Jung Wheein

“She was totally looking at you.”

“Looking? More like checking her out. She’s looking at her like she’s food to consume. And that smile? Wow. It’s like she’s trying to feast on a buffet or something.”

“The heck you’re talking about Hyejin-ah….” I just had to voice out hearing how ridiculous the analogy my best-friend just got us imagining into.

“Could be true. Did they even eaten anything before the game? Of course they did right, Joohyun?” Yongsun asked earnestly towards Joohyun who is enjoying her drink at the moment. Joohyun smiled directly at me as if agreeing with me on how silly Yongsun’s question was.

Our school’s volleyball team won the game and claimed the championship for the 3^rd successive year in a row despite trailing behind in that last deciding set. Apparently, Joohyun’s girlfriend; Seulgi wasn’t even needed. She rushed out of infirmary and expected to be substituted on right away but got surprised when the points already at 18-18. The game was totally under control and Coach Lee immediately decided to just let Seulgi rests on the bench. Whatever tactical changes they’ve made during that last timeout clearly worked out. The girl that the short-haired Amber secretly in love with; Krystal did amazingly in place of Seulgi even though not as efficiently. She did enough and well as a substitute and clearly Amber understood her way of play really well. But the MVP of the game, the one that my friends keep bugging me about ever since we stepped out of the hall; that gorgeous silver-haired girl named Moon Byulyi was simply brilliant. It’s like she’s been possessed by the volleyball god. Her spikes were all successful in raking the points for the team in that crucial time of the game. I was stunned at her skills and it’s to the point of scary at times when she hit those balls down with all her might. Her screams filled out every inch of the hall. I wasn’t really sure if the opponent’s blockers couldn’t do their job properly because of her dangerous offense or simply because of her screams were just that loud and terrifying. And I can’t help but to think during the whole time that whatever that possessed her to play like that has got something to do with that staring game between her and me. I’m surprised at how fast she changed from being massively nervous to the point of blacking out, to that lethal and flowing with confidence player that got the opponents left with no answers trying to keep her out.

“Are you sure you don’t know her, Wheein? Like maybe you guys have met before but you don’t remember?” Yongsun’s voice interrupted my train of thoughts.

“Yeah, she looked like she clearly knows you. The look upon her face like she haven’t met you for a while kind of feel?” Hyejin added. She then lifted her fork to steal some of my food on my plate. I wouldn’t even want to complain. I really don’t feel like eating even though I was the one asking her for this dinner treat earlier.

“Nope. Negative.” My short answers certainly got them all eyes on me. I tried to avoid their fixating gazes on me by gulping down my drink.

“I met her several times when I met up with Seulgi. Moon is Seul’s best friend. The two of them are like horseshoe crabs; they’re inseparable…”

“And you always get jealous.” Yongsun butted in and flashed a wry smirk towards her best friend.

“I am not.” Joohyun uttered out firmly. And she rolled her eyes when all of us laughed at her, completely disbelieving her denial.

“Anyways, if what happened today really was about her checking you out, what I can say is she’s really genuine. I never saw her smiling as wide and happy as she did today. She’s not the type to show what she’s feeling to others and she’s quiet. So really, seeing her acting that way feels alien to me too.” Joohyun stated before her phone ringed.

She showed us the caller on the screen of her phone to us, “It’s Seul. I gotta go. Sorry.” She whispered before finishing her drink, packing her things and got up. She patted Yongsun’s shoulder, “Yongsun, pay for me will you? I’ll pay later when I got back. Later, girls.”

“You ordered one drink only, what’s with the pay back unnie. Plus, Hyejin’s paying these all today.” I said while patting the mentioned girl beside me.

“Thanks, Hyejin-ah.” She winked before going out in lively steps out of the café. We watched Joohyun disappeared from our sight before I start focusing on what I have in my plate in front of me.

“I heard she’s got quite an army of fangirls though. That Moon girl.” Yongsun said all of a sudden. It looked like she just finished her meal, all that’s left on her plate are vegetables. All those fibers she didn’t take but she looks as healthy as a horse.

“Yeah. There are like lines of girls tailing her wherever she goes. Uhh nope. Correction. Couple of boys too. Makes you wonder what her uality really is because apparently no one in those lines; boys or girls, is attractive enough for her. She’s just too cold she doesn’t even look at them.” Hyejin said so fast, it’s like she’s saying this all in a breath.

“Goodness just how do you know about all these? Here I thought you’d always stuck with those arcade games in your phone.”

“Yes. But I still got time to look at people. Unlike you. I even need to ask you whether you’ve went to the toilet for the day or yet, every day. How about you just bring all your pillows, clothes, toiletries and all that to the lab and just live there already?” Hyejin retorted.

“Let’s not forget about the time she almost use a scalpel instead of a fork to eat salads.” Yongsun added, both of them are clearly having fun teasing me right now. And seeing them laugh I can’t help but to laugh as well because every single thing they said is true, I have no right or whatsoever to disagree.

“Or when she bruised her eye when she bumped into the…eyepiece?” Hyejin added between her laugh, it’s incredible how we can still understand what she was trying to say.

“Yes! The microscope’s eyepiece. Oh my god that’s hilarious, I can never get that scene out of my head.” Yongsun dolphin laugh filled the whole café and her eyes started to get teary. Several other students were glaring at us.

“I hated you guys that day for surprising me from behind like that. And it still hurts until today.” I palmed instinctively my left eye, suddenly feeling a wince of pain there. “Okay, stop laughing now Yongsun unnie. Are you trying to get us kicked out of this café?”

“Don’t be over dramatic. Plus, we knocked the door okay… you’re just so immersed on looking whatever that was you’re seeing under that microphone.” Hyejin blurted out confidently. And as if Yongsun’s laugh wasn’t loud enough, she’s now laughing with her both hands on her stomach. Probably aching from laughing too much. I’m the one who’s feeling out of breath looking at her.

“It’s a MICROSCOPE, Hyejin-ah. The heck you want me to do with a microphone in a lab? And I was observing okay, observing a very rare shark skin.” I corrected her. I immediately remembered how beautiful those small scales called denticles on the skin of a shark. I almost lost my mind because those denticles look a lot like teeth. A very sharp teeth aligned together to make out a full skin. One of the most powerful predators in the world indeed.

“Don’t you rain down on me those scientific stuff like, I wouldn’t even know if it’d actually a human skin you’re observing”-- she said ever so sarcastically while making a face that’s inviting to be punched—“I’m a business student.”

“Fine. Whatever you said Hyejin-ah. We’re all done eating, right? Go pay all these and let’s get out of here before the owner drag us out.” I said, glancing at the watch on my wrist. “And we’ve spent way too much time here.”

“You’re no fun, Nerd.” Hyejin scoffed before making her way to the counter to pay.

“Yeah well, I love you too, Fatal.” I winked though it never reached her eyes.

“What’s with the rush, Wheein-ah? You have somewhere to go?” Yongsun asked before getting up, pulling her jeans up without even bothering the existence of other people around. One habit of hers that I find fascinating.

“I just want to head somewhere so that I can finish reading…this.” I fished out a relatively small book from my sling bag and showed it to Yongsun before putting it back in.

“Ah yes. And I assume that that ‘somewhere’ is that place you recently like to go to? It’s going to be like what…the 4^th time you go there right? Just what is it about that place that you really like? I mean, I know you like to read in a very calm and quiet place, that’s why you always stay in the library.”

“Let her be Unnie. That’s like her sacred place now. Apparently, everything’s going to be rainbow and sunshine once she stepped her feet at that place.” Hyejin who just finished settling the bill interrupted.

“It’s nothing like that. I just find that place soothing, and the surrounding is calm and serene. Not many people passing by. It’s a perfect place for me to read in peace.” I explained.

I glanced on the sky, seeing a flock of birds flying probably back home. It’s about to get dark as night is about to replace the daylight and I’m not sure now if I ever got to finish reading this novel I got in my bag.

“What are you going to do about Moon though?” Hyejin with a smirk on her face, asked. She obviously wouldn’t want to let this go.

“I thought we’re done talking about this.” I unconsciously gripped the sling bag tighter. I’m actually feeling rather uncomfortable with this conversation.

“It barely started!”

“Well, I got nothing else to say. I don’t know her. That was my first time seeing her. And I don’t know why she’s looking at me and honestly I don’t even want to know.”

“Eyy that’s not entirely true. You’re staring at her just about as deep. People would think that you two are something if they saw.” Yongsun said while giving me a light push on my shoulder.

“Enough already, you two. I’ll be going now.” I waved before walking on a separate way from them.

“You didn’t answer even a question. Fine, I hope you’ll see her again and may she got stuck in your head and can never come out!” Hyejin literally shouted when I increased my pace, walking away from them.

Looking back at them I said, “Not a chance!”

***

Moon Byulyi

It’s a dark and windy night and I was forced to stop my walk when my face greeted by breeze of air. I closed my eyes, feeling meek breeze brushed the hairs on my skin and my nose. My hair was left into a ruffle and I was starting to feel itchy as a couple strands of it scratching my face. I pulled the tie band on my left wrist and tied up my hair in to a low ponytail. I went to tidy my bang next before starting to continue my stroll. I groaned when I felt my phone vibrating in my sweatpants, begging for the 4^th time tonight for me to pick up. I fished out my phone and slide to answer without even bothering to look at the name appeared on the screen. I already knew who’s calling. I groaned again when my phone touched my ear. The phone was too cold for my liking.

“Yeah bro. What’s up?” my voice was so deep tonight even me, myself were a bit taken aback by it.

“Dude…where the hell are you? The party just getting started and you’re already gone?” Her voice kind of drowned in that loud music in the background. My guess was right, then. It’s really not just a simple party.

“You know me. I never really like to be celebrated. And I’m feeling a slight headache right now. Totally not in the mood to be in a place accompanied by a head-banging music.” I pressed my free fingers on my temple, massaging a bit.

“But you’re the MVP, what would the VIPs say when you’re not here to receive the award?” Seul said after she took a couple sip of her drinks. I can hear her girlfriend’s faint voice beside her as well.

“I don’t care. And you can go get it for me. As per usual.”

“This is slowly becoming an insult to me, Moon. Maybe you should have stopped playing like a star and not be the MVP next time then. So that I can really go up and claim that award with my head held high?”

“Sounds to me like you’re admitting I’m better than you. We’re in our final year already, when will you catch up? Were you even trying all this while?” smirking, I put my free hand in the pocket of my grey sweatpants.

“You’re a douche, you know that?”

I laughed. “I know. But you low key adore this douchebag so, cover for me?” I ran my hand to the back of my neck. It’s kind of a habit of mine. I didn’t even realize until Seulgi mentioned it to me. According to her, I do it whenever I feel embarrassed or shy about something. But this isn’t me feeling embarrassed of asking such request. I’m just cold and I’m just in my training gear walking in this cold night.

“Urgh fine. But start answering my question. Where the hell are you? Are you perhaps…going to that place again?” The loud noise of the party at the other end of the line disappeared and it occurred to me that my best friend might have gone outside just to talk to me.

“Yeah, and I’m already there.” I muttered. I raised my head and my eyes saw a wooden bench that I used to sit, lay and sleep on; right under an old oak tree. There’s a lake right up ahead and it’s so calm I feel like diving in and swim in it all night. This is my favorite spot. I can sit on the bench and lean against the hard bark of this huge oak tree. For some reason I feel it was comforting to have something to lean on. This place is like a shelter. I wouldn’t even have to worry if it’s hot or cold or if it’s raining, I’d always be safe under this tree. It’s amazing that no one else feels connected as much as I am with this place.

“And just get back to the party and have fun with your girl. You don’t need to go outside just to talk to me. Am I the one your girlfriend? Or are you trying to call other chick right after this call? Are you ing using me?” I bombarded her with questions and accusations while walking to the bench. I relieved a sigh almost immediately after my touch the wooden plank. It’s warm; completely contrast to the night that’s enveloped with coldness.

“I am not outside to just have casual talk with you. And , why would I call other girl? Have I lost my mind? You too know how fierce Joohyun can be at times. Her punches could kill and her glare could send you into oblivion.”

I laughed, completely amused by the way she talked about her girlfriend. She is so in love with that goddess. To say that it was obvious would be a major understatement. She’s totally head over heel for that girl.

“Nahh… you certainly love her punches, her glare, her touches on your skin--”

“Don’t you ing dare go there, Moon.” Seulgi warned half-heartedly. I know she loved being teased like this from me. It turned her on.

“Don’t act so innocent now. And freaking tells me already, the you wanted to talk to me? You’re interrupting my soul getaway.” I begin to lean away from the bark, lean forward and pick small, flat stones near my feet. I threw them one by one in to the lake in front of me; trying to play skipping stone.

“Soul getaway my …” a few seconds of silence went by and she scoffed before continuing, “What happened back then in the court?” She asked bluntly. A question that I least want to answer right now. I know damn well what she’s referring to but I was playing dumb.

“You’re seriously asking? You broke your damn finger and nearly cost us the championship, that’s what happened.” I retorted. I threw a stone a bit harder and it bounced off 4 times before sinking in.

I heard her sigh, “God, you’re a ing A-class douche, you know that?” I can actually see the way she rolled her eyes at the back of my head.

“None that I’ve never heard before, Seul.” My ear’s burning so I decided to put the phone on speaker before putting it down on the bench. I picked more stones, got up and took a step nearer towards the lake. This skipping stone game just got upgraded to an Olympic game. I was so focused on trying to break my own record with every stone I throw.

“Stop changing the subject. Do not ing keep this to yourself. I’m not a ing useless pole you go with every day to classes, to the volleyball training, even to the dirty toilet you love so much. I’m your mate, so talk to me.” Seulgi’s voice echoed in this place and I can tell how worried she is of me. I can already imagine how angry heat spreading her face; hating not knowing. She wasn’t there when I suddenly saw my mom in the crowd. She wasn’t there witnessing me smiling towards someone that I don’t even know of. But if she was, she’d know I was actually trying hard to keep myself sane until the end of the game.

“I can basically saw what you’re thinking so might as well cut the chase and spill the beans, Moon.” Patience was never her best suit. Neither am I. So I decided to let her know.

“I saw my mom in the crowd, Seul.” I stopped abusing the lake from my aggressive throws and went to sit back on the bench right beside my phone.

“Oh, .” She cussed softly.

“Yeah. She’s there, Seul. Watching, smiling, and waving as if encouraging me to do better. She’s like telling me to fight and don’t give up.” Silence enveloped our conversation.

“She’s the reason I could do what I did at the end of the match. That last spurt. I could never have done all that by myself without you. But somehow, she made it possible.”

I continued when I broke my own blank stare to the sky, “But of course that’s just me hallucinating. Turned out I was smiling like an idiot to a student that I never know of the whole time. All I can see was mom. I didn’t mean to. I just hope that girl wouldn’t be bothered by it---”

“I know her, Moon. She’s a friend of Joohyun’s” Seulgi deadpanned.

“Oh, .” It was my turn to cuss.

“I’ve got that covered. You don’t have to worry about that. You’re okay? It’s been a while since you last saw your mom, right?” I can hear Seulgi’s restless tap of her foot heel on the floor.

“Yeah. That’s why I want to be here, and not at the party right now. I just need some times. I’m going to be fine. Stop worrying my .” I murmured. Trying to lift up the mood.

“Oh believe me, your is definitely something to worry about if you ask me. But since those girls love your skinny so much, I couldn’t care less.”

“Like yours are any better. Ever tried asking Joohyun for an honest talk about your ? I bet my ing life she didn’t like them even one bit. Hard and pointy.”

Seulgi burst into laugh and I can’t help myself from laughing as well before I realized, it wasn’t just our laughing voices I’m hearing right now. There’s a different voice; a soft laugh near me and I started to feel myself went rigid. And I’m pretty sure my face is getting paler by the second. I automatically stood up. I began to search the owner of the voice. I looked to my right and left, searching for any living things behind the lamp posts and those large rocks decorating the lake’s perimeter. Eyeing any movement behind those bushes and trees

“Dude, are you with someone?” Seulgi’s voice surprised me a bit.

“I don’t think so, nope.”

“No .”

“Yeah. Talk to you later.” I disconnected the call. No way was I imagining things right now. Seulgi heard the voice too. It’s 9 pm and this is pretty much a very secluded place that most of other students don’t even know of. I never believe in ghosts and I am not scared of them but , this might just be the time to start believing. But it’s not even midnight, what the actual ? Aren’t they only allowed to crawl out at midnight? This is way too early. I debated whether to just leave here and act like I never heard anything, but that’s so unlike me. I my phone’s flashlight to further my search and was startled hearing that unfamiliar voice again.

“Okay, don’t flash that light on me.”

Of all places I would have thought to find the owner of the voice, up on the huge tree was never the spot I would ever think of. What the was this girl doing---

And holy , she’s beautiful. I can barely made her sitting stance and her annoyed expression of the blinding light from my phone’s torchlight in the dark. But it didn’t cloud my judgment about her. I saw her putting her things in the bag before going down with it.

Did she have been sitting on that tiny branch all this while? Who does that? And thank god for the wind tonight, I can smell the scent of shampoo flowing out from her brown hair when she’s climbing down the tree. Reluctantly. I can see it on her face she hates to go down from up there. She patted away a couple of small leaves on her denim skirt once she’s on the ground before walking and standing right in front of me. Settling her gaze on me and with her hands gripping the sling of her bag, she uttered;

“I’m sorry I laughed and scared the hell out of you.” She freed one of her hand to fix her bangs. I was about to reply but then I saw a deep dimple on her right cheek. I was suddenly muted, apparently unable to make any coherent thought. I was stunned by this beautiful little creature in front of me and she noticed that.

“Hey, are you okay?” She lightly slapped my cheek to get some response from me. , her palm felt so soft. What’s this little devil doing to me? I’ve never got attracted to anybody in this school before.

“Yeah, yeah I’m good.” She got surprised at my hoarse voice. I blinked away my stare from her and stepped back to add some spaces between us.

“What were you doing up there? And who are you?” I can’t really stop myself from staring back at her face. That dimple hooked me in so much. The only thing stopping me from touching that dimple of hers was the fact that this is the first time I saw this kid. But to be ing honest, I can barely control myself.

“Oh I was just enjoying some music. I was reading before that but stopped once it got dark.”

“On that tiny branch? Is it even safe?”

She suddenly laughed and I swear her dimple just got as deep as the ocean. I’ve never thought I would be attracted to someone with a dimple like this. Her smile was beautiful too. I noticed her teeth were a bit unorganized but , that’s just made her smile ten thousand times prettier.

“You know, for someone whom I’ve been told to have a really cold and quiet personality, you’re actually quite funny.”

“I am cold and quiet but that doesn’t mean I can’t be witty.” I didn’t even know why I felt like I need to explain myself to this cute girl in front of me, but I just did.

She leaned closer to my face to whisper, “True. Though I can’t even begin to imagine how someone’s can be described as ‘pointy’.”

She backed away with a wide grin on her face and I’m not even sure because of what she just said or the fact that my face’s red as a tomato. She’s obviously heard my conversation with Seulgi. I ran my hand to the back of my neck, slowly getting overwhelmed by this mischievous girl whom I still yet to know her name.

“I can understand them to be ‘hard’, but ‘pointy’…”—she brought her fingers to her chin as if she’s thinking really hard about those descriptions I made of Seul’s . And , the face she made while thinking is so cute too. Damn, I must be the only one falling over a girl as fast as I am with this midget.

“Don’t. They’re not even worth to be imagined.”

She laughed for the third time tonight though really I wasn’t even trying to be funny. I was just telling fact and if by doing that I can get her to laugh like this, I wouldn’t ing mind to state all the facts in the world to her. This girl got some ing killer smile I believe I would never got tired looking at. , get your together Byul. You don’t even know this kid.

“You do realize that you’ve been staring at me since we talked, right?”

, she noticed.

“Why?” She’s earnestly asking.

A question that I’d hoped she didn’t asked. Because I knew I would never get to control myself. And that’s what exactly happened. I leaned in and planted a kiss on her dimple before leaning away to look her in the eyes and said,

“Because you’re so beautiful.”

A/N:

Hello there dear readers! I didn't say anything when I posted the 1st chapter so I reckon I'd say a few things this time around. Thank you for reading, subscribing, and leaving a comment for me here. Really, your comments and opinions would mean a lot to me since I'm still learning. I welcome critics as well so please, do have a few says down there and thank you again! Have a good weekend! ;)

And to my best babes here on AFF; RielleB: Hope this brighten up your crappy week. Hang in there like you always have! And nectoh: I miss you, buddy.