“Ready?” he asked her.

 

Her face was unreadable. His heart was beating violently in his rib cage as if it was about to burst. He was sure she was too because there were faint patches of pink tinges on her cheeks and there were sweat beads clinging onto her lashes. This was the only time he had ever seen her not having a blank, stoic face as a default expression – and a bit of colour on her complexion.

 

“Chanyeol-ssi,” she spoke breathlessly as she wiped away the sheen of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, “just do it quickly please because I think I’m about to die.”

 

He looked at her in the eyes, which were swimming with fear and uncertainty. She gulped and blinked her eyes in anxiousness.

 

“One.” Chanyeol swallowed. “Two.” Soul blinked. “Three!” They both ripped the ends of the envelopes to look into them.

 

They were holding an envelope each in their hands – result letter from their high school, which holds marks from their final exam of the penultimate year and information on their upcoming final year at the school and introduction to university application forms.

 

“Did you get the principal’s letter?” both of them asked at the same time, indicating that they both had gotten it. The two nodded at the same time.

 

“That means we both made it into top 10 this year,” Chanyeol muttered as he looked through the papers. The envelope was thick and there were many papers to go through.

 

The two friends sat on the Soul’s house balcony’s annex as they turned the papers one after another. “Soul-ah, what major are you going to apply for?”

 

“Literature and languages,” she answered without hesitating for a second. “What are you going to apply for?”

 

“Medicine. I want to be a doctor”

 

“My parents are going to be really unhappy about the choice. I spoke to Appa about it and he stopped smiling for three days,” she put down a letter after reading it, “Omma said I could do what I want but I’m sure she was also unhappy.”

 

“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?” Chanyeol asked.

 

“I like languages. I’m sure,” she leaned backwards and lay on the floor, which was quite unusual since she had always leaned onto a pole or the wall to read whenever both of them hung out at the annex (read: Chanyeol inviting himself to invade her place). The midday sun was splashed across her face. She crinkled her face and rolled to the side to get away from it, “my parents think I will have no job security.”  

 

Chanyeol smiled, “you will be fine. Don’t worry too much.”

 

~

 

“Chan-ah, can you please come down into the dining room?” his mother peeked through the crack of his door. Chanyeol looked at his mother and stood up from his desk, where he was studying for the quiz tomorrow.

 

Downstairs, Mrs.Kang was sitting at the dining table. “Hello, Mrs.Kang,” Chanyeol bowed at her before standing awkwardly near the table. His mother gestured to take a seat at the table. Chanyeol obliged.

 

“Chanyeol-ah,” Mrs.Kang spoke softly, “please know that I love you very, very much.”

 

Chanyeol stiffened up at the sudden, and awkward love confession. His face froze and looked at his mother, who was smiling encouragingly. What is happening?

 

“Chanyeol-ah,” Mrs.Kang started again, “I have a favour to ask you.”

He almost sighed in relief. He was not being asked out. It was a weird idea but it was a relief he had it out of his mind. “Yes, Mrs.Kang?” he encouraged her to speak and looked at her sincerely.

 

“Can you please tell So Eul to study medicine in university?”

 

The request came so sudden and abrupt that Chanyeol was not prepared for it. He knew that her parents were not happy that she was going to do Languages and Literature at university but he did not expect this huge of a task on him – to persuade Soul to study medicine as her career of choice.

 

“Chan-ah,” his mother touched his arm soothingly, “please help Aunty Kang if you could. She really wants her daughter to go to medical school and you know So Eul…”

 

Chanyeol clearly knew what his mother was referring to. Soul is quite headstrong – the type to do whatever she wants without telling others. She doesn’t speak to other much unless needed. The only reason why Chanyeol became her friend was solely because they go to school together every day and Chanyeol being Chanyeol by talking to her nonstop until she responds. He threw himself at her to become her friends. Sometimes, their friendship feels more like him clinging onto her until she gave in because she found him annoying.

 

“But, Omma….” Chanyeol whined. All that his mother had to do was have a good look at him and he couldn’t continue what he was about to say. He truly is powerless against his mother. In the end, he promised the two women that he would try his best to convince Soul to study medicine at university even though he could not entirely promise that she would drop her initial idea.

 

~

 

“Park Chanyeol-ssi?” Soul’s voice spoke his name from the behind as she walked out of her house. Chanyeol his heels theatrically and grinned at her. His hand waved at his new shiny black bicycle from the front to the back. Soul stared at him like she couldn’t understand him as she approached his side.

 

“What’s this?” she looked at the bicycle.

 

His grin grew wider, “It’s a present! From my father!” His right leg kicked a the stand at the wheel supporting the bike, “Get on. We’re going to school on this!” he told her. She smiled gingerly and carefully sat on sideway. Chanyeol handed her the helmet that he was carrying on his bicycle and she put in on. “Hold tight!” he cried out and started pedaling.

 

After Chanyeol’s father had learned that he had gotten into top 10 in his year again, his father bought a bicycle for him as a congratulation prize on his request. At first, Chanyeol was set on asking for a new game console but he changed his mind as he remembered about Soul’s sickness and decided on a bicycle for the both of them. Even though she didn’t say anything, Chanyeol noticed that she was never at her top condition whenever they got to school. She was always out of breath and had to take a breather before climbing the stairs up to the classroom.

 

“Chanyeol-ssi,” she tugged his uniform shirt as they were waiting at a red light, “can you please pedal slower? It’s quite scary when the bike is fast.” Chanyeol smiled and obliged.

 

When they both entered the school premise, a few people were looking at them as they pedaled into the compound. “Oi, Chanyeol!” Jongdae shrilled and followed the bike to the bike shed. “Nice bike!” he beamed, “hello, So Eul.” Soul smiled and bowed politely at him. Then, she handed her helmet to Chanyeol before excusing herself with a bow again.

 

“Always so polite,” Jongdae muttered, “and so awkward,” he added. “Hey, have you seen the school’s top ranking?” Chanyeol shook his head while locking his bicycle. “You should go see it.”

 

1. Park Chan Yeol
2. Kang So Eul

 

Soul stood in front of the board like a statue, her eyes fixated on the top. “Soul?” Chanyeol called her name. She turned her head to look at him but didn’t say anything.

 

“Congratulations, Chanyeol-ssi,” she spoke to him quietly before heading to the classroom in quick, hurried, yet light steps.

 

The beagle trio looked at her until she appeared into the corner of the school’s corridor. “She is so torn, I am sure,” Baekhyun muttered, “She worked so hard to beat you, Chanyeol-ah. I could see all the dark circles during the final exams week.”

 

“Yet she can’t beat you,” Jongdae finished Baekhyun’s sentence. “Come on, let’s go to our classroom. We are all in same class this year.”

 

Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun, who was in different class last year. “How did you make it into class S this year?” He remembered the short guy being in class A, the class made up with students who got lower marks than people from class S, the elites. 

 

The slender boy shrugged, “Got lucky I suppose? My seat number is 50 so that means I barely made it!” He laughed joyously and threw himself on Chanyeol’s back.

 

They found out that their homeroom teacher was still Mr.Kim Junmyeon. “Ahhh… another year of awkward, borderline terrible dad jokes,” Jongdae remarked as they walked into the room. It also turned out that Chanyeol’s desk mate was still Soul just like at the start of last year.

 

“Nice to meet you again at this seat,” Chanyeol greeted. Soul’s smile was weak and she didn’t meet his eyes as she took her place by the window beside him.

 

“Everyone, may I get your attention?” Mr.Kim’s voice echoed in the class, “I’m sure that all of you had a wonderful summer.” He looked around the classroom, “However, I have the duty to remind you all that this is your final year at this school.”

 

Chanyeol looked around and felt a pang of unexplainable sadness in his stomach. He spent so many years in this school that he had grown attached to it. It felt so nostalgic to know that he would be living the school at the end of year. He looked beside at Soul, whose expressions remained still and solemn.

 

“So!” Mr.Kim clapped, “this also means that you guys will be studying very hard this year and I expect no monkey business from all of you.” Chanyeol had a feeling that Teacher Junmyeon was referring to the trio – Chanyeol, Jongdae and Baekhyun, the resident mischief-makers of the entire school. He looked around the classroom for a reaction and smiled when he found none, “So, shall we start?”

 

~

 

The final year of high school proved itself about why it is considered as the toughest year. The marks the students achieve in the final government tested exam will determine their future. It is a battle that one cannot afford to lose. The stress levels are high and there is so much tension between classmates.

 

Chanyeol couldn’t help but notice that the classroom had became awfully quiet when they had their break time. It used to be bursting with excited murmurs of gossip exchanges or some students breaking out singing the latest top 40, with the rest of the class following to belt out the tune, or in Chanyeol’s case – plotting a scheme to pull pranks on classmates and sometimes, Mr.Kim.

 

All of the final year students are now advised to stay until 8pm as part of their private studies after school. Most of them whined and groaned but they all willingly stay behind, poring over books and problem sets that require solving.

 

“Soul-ah,” he whispered to the girl, who was deeply engrossed in writing essay homework during their private study time. He was working on a Mathematic problem set.

 

She didn’t look up from her paper, “Chanyeol-ssi?”

 

“Don’t go home by yourself,” she peered at him, “okay?” She didn’t say anything by nodded as her answer.

 

Whoosh~

 

A small airy noise zoomed past Chanyeol a few minutes after he spoke to Soul and he felt something falling onto the book in front of him. It was a paper plane. He picked it up and unfolded.

 

You never tell us we’ll go back together. We’re so hurt.
Baek & Dae

 

He looked behind to see Baekhyun and Jongdae grinning at him mischievously across the classroom. Chanyeol rolled his eyes and went back to solve his problem book. He had better things to do than appease to Baekhyun and Jongdae’s endless jibes.

~

 

Soul told him that she would wait for him at the entrance of the main building after their private study session ended when Chanyeol told her to wait while he went to the bathroom. It was getting dark and Chanyeol could already hear faint cricket noises from the trees on the campus.

 

“Chanyeol sunbae,” a pleasing, twinkling voice made him turn his head as he was walking through the front hall. He looked around to see Seolhyun, a really pretty girl with caramel coloured skin from a year below him.

 

He hummed and frowned at her. The younger ones are not supposed to be in school after the last school bell. “Seolhyun-ah, why aren’t you going home yet? It’s getting late.”

 

She beamed slightly, “I was volunteering at the library, sunbae.”

 

“Ahhh,” Chanyeol continued walking, “then I’ll see you around!” He waved at her just as he walked past.

 

“Sunbae!” Seolhyun’s voice stopped him in the tracks again. Chanyeol turned around and looked at her. “Can you…” she walked forward until she reached in front of him and stood with her feet together, “can you…” she stretched out something with both of her hands, “please accept this?”

 

It was a pink envelope that smelled like cherry blossoms. Chanyeol had heard about guys getting confessed to. Is he being confessed to right now? “Seolhyun-ah, what’s this?”

 

“I like you, sunbae,” Seolhyun spoke with a deep inhale of breath, “a lot. I also hope you would return my feelings to me too.”

 

Chanyeol smiled uncomfortably. He once hoped that he would get confessed to before he left high school. Baekhyun and Jongdae had always that Chanyeol would definitely receive a confession since he is so popular. It never happened and Chanyeol would often joke that Baekhyun and Jongdae had jinxed him. “Seolhyun-ah,” he spoke, “I’m so sorry.”

 

Seolhyun looked up at him – her eyes filled with embarrassment and defeat. “I think you’re a very, very pretty girl and you deserve someone better than me. I’m in my final year and I don’t have time to think about dating.”

 

“Sunbae…” Seolhyun whispered.

 

“Thank you very much for the confession though,” Chanyeol smiled and patted her shoulder, “it would be a very nice memory before I leave high school.”

 

Both of them heard a shuffling of feet and they looked at her in the direction. It was Soul, who was standing in front of the girls’ toilet door in the hallway. She looked uncomfortable. “Hello…” she stammered, “I-I-I’ll just leave…” she bowed and excused herself away from the two.

 

Chanyeol apologized to Seolhyun until he deemed that it was enough. He didn’t think it would be but at least he tried his best. Then, he picked up Soul in front of the school building entrance to go back home together on his bicycle.

 

The shock of the confession had caused Chanyeol to forget pedaling fast, his attempt to scare Soul as a prank most of the time. He pedaled through quiet streets and the night was calm. Living in a smaller town meant that the neighbourhood quiets down relatively early.

 

“Chanyeol-ssi,” Soul broke their silence streak at half way of the journey. Her grip was tight on his uniform shirt. Soul always holds onto his shirt instead of his waist. She would either hold onto his shirt or the seat of the bicycle.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“She really likes you,” she continued, “I’ve met her talking to so many girls about confessing to you since last year. She even asked me about you while I was in the toilet today too.”

 

“She asked you?” Chanyeol almost fell off the bike at the thought of someone speaking to Soul about relationship advice. “What did she ask?”

 

“She asked me what kind of food you enjoy eating. What type of things you like. What type of girls you like,” Soul recalled and recited all the question.

 

Chanyeol chuckled, “what did you say?” He was curious to what Soul would tell Seolhyun about him.

 

“I told her you can’t eat spicy food,” she replied in such an earnest voice.

 

“Just that?”

 

“Yes, only that.”

 

“You know,” Chanyeol laughed, “I thought you would know more about me considering how we spend a lot of time together.”

 

“Should I tell her to ask you next time?”

 

Her serious question made him laughed out loud, “No! I’ll tell you more so that you can tell the girls about what you like, okay? Make me popular, Soul-ah.”

 

“Chanyeol-ssi,” she sighed, “you are already popular. There are so many girls who talk about you in the toilet.”

 

“Is toilet like a meeting room/mother ship for all the girls? It seems like everyone is there during break times.”

 

Soul laughed. It was probably the first time Chanyeol heard Soul laughing so heartily. Her voice is usually quiet, just a few bars above a whisper. It’s quite pleasant to hear her speak because sometimes she sounds like she’s breathing out words, mellow and fluid, instead of putting efforts into speaking it. “It seems like it, doesn’t it?” she gave him an open-ended answer first, “I don’t know why they all gather there either."

 

The night was still and cricket noises served as background music as Chanyeol pedaled back to their homes with Soul on the backseat. Chanyeol used to dislike the journey from home to school before since he had no one to talk to – Baekhyun and Jongdae live in the opposite part of the town from him. Soul was quite awkward with him before but then she turned out to be not that bad of a school companion after all. One just needs to have patience to coax her out of her shell – a shell she made herself to cocoon herself with, her own space.