“HEOL…daebak.”

“Did you hear Im Nayeon is repeating third year?”

“No way!!!”

Jimin collected her info from a bunch of kids before running off to the 3^rd year classrooms. A girl with short brown hair stopped in her tracks.

“What did you just say, Yerin sunbae?”

Yerin turned around to face the girl asking her. “I just heard from some kids that Nayeon sunbae has returned and is retaking third year. But it’s not confirmed yet, Chaeyoung-shi.”

Chaeyoung frowned. “It better just be a rumor.”

Yerin looked at her hoobae, slightly confused.

“Does Chaeyoung have something against Nayeon?” she mused to herself.

Dahyun got a hand on her face as she ran into the classroom with her arms in the air.

“That’s enough,” Chaeyoung muttered as she removed her palm from Dahyun’s gaping mouth.

It’s been 15 minutes and the school had been in an uproar. And Chaeyoung had heard everything she needed to know. She didn’t need Dahyun to add salt to her wounds.

“Look…I’m sorry….” Dahyun began, awkwardly tip-toeing her way around Chaeyoung’s desk and trying to give her a comforting pat, “Like I know the thing about Sungjoon sunbae…”

“No,” Chaeyoung stared at her, “Don’t you even.”

“You aren’t that bad yourself! Why do you think Nayeon sunbae repeating a year will change anything?” Dahyun said, ignoring Chaeyoung’s look. “Go for it girl! You can do it!!!”

“Did you forget?!” Chaeyoung cried.

Back in Elementary School

“Sungjoon oppa!”

“Ahh, it's Chaeng from our school! How are you doing in Grade 5?” Sungjoon asked, patting her on her head.

“Great! How is oppa doing in middle school?” Chaeyoung asked, delighted to see Sungjoon, who seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth after graduation.

“Uh, it’s fun. And the uniform’s nicer.”

Chaeyoung noted the emblem of the middle school on his jacket.

“Yes, it’s pretty! Maybe I should go to Jin Young Middle School too!”

“Haha that’s great!” Sungjoon replied with a sweet smile, “Look forward to seeing you then!”

Back in Middle School

“Sungjoon oppa!”

“Ahh, it’s Chaeng! Wow, you look more grown up now.”

Chaeyoung smiled. Oh yes, she’s a woman now….

Sungjoon patted her on her head, “It’s like watching my little sister grow up.”

“….”

“What, you don’t want to grow?”

“…..”

“Fine, you will always be 10 in my mind anyways.”

“!!!”

“YAH SUNGJOON!!!”

“Oh , Jackson’s calling me. Gotta go! See ya!”

30 minutes ago

“Sungjoon oppa!”

“Oh, Chaeng! You are now a high school student already…time flies.” Sungjoon noted, still smiling like always even when he was trying to finish some toast.

“I know right…” Chaeyoung took a deep breath and started speaking.

“Still adorable as ever. Got to go now. Running late. See ya!”

“….”

Back to the Present

Dahyun looked at Chaeyoung blankly.

“Do you seriously only interact with him once every 3 years??”

Chaeyoung tried hard not to actually face palm. “We obviously talk more than that!! And I was just recapping!!! But every time he acts like I’m 10 years old and then exits stage left.”

Dahyun rubbed her chin. “Look, guys are stupid. You need to be more direct about it. Or he would never know.”

“And how would you know?” Chaeyoung asked Dahyun, who had, like, zero dating experience. Honestly, the only experience both of them have, were from K-Dramas.

“Well I did act in a play with JB sunbae before. The fact he thought I liked him just because I held his hand because the script said so just shows how slow boys are. And he didn’t understand until I told him face to face and very literally. So there’s that.”

Chaeyoung still looked unconvinced but Dahyun just patted her on her back. “Look, I’ll help you out.”

I sat in silence as Nayeon sunbae opened her textbook beside me.

Is this real life?

Is this just fantasy?

As Freddie Mercury sang my inner struggle in my mind, I could see Jackson sniggering two seats away at my awkward expressions. He seemed to be mouthing like, “I’ll always support you hyung!” and “Go get em!”

Jungyeon sat behind me, being her usual bored self as our English teacher, Ok seonsaeng, continued with his lecture. While she was not stopping Jackson and his ways, at least she was not making the situation harder for me.

“Class adjourned.”

Jackson threw me a let’s-get-lunch-together look and Jungyeon pulled her wallet out of her bag, ready to go. Finally. I could leave this classroom and come to my senses at the bathroom or something.

Suddenly, a hand tapped on my shoulder.

“Hey, can I join you guys for lunch?”

Jungyeon dropped her wallet.

As she picked it up, she saw Nayeon sunbae smiling at me, waiting for my response.