Mijoo removed the navy blue sheets on her bed as Dongyeon lowered Sana onto her bed. Once they laid her down, Dongyeon reached out and helped Mijoo pull the covers over the sleeping gal. “Are you sure you guys are friends?” Mijoo asked in a low voice. Dongyeon knew Mijoo’s question was referring to when Dongyeon admitted he didn’t know where Sana’s house was.

When Dongyeon waited for the perfect time to explain, Mijoo turned to the lamp sitting on the nightstand and turned down its brightness. Once it was dim enough for Sana to sleep peacefully, Mijoo took one last look toward Dongyeon before heading out.

Dongyeon wasted no time as he followed Mijoo out into the small living space, where he easily pulled the door shut after him. “Mijoo, I—”

Mijoo was standing next to a closet as she pulled out a blanket, “Don’t worry about your friend, I’ll make sure she and I get to school tomorrow,” Mijoo held the rolled up sheet in her arms as she wait for Dongyeon to leave. When he didn’t budge she continued, “Oh right, what was her name again?”

“Uh Sana,” Dongyeon answered. Mijoo pursed her lips and nodded with a hum, then quickly she walked toward the only couch in the corner. Dongyeon, slid his hands into his pockets as he watched her unroll the blanket and was ready to spread it over the couch.

“When you leave please make sure the door is tightly shut,” Mijoo said without sparing her younger boyfriend a look. And it didn’t take long for her to realize that he was still in her house and haven’t left. “Did you need something else?”

Dongyeon finally broke his silence, “Can’t I sleep here tonight?”

Mijoo scoffed at his unbelievable straightforwardness, “If you stay here you’ll have to sleep on the floor,”

The lad responded with an instant nod as if he had already expected her answer, “Hm, I’ll do that,” Mijoo shook her head with a sigh before clicking her tongue.

“Okay, if you’re going to stay then help me stretch,”

Dongyeon thought it was silly of Mijoo to insist so. Normally the lass always surprises him without letting him in on what she’s up to or is going to be doing. Thus Dongyeon was not surprised when Mijoo held out her hand to him. As he reached for her hand, she retracted her hand with a wide smile. “Let me change out of my uniform first, you’re wearing a top under your t-shirt right?” she asked.

“Of course,” Dongyeon answered. The idea amused him as memories of one of their first meet came up. Dongyeon got into the hang of wearing tops under his uniform all because of Mijoo. He has no problem baring his chest, but Mijoo always wanted him in a top when they do stunts. Mijoo was in the bathroom changing, when Dongyeon decided to kill time looking around her place. He was used to seeing her place but was never given a chance to do any real observing. But something always struck Dongyeon.

The certain something was a picture, hugged in a golden frame sitting on the kitchen’s counter, in the middle of the whole room. The picture was of Mijoo with a man, a man Mijoo adored and looked up to. Someone, her role model, who she always talk and bragged about. The man by the name Jung Ilwoo, was Mijoo’s senior and the founder of the stunt club when Mijoo was in grade 10. Mijoo had also openly admitted to him being her first love, though it has always been one-sided. So in all of Mijoo’s high school career she has been working hard to get into the same university as Ilwoo.

When Mijoo came out of the bathroom, she was dressed in a much larger grey shirt and black sweats. “Ready?” She asked, Dongyeon turned around to face her. For a brief moment he couldn’t take his eyes off of her, it was hard to believe how beautiful she truly was. Even with her braided hair a mess and in the most unattractive fashion, she was nonetheless stunning.

With Dongyeon in a white top, Mijoo knew he came prepared. As they met near the center, Mijoo held out her hands with a small smile. “Be my helper first then you can sleep once we’re done,” Dongyeon grabbed onto her hands and fondled them in his shortly before she tugged at them, “quit playing with them and focus,”

Mijoo finally led as she had her feet lined up and touching Dongyeon’s, as they intertwined their fingers and locked hands, Dongyeon was to stand and support Mijoo as she leaned back and stretched herself. Stretching and working lasted for two hours before they switched to certain stunts. As Mijoo pulled one leg up from behind and over her head, she tried to positioned herself as straight as she could. Meanwhile her helper, Dongyeon, examined from a few feet before her.

“How is this? My needle pose has improved yeah?” She asked. Dongyeon nodded as he traced the outline of her body.

“Relax your muscles a little,” Dongyeon suggested as he flattened his eyes, “But, isn’t this position for…, are you working on the cheerleading project?” Dongyeon asked.

Mijoo heaved a deep breath as she broke the pose, “Yeah, I thought I should get a headstart before I introduced the idea to Yein, but I’m losing my flexibility,” Mijoo puffed out her cheeks as she hit her thigh with a formed fist. “I’ll stretch some more on my own, you should check on your friend first then go to sleep. And it’s probably better if you sleep in the room with her so she won’t be surprise when she wakes up—”

“No, I’ll help you. Otherwise you’ll overwork yourself again if I’m not here,”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m going to call Ilwoo and get some advice. Wash up and get some sleep, you look tired,” Mijoo said sternly, then quickly searched for her phone on the couch. She head into the small kitchen to make her call, as she bit her nails she waited patiently for Ilwoo to pick up his phone. Internally Dongyeon wished Ilwoo wouldn’t pick up. But when he did, Dongyeon thought he died a little on the inside. Dongyeon could make out Mijoo’s words but it was not enough to get a full grasp of their conversation.

After a while Dongyeon took Mijoo’s word on checking on Sana, seeing that the lass was in some sort of deep beauty sleep. Dongyeon leaned forward a little to fix the blanket over Sana, then slowly he took a step back and scanned her sleeping face. Though Sana’s appearance never struck Dongyeon as attractive, he had to admit Sana has her charms. Not only was she decent pretty but she has a very good heart as well. Her warmth always gave Dongyeon the idea of a kind, innocent, younger sister.

After a while Dongyeon head into the living room where he nearly ran into Mijoo.

“Oh, you’re still up?” Mijoo asked. The lass had washed up and was still damped with water in her hair and on the outskirts of her jaw.

“I’m leaving,” Dongyeon said wearily.

“Leaving? You said you were going to stay here? Besides, it’s a little too late to—”

Dongyeon let out a sigh, “I’ll be alright. But like you said it’s late so get some sleep. I’ll see you later,” Dongjun swirled around to pick up his uniform shirt from the top of Mijoo’s couch before throwing it over his shoulder. “Good night,” he said before planting a dry kiss on her cheek. Mijoo didn’t move until she heard the front door close. Momentarily she thought about the causes for Dongyeon’s sudden change of mind. Dongyeon was not one to change his mind unless something or someone triggered it. At least that’s as much as Mijoo got from knowing the fellow for nearly a year.

Dongyeon stood outside of the door for a short time before heaving a sigh as he scanned the empty and dark paths around him. Then hastily he threw on his uniform shirt to add an extra layer in order to keep himself warm. Though it was a Summer night, there was a slight breeze passing around him. Dongyeon hid his hands into his pocket as he prepared himself for the walk home. But after covering only three or four steps he heard the sound to Mijoo’s front door.

“Dongyeon,”

The lad turned around and was surprised to see Sana. As if she was abandoned, Sana wore a terrified expression. “Sana?”

Mijoo pulled the covers over her bed as she stood quietly by her bed. Mijoo was wavering of what had happened. How was she able to let Dongyeon walk out, how was a normal girl who was asleep able to sense Dongyeon’s departure and able to get up and chase after him. Mijoo recalled her similar days with Ilwoo. Whenever her senior thought of leaving her during study sessions, she would somehow knew and wake up in time to stop him, or see him walk out. As she half-heartedly sat on her bed, she began pondering and reflecting on her true feelings and emotions.

Did she truly love the youngling? Or was he a replacement of Ilwoo?

Dongyeon looked up at the sky as he walked Sana toward her place. The lass was playing with her hands as she felt slightly shy being alone with him so late at night. “Sorry, after stocking the books in the library I must have fell asleep. I’m sorry if you had to carry me all the way from school,” Sana expressed apologetically.

The corner of Dongyeon’s lips curled up, “It’s fine, you weren’t heavy,”

A happy smile glowed on Sana’s face, “B-but, how did you carry me? I didn’t even wake up once,”

Dongyeon stopped in his steps in which Sana followed, “I carried you on my back, like a bag of rice,” he said causing laughter. “Do you want me to carry you again?” he asked jokingly, Sana politely declined the offer before giggling.

“Thank you though,” she added.

When morning came, Mijoo was surprised to find Dongyeon and Sana at her doorstep as she was ready to head for school. The young pair were out of breath and covered in sweat. “O-oh Mijoo,” Dongyeon began.

Mijoo ducked her head a little and hid her neck, “You guys came here together? Well I guess that’s better, save me the work of carrying your guys’ bags to school for you,” Mijoo said as she shoved Dongyeon’s and Sana’s backpacks against them after realizing they were left behind. As the two got a hold each of their own bags, Dongyeon proceed to say.

“T-thank you M-Mijoo,” he stuttered as he caught his breath. Mijoo formed a thin line with her lips and nodded to him before giving Sana a genuine smile. Their interaction came to a quick end as Mijoo shoved Dongyeon to the side a little to make room for her to pass. “Mijoo,” he called before making eye contact with Sana. As the two stood, covered in sweat, Dongyeon watched as Mijoo walked away. “Come, let’s catch the bus with Mijoo—” Dongyeon was about to grab Sana by the elbow until the lass took a step back.

“I’ll catch up, you should go with her first,”

“What do you mean? We’ll be late, hurry—”

Sana shook her head, taking another step back as she hung her head. Dongyeon was surprised by her refusal but did not question it. “I don’t want to see you two together,” Sana said quietly, “I’m sorry Dongyeon but you can go first, I’ll wait for another bus,”

From afar Dongyeon happened to catch Mijoo’s glance. But it was short when she knew what they were up to, thus continued toward the bus stop on her own.

“Sana,”

“Sorry Dongyeon,” Dongyeon’s eyes widen a little when he noticed the tears on Sana’s face. She tried to hide them from him, but it wasn’t hard to noticed when they’re dropping onto her backpack. “Please understand me even if you can’t accept me,” Dongyeon knew and understood Sana’s words very well. It was not news that Sana had a crush on Dongyeon, especially when he was the one to approach her first as a friend.

But seeing how she is, briefly he could almost feel her pain. One-sided love, he could feel it, he’s about to experienced it real soon. Once Mijoo graduate, there’s no telling whether she’d stay with Dongyeon or go to the same university as Ilwoo and be with him.

After all Ilwoo may have been Mijoo’s first love, but there was no denying that Ilwoo was also interested in Mijoo.