Going back to her seat, Seohyun put her phone down to the side and noticed the squinting of eyes coming from her three college friends. She rolled her eyes and just continues with her story.

 

***

 

"She's absent again?"

 

"For three days now."

 

"Why?"

 

"Rumors says Yoona have been dropped from the scholarship."

 

"No, I don't think so. She had been the top student. There's no way she will be dropped from the program. And to think, she just recently won a quiz bee."

 

"Her friends doesn't have any idea too. She's not returning all their calls."

 

"Aigoo, I miss our happy virus."

 

"Yeah, Me too."

 

Seohyun sighed as she takes her seat on her first class, only to hear her classmates talking about the deer. She neither doesn't know why her freenimy is absent because she hasn't seen Yoona coming back from their house. It's like; their house had been empty since two days ago. Im's residence is like a haunted now, instead of theirs. Although she hated seeing her, there's something inside her wanted to know she's suddenly absent, because it's just a rare case.

 

"Have you heard?" Irene came to take her seat next to hers with something so relevant with what's going on.

 

"About Yoona?" Seohyun raised her brows and made sure her voice is low.

Leaning into the other girl's ear, Irene whispers, "My brother who is working in a hospital wanted me to keep this but I can't take this and wanted to tell you... Yoona, she had been in the hospital."

 

"She was hospitalized? Why?" Seohyun almost yelled out of shock, if she did not hurriedly covered .

 

"No, it's not her. It's her mother. She's taking care of her ever since she was hospitalized. Um, s-sadly... " Irene's face turned into a sad expressions.

 

"Sadly what?" Seohyun's brows creased.

 

Irene takes a deep breath and softly sadly revealed, "Her mother died early this morning."

 

Seohyun feels like her heart had been ripped off. Mrs. Im, who had been so friendly towards her family as well, is like her second mother. And Yoona, imagining how devastating she must be right now would be so horrible to see. Although she hates her, there's no way in the world she will wish for her to be hurting this way. It would be so heartless if she does. "Yoo... Yoona. I think she must be so sad right now." she sighs as she held her aching chest, as if she has loss her mother as well.

 

---

 

It's Friday, and normally Seohyun will use the second gate of their school to avoid the deer, but since the latter isn't in school for a week now, she finds herself using their main gate as she walks out with a sad face. Actually, not only her, but her classmates that know her well as well.

 

She doesn't know why but she feels empty and she feels like missing that prankster, even though she hates her. It's like, without seeing her bright choding face, she can't be bright too.

 

"It's time." So she made up her mind. She had been thinking of visiting the funeral and so as her enemy, but she always changes her mind, afraid she will not face her. But since it had been the fifth day, she must be okay now and can talk to her. Assuming that the deer doesn't like to talk to someone while she's mourning.

 

-

 

"What took you so long?" Mister Im asked the moment he saw who is with Mr. and Mrs. Seo. The young girl bowed in respect towards him right away.

 

"Can I see Yoona, Mister Im?" Seohyun did not hesitate and she asked the father of her classmate's father.

 

"Yeah, sure. She's upstairs. Her room has her name, so I bet you will know which one of the rooms. Um, if she doesn't respond to you, please understand.. She had been like that ever since her mom died." Mister Im suggested with a small smile towards the youngest Seo.

 

"I will, don't worry Mister Im." Seohyun bowed again and excused herself, leaving her parents with Mister Im. It only takes a minute and she found Yoona's room, as she stands in front of her door, contemplating first on how to address the girl from the inside. But before she can do that, she saw Mister Im followed her and hands her two mugs of hot choco.

 

"Go offer her this."

 

"Thanks." Smiling warmly back to the older, she took the two mugs and the latter gives her a pat on her arm before leaving her alone in front of his daughter's door.

 

Once again bracing herself, she doesn't have to knock on her door. "Yoona, it's me. Can you open the door please? I have something for you... Um... Choco drink. You might want to open the door for me?" She waited for a while for the other girl's response but none of it was heard. Until she decided to knock the door using her feet, she realizes the door is open. She mentally scolded herself for not trying it earlier.

 

Pushing the door open using her the tip of her shoe, she peeks her head inside first and there goes Yoona, sitting in the floor with her head is resting the bed's head board and her ears are covered with a headset, probably the reason why she did not respond. She pushed more the door until she can have the passage.

 

Yoona almost immediately put her headset down and was surprised to see the other girl. "What are you doing here?" She asked, almost couldn't say it loud because of how dry is.

 

"Um... " Seohyun trailed off when she noticed the eye-bags under the doe-eyed girl's eyes. It suddenly made her heart aches, for what reason? Maybe empathy. And she has never seen her broken. "How are you doing? I... Brought you some drinks." She tried to pursue her, hoping she wouldn't push her away.

 

"This is off limits. Just leave." Said Yoona coldly. And she really means it. Getting off of the bed, she attempts to grab her arm but Seohyun moves away from her.

 

"I came here not because of these drinks. I came here because I... I wanted to know how are you doing? I mean our classmates... They're missing you Yoona."

 

Yoona ignored the younger girl's words and grabs her arm successfully. She pulled her to the door, but got stopped when she heard her voice again.

 

"I miss you too, Yoona." Seohyun huskily confessed. "I mean I'm worried about you. It's almost a week now without you in school. I thought something happened to you." She heartily added, hoping the cold deer will be convinced that she's more than worried than anybody else. "I even thought you are no longer going to go back."

 

Slowly turned her head to face the younger and shows how miserable she is at the moment, she is confused why she's staring to those eyes, full of concern. It's the same girl hated her because she had been making fun of her. "What made you think like this? I've been... Annoying you, aren't I? Shouldn't you be so happy or ignore what's happening to me? I mean, I'm a bad person. And-"

 

"I don't know what's happening to me as well, but this is what I am feeling right now. I think I just... Miss the bright Yoona. The choding that had been messing around in school, and in this neighborhood."

 

Sighing heavily, Yoona took the other mug and headed back to her bed.

 

A small smile formed in Seohyun's lips, taking the girl's actions to be an indication that she allowed her inside her room. She approached her in the bed and the latter patted the space next to her. In which she didn't hesitate and sits beside her. She has never gone into her room, but she felt comfortable already. It's warm and cozy.

 

"Aren't we friends?" Despite the heaviness inside her, Yoona chuckled at what's apparently happeneing. She is honestly surprised she heard those words coming from the girl. So she thought it's like just a joke or something.

 

"We hang out, don't we?" Seohyun smiled; glad to hear the deer's chuckles. However, her face turned dark again. She sighed and felt sad. "It's going to be alright, don't worry."

 

"Did I do wrong for all of my life?" Yoona sighs heavily as well, putting her mug down to her night stand. "I mean all the people that I love left me."

 

"Huh?" Seohyun doesn't know what the older girl is talking about. And she's confused why she sounds blaming herself to what happened to her mother.

 

Tilting her to her left, she pout her lips a little and continued her words. "First, my parents and my big sister left me, now my Omma. I feel like the world really hates me. I feel like the Lord doesn't even care about me and he also take my Omma from me. She was such a good mother I could ever had but... Aigoo..."

 

"What? Isn't your parents... "

 

"I mean, my real family left me in the orphanage. I was ten when they left me without even giving me any reasons. But you know what I thought that time, and until now? I'm a bad child because they don't want me in their family. Well, I actually am. And I'm sure you agree with me. The entire school agrees with me." Yoona can't take it and shed tears. She eventually wiped them off however. However, it just keeps on falling. Her heavy heart can no longer take it and she looked down, covering her face with her bare hands and cried. "She was such an amazing mother. I can't imagine waking up without her." It's amazing that there are still tears falling when she had been crying since the very day her mother loses her breath. "I feel like a dead person right now too."

 

Seohyun is totally stunned. "I didn't know... " For all that she knows, Yoona is an Im. And it surprised her that she seems to be hurting ever since she was a kid. So the outside she had been showing is just like some disguise to hide her real pain. And it breaks her heart seeing her like this for the first time. She's like a close friend, having feeling her pain too.

 

Reluctantly, she put her mug down and scooted closer. She was about to open her arms when she heard her stopping her.

 

"Don't ever think about it. I'm okay. I don't need it." In between her sobs, Yoona made her to stop her plans.

 

As much as she also wants to stopped herself, something have pushed her and she wraps her arms around her. "Let me just hug you." she whispers. "Because I think you need one." she put her head on her shoulder and she's glad she did not stop her. Instead, it causes her to sobs harder. She can't hold herself and also shed tears, but trying herself not to sob.

 

-

 

That time, I realized that the happiest person can also be the saddest. Yoona, she maybe so naughty and all, but she is still human and can be so fragile too.

 

And ever since that night, I got closer with her and she got closer with me.

 

Who would have thought of it? The person that I hate so much suddenly one of my closest friend.

 

-

 

"I seriously don't have to. I can catch up it on my own."

 

"I know you're always the smartest Yoona, but for your information, your brain has limitations too. At times like this you need me to make this happened. You can't do this on your own."

 

Without stopping from her tracks, Seohyun had successfully brought Yoona inside the house and, "Omma, We will have dinner in my room. Can you send it upstairs? Hehe Thanks Omma." She just told her mother from the living room and continues dragging her way upstairs. Yoona did not missed and bows in respect to Seohyun's mother before they have disappeared upstairs.

 

Once they settle down in front of her desk, Seohyun brought the books from her shelf and put it in front of Yoona, who only look at her with a poker face. She attempted to leave, but she pulled her down back to her seat.

 

"Let's study together, shall we?" She said as she opens the math book first along with her bright smiles.

 

And with that, she started to read and feels like a teacher, she teach the girl who had been absent for three months already, for the next hour. And it took two and half hour when she stopped and noticed the sad in the doe-eyed girl's eyes. Sensing it might be because she misses her mother, she get up and walked out her room. When she returned, she caught Yoona wiping her fresh tears, but that didn't stop her.

 

As she sits down, she put a bowl of pop corn in her desk and put all the pop corns inside , which made her face bloated. Then she gets up and do the monkey dance.

 

"Chubby Monkey." Yoona just can't hold back and laugh out so loud. "You're so silly. Hahaha!!!"

 

Satisfied with the older girl's reaction, Seohyun started eating the pop corn in and once it's okay to talk, "I'm glad I heard that laugh again. I know it's still hard for you, Yoongie but we havr to move on with or without her. I'm not asking you to forget about her but your life doesn't stop there. We have to keep on going, Okay?"

 

"You're funny. I thought-" Yoona did not finish her words when she felt the younger girl's finger pressing against her lips.

 

"Let's continue our lessons." Said Seohyun like a real tutor for someone who had been topping their exams. She takes her seat back and did not waste her time, she resumes where she has left off. She can feel Yoona is listening back to her quietly, which made her confidence to come back again.

 

-

 

A look of pride can be seen from a young girl's face while she's listening and watching to another girl, answering the questions from their teacher. Her effort just paid off. It even exceeds her expectation, while listening to how Yoona is speaking in front of their class. It's like; she never missed their class for 3 months. Well, she's not a top student for nothing.

 

"Are you going with Irene today for lunch?"

 

Seohyun got startled upon hearing Yoona's voice so near in her ear. "N-No. Why are you asking?" She stammered, not knowing why the older is asking.

 

"Come with me." Yoona said and grabs Seohyun's wrist, pulling her up and drags her out of their classroom.

 

Seohyun wanted to complain but she finds herself suddenly fluttering and stomach has butterflies, as she looked at the deer's hand holding her. 'Why am I feeling like this?' It's totally different feeling and she can't help but smile.

 

As they arrived in an empty theater, Yoona then opened her backpack and brought out her lunch boxes she made especially for the two of them.

 

"You brought me into this theater because you want to have lunch together? Why?" Chuckled Seohyun, couldn't believe it.

 

"Because I want to thank you for staying up with me until you can no longer take it and fell asleep last night." Yoona grinned. Last night is like surreal for her, but it was all worth it when she was able to answer their teacher earlier. Not only for one subject but all of their subjects in the morning. She thinks if it wasn't for Seohyun, she can't answer it correctly. "But hold on, don't eat yet. Let's eat while a movie is playing." Without waiting for the younger girl's answer, she excuse herself right away.

 

Seohyun is speechless but at the same time happy to see the used to be bright girl is back. And she realizes, she's not naughty anymore. 'I didn't know she's this sweet too.' She bit her lip while smiling giddily out of a sudden.

 

As soon as the lights were off and a movie plays, Yoona also returned excitedly. "Have you watch this movie?" She asked when she takes her seat back next to the younger.

 

"How can we eat properly with lights off?" Seohyun realized they have lunch box of kimbap, egg rolls, rice and kimchi, but she barely can see. The lights coming from the big screen is the only way she can somehow see.

 

"You can see me, right?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Then it's okay. I haven't done this with anyone by the way." Yoona flashed her choding smile before she put one kimbap inside her own mouth.

 

Seohyun couldn't complain. "But you have done this, alone?"

 

"Yeah, If I feel like it."

 

"The life of a top student." A rolling of eyes can be seen from the younger girl.

 

"I'm working on it though."

 

" I know. But this is what you got for putting the school's name to the public. I feel like unfair sometimes. But the school is just paying you back, though."

 

"Well." Yoona shrugs her shoulders and smiled, smugly.

 

Seohyun smiled back and have her meal as well. "Hmm, you made this or did your father help you too?" She can't believe that the kimbap tastes so good like the ramen she usually eats every time her parents aren't having dinner with her.

 

"Omma taught me how to do this." Yoona did not even show any sad expressions as she mentioned her mother. Instead, she's proud of it.

 

"Oh, no wonder." The younger girl can't help and sigh, missing the friendly Mrs. Im.

 

"Everything in that lunch box came from me, so don't question it anymore, araso?"

 

"Look who sounds full of herself out of sudden."

 

"I'm just telling you the truth, yo! Miss Seohyunnie?"

 

"Okay." Giggling, Seohyun shrugs and just returned to her meal. Yoona also did the same, which made them quiet. And just focus on their meal and the movie playing.

 

But only half of the movie, the younger of the two can't stop herself, from stealing glances to the other girl. She's happy and at the same time admires the latter for the first time. So the prankster only knows making fun, she is also as sweet as those cupcakes. Like, she couldn't find the person she met for the first time. But it's absolutely a good thing. She wanted to see this more than the naughty and prankster Im Yoona.

 

Suddenly, she turned to her, her heart skips a beat as her eyes widened in surprised. She automatically looked away and feel her heart beats got even wild.

 

***

 

"Heol, Don't tell me you're..."

 

Seohyun did not even hesitate and she bobs her head up and down, and then cupped her own hot cheeks.

 

"Kyaaaaa!!!" All girls just erupted into a squeal of celebration. Like they actually feel what Seohyun can feel that time?

 

"Wait, so what happened? Did you confess?" Nicole curiously just wanted to know more.

 

Putting her hands down from her cheeks, Seohyun sighed as she recalled more from her first crush.

 

***

 

I don't know it first... Until I just realizes it when I saw Yoona with another girl... A new girl actually.

 

***

 

It's almost prom night and everyone are now excited who are they going to date on the day. Well, others are just still waiting who will ask them out for that one night of dance. And Seohyun, who is apparently jealous of those girls that got their partners already, is one of the girls that are still waiting for someone to ask her.

 

Heck, she wished oddly for that prankster to ask her. It feels so we