***

The chubby-cheeked girl had been  realizing something strange with Yerim since the morning. She had been wanting to spill a  “What’s wrong with you?”  since her eyes continuosly directed to the back of her bestfriend. But, because she also knew that Yerim, was no longer the warm Yerim anymore. So there would be a possibility if she wouldn’t get that satisfying answer. So, Sohyun could just guess what could be bothering Yerim since the morning.

However, the Music Art lesson was on-going in their classroom. Like what Sohyun had said yesterday, that college intern named Do Kyungsoo, was now demonstrating the falsetto technique in front of the student’s tables. Sohyun, who should be paying her attention to Do Kyungsoo as their temporary teacher plus her crush, was now staring at Yerim instead. Still thinking hard about what could  make Yerim so moody this day. She became worse than usual. Good. That meant that Kim Sohyun was the  type of bestfriend who would be more concerned with her bestfriend than her crush.

 At first glance, Yerim  seemed to be paying attention to the lesson Do Kyungsoo was demonstrating for the students. Her eyes were roaming  at the musical notes and  the handwritingsof that intern teacher written on the greenboard. When in fact, Yerim’s mind was blowing  somewhere else which only she knew.  As if there was a short movie playing again and again,in her head. A short movie that contained a scene of what had happened yesterday.

The unpleasant event yesterday never ceasedto put her in a bad mood. Lee Halla’s voice when she called Jungkook sounded intimate from Yerim’s point of view. And honestly, she didn’t know why Halla’s voice kept repeating again and again as if Lee Halla was around her—continuosly and purposely calling Jungkook’s special name to make her angry. And what worse was, that everytime Yerim ‘heard’ that girl’s voice,she could feel they were getting closer. And not just Halla’s voice, the flashback of Jungkook when he was interacting with Halla yesterday also disturbed her concentration even more. Because she could see, they were longing and affectionate  towards each other. “Are you courting her?” she had been thinking about that since she learned about it.

Suddenly, Yerim began to compare the way Jungkook speaks with her. How his eyes directed towards her. How his body language and hands were when he was facing her. And how were his expressions when he was staring at her. And actually, Yerim had  known that, he had once liked her. Either it was just a little crush or a huge crush. Sooyoung and Sungjae had told her about that. When they were still alive.

But, did Jungkook still like her eventhough Yerim had changed now? Did Jungkook still have the same feelings for her? She wondered. She wanted to know. If she was Jungkook, she would give up and choose another girl who was much better than Yerim. Who was warmer, more concerned and funnier than her. Eh, but wait, she just remembered this : Jungkook was dating  Lee Halla—right?

She growled softly when the memory of Jungkook’s mother's friendly interaction with the girl named Lee Halla switched to play in her mind. Momentarily, she couldn’t see the greenboard in front of her eyes. However, she was  instead watching the footage of last night’s event. It made her frown. She was  still very  confused about that

Mrs. Jeon hugged and kissed Lee Halla lovingly. She had also said how much she had been missing Lee Halla. And the most disturbing thing was when she realized that Jungkook was  ignoring her existence completely  all of sudden. He smiled happily all the time when Halla was there.

Last night, when it was happening, Yerim who was still carrying Jaeyoung decided to go upstairs without making any noise  No one knew that Yerim had been walking away from them. Well, Jungkook and his mother were too happy with Lee Halla’s visit. Yerim couldn’t help but feel jealous.

“Ehem…” Do Kyungsoo made a voice. Yerim blinked her eyes. She watched as the intern was also staring at her sharply. What? Did he just catch her daydreaming? Oh no! Yerim didn’t want to get any form of punishment, not today.

“What’s your name?”

“K-Kim Yerim—“

“Not you!” Eh? Yerim blinked her eyes again.

“The one who sits behind Kim Yerim, what’s your name?”

Sohyun? Yerim immediately turned to her bestfriend. Kim Sohyun was staring at her. Or, more precisely daydreaming?

“What’s your name?!” Do Kyungsoo raised his voice. The whole class startled. Maybe didn’t believe that the cute-faced intern could be stern.

She waved her hand right in front of Sohyun’s face. Trying to make her bestfriend snap out of her trance. A second later, Sohyun had finally snapped out of it. She was shocked because the whole class were starring at her with their weird looks.

“What’s happening?” Sohyun murmured.

“Do Kyungsoo is scolding you!” with that, Sohyun's eyes widened. Then slowly, she turned to look at the intern slash crush.

Do Kyungsoo sighed loudly. Felt annoyed with Sohyun who didn’t even  answer him.

“I asked you... what’s your name?” he sounded impatient.

“Kim So-Sohyun—“

“Come here.” With lightning speed, the intern immediately commanded Sohyun to leave her seat and go to him.

“What were you doing, Hyun?” Yerim mumbled.

Sohyun  began to briskly  walk towards Do Kyungsoo. With her face down. Because she felt ashamed and also afraid of that man.

“I will give you a punishment. Run fifty laps!”

Yerim widened her eyes. As far as she knew since she became friends with Sohyun, Sohyun could never run for a long time. There was a time when they had their PE class, Sohyun had once fainted after she ran seven laps . She was actually supposed to run ten ...

Because of that, Yerim stood up from her chair. Making a sound loud enough to attract other’s  attention. They turned their heads to see Yerim. Including her bestfriend who was getting her punishment from the temporary teacher. “Saem, Sohyun can’t run for that many rounds.”

“Yah! Kim Yerim, right? Do you wanna get the same punishment?"

“Ani! It’s not like that! But Sohyun really can’t run fifty laps. She has even once fainted after she ran seven laps.

“If thats so, you’ll continue the punishment if Kim Sohyun faints. Fifty times for you two.”

What? Really, Yerim felt like her blood was boiling . Her facial expressions hardened. Why did she also get the punishment? Yerim was just trying to make her bestfriend’s punishment commuted.Whats so wrong about her action? She did that because she’s  Kim Sohyun's best buddy . She gave the actual reason, anyway.

Sohyun, on the other hand felt really guilty. Yerim’s upset  face made Sohyun even more guilty.

Yerim walked away from her chair with an angry expression. That’s rude anyway. Yerim knew that but she didn’t care. Since the disaster which made her lose her family, Yerim became the type of person who wouldn’t mind being vocal about what she disliked. Even if she did that to older people, strangers or even her teacher. As long as she feels right, she wouldn’t care about the rudeness. Moreover, Do Kyungsoo was just an intern. A temporary teacher. Several months later, she wouldn’t have to see him again. She began to wonder, how could he attract her buddy’s heart? And after this, would Sohyun still like him?

“Kajja.” She led the way.

***

“Mianhae…” This had been the nth time Sohyun apologized to her.

The two were walking to the field for doing their punishment.

“That’s okay” But it didn’t seem okay for Sohyun. Because Yerim still seemed annoyed.

“Yerim-ah, you should have just stayed silent when he scolded me. So you wouldn’t get this punishment too.”

“Wae? Are you not happy that your bestfriend tried to help you out?”

Sohyun blinked. She heard that, right? She didn't even imagine that Yerim still cared about her just like the 'old' her. Because Yerim always showed an expressionless  face and didn't talk as much as in the past to Sohyun.

“Ani ani ani. So, that's your reason to oppose Kyungsoo Oppa?”

Yerim was disturbed by the way Sohyun was calling him. So, her bestfriend still liked him? After what had happened with them ?

“Ne. That's my reason. Do you still like him?”

“Of course!”

Yerim's eyes widened. "What? After he scolded and gave you a punishment, and you still like him?"

Sohyun winked at Yerim. She said this while smiling, "Eyy, that's why people call it  love, Yerim-ah."

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