HER POV

I stared at the soiled paper on my hand.

‘Condolences,’ it said. But it’s hardly readable. I frowned.

I felt something wet and sticky on my forehead.

“Why are you frowning?” Kwon Jiyong asked, laughing on the process. “You look prettier with eggs on your head.”

“YA!” I shouted. To get even with him, I put on some egg on his face too. “And you don’t look different to me.” I laughed.

“Oh yeah? Maybe because I’m still handsome even though with eggs on my face,” he said, smug.

I hit him. “That’s not what I meant!” I shouted.

Then the ‘egg fight’ started.

When we finished cleaning, we separated to clean ourselves. I stared at my face on the mirror. I really don’t understand him. All I ever asked of him was to stay by my side, not protect her. Now i feel guilty. But my proud mind tells me not to say anything to him. But my conscience is winning over. With that in mind, I hastily cleaned myself and went towards my locker.

Surprisingly, a new note came.

“That was fast,” I whispered.

I took it and read.

                Do you want scrambled eggs?

I twitched my lips. He obviously saw me. And he’s making fun of me already. I was stomping my feet when a hand touched my shoulder.

“You’ll break the floor,” Jiyong said behind me.

I stared at him and stormed away.

“ONE WEEK IS LONG, DON’T YOU THINK?” the trainer scolded.

Jiyong and I are currently standing side by side while the trainer is scolding us. Our heads were bowed because of shame. The other choir members were there that’s why I didn’t want to hold my chin high. How could I? I was being scolded; rather, we were being scolded.

“You know what? I started to think that you two eloped,” the trainer said. I felt Jiyong flinched. “If not, there’s no better explanation than that.”

She stopped in front of me, she pinned my chin with her thumb and forefinger and raised my face so she can see me eye-to-eye. Then she dropped her hand.

“Sandara Park, in case you forget, you’re still a girl. Don’t you ever think of eloping with this guy,” she said. Jiyong flinched again. “I’m not really surprised actually. I expected it from you, Dara. Since you’re famous in this school for sleeping with different guys. But, I thought you changed. THAT’S WHY I’M VERY MUCH DISAPPOINTED WITH YOU!” she shouted again.  Jiyong flinched AGAIN, but I didn’t once budge. “Do you know how important your role is to this club? You are the pianist for Pete’s sakes! No one knows the chords better than you. I’m just a vocal trainer here. You don’t expect me to learn and play the piano for them too, do you? In case you forgot, I’m going to remind you. You don’t have the right to be absent just because you want to have with him… and one more thing, if-“

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Jiyong suddenly shouted. All eyes went to him. I felt him trembling all over. His face is filled with anger and fury that it scared me.

“Are you shouting at me now, Mister Kwon?” the trainer calmly asked.

“You don’t have the right to shout at Dara,” he said. Okay, so that was much unexpected.

“And what makes you think YOU have the right to shout at me?” she asked. “In case you forgot, I’m your-“

“Dara’s father died,” he cut off.

“What?” she asked.

“Dara’s father died,” he repeated. “She was grieving over his death for a week. So that gives her every right to be absent for a while. Even though her role is important here, you can’t deprive her right to grieve over her parent’s death, can you?”

The trainer’s face fell, and then she looked at me. “Is this true?”

I nodded.

She faced Jiyong again. “And you? Why were you absent?”

I stared at him.

“I stayed with her.”

The trainer’s brow rose. Then she turned to me again. “I’m giving you this day off, Dara. You can go home now,” then she turned to Jiyong. “As for you, go kneel there with your arm raised then let’s start practicing.”

I stared at her with disbelieving eyes.

“Miss Trainer, you can’t-“

“You have an excuse to be absent because he’s your father. As for Jiyong, he doesn’t. He didn’t ask for permission therefore, I’m punishing him. Now, go home,” she said dismissively.

“But-“

“I said, go.”

I stared at Jiyong while kneeling on the ground, with his arms stretched up. I pitied him. He doesn’t deserve this. He has been with me all along, even going so far as to protect me. Twice. He did it twice already, in one day. But I’m still here, a cold-hearted friend towards him. If I can even call myself a friend.

I didn’t go home though. I stayed outside of the room when an idea popped in my head.

I wrote a note to Daddy-Long-Legs.

                Am I really a bad friend?

I stuck it on the locker and went back to stand outside the music room. After a while, I went back to the locker to see the same note I wrote.

“Maybe he went home already,” I mumbled to myself.

I went back to the music room to wait for Jiyong. I peeked and saw the choir members singing their hearts out without my musical accompaniment. I stole a glance at Jiyong who was obviously getting tired of his position. I wanted to storm inside and slap the trainer’s face but i knew better than not to show respect. She was still an elder.

The choir members got out from the room and the trainer followed, squinting her eyes as she saw me standing by the wall. But she ignored me and walked away. I entered the room and saw Jiyong stretching his arms out. He didn’t notice me as I was standing silently by the doorframe and observing how he struggled to stand up from the floor and sit by the piano. He massaged his shoulder. It was obvious through his facial expressions that it hurt him a lot.

Without hesitation, I went behind him and massaged his shoulders. He was about to jump out of surprise but when he saw me he just went on blinking while staring at me.

Finally, he found his voice to talk. “What are you still doing here?”

“Massaging you,” I said plainly.

“I don’t mean that!” he complained.

“What do you mean then?”

“You were supposed to go home since a while ago. If the trainer saw you…”

“She saw me alright. But she ignored the fact that I stayed,” I said.

We went silent.

“Ow, Ow,” he complained. “Be gentle.”

“I am being gentle,” I said.

“No, you’re not. It aches more when you’re massaging me like that.”

I stopped. He turned to me.

“Why did you stop?”

“You said it ached more. Maybe I’m not a good massager then,” I said, walking away.

He panicked. “Oh, where are you going?”

“I’m going to get you a medicine for body ache on the infirmary. So stay here.”

I heard him drop to his seat once again.

On the way to the infirmary, I was able to pass by the lockers. I stopped in front of mine expecting for a reply but there’s nothing except for my note. So, I continued walking.

When I already got a medicine, I stopped again in front of my locker. My face lit up when I saw a new note.

                How can you say that?

I hurriedly replied.

                Kwon Jiyong got into trouble today twice. He protected me today twice. But I don’t have anything to do for him. I think I’m being a bad friend.

I smiled as I read my note. This is new. It’s so not me. Asking for someone’s advice is so not me. I was used to being alone that I always seek no one’s advice, instead, I follow what’s in my heart or mind. Right now though, I felt so alone that I don’t have anyone to turn to but Daddy-Long-Legs.

When I came back, Jiyong was leaning his head on the piano. I went to get him a glass of water.

“Drink this…” I said.

When we went home, I asked Jiyong to wait for me for a while so I could check for a reply from Daddy-Long-Legs but I was disappointed to see nothing but my previous note.

“Maybe he went home already,” I mumbled.

“Who?” Jiyong’s voice said behind me.

I jumped. “Why did you follow me?”

“You took too long to come back so I got worried. So, let’s go home? I can drive you home if you want.”

The next day, Daddy-Long-Legs replied. Along with the new note, there are also two lollipops. This is the first time that he gave me something. All this time, he always writes notes. Now, he’s stepping up. I read the note.

                You’re not being a bad friend. Rather, he’s just being a good friend to you. Perhaps you could return the favor. That way, you can be a good friend to him.

“Return the favor? How?” I asked myself.

As if on cue, Kwon Jiyong appeared beside me.

“Good morning,” he greeted.

I read the note again. Return the favor. I kept reading that particular sentence. I looked up to Jiyong with a small smile. “Good morning, Kwon Jiyong.”

His eyes widened.

“What?” I asked, frowning.

“You actually greeted me back! And you know my name too!”

“Of course I know you’re name. What do you think of me?”

“How would I know whether you know my name or not? You always call me ‘YA!’ What do you expect then? Of course I’ll think that you don’t know my name.”

I scoffed and turned back to my locker. I picked one of the lollipops and handed it to Jiyong.

“What’s this?”

“You don’t know what a lollipop looks like?” I mocked. “This here is a lollipop.”

“Of course, I know what a lollipop is. But why are you giving me this?”

“Why? You don’t like a lollipop?” I asked, taking it back.

But he snatched it away. “Of course I do,” he said and walked away.

I smiled and followed him. I walked beside him. He was already eating his lollipop.

“Does your body still ache?”

He nodded. “Yes, I want to be massaged again.”

“Dream on. You kept on complaining how my massages worsen your condition. Well, now, you won’t get any more.”

He frowned. “What am I going to do then?”

I fished out something from my bag. “I bought you this ointment while I was on my way to school.”

He stared at me with wide eyes. “Wow, you’re actually being nice to me now. You like me already, don’t you?”

I rolled my eyes. We reached my room. “This lunch, I’ll treat you. Bye!” I entered my room. I heard him laugh like a stupid guy outside. He sounded happy.

After lunch, the choir trainer met with me. She taught me the new piece that the choir members are going to sing. After that, she confronted me.

“I’m sorry for yesterday,” she said.

I nodded.

“Anyway, don’t tell this to anyone. Kwon Jiyong has been acting weird lately. His voice is always raspy during our practice. And with what happened yesterday, I can see he’s losing interest already. That’s what I think. Don’t you think so too?” she paused. But I didn’t answer so she continued. “Anyway, if he doesn’t do well on later’s practice, I will assure you, I’ll kick him out of this club. He’s being a burden already. Don’t you think?”