Byulyi doesn’t go for easy. Easy is boring. Easy is bland. Easy would be basic. She doesn’t like those. Byulyi likes a thrill, unpredictable, difficult, confusing but oh so worth it in the end.

Hence, Byulyi loves learning the hard way. Because she trusts– she knows– at such a young age, things can and will work out in the end.

But man does it not feel so good when learning the hard way also means hurting other people– or being such a complete idiot that someone so close suddenly feels so out of reach.

Ah, the pain of cold, uncertain– widening each passing day– distance. Distance between her and the girl she introduced to her parents as her girlfriend.

It turned out great, by the way. That’s not what Byulyi was sad nor worried about.

Her eomma was guilt tripping her to glam up and get some actual high school experience. Screw her As and Bs and her numerous gold medals– awards– certificates. That’s what they paid for sure, but that’s not what her high school should just be about.

Mrs. Moon, her mother dearest, told her in the most threatening way possible that she shouldn’t focus and reduce her life into making a number on a paper appealing. Like, sure it can be a respectable goal but her father had a 70 and still traveled around the world. And her father always tells her each time she goes silent– she never is– because of a low grade:

“If 68 goes around the world, 86 can go to the moon and back. Don’t sweat it.”

Oh god… is her creative intelligence for unlimited and original pick-up lines from her father?!

Byulyi needed to go out– that cannot be it. She cannot be like her father– her really greasy, cheesy– she gets a very real visceral recoil of cringing as to who’s she molded after.

But before she could fully leave, her mother told her something she didn’t understand– yet.

Byulyi no matter who you find, who becomes special to you, do not ever– forget yourself.

That is why when she came home saying she has a girlfriend, her family was ready to celebrate– invite the other clan for a ceremony-type of prepared-and-extra.

Wheein was able to calm them down, having shared what her family is going through. But man it really shocked her inside out and everything. She was not briefed– nor informed that Byulyi would be doing that– so soon too. They’ve been a thing for what? Three weeks?

Oh– Oh.

Oh no.

Once Wheein got home from such a confusing, overwhelming, and all over the place family situation, she was hit with the realization that finals are literally next week.

Next week.

Finals– the end of junior year– also exams and finishing up requirements but–

The end is so near…

That is why, Wheein has decided to speedrun said requirements and reviewing. And to speedrun such tasks, it involves being distant.

Now Byulyi finds herself hanging out with Hyejin, regretful– and really stupid.

How the hell did she forget to tell Wheein that she’ll introduce her to her parents?!

And why did it not occur to her that she needed to also know if Wheein is comfortable with that?!

She’s drinking banana milk– the seventh small box– with Hyejin, chilling on the grass in the afternoon. Their lunch time and the quartet are more sparse now. Yongsun is busy with editorial paper school organization work and Wheein is probably mad at her–

So she’s hanging out with Hyejin. Not that she didn’t want to or had no choic