-

 

 

"Rina... She hasn't shown up to school at all today," Ningning whines, sounding like a whining child denied candy.

 

Jimin, clearly exasperated, buries her face in her hands. "Ning, for the last time, I literally do not care."

 

"But maybe you don't understand, she's literally the love of my life!" Ningning retorts, her voice muffled as she presses her head into her arms, a pout evident.

 

Karina counters, "You haven’t even had a full conversation with her."

 

"She’s too—Ugh!" Ningning groans, “I cant talk to her for the life of me!” frustration evident in her voice.

 

Karina snorts, “Los-“ Ningning glares at her before hitting Karina, who winces in pain. "Stop hitting me, Ning!"

 

Ningning's expression softens into a smile as she rests her head back on her arms, eyes closing slowly as she tries to close her eyes. After a few moments of silence, Karina grows concerned.

 

"Hey, how much sleep did you get?" Karina asks, poking Ningning's arm.

 

"I don’t know, I was up studying," Ningning replies with a shrug, her tone weary.

 

Karina clicks her tongue in disapproval. "You know you can’t be doing that with your condition, Yizhuo."

 

"I know, Jimin," Ningning says, her irritation evident as she wraps her arms tighter around her head.

 

“I’m not saying this to bother you, Yizhuo. I worry about you. Don’t be mad at me, please,” Jimin pleads, laying her head on her hand and facing Ningning's slumped figure.

 

"I know, I'm sorry for getting upset. I... I just hate feeling so weak," Ningning admits, her voice barely above a whisper.

 

“You’re not weak, Ning. It’s okay. You’ll get better, I know it,” Jimin reassures her, offering a comforting smile as she gently slides her hand up and down Ningning's back.

 

 

"We're okay, right? Ning?"

 

"Yeah, we're okay, Jimin," Ningning replies, lifting her head and sharing a glance with Jimin, the tension dissipating into a shared smile between them.

 

Ningning looks away and rests her head back in her arms, ready to succumb to sleep. However, a knock interrupts her peace.

 

She looks up to see the same guy who has been pestering her forever. She can't even remember his name, maybe Mark? She doesn’t really know, nor did she really care.

 

Seriously, what is up with every male being attracted to her?

 

Why isn’t she attracted to her?

 

 

"Hey, Ning!" he enthusiastically waved. Ningning lets out a sigh.

 

"Hey, what's up?" She asks, leaning her head on her hand, a forced smile finding its way onto her lips.

 

"I wanted to ask if you wanted to hang out after school, get coffee or something. You know?" He asks eagerly, completely convinced she will say yes.

 

Ningning narrows her eyes slightly before saying, "I'm sorry, I have plans with Karina already." She apologetically smiles, placing a hand onto Karina's arm.

 

Mark's smile falters a little. "Oh, that's fine. Next time?" His smile is awkward, accompanied by a nervous expression.

 

"Uh, yeah," Ningning nods, not wanting him to linger any longer.

 

Mark beams at that and makes his exit out the door. Ningning watches him, and once he leaves, she breathes out in a sigh of relief.

 

"I don't know why he can't take a hint," Ningning groans. Karina shrugs.

 

"I say at least give him a shot. Don't worry about liking him back, just see if he's a nice guy."

 

"Why make him hope we have a chance?" Ningning asks.

 

"You could make it obvious to him then? Or just let him keep bothering you," Karina pointedly looks at Ningning, who pouts.

 

"But what if Giselle gets the wrong idea?"

 

"It's always Giselle this, Giselle that. Ning, you don't even know if she likes you back," Karina says, poking her finger into her chest, while Ningning averts her gaze.

 

Karina takes a breather before continuing, “Again, I'm not saying this to be on your 24/7. Having crushes is normal; I have one too. Bu-“

 

“You like someone?!” Ningning practically yells.

 

“Shhh! Stop being so loud,” she whispers harshly, covering Ningning’s mouth with her hand. making the students who sat nearby look at them. They awkwardly smile at the glances, and they go back to whatever they were doing.

 

Karina looks around for a split second before continuing, “I think I like her? I don’t know, I would tell you, but I really don’t know how I feel about her.” Karina sighs and places a hand on Ningning’s shoulder, gently twisting her body to face her.

 

“You can like her, there’s no issue with that. But you can’t close doors on other people. You really don't know if she will like you back.” Karina finally realizes how rude she sounds.

 

“Wait! Don’t take that in the wrong way, I’m sorry. But do you see what I'm trying to say?” Karina asks, looking at Ningning with a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

 

"Ningning smiles and nods. “Don’t worry, I get it, and it's good,” she says, waving her hand to brush off any concern. They sit in a deafening silence that seems to stretch on forever, making Ningning cringe. “Sooo, who’s caught your eye?” she asks, her smile light as she rests her chin on her hand.

 

“Nonya,” Karina responds with an eye roll, a smile tugging at her lips.

 

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that!” Ningning pleads, grabbing Karina's arm and swaying her around playfully.

 

"Okay, okay! Fine, it’s Winter," Karina whispers the last part, her voice barely audible.

 

"Who?"

 

"Winter," Karina mumbled again.

 

"Karina, I swear to god if you don’t speak louder."

 

"Winter!" She hushed.

 

"Giselle's best friend?!" Ningning exclaimed in a whisper, dropping and her eyes bulging out of their sockets.

 

"Yes," Karina mumbled, putting her head into her hands in embarrassment.

 

"Awww, you guys would be so cute." Ningning teases with a sly smile.

 

"Oh, shut up," Karina muttered, lifting her head to roll her eyes.

 

Ningning was about to retort when the door clicked open, revealing the teacher. They turned back to the front of the class, sitting up straight. Ningning retrieved her supplies from her bag and spread them out on the desk in front of her, organizing them carefully. A few highlighters and post-it notes found their place in the corner, while her notebook lay open in front of her.

 

As the teacher settled in, she began the lesson, delving into the intricacies of science and physics. Ningning always hated science; she leaned more into art. But to be fair, who really liked science anyway?

 

 

Ningning's attention waned after just a minute, drifting toward the window beside her. She gazed at the expanse of blue sky, watching as birds soared over the university in flocks, and students bustled about below. There was always a sense of peace when she looked out at the sky.

 

Just as she was about to refocus on the teacher, her gaze caught something peculiar in the distance. Two figures seemed to be gliding through the air, almost as if they were flying. Ningning squinted, trying to get a better view of them, but they disappeared behind buildings every few seconds. Nevertheless, it was undeniable— the tweet she had seen earlier was, in fact, accurate.

 

What Ningning didn't notice was the teacher's penetrating gaze fixed directly on her, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. Karina nudged her abruptly, jolting Ningning out of her reverie. She furrowed her brows, about to whisper something to Karina, until she caught sight of the teacher's intense stare.

 

"Welcome back, Yizhuo. It seems you're more interested in the view outside than in my class. If you don't want to be here, then leave," the teacher scolded, her voice firm. Ningning felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as she awkwardly glanced around the room.

 

"No, I'm sorry. I'll pay attention," she mumbled, feeling the weight of the teacher's disapproval. The teacher nodded curtly before returning to the front of the class to continue her lesson.

 

Ningning sighed inwardly,

 

this was going to be a long day.

 

-

 

 

Finally escaping the gates of hell, Ningning asked Karina to spend the day with her. Karina, albeit reluctantly, agreed, and now they were walking together down the sidewalk towards a few shops.

 

As they bantered back and forth, their phones buzzed simultaneously. They both reached for their phones, revealing a few messages from the group chat.

 

Ningning bids farewell to Karina, who protests and pouts, saying, "But you said we'd hang out..." Karina draws out her words, her reluctance evident. After a bit of back-and-forth, Jimin reluctantly gives in and lets Ningning go. Before she leaves, Karina points her finger at Ningning and says, "You better make up for it!" Ningning rolls her eyes and starts heading back to the school, where Rei awaited her.

 

Did Ningning know exactly where Rei was at that moment? Absolutely not.

 

So she brings out her phone and opens up her messages.

As Ningning makes her way to Rei, she quickly opens a new group chat.

 

Rei finally emerged from the classroom, a smile adorning her face as she waved goodbye to her teacher. Ningning never quite understood how someone could have a good relationship with a teacher. But hey, to each their own, right?

 

"Sorry about that, had some overdue assignments to sort out," Rei explained as they walked down the hallway, Ningning trailing behind.

 

Ningning rolled her eyes. That teacher was a real stickler when it came to deadlines. "I can take care of those for you, you know. I know you've been swamped," she offered.

 

Rei shook her head. “As much as i would love that, no thanks. You're busy too, you know?" She chuckled.

 

Ningning smiled. "Okay, but let's hurry. I need to catch up with Liz," she said, picking up her pace. Rei groaned but followed along. Ningning was determined to find out what Liz was up to.

 

-

 

 

 

After starting up the GPS and settling into the car, Ningning wasted no time in grabbing the aux cord. Rei rolled her eyes but didn't bother arguing. It would've been a never-ending battle anyway. Ningning cycled through various artists, starting with SZA and transitioning smoothly into Frank Ocean, Tyler, the Creator, and finally ending with Kali Uchis.

 

Ningning would claim to have "exquisite music taste," but Rei might beg to differ.

 

Finally arriving at Yujin’s upscale apartment, they climbed the seemingly endless stairs until they reached Yujin's door. Ningning turned to face Rei.

 

“What are you waiting for; knock,” Ningning prodded, gesturing towards the door. Rei furrowed her eyebrows, giving Ningning a questioning look.

 

“Why can't you do it?” Rei asked, raising a brow.

 

“Because you’re right next to the door,” Ningning replied, a hint of exasperation in her tone.

 

“Okay, but you have two hands; do it yourself,” Rei retorted.

 

“Rei, you’re right next to the door,” Ningning repeated, her patience wearing thin.

 

“And you have hands, Ning, use them,” Rei countered.

 

“Rei, I swear to God.”

 

“Ning, I'll make you knock,” Rei threatened, her tone playful yet determined.

 

Ningning groaned in frustration, finally clenching her fists and shooting a glare in Rei’s direction, who wore a smirk in response. With a resigned sigh, Ningning reached out and rapped her knuckles against the door.

 

Minutes dragged on, each one feeling longer than the last. Ningning impatiently tapped her foot, her irritation growing with each passing moment. What could Yujin possibly be so busy with?

 

 

(meanwhile)

 

 

Giselle and Winter lounged on the couch, sleepiness settling in as they watched Yujin and Liz engrossed in their work. With nothing else to occupy her, Giselle found herself idly observing the two, despite their growing discomfort. Yujin seemed on the verge of saying something when a sudden knock at the door interrupted them, causing both Yujin and Liz to freeze in the middle of the living room.

 

"Who the hell invited someone over? Absolutely nobody told me anything," Yujin whispered to the others, shooting a pointed look at Liz.

 

"The hell are you looking at me for? My phone's been dead for a day already," Liz retorted, rolling her eyes as both she and Yujin turned their attention to Winter.

 

 

"I've been on this couch since I came back. Do not look at me," Winter interjected, raising her hands in defense with a deadpan expression. The attention then shifted to Giselle.

 

"I literally was with Winter, and I have absolutely no friends other than you guys," Giselle reasoned, meeting their gazes head-on.

 

"Yeah, can't be Giselle," Yujin mused, a hand under her chin as she contemplated.

 

"Hey, you !"

 

"You said it, not me," Yujin replied, raising her hands innocently.

 

"Shut the hell up! They're still at our door, es," Liz retorted, rolling her eyes before finally walking to the door and peeking through the peephole.

 

"What the !" Liz shouted, her voice carrying clearly through the door.

"Who is it?" Yujin whispered anxiously.

 

"Since when the did Ning and Rei know where you live?" Liz asked, turning to Yujin, whose eyes widened in shock.

 

"The only other person who knows my address is Wonyo… Oh my ing god, I haven't answered Wonyoung since. Guys, I'm actually gonna be single, the love of my life!” Yujin realized, putting a hand to and another to her head. She was on the brink of losing both her relationship and her sanity.

 

"Open the door!" Winter whispered urgently, muttering "useless idiots" with a hand covering her face in frustration.

 

Giselle sees Liz takes a deep breath and opens the door, revealing a very hot Ning and a small Rei.

 

 

Giselle, get the hell out of your head!

 

 

Rei absolutely beams at the sight of Liz, crashing into her in an absolutely breathtaking hug. Liz stumbles a bit but also envelops Rei in a big hug. Ningning smiles a bit and sneakily takes a picture. Giselle notices and smiles at Ningning attempting to be sneaky.

 

(She wasn't very sneaky at all.)

 

Liz and Rei finally let go of each other before Rei started to scold Liz. “Why didn’t you answer me? I thought I did something or upset you,” Rei frowns. Liz smiles and looks straight into Rei’s eyes.

 

“Sorry, baby. My phone died, and my charger wasn't working, so I couldn’t use my phone at all,” Liz says, cupping Rei’s chin as she gazes at her.

 

This is getting very LGBTQ+ at the moment.

 

Giselle was definitely not liking it at all. (She’s not homophobic!)

 

Giselle clears and interjects, “Hey, guys! Just letting you know we're all still here.” She smiles at Liz, who looks annoyed and rolls her eyes. Ningning giggles a little before directing her gaze at Liz.

 

Giselle just made her laugh, she’s definitely not okay after that.

 

But why is Ningning looking at Liz?

 

“Hey, Liz, can we talk real quick?” Ningning asks, prompting Liz to nod before they walk off to another room.

 

Rei turns to Yujin and scolds her fiercely. Winter and Giselle exchange a glance cringing, Yujin was in trouble.

 

“Why didn’t you answer Wonyoung? You know damn well she was worried!” Rei says, jabbing her finger into Yujin's chest.

 

“Im sorry! I got tied up in something! I’ll make it up to her and both you and Ning.” Yujin cries out.

 

“You better. Or you will be on the news next,” Rei grumbles, her warning clear and ominous. Yujin gulps nervously in response.

 

Giselle widens her eyes, remind her to ever mess with Rei.

 

-

 

 

Ningning and Liz head to one of the bedrooms, a space that resembled Yujin’s, but Ningning didn't pay much attention to the details. She gestures for Liz to sit on the bed, and Liz complies, taking a seat while Ningning settles in next to her.

 

Ningning sighs, might as well be straight-forward. “Liz, please be honest with me. Do you like Rei?” Ningning leans forward, her eyes focused intently on Liz.

 

Liz lets out a heavy sigh, her gaze shifting away as she wrestles with her thoughts. “Yeah,” she mumbles, her voice barely audible.

 

Ningning’s expression softens into a smile, relieved to finally have confirmation. “Thank god, at least you’re not in denial,” she remarks, her tone a mix of understanding and amusement.

 

Liz turns her head to Ningning, her expression a mix of curiosity and anticipation. Ningning continues, her voice gentle yet determined, “like you for Rei, Liz. You treat her so well.” Ningning smiles big, continuing, “Believe me, she has feelings for you, but i don’t think she realizes; or wants to say something. So we want to help her realize that you’re the one for her.” She smiles warmly, extending her hand towards Liz.

 

Liz returns the smile and softly clasps Ningning’s hand in hers, a sense of gratitude evident in her eyes. “I’m grateful for you guys, all of you. I never imagined you guys would support me like this,” she says, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

 

“Nobody else knows, not Yujin, Winter, hell, not even Giselle,” Ningning adds, her grip on Liz’s hand tightening slightly at the mention of Giselle’s name. Liz raises an eyebrow, intrigued by the reaction.

 

Liz's gaze shifts between their intertwined hands, then back to Ningning, her expression curious yet gentle.

 

Ningning lets out a nervous chuckle, her voice slightly trembling as she responds, "Haha... What do you mean?"

 

Liz maintains her gaze, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You tightened your hand after I mentioned Giselle," she points out, her tone light but observant.

 

Ningning's smile becomes more forced, and she loosens her hold on Liz's hand. "Oh, don't worry, it's nothing," she reassures, trying to brush it off.

"Ning, come on, you can tell me!" Liz insists, a playful giggle escaping her lips.

 

With a heavy sigh, Ningning realizes she can't keep it in any longer. She finds herself unable to resist Liz's infectious smile. "I... I like Giselle," she finally admits, her words barely more than a whisper.

 

Ningning furrows her brow, her arms still crossed defensively. "I've liked her for so long, yet I don't know how to get her to look at me," she confesses, her frustration evident in her voice.

 

Liz's eyes widen in surprise, and she quickly removes her hands from , her face lighting up with excitement. Without hesitation, Liz takes Ningning's hand, her expression serious as she asks, "You actually like her? No joke?"

 

Ningning nods solemnly, her gaze locked with Liz's.

 

Liz springs into action, crossing the room in quick strides to retrieve a sticky note and pen from a drawer. She returns to Ningning and hands them over, her eyes sparkling with determination. Ningning looks at Liz with a mixture of confusion and anticipation, waiting for an explanation.

 

"Write your socials down," Liz insists, her tone urgent.

 

Ningning hesitates for a moment, confusion evident on her face. "Why..." she begins, but Liz interrupts her.

 

"Just do it!" Liz insists, shaking Ningning's shoulders lightly.

 

With a sigh, Ningning takes the notepad and pen from Liz's hand and jots down her social media handles. She hands it back to Liz, who accepts it with a wide grin.

 

"You both will thank me a million times," Liz declares confidently, her eyes gleaming with mischief. Ningning raises an eyebrow, intrigued by Liz's cryptic statement.

 

The mood shifts subtly as Liz looks at Ningning with a hint of disappointment. "Are you leaving after this?" Liz asks, her grin fading slightly.

 

Ningning nods. "Yeah, I just came here for a short visit. Plus, you guys look busy," she explains with a shrug.

 

"Oh," Liz responds, a tinge of disappointment in her tone.

 

Ningning notices the change and quickly adds, "You have my number, just text me whenever you need me!" She speaks a little too hastily, wondering why Liz just has to look like a kicked kitten.

 

Liz's smile softens, and she pulls Ningning into a hug. "Thank you so much, Ningning. I'll text you every day until you're tired of me," she promises warmly.

 

“And I’ll answer every time. I won’t get tired, I promise,” Ningning chuckles before releasing Liz from the hug and heading to the door, with Liz following close behind.

 

As they step out, they're met with the sound of laughter coming from the living room, which strikes Ningning as a bit odd, but she shrugs it off. All attention now turns to the two of them.

 

“Liz, what took you so long?” Rei dramatically exclaims, pulling Liz into another hug.

 

“I’m literally right here, Rei. Where’s my hug?” Ningning rolls her eyes playfully, prompting Liz to smile and respond, “Sorry, Rei, me and Ning were talking.” She then releases herself from Rei's embrace.

 

"Just charge your phone! I have nobody to talk to anymore," Rei pouts, prompting Ningning to give her a pointed stare.

 

Without a word, Ningning begins to drag Rei toward the door, waving a quick goodbye to everyone, including Giselle.

 

Well before Rei, wandered off (again) continuing her scolding to Yujin. As Ning follows Rei, Liz approaches Giselle, a sticky note in hand. Giselle raises an eyebrow, puzzled, but before she can speak, she feels a sudden smack on her forehead, and there lies the sticky note.

 

Liz and Winter burst into laughter pointing at Giselles head, with Liz saying, "I've always wanted to do that!" She giggles, clutching her stomach, while Giselle frowns and rubs her forehead in confusion.

 

As Ningning quickly hurries Rei to finish scolding the puppy (Yujin), she notices two things. First, she realizes how adorable Giselle looks, and second, she realizes that the post-it note contains all her socials. Panic sets in as she hastily grabs Rei’s arm, intent on leaving.

 

However, just before she exits, Ningning sees Giselle remove the post-it note from her head and read its contents. Giselle's eyes widen in surprise, and then a radiant smile spreads across her face, her cheeks flushing with a rosy hue.

 

Caught in the moment, Ningning locks eyes with Giselle. In that brief exchange, a silent confession passes between them, though they both wouldn’t think that far ahead. Ningning's smile grows shyly as she waves to Giselle before turning away and closing the door behind her, with Rei in tow.

 

As they walk away, Ningning can't help but feel butterflies swarm in her chest. Liz and her are closer than before, but it's Giselle's smile that lingers in her mind.

 

 

 

In that moment, Ningning knows without a doubt that Giselle is the most beautiful girl she's ever laid her eyes on.

 

 

(extra)