt like perhaps it wasn't the right time just yet.

The hallway was empty and Anastasia wondered who else lived in this building, whether they were young or old. Something told her that Jisun would do everything possible to be away from people her age but she would have to wait until she could meet a neighbor. Perhaps she'd get some treats and go greet them herself; she had seen it being done in American suburban movies but wasn't sure if it was actually a thing one did. Maybe she would ask Jisun-- so many things to ask Jisun.

Unfortunately, Jisun also seemed to have a lot of questions for her. She didn't really mind but these touched on subjects she preferred not to speak about. Anastasia figured Jisun heard the last of her conversation with her mother.

"International Studies," she replied, pressing the "down" elevator button. Should she elaborate? Best not. Jisun would probably give her another speech on how it's ridiculous for her to hide it from her mother. Plus, the conversation would only put her off.

Anastasia wanted the doors to open immediately, as if she could step into a new space and forget the conversation but it was taking its time. "But I mostly have electives this first semester," she added after a moment.

Finally, the steel doors opened and she stepped inside. Her perfume, although a soft floral scent, seemed to fill the space.

"What kind of treats does Dal like? I was hoping to get him some, if you didn't mind," Anastasia asked, leaning over slightly to push the button to the first floor. Her shoulder brushed against Jisun's and she quickly took a small step to the side, murmuring an apology.

At the question of electives, Anastasia briefly thought back to her schedule. Given that she was an incoming student, there was a lot of freedom for her to choose electives, aside from the required International Studies classes, and she had chosen the ones that most interested, according to the categories she had to fill.

"I have Sex, Gender, and Sexuality," she said after a moment. The words felt almost foreign in her mouth; Anastasia knew very little about either of the three but the course had interested her. "And Basic German. The other classes right now are for my major."

Anastasia nodded with a smile at Dal’s inclusive palette. The canine hadn’t very affectionate but she respected that; not every dog immediately opened to strangers. "I haven’t lived with a pet since I was very young," Anastasia confessed. "I’m sure it’s nice to have a companion you can trust with your life."

As they exited the elevator, Anastasia followed Jisun. She laughed at her comment about getting lost. "I have a map on my phone just in case," Anastasia said. She had marked all of her classes in the mobile image and mapped out where she had to go. She was sure it wouldn’t take her more than a day or two to get used to moving between classes but the campus looked huge from the map and she supposed it would take her much longer. She had been so familiar with the Academy’s grounds that she could move with ease between halls and lawns even blindfolded.

As they walked down the street, Anastasia took a moment to take in the area around her. With a clear sky, the city looked very different than yesterday. It was also much warmer and the sunlight felt nice on her pale skin.

"Did you live in New York before univeristy?" Anastasia asked.

Anastasia had heard a lot about Califarnia. It would be wonderful if she had the opportunity to visit. However, she knew that it was on the other side of the country, even a couple of hours away on plane. She wondered what had prompted Jisun so move all the way to the other coast.

Anastasia had been too busy looking at the beautiful campus they had walked into, it was much more beautiful in person than in online photos and mailed brochures, that Jisun's sudden change of direction took her back surprise. Without thinking, she changed direction since she had been following Jisun without question in order to learn the way.

When she heard her name called out, Anastasia paused. A small frown appeared on her face, since she didn't immediately recognize the voice and wasn't really expecting to hear her name anywhere, but it didn't last more than a brief moment because she quickly spotted the Fates. Her expression immediately changed, first her eyes widened in surprise, and a moment after she was smiling. It wasn't a smile like the one when she looked at Dal or the campus around them, but it was prudent and rehearsed enough to come out friendly enough. The Fates took her by surprise; although something told her it wouldn't have been long until she bumped across one of them, Anastasia had not expected to see them this soon or all the three of them at once, although they did tend to travel in a pack.

"Clara, Lacey, Tristan," Anastasia greeted them as they walked up. The three were dressed impeccably and Anastasia felt the air around her change as she air kissed each of them. "What a surprise, I didn't expect to see you here,"

Anastasia glanced over at Jisun. The young woman didn't seem too happy; she had been clear about her stance with the Fates. It was clear that the Fates knew Jisun, especially in their tone had changed with pronouncing her name. Either Jisun was well-known around campus, which surprised Anastasia since Jisun didn't seem like one to be too sociable, or there was some interaction that had happened between them.

She wondered what the best way to answer was; Anastasia didn't want to tell the Fates that they were roommates. Not because she cared about other people knowing but she feared that somehow word would get to her mother. She needed to get through the first week. After add-drop, it would be harder for her mother to justify taking her out over smaller details.

"I met Jisun yesterday," Her smile changed briefly when she looked at Jisun, "She's showing me around the campus."

"You could've asked us to show you around," Lacey commented with a raised eyebrow, "You must've known we study here."

"Of course. I didn't want to bother you with these things," Anastasia could feel her heart pounding. "I'm sure the three of you are very busy."

"Not a bother at all," Clay said with a smile. There was something about the smile that unsettled Anastasia; it seemed almost like a frown.

"Well, we must be on our way," the third one said, flashing a look at Jisun. There was always something about them carrying a conversation as if they were one person. "Keep in touch, Ana."

The last sentence seemed less like an invitation and more like a command. Anastasia nodded and kissed the three of them on the cheek.

"Tell Leo we miss him," Clara said with a wink before they left.

Anastasia looked over her shoulder to make sure they had really gone. The air around them still seemed heavy and we wanted to get going. She had never been sure how Leo could've genuinely enjoyed spending time with the three of them; she had never liked it herself, even if they were close due to their families. Sure, they could be fun but they were as equally dangerous, in more than one way.

"I’m sorry I didn’t tell them about us being roommates. I figured it was best they didn't know," Anastasia said when she felt safe enough to speak freely again. She figured there was no need to explain but she didn't want Jisun thinking it was because she was embarrassed in front of the Fates. "My mother wouldn't be too happy finding out I have a roommate, it must have been a mistake when she chose the place. Knowing the Fates, it could reach her through them; they’re one to cause trouble when possible. You know. Anyways, should we keep going? I think the faster I get this errand done with the better."

Anastasia watched Dal's demeanor change and couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, "I know how you feel, Dal."

"Since they were children," Anastasia nodded at Jisun's question. The Fates had known Leo for much longer than her. Summer vacations or social gatherings were made long whenever the Fates were around because Anastasia had to be on guard even more than usual. "Unfortunately, their families are quite close so they grew up together. I don't think Leo is anything like them so it has always struck me that he seems to genuinely enjoy spending time with them."

There was an edge to her words; it bothered her whenever the Fates got too close. The Fates had the power to destroy many things. The engagement could be one of those things. Even her mother warned her of them from the beginning.

"I think everyone was surprised when the two of us became engaged," Anastasia said after a moment, twisting the engagement ring around her finger. To think that one could have all the money in the world and still have someone above them, looking down with disdain. "We're not royal blood or an old name like the Fates or Leo's family."

Sometimes, Anastasia didn't know if she just preferred to mess things up, let something slip and ruin the engagement. The reprecussions from her mother terrified her too much though.

Anastasia enjoyed that Jisun had asked questions, trying to spark a conversation, but the topic she had chosen wasn't one Anastasia wanted to spend too long in, but it at least gave her hope that Jisun would be open to talking about other things. The Fates were gone for now and all she could do was live as much of her life as possible whenever they weren't around.

"Do you want to go out for dinner together, tonight?" Anastasia asked, her tone light again as she began to walk down. She paused as they came upon a flower tree on the side of the sidewalk. A small cluster of white flowers had fallen on the lush gras. Anastasia picked it up and put it on her hair. "I don't mind where we go, so you can choose if you prefer."

Anastasia didn't say anything to Jisun's comment about how there was even a hierarchy within the richest families in the world. It didn't matter as much to the "new wealth" but it did matter to old names. Anastasia felt it around Leo's direct social circle but it was in the subtle actions and manner of speaking that one could detect it.

The silence between them following Anastasia's invitation left her fidgeting, pushing back strands of hair. Had she been wrong in asking? She wasn't sure what it could possibly be-- there was always the option to say no. However, as the silence prolonged, Anastasia wondered if it would be best to retract her offer. A soft breath left her lips as Jisun finally asked, her body relaxing.

Anastasia replied smiled at the offer for Korean food. There was also something about Jisun mentioning that they would go to her favorite spot. Jisun didn't seem like the kind of person to share those small details about her life. Anastasia felt like she would get a better glimpse of her new roommate and it intrigued her.

"That sounds great."

Later that evening, Anastasia finished getting ready. Unfortunately, as varied as her closet had been set up, it was not very casual, at least not in what she imagined Jisun's terms to be. Anastasia decided on a pair of slim dark dress pants, a simple long-sleeved top and flats.

Stepping outside, Anastasia couldn't help but do a double take of Jisun.

"I really like your jacket," she said. It gave Jisun another edge and, while Anastasia figured it would not be the case if she tried it on herself, she still couldn't help but wonder what it would look like on her.

"Sounds good, but I'll have to get a subway card," she said when Jisun mentioned public transportation, hoping that there were machines where she could easily buy them like back in London. It did surprise her to hear Jisun's comment on cost effectiveness; it wouldn't cost her family anything to give Jisun a car, relative to their wealth. However, Anastasia knew that it was just easier to get around public transportation instead of driving through the often-blocked city roads.

Anastasia waved goodbye to Dal as they stepped into the hall. Outside, the sky was dark. There were no stars because of the city's bright lights but the street looked completely different than during the day or even when it was raining.

The subway station wasn't too far from their apartment and Anastasia heard the leaving and coming trains as they stepped down the stairs. Her heartpace picked up a little as she realized that they would be out until late, probably far from the subway; she wasn't used to going out into the city after dark and the thought of dark streets scared her. Anastasia glanced over at Jisun but didn't say anything. She was sure Jisun would think she was silly for being afraid of the night.

You have to learn how to get out, you can't be stuck in this neighborhood, Anastasia told herself. It made her angry to feel that fear, although it was because this was her first time ever going out at night without being in a group, with her family, or with supervision.

Plus, I'm not going alone, Anastasia reassured herself as they stepped into the subway car, looking over at Jisun one more time, her gaze lingering a little longer. She took a seat in an empty row so that Jisun could choose if she wanted to sit without and instincitively smoothing down her pants. I'm safe.

The thought calmed her well enough. She would learn how to navigate the subway system during the day and, for now, she trusted Jisun to get them to where they needed to go and back home.

The train ride, thankfully, didn't feel too long. Anastasia watched as the view on the windows cahnge from stations to the black walls of the tunnels and back. People came and went, all in their own personal worlds, barely engaging with those around them. There were many headhones, lit screens, and open books.

"It's odd to think that I won't see most of these people again for the rest of my life," Anastasia said, saying it just loud enough for Jisun to hear. "At the Academy it was the same faces-- the same people-- every day for years. Now, I only get a brief moment to see their people's before they walk away forever. I don't know if it's whether it's freeing or not."

I can be anyone, she answered the question in her mind, In a city where I'm a stranger to all. It really is the blank slate I wanted-- at least, the closest you'll ever get to it. Now, I just have to figure out who I am.

It was indeed different but Anastasia found it oddly comforting. Used to being surrounded by so many people that had a bigger-than-life air around them, where everything in your life could be inspected under a microscope, it was nice to think that one indeed was part of a crowd. Everyone around her had full, complex, and intimitate lives but it was theirs only.

She was slightly surprised by the tap-- it was a small, brief touch but she wasn't expecting it from Jisun, who seemed to prefer to stay as far away from people as possible.

Anastasia followed her out into the cool night. Anastasia kept close to Jisun; there was still a jumpiness about her elicited from the darkness of the night. Thankfully, the restaurant was not too far from the station. It would definitely take some getting used to going around the city at night.

She couldn't help but feel slightly odd when she saw that mostly everyone inside was in jeans and sneakers. Anastasia meant a mental note to buy some jeans, perhaps it would help her blend a little better with the city crowd. It wasn't like she never wore them, she just was more used to dresses and skirts. Sneakers, however, she would keep them for exercising or activities like hiking. She did not like the combination at all.

The restaurant was down to earth and smaller compared to the high-end places she was used to. From the moment Jisun opened the glass door, Anastasia was hit with the delicious scent of meats and seasonings. Although it was not what Anastasia had expected, not that she even knew what to expect, seeing that everyone in the tables seemed content and that the food on the plates looked good -although the presentation was not refined at all- made Anastasia feel like she was walking into someone's home. Something very intimate and welcoming at the same time.

The interaction between Jisun and the restaurant staff was also not something she had expected either. Jisun's rather neutral demeanor didn't change much but the others seemed very happy to see her. It's her favorite restaurant, after all, Anastasia thought. She's probably a regular.

Anastasia felt their positive energy and couldn't help but smile brightly, although she didn't understand what they were saying.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you, Byeoljji," she said kindly with a wave. Her British accent stood out and she couldn't help but wonder if she sounded silly in their ears. She turned her light brown eyes to the two men, "You two as well. You have a lovely restaurant."

Anastasia gave another small wave as they walked back to the kitchen and followed Jisun to a seat.

Picking up the menu, she scanned through the foreign names and their English descriptions. There were some pictures and they all looked delicious. "What would you recommend?"

Anastasia's brown eyes moved across the menu to where Jisun's slender fingers pointed at the image of bulgogi. The meat looked juicy, its dark color constrated by the green onion and sesame seeds. She was taken back by the flow of words that followed her simple inquiry.

As Jisun continued to explain the dish, Anastasia's eyes traveled up the length of Jisun's arm and paused at her face. The other young woman's pale expression had barely changed from the neutral, almost emotionless, state it was often found in but it was clear that this was something that Jisun cared about.

Dal and Korean food-- Korean culture, Anastasia made a mental list, remembering the show Jisun had been watching. At first, Anastasia thought there wasn't much that interested Jisun but it was clear that it wasn't the case, she just had to be very attentive.

As she listened to Jisun speak, Anastasia realized that she had never taken a moment to really look at the other young woman. Despite her black attire and overall dark demeanor, her facial features were round and soft.

"I'm alright with trying anything as long as it's not too spicy," she said softly, not wanting to say much more so that Jisun could continue. It was quite nice hearing her speak, even if there still wasn't much intonation in her voice.

"Sounds good," Anastasia nodded as Jisun said she'd just explain as it came. She glancd over at Yoonseok, who was giving the receipt to a couple at a table. "It all sounds and looks delicious."