Hyunsoo waited for Sohee outside the school gates, making Jungkook and Jimin go home without her. She wanted to talk to Sohee by herself and sort this situation out once and for all. She didn’t know why she hadn’t done this before, but at that moment, talking to Sohee about everything seemed the best thing.

“Sohee,” Hyunsoo said, waving at her as she came nearer.

Sohee smiled a little and said hello, before looking awkward and not doing anything. Hyunsoo wasn’t put off by this at the slightest.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something, uhm, I was wondering if we could walk home together while we talk? I know who don’t live in the same area as me but from here we live in the same direction,” Hyunsoo said, keeping a smile.

It had taken Hyunsoo a lot of thinking to decide that she didn’t want to make lots of enemies or people who disliked her, she wanted everyone to be happy and become friends… well, she wasn’t sure about Hyejin.

“Sure,” Sohee said, still looking awkward.

They started walking together in silence. Hyunsoo was wondering how to begin, she realised she hadn’t thought about how exactly to say everything without being too in-you-face.

“So,” Hyunsoo started, “I wanted to ask you about Jungkook and Jinyoung.”

Sohee showed little reaction, she probably attempted to hide it all, but a little grim expression passed through her face before being replaced by a poker face.

“About Jungkook,” Sohee started, “I know he’s your boyfriend but I can’t help liking him. It’s just something you have to deal with.”

Hyunsoo didn’t expect that. “Uh, it’s… I know. I just wanted to talk about this, because I thought, well, I just assumed that maybe you need someone to confide in.”

Sohee looked at Hyunsoo. “Confide?”

“Yeah,” Hyunsoo nodded, “I mean, I haven’t really seen you talk to other people, so I wanted to be there to listen to you.”

Sohee thought for a moment. Hyunsoo didn’t dare interrupt the silence in case she would get put off.

“There is something I want to say,” Sohee said finally, “I’ve been feeling a little lost with my emotions…”

“In what way?” Hyunsoo asked.

“I mean, I know what you and Taehyung did. You set me and Jinyoung up, and I guess I understand the reason as well since… yeah.”

Hyunsoo nodded and smiled encouragingly.

Sohee continued. “It’s just that, after Saturday with Jinyoung I’ve been feeling a little confused with who I really like. I was interested in Jungkook at first, and it just grew after that first spark. I liked him more as I got to know him, and well, you changed him into a better person so… I was selfish. I wanted him for me. I’m sorry…”

Hyunsoo didn’t expect that at all this time. “Sohee, you don’t have to apologise…”

“No, I do. You’re talking to me, listening to me even after all I did to you. I’m such a bad person.”

“You’re not a bad person. Someone bad would not realise what they did and apologise for it.”

Sohee looked at Hyunsoo timidly. It was the first time Hyunsoo saw her like that. She looked so vulnerable and confused, like a lost child.

“Thank you Hyunsoo,” Sohee said, “I really am sorry about trying to take your boyfriend away from you. I won’t do that. It’s just that… the problem now is that I thought I liked Jungkook so much I would never look at another guy. That didn’t happen though.”

Hyunsoo knew what was coming. There was a little secret smile stretching on her face.

Sohee didn’t notice and continued to say, “That day with Jinyoung made my heart flutter. I didn’t expect it to happen myself, but I couldn’t help feeling something when I was talking to Jinyoung. And today, when I saw Jungkook again… I didn’t know whether it was him or Jinyoung I liked.”

“Well, I don’t know if it should be me telling you tis, but Jinyoung told me a while ago now that I liked you. I don’t know why he never approached you, maybe he’s… broken from a past relationship, but he really likes you.”

Sohee’s eyes widened. “He does?” she blushed.

Hyunsoo nodded and giggled. “What do you think you’ll do?”

Sohee stopped to think. “Uhm, do you think,” she looked at Hyunsoo, “Should I approach him? I mean, on our date, it was him who said this could be our date… should I…”

“Tell him you enjoyed it and you want to do something again sometime soon!”

Sohee smiled. “Should I? Hyunsoo, I feel so excited. I don’t know why but…” She suddenly stopped and grabbed Hyunsoo’s arm. “Thank you so much.”

Sohee pulled Hyunsoo into a big hug. Hyunsoo patted her back. This had turned out much better than she had even hoped for.

An hour later, Hyunsoo was sitting on Jimin’s bedroom floor eating a bag of chips while telling him everything that happened. Jimin was on his laptop playing a game and nodding every now and then in satisfaction, or shaking his head moving his hands all over the keyboard uncontrollably.

Sohee had told Hyunsoo that she would talk to Jinyoung and she would see how their future dates would work out before making more decisions about liking him. Hyunsoo happily agreed and encouraged her, feeling a secret relief of having no competition to win Jungkook anymore. She hated to admit it, but she had been immensely jealous until that point.

“It’s nearly the end of the year you know,” Jimin said, when he finally looked up from his laptop, “After the tests I mean. Everything went by so quickly!”

Hyunsoo nodded realising how true that was. At the beginning of the school year she had been a completely different person, and now she had changed and grown so much. Jimin did a little funny eye smile at Hyunsoo, making her laugh. She had amazing friends and a cool boyfriend. What more could she ask for?

The school days weren't so bad, even when the tests started again. In fact, Hyunsoo felt she did better than the last ones. Jungkook as always was confident about his academic skills. Everything was nice and calm at school again.

Hyejin and TTS were still slightly mean (some people just don’t change), but they kept themselves away from Hyunsoo and Jungkook, as well as all their friends, so that was one good thing. Heechul, being Hyejin’s brother, even revealed to everyone how she feared Jungkook now.

Joy and Sohee had become good friends with most people and had tried their best to make up for all the bad things they did to everyone else. Jinyoung was with Sohee now and they seemed happy. Joy, on the other hand, had found weekly boys of her own, but a nicer version of that, as she called it.

Hyunsoo’s classmates stayed as they were: funny and silly but very friendly. Everyone was looking for the next batch of holidays, but not so much for the second year of high school. Jimin and Seulgi were officially a couple now. Finally after decades of waiting, he asked her out and she said yes! Other than that, Hyunsoo and Jimin stayed to be the best of friends. While Jungkook stayed to be Hyunsoo’s boyfriend (“Not like you have a choice,” Jungkook always says).

It was a hot afternoon and a Sunday. The following week was going to be the last week of school before the really long holidays came. Like any other couple would do, Jungkook and Hyunsoo had decided to visit the park and enjoy the weather, having a picnic and going on the swings. Unlike most other couples, they had a major food fight and ended up not being able to eat. Then they pushed each other off the swings and teased each other for various reasons.

“Hyunsoo,” Jungkook called.

Hyunsoo stopped and looked up. She had been making a crown out of the little daisies she found on the grass. Jungkook plumped down to the ground next to Hyunsoo and leaned towards her.

“I need… something,” he said simply, smiling cheekily.

Hyunsoo had no idea what this was about, but she could see a joke along the way.

“What do you need?” she asked, playing along for now.

“You,” Jungkook said, and then stood up and demonstrated a cringe attack.

“What the…” Hyunsoo laughed.

“No, I wasn’t joking,” Jungkook laughed, and leaned back down towards Hyunsoo’s face.

Hyunsoo blushed and smiled, closing her eyes slowly.