I took out my phone and briefly looked for the time. According to what I and Nayeon had agreed on, I needed to wait for another good fifty minutes before going home with her. Fifty minutes. What should I do to kill those minutes? Reading? No, I wasn’t in the mood to. Listening to some music? Well, I thought I would spare my twelve percent battery in case Nayeon didn’t come out in the specific time.

I decided to just sit down in the bench under one of trees outside the school building just near the school’s gate. A sigh escaped my lips almost immediately. Fifty minutes. I wished I’d take my notes slower earlier. At least I wouldn’t have to deal fifty minutes with nothing by then.

A thought to come and visit Nayeon at the library crossed my mind several times. I had to walk back and forth in the corridor that leads to library as I contemplated on what to do. But then I decided not to. I most likely would disturb her. Knowing I already finished with my notes, she might decide to end her work purposefully so that I didn’t have to wait her for a long time. And obviously that was the last thing I wanted to do. Nayeon was on her last year now; I knew graduated with high score –possibly highest- was something she wanted. So I wouldn’t want to disturb her studies.

“What are you doing here?” I lifted up my face to see who was talking and I saw Jinhwan, walking in my direction with one strap of his bag hung coolly on one of his shoulders.

His face showed a hint of surprise as he took the spot beside me.

“I’m waiting for my sister,” I told him, scooted a little bit farther to my left, giving him some space.

He nodded, facing the front. “Where’s she anyway?”

“Do you remember when Yunhyeong said he got a project to work together with Nayeon? Well, she is working with him now. I promised to go home together. So, here I am; waiting for her,” I explained all at once. “What about you? Are you waiting for Yunhyeong too?”

Jinhwan paused shortly and shook his head. “Mmm.. No honestly. I just have something to do earlier, therefore I go home late for today.”

I looked at him in curiosity. If his business was now all done, he obviously could go home right away instead of sitting here with me.

As if he heard my inner-head question, he carried on his words. “I have no plan to wait for Yunhyeong since that boy can go home by himself. But now I’ll just accompany you and go home later with Yunhyeong,” he showed a kind smile.

I was about to tell him that he could go but then I remembered the fifty minutes. It might be forty four minutes by now but it didn’t change the fact that it was still quite long time. Jinhwan’s company didn’t sound too bad. It sounded very good even. I liked his presence. His presence somehow always gave me comfort and he gave me the vibe of Nayeon, like the male version of Nayeon.

I smiled back gratefully at him. He could just leave and have more nice time inside his home but he chose to sit and stay here with me. What a nice of him.

“Thanks,” I muttered lowly.

“How is it? It’s your last year in high school,” I decided to ask him.

He was being all generous to prevent me being alone and the thing I could do was having some conversation with him even though I preferred to be silent. I didn’t want him to be uncomfortable and think me as an ungrateful kid. Besides, I was feeling rather curious about that anyway. I mean, the third grader should feel pressured right? A big exam is coming after them and also the college entrance exam. It must be a huge burden on their shoulders.

I heard Jinhwan laughed. “It was just like usual you know. It’s just I think we pay more attention to class and give our best on assignments. That’s just it.”

Okay, maybe not all of third graders were pressured. It was nice to hear. At least he, and other people similar like him, wouldn’t overwork themselves; they still had time to have fun despite their tight schedules as seniors.

“What do you want to take as your major in college?” I spun my head to his direction.

Jinhwan looked at the trees around us as the corner of his lips tugged upward in a smile. He breathed out loudly before answering, “I want to take medical study. I want to be a doctor.” He returned my gaze.

Doctor? Interesting. “Nayeon also wants to be a doctor!” I happily informed him. I laughed silently to myself at this coincidence. I mean I personally thought that Nayeon and Jinhwan were similar in some ways so to know that they actually shared the same dream amazed me.

“Really? Well no surprise. She looks like she will devote her life for others,” He replied with a nod. Same goes for you, I thought.

“How about the others?” I asked, speaking of the other senior boys, Hanbin, Jiwon and Yunhyeong.

Jinhwan’s eyebrows crunched as he was in a deep thought. “Well… Jiwon wants to pursue music. Yunhyeong loves cooking and such but he never mentioned it if he wanted to seriously majoring it. He always said he hadn’t decided whenever I asked him.”

He gave himself a long pause. He seemed to have internal debate whether he should continue or not. I thought he should because he hadn’t told me about Hanbin’s.

“As for Hanbin, the boy is kind of torn. He and his mother have different opinion so he always refuses to talk about college and stuffs.” I could see sadness and sympathy in his eyes as he spoke. His voice also filled with concern. I could tell he cared a lot for Hanbin and also the others. Really, he was the male version of Nayeon.

I thought about what Jinhwan said. Hanbin was troubled about choosing his future career. But I never saw it, not even once. He seemed to always happy and smiles a lot, especially with his friends. I discovered something new about Hanbin. So he was the kind of type to keep everything himself.

I could only nod. I was buried once again in a deep thought when Jinhwan called me. “What about you Yeonjoo?”

I was taken aback with the question. What about me? What was he referring to? What were we talking about? I pondered for a moment and then my memories came back again. I want to hit myself for being so foolish.

“I have not really thought about it,” I confessed. Truthfully, I never thought about it seriously. I used to think that I’d just graduate high school and study at university; not really minding about what I’m going to major and what university I’m going to attend.

Suddenly, I felt ashamed of myself. I mean I should have started thinking about my future at this rate. I needed to know my goals and study hard to get good college. This was actually really important.

“Don’t worry. You have one year to think about it,” Jinhwan reassuringly said as he patted the back of my head softly. I smiled appreciatively at him as he returned it with a very warm smile.

“Hey have you ever cut your hair?” He suddenly changed the topic.

I instinctively touched my hair as I shook my head unsurely. “Well of course I did. But I always keep it the same length if that’s what you mean.”

Jinhwan touched at the end of my hair as he nodded knowingly. I kind of wondered why he asked such question but seconds later my question was answered without me saying it.

“Have you considered cutting your hair short? Because in my opinion, you’ll look great with it,” he tore away his gaze from my hair to meet my eyes. A smile engraved on his face.

I looked at him with wide eyes. I couldn’t believe what he said. For the first time in my life, I had someone saying that I would look good with short hair. People around me mostly told me to always keep my hair long. They said it was pretty and it would be pity if I cut it. It wasn’t like I doubted them but sometimes I thought I wouldn’t look that bad if I cut my hair. My father and Nayeon were also always against the idea of cutting my hair while my mother was always supportive whatever decision I make.

Because of that, I lacked confidence and I ended up always had my hair the same length. I didn’t dare to cut it short since everyone warned me to not to. Now when someone actually told me that short hair would also suit me, I couldn’t describe how happy I was.

Jinhwan chuckled which I assumed caused by my expression. “Did I say something wrong? You looked like you have just seen a ghost,” he playfully said.

I quickly shook my head. “Nothing. But no one ever told me that. They always say I should keep my hair long. I really want to try new haircut but everyone seems to be unhappy with the idea,” I admitted gloomily. I think I exaggerated my expression there.

“You shouldn’t care about what the others are saying, Yeonjoo. Do things that make you comfortable regardless everyone is on your side or not as long as you don’t hurt others,” he advised.

I nodded, letting what he said digested inside my mind. His simple words actually gave me a lot of comfort. He was really pleasant person to talk to since he knows what to say. I could tell he was the person you could rely on. He would listen to all your worries and gives his best advice. I didn’t know how many times I had said this but he was exactly like Nayeon.

“Yeonjoo, were you waiting for long time?” I spun around as I heard the familiar Jinhwan’s twin.

Nayeon was already right beside us with Yunhyeong walked a little bit behind. Both of them looked surprised to see Jinhwan with me. I wasn’t surprised to see her with Yunhyeong; since they obviously working on some assignments together but the thing that bothered me was that the atmosphere between them was unexplainably strange.

I quickly brushed off that thought.

“Not really Unnie. Jinhwan was here to keep me company anyway.” I assured her. “You’re done?” I asked.

Nayeon nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go home,” she said as she took my hand. She then bid goodbye to both Yunhyeong and Jinhwan.

“Thanks a lot. It was very nice to talk with you Jinhwan,” I told him. I felt like my words didn’t convey how grateful I was properly but I hoped he knew I was sincerely saying it. I turned to the taller male. “See you tomorrow Yunhyeong!” I waved at them.

“It was pleasant for me too. I’d like to talk to you again some other times,” he replied with small waves. I nodded and gave him thumb up as I walked away with Nayeon.

As we left the school together, my mind couldn’t help but having fireworks explosion of questions inside. I couldn’t decide which one to ask first since all of them were so tempting for me to find out the answer. Nayeon linked my arm and I noticed a small smile casted on her pretty face. Now I had decided which one.

“Something’s going on between you and Yunhyeong?”

Instead of an answer, I received a slap on my arm from Nayeon. I knew she meant it as joke but it turned out more painful than she intended it to be and because if it from that onwards until we reached our house, I didn’t bring up the topic. Nayeon could unknowingly hit hard.

---

“But Unnie, you never liked them; I mean Hanbin and his comrades. And now apparently you are suddenly so kind to them. I can’t read your mind Unnie so I would like some enlightenment here.” I said to Nayeon with both pleading and commanding tone.

I washed the used pan and scrubbed it thoroughly as I gave Nayeon displeased look. Nayeon, who was in the middle of placing the dishes on the table, only gave me mysterious smile. She walked to the kitchen and made her way towards me.

I saw she leaned against the counter and said, “Well. It’s not because I need to work with Yunhyeong if that’s you’re wondering.” Exactly my thought. She doesn’t do friends with benefits and things like that.

“I figure out that you are really close with them so I try to like them for you. I mean, I don’t think it is right to hate your friends when they’re treating you right. And also I don’t want you to stop being friends with them just because of me.”

I could careless with the foams wrapped on my hands. I just wanted to jump and hug Nayeon which I did. I hugged her tightly as I mumbled ‘thank you’ several times.

I couldn’t describe how much she means to me. She always does her best for me. She always makes sure I’m happy and if not, she would definitely do something to give me that happiness. She never thought only herself. Nayeon and selfish never fit in the same place.

For about a minute or two, we only hugged each other like that, with my hands all dirty with the soap and foams but she didn’t mind. Of course I didn’t touch her. I only circled my hands around her waist since Nayeon wouldn’t appreciate it if the foams made contact with her clothes.

“But seriously Unnie, did something happen between you and Yunhyeong?” I couldn’t help it.

Nayeon broke the hug and looked at me with her playful mad expression. She pushed me to the sink and slapped my arm again. “Nothing is happening between me and Yunhyeong, Yeonjoo. Stop asking me about it.” She emphasized her ‘nothing happens’ with series shook of her head.

I scrunched my nose at her. “If it is really the case, then you shouldn’t be this mad at me.” I defended. I almost rubbed the arm she lightly slapped but then I quickly reminded of the foam.

“Dad is home!” Nayeon exclaimed loudly all of sudden as she ran towards the front door upon hearing someone entered.

I chuckled in amusement. She must be doing that in purpose. She wanted to change the topic. Now when I thought about it, Nayeon and Yunhyeong looked good together. Even though I silently ship her with Jinhwan since they have many things in common but then again twins aren’t supposed to romantically being interested with each other, right?

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Hi! I'm here again!

Since I'm on my holiday right now, I have a lot of free time to write.

Here's the a new chapter.. I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think^^

Have a nice day everyone~