If you ask the 2nd year Moon Byulyi what being a champion is, she'll probably answer the person that defeated everyone.

If you ask her now, as she hangs out with Yongsun, Hyejin, and Wheein, she'll probably tell you, with a smile all over her face: "Ask again later."

She doesn't know anymore. Maybe it didn’t matter anymore?

Despite being in the first batch to defeat Seniors in Major games during intramurals, Moon Byulyi does not believe she has the will of a champion.

Maybe she's gotten soft. If soft means she can protect her friends, then maybe she prefers it that way.

The thing is, if you're in high school -an all girls high school no less-, you best believe Intramurals or any competitive event, is war. Friendships across batches turn cold during this time. After all they were members of their batch first before your friend.

Gossip, manipulation, peer pressure, social media, anything is going to be used in this competition. Sometimes it isn't about winning anymore, sometimes intramurals turns into an absolute trainwreck of the classic "I was a dumb teenager" type of mistakes and misplaced priorities.

Is it fun? Hell yeah. Is it draining and probably unhealthy? Hell yeah.

So is eating ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Is this probably a ed up way of thinking? Probably.

But we're in high school, so who gives a ?

As Moon Byulyi's mother would say, "Byulyi get out! Make a good story! Make mistakes! Be stupid!" or you know that's what Byul remembered (that was not what her mother told her).

Now that Intramurals are knocking at their doors, the teachers decide to calm everyone down by talking about another big thing, the school musical.

"Whee, you want me to also join you as propsmen?" Hyejin was first to ask, knowing her friend is not the most sociable even if she wants to participate.

"Hyeggiii," Wheein was dragging the last syllable but unlike Byul, it was her way to say no, please. "You want to sing."

"Yes, I want to sing. What of it?" Hyejin was feigning ignorance, giving Wheein a hard time just because she cares. "You don't have to worry about me all the time," Wheein says, sincerity all over her face and voice. "You sing. I'll make you pretty."

That was sealed for the two young girls.

While Yongsun and Byul, well, it is not as easy. "Byul, I can't join the cast this time." Yong spoke so seriously Byul couldn't even try to be a brat. "Unnie, what happened?"

"The director we had was fired. Scandal. Also, since I am the new head of Writer's Club and the Chief editor of School Paper, I need to fill in." Yong was sad, obviously so. The stage, the musical, the play, and the whole theater was their playground.

It's where they both escaped the pressures of their family, friends, and High School. Now that Byul was left alone, it feels a little emptier. It feels less meaningful. It all feels like it has no direction. Yongsun was her guide because in their playground, she was the sun always positioning opposite to her. Always reminding her the directions, her place in their little world. She was the sun. Always giving the moon the light she reflects at night.

"Aigoo." Yong patted -maybe a little aggressively- her shoulder. Byul's long and obviously sad face made her look like a kicked puppy. Yong continues, "Look on the brightside idiot. Hyejinie's gonna wanna join. Think of it as, she's the flower that needs the moon to bloom." Byulyi laughs at her friend's figurative antics.

"Unnie-" She feigns shock, gaining Yong's attention. "You're being greasy!"

"Byul-ah!" Yongsun was now full on being aggressive as she slapped the poor shoulder of her friend. While Byul was almost chanting multiple variations of ow, ouch, and the like, the two YG finally joined their table with food (their food because they never share).

"Wheein's gonna join props and I'll audition." Hyejin does not resort to normal hi’s or hello’s. She’s just built different. "'Bout you unnie?" She asks no one in particular (not really).

"Ah, Yongsunnie's leaving me to be the director. I'll also audition." Byulyi decides to be playful again despite the fact her friend just brutally damaged her shoulder (she has no fears). Maybe with her being the big boss, we get free passes."

Wheein notices the way Byul's eyes have a certain glint to them when she decides to be playful. She also notices the way her face crinkles- her nose scrunches, eyes almost closes, cheeks form dimples, and her lips ju-

Ugh, annoying. Wheein remains silent as the Unnies bicker and Hyejin eats her food like there's no tomorrow.

The hype for the Musical died down after the excruciatingly long week of all subjects deciding to drop project deadlines at the same time. The hype for the Intramurals, however, is just getting started.

Batches started doing fundraisings for their custom t-shirts to flaunt. People are spreading rumors, allegations, all the possible drama that could (rarely ever does) get a main player out.

But our four friends are having their own world. And by that it meant, they are -for the third time this week- arguing about height. Which is hilarious because their batch has the shortest average for height (it's okay they are still the defending champions in basketball anyway).

"Look, Byulyi-unnie wears flats." Hyejin explains -she's enjoying this- feigning exasperation. "Yongsunnie can't wear heels for longer than an hour. And Wheein-"

"Guys, we literally have everything else to talk abou-"

"Wheeinie, it's okay no need to feel bad for being the shortest, at least your tallest unnie likes you the most." There goes Byulyi again, smiling like she's the . Smiling and looking at Wheein like she means it. It's annoying her so bad.

"Look, just accept that you aren't that tall Byul-ah." Yongsun was also enjoying how nonsensical their conversations were. "You know what I'm saying?"

"The hell are you saying? Unnie, your forehead makes you taller, not your legs nor heels." Hyejin, adding some flare to their already dumb conversation continues, "Clearly, we have to be cool with the fact that I'm the only one who can wear heels here and flaunt it."

"I don't know about you guys," Byul pauses to ensure everyone's listening. "But I'm not feeling the weird weather you guys are having down there. I think I'm too high up to relate."

"Oh my gooooooddd" Wheein, even if she is enjoying this dumb as hell banter, feels like she's the only one with the shred of sanity left after the hell week. "Guys we're literally too similar and can we please worry about something else?" Her voice was believable, her smile, not so much.

"Aww," Byul, smiling and revealing her cheek dimples or whatever the hell that's supposed to be, replied. "Don't worry Wheeinie, if you can't reach something I'm always gonna help you, just ask." There she goes, smiling like she's the .

Hyejin started clicking her tongue, feigning annoyance, "Moon Byulyi, you're not tall but your ego sure is. Just admit it unnie, you're just pretending to be tall and superior but all you are is-" Hyejin, setting up her insult perfectly, cuts herself short.

"A walking lamp post!" The three slightly smaller women chorused as if they planned it (they did not, but it was a running gag anyway)

They all started laughing, actually, Wheein, Hyejin and Byul were. Yongsun... was more like trying to clean windows with her vocal cords. Godsent talent. Really.

This completely inane discussion wherein they pretended to be arguing got the attention of other students in the canteen. They were nothing but appalled to see and hear how loud the four girls could be. During the cusp of hell week too. They might very well be the fine line between bravery and idiocracy.

"Okay- but seriously, we're all just 1cm difference." Wheein tried saying as her laughter was dying down.

"Wheeinie, it's okay." Byul, calmed down from laughing, stood up and placed her chin on top of Wheein's head. "If that's true, then you're 4cm shorter than me."

"3cm ." Wheein corrected. "Where'd the Byulyi math wizard go?"

"Oh you pissed off the ace Byul-ah!" Yongsun started gathering her mess, acting like she's escaping a wrath. Hyejin, seeing her acting like she's in a rush, also chipped in with oohs and they both booked it. As if they were never there in the first place. (they were, Byul and Wheein can hear them laugh as they walked away).

"Wheein-ah, it's either your acting skills are that of a senior actor or something is actually bothering you."

Byul sat next to her, where Hyejin was, placed her arm on the table then rested her chin on her fist. Wheein may be delusional but is Byul kind of like a hamster?

Noticing her silence and staring was getting too long for comfort, she looked ahead and just said the first thing in mind. "I'm just nervous- what role I'll be in the props committee. I'm new, I'm young, I skipped 2nd year, and no one really knows my creative side." She let out a concern she didn't know she had.

"If it helps you feel better, I do. And I am friends with the director." Byul tried to wink but the eye she winked with already looked squished by her cheeks anyway.

"I am also friends with the director." Wheein said matter-of-factly.

"But you don't walk home with the director and can show her the decorations you made in the cafe." This conversation was confusing for the most part.

Were they arguing? No, they're both all smiles.

Were they comforting each other? Not quite either.

"Byulie-unnie," Wheein, finally tearing off her gaze from the literal smiling moon (or walking lamp post). "I know those were my art pieces, but they're not an accurate representation of what I can actually contribute." Her voice was stable but her eyes spelled insecure.

If she thought looking away from Byul saved her from finding out, she was very incorrect.

"All I'm hearing is you're a whole package and more." Byul couldn't help but smile even broader, after hearing a cute nickname from Wheein? It only felt right to compliment her.

Wheein looks at her in surprise -her features soften so fast you'll miss it- then rolls her eyes. "Jingle bell." She huffs.

"Wheeinie didn't call me greasy~" Byul gets up as she does a little dance of victory (jingle bell is literally greasy in Whee-talk). "Come on, no need to sulk. You're with the best unnie. I got you."

Byul offers Wheein a hand because with the way she was sitting (very gayly) she could use a support to get up (maybe figuratively too). Wheein accepts it and she falls for a trap. Like she was a mouse getting cheese in the trap.

Byul pulled her with surprising force that they crashed together, stumbled a little then suddenly, out of ing nowhere, Wheein gets a hug.

The thing with 3cm height difference is that Wheein is in the perfect spot -the crook of Byul's neck. It all felt so home-like. So... right.

Until the bell rang and they're late for next class.

As if concerns never cease, the meeting for Intramurals finally came. And guess what?

Hyejin got substitute for volleyball and basketball (which is great, she literally has free days).

Yongsun got chess and volleyball but what's very surprising for Wheein was Moon Byulyi actually plays table tennis and basketball but that one was obvious because she's varsity of volleyball so she's not allowed. The thing is, Wheein wanted to be the representative for table tennis since it will be her first time to participate in intramurals (her first year she was the camera crew for minor games).