Part V

“Where’s Minho?”


“I told Key not to tell him where we are.”


“Why? Won’t he still find us eventually since this is where we always hang out?”


“Yeah, but he’s slow. By the time he comes here, we’ll be gone.”


“True that.”


The four of us sat around the table sipping our drinks and having a light conversation.


“So Amber, how’s it going with Krystal?” Daniel asked setting his drink down.


“Yeah, how’s the love-hate relationship going?” Jonghyun joked.


“You mean the hate-hate relationship.” Key corrected taking a bite of his dessert.


“Is it that bad?” Jonghyun asked.


Key shook his head. “Bad? Are you kidding? I tried to introduce Krystal and Amber to each other at my house and it ended in disaster. I think bad is an understatement.”


“Hey, we’re on good terms now.” I defended.


Key gave me a questioning look. “You are?”


I scratched my head. “Well, technically, no. BUT, it’s getting there. Just……slowly.”


“I’m surprised you’re still alive Amber. I’m worried about your safety in the near future.” Daniel said chuckling.


I threw my napkin at Daniel. “You just worry about your attendance in math class if you want to pass.”






The next day.


I didn’t get to talk to Krystal in math class today because I was busy tutoring the other students in the class. However, when class ended, I did follow after her all the way to gym class. She didn’t really say anything to me while I was walking next to her but she did throw me a few glares from time to time.


After entering the locker room, I switched into my gym clothes in my little cubicle and quickly made my way onto the field to look for Krystal who left the locker room as soon as she entered. For that, I only have one word. Fast.


“Hey Amber!” Key waved happily from the field as he saw me exit the building.


I scanned the field and found Krystal stretching alone in the center.


“Amber! Amber!” Key shouted jumping up and down waving his hands in the air. “Over here! I’m over here!”


I gave Key an apologetic look and went towards Krystal instead.


“Hey.” I said as I walked up next to Krystal.


Krystal looked over at me but didn’t say anything.


“So how are you?” I asked stretching next to her.


“…Fine…” Krystal replied after what seemed like forever.


I stopped stretching and looked at her.


At first, Krystal ignored me and continued doing her stretches, but after a while, she became annoyed so she stopped stretching to look over at me, crossing her arms across her chest. “What?”


I smiled at her, “Aren’t you going to ask me how I am?”


Krystal gave me an irritated “are you kidding me?” look before going back to her stretching.


I shrugged and went back to my stretching as well.


“That’s okay. I’ll just ask myself then.” I said with a straight face.


Krystal didn’t reply so I continued.


“So Amber, how are you today?” I asked myself.


“Why I’m doing great today, thanks for asking Amber.” I replied.


“You know Amber, some people aren’t as friendly as you which is such a pity because if they were friendlier, I’m sure a lot of people would like them and want to be friends with them.” I continued talking to myself, sneaking a peek at Krystal from the corner of my eyes.


She was still stretching but doing it at a much slower pace.


“I know what you mean Amber, I know someone like that too. It’s a real shame.”


“Can you tell me who that person is?”


“A secret…but I can say it’s a girl.”


“Oh really?”


“Yep, a lot of people find her very scary and unapproachable because she doesn’t smile much nor is she very friendly, and she’s known to have killer glares…like literally. But, I bet if she smiles more from time to time, more people will take a liking to her and want to become friends with her. I also bet she’s actually a very kind and considerate person at heart.”


“Is that so—” I was replying to myself when Krystal walked in front of me, turning her head to the side to look at me.


I unconsciously took a tiny step backwards.


“You are such a D.O.R.K.” Krystal said to me before walking away onto the track to start her run.


I blinked a couple of times, surprised.


It wasn’t because she called me a dork nor was it because of the fact that I thought I would be beaten up but wasn’t.


It was because she smiled at me when she said that.


That’s right, she actually smiled at me.


I stood there for who knows how long until I saw Krystal run past me from doing her laps.


I shook my head and ran to catch up to her on the track.


“Do you know you have a very pretty smile?” I said running next to her.


Krystal kept her gaze forward.


“I think you’re really pretty when you smile.” I continued. “You should—”


“Don’t talk while you’re running.” Krystal said cutting me off. “You should focus on the breaths you take instead of talking so you can get the maximum amount of oxygen. For people that don’t train often, talking makes you tired more easily.”


I opened my mouth to reply but closed it after thinking about it.


I can’t believe Krystal just gave me a friendly advice.


At this rate, I’ll be able to get her and Minho together.


I turned my head to the front and focused on my running, however, not even after a minute of doing so, someone yanked on the back of my shirt collar, causing me to choke and fall backwards.


“Ack!”


I stumbled and fell on my , my shirt being pulled up slightly by the person gripping it.


I sat on the ground coughing and rubbing my neck painfully.


“Yah!” Key shouted angrily from behind me.


I felt my shirt being loosened.


“Are you trying to kill me?!” I asked after catching my breath.


I looked up and saw Krystal looking back at me while still running. When she saw that I was looking at her, she turned to face the front again.


“That’s what you get for ditching me!” Key said.


I turned around to face him. “I didn’t ditch you.”


“Says the person that completely ignored me after coming out onto the track even after I waved and shouted your name loudly.”


I coughed a couple more times before standing up. “I didn’t ignore you. You know I had to get on Krystal’s good side.”


Key crossed his arms. “After all we’ve been through together, does our friendship mean nothing to you? Is Minho and Krystal’s love life more important to you than me?!”


I laughed and patted Key on the back. “Stop being so dramatic. You know we’re best buddies.”


Key shrugged my arm away, “…I don’t believe you.”


“You exaggerate way too much Mr. Drama King.” I chuckled. “But don’t worry, I got chu homie! Always and forever.”


I placed my arm around Key’s shoulder and gave him a sideways hug.


Key looked over at me and I gave him a grin.


“Fine, but you owe me ice cream later.”


I laughed. “My wallet’s all prepared.”


Key smiled and pulled me into a headlock.


As I was struggling to pull away, I happen to glance up right when Krystal ran by us. She sure runs pretty fast.


Our eyes met and I smiled awkwardly up at her. “Uh…I’ll see you in class tomorrow!”


Krystal gave me a blank stare before turning her attention back to the front, continuing her training.


“Yah~ let go of me.” I said pushing Key away from me.






The next day.


“Man, I can’t believe I had to help out with the camping trip planning so early in the morning.” I whined to myself as I walked down the empty hallway. “…and I’m not even a part of the committee…”


I yawned and blinked my eyes a couple of times, “To think those people would take my kindness for granted…sheesh…”


I pulled out my cell phone to check the time. “Just great…I still have an hour and a half before classes start.”


I shoved my phone back into my pocket tiredly and yawned again, “I guess I’ll just go take a nap in my first class.”


I continued making my way down the empty hallways.


As I was about to turn the corner, two hands suddenly pressed down on my shoulder and the person behind me shouted loudly, “Amber!”




“Holy ssshh—“ I yelped turning around to see who it was.


“Aish! Yah!” I yelled placing a hand over my chest. “Don’t do that!”


Daniel gave me a toothy grin. “Sorry I startled you.”


I sighed and patted my poor heart, “It was more like a heart attack actually but I forgive you.”


Daniel laughed and placed an arm around me. “Mianhae.”


“What are you doing here so early in the morning anyways?” I asked brushing his arm away.


“I had a meeting.” Daniel answered.


“Meeting? With whom?”


“Math teacher. She wanted to talk to me about my grades and absence from class.”


I laughed.


“What? Why are you laughing?”


“That’s why you’re early for once? To think you actually cared enough to go to that meeting.”


“Hey, what’s that suppose to mean? I care about math class.”


“Yeah, you care so much that you’re either never there or when you are, you sleep through the whole class.” I joked sarcastically.


“Guys need their beauty sleep too you know! Plus, when I don’t show up, that’s because I didn’t hear my alarm clock when it goes off.” Daniel defended.


I laughed and patted his back. “Just don’t fail this year if you want to graduate with us.”


Daniel held his head high and confidently answered, “I won’t!”


I chuckled and shook my head. “Alright, come on, let’s go to class, we can get some beauty sleep before class actually starts.”


“Yes!” Daniel pumped his fist in the air.


I shook my head and the two of us made our way to the classroom.


“By the way, why are you so early today? Did you have to meet one of your teachers too?” Daniel asked as we walked into the classroom.


I took a seat in the back as usual while Daniel came and sat in the desk next to mine.


“No. The teachers asked me to help them plan the camping trip that’s coming up.”


“Camping trip? What camping trip?”


“Yep, a few selected 3rd year classes can go on this camping trip funded by the school.”


“How come we never got to go on any camping trip before? Shouldn’t they let 4th year students go instead? I want to go on a camping trip too.”


“Well, here’s your chance because one of the 3rd year classes selected happens to be this math class that you failed last year and had to retake again this year.”




“Really?!”


“Yes, but you have to get a 75 or higher on the exam to be allowed to go.”


“Ha! That’ll be a piece of cake!”


“Uh…are you sure about that? You did fail this class before…” I said scratching my head.


“Psssshhhh, I got this.”


“Have you been studying on your own then?” I asked taking some stuff out of my bag.


“Studying what?” Daniel replied pulling a pillow and blanket out of his own bag.


I looked over at him adjusting the pillow and draping the blanket over himself. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”


“What?”


“You have a pillow and a blanket in your bag?”


“Yeah, why?”


I face palmed myself.


Daniel shrugged and placed his head down on the pillow. “So what were you telling me to study?”


“…never mind…” I said shaking my head. “You are hopeless.”


Just then, Krystal walked into the classroom.


My eyes followed her as she took her seat by the window.


I got up and started making my way over towards her, ignoring Daniel’s concerned look.


Taking a seat in the desk in front of Krystal’s, I turned around to face her.


“Good morning.” I said smiling at her.


Krystal stared back at me blankly for a few seconds before turning her head to look out the window.


My shoulders slouched in defeat. This girl is seriously hard to deal with. I can’t get through to her. I thought we had a breakthrough yesterday but I guess that was just my imagination. I even showed her my best smile just now.


Feeling defeated, I started getting up to leave when Krystal suddenly replied, surprising me.


She was still staring out the window and her reply was sort of quiet, but I still heard it clearly. Her “…good morning…”


A smile spread across my face and I planted my back down on the seat.


“How are you today?” I asked.


Krystal turned to look at me. Her face no longer had the blank expression from earlier but a small barely noticeable smile.


“Tired.” Krystal replied.


“Why? Did you not get enough sleep last night?”


“Training.”


I made a ‘O’ shape with my mouth and nodded.


“It must be tiring for you then having to train so much every day. Are you watching your health? You must already know this, but don’t overwork yourself, otherwise, all your hard work will go to waste.”


Krystal looked at me curiously. “Why do you say that?”


“Experience.”


“Experience?”


I nodded. “Yeah, I hurt my ankle three years ago and although it’s pretty much healed, it’s not the same as it used to be. The doctor tells me to stay away from doing anything that will strain my ankle too much.”


“How did you hurt your ankle?”


“Basketball.”


“So you don’t play anymore?”


“I do, but just for fun.”


Krystal nodded quietly.


I sat there smiling. I can’t believe I’m actually having a normal conversation with this girl. To think this would ever happen is beyond me. If we can keep progressing at this rate, there’s hope for Minho after all.


As time passed, more students came into the classroom, and with every student that walked in, Krystal became quieter and quieter till she just stopped responding to me completely.


I was still sitting in the seat in front of Krystal till a girl came and stood next to the desk looking down at me.


“Is this your seat?” I asked looking up.


The girl nodded shyly.


I got up and smiled. “Sorry for taking your seat.”


The girl quickly waved her hands in front of her. “No no, you don’t have to apologize! You can sit there if you want.”


I smiled at how cute this girl was. “That’s okay. I was just getting ready to go back to my seat anyways.”


The girl blushed and bowed slightly.


“I’m sorry, but I can’t seem to remember your name.” I said to the girl.


The girl blushed even more. “S-Sulli.”


I chuckled. “I’ll remember that.”


The girls in the classroom squealed after I said that which caused Sulli’s face to turn bright red.


I turned to look down at Krystal. She was back to her blank expression.


“I’ll talk to you later Krystal.” I said before making my way back over to my original seat.


As I was walking away, the students started gathering around Sulli.



Student #1: OMG! I can’t believe Amber sat in your seat!!


Student #2: You’re so lucky!


Student #3: She even asked for your name!! I bet she’s interested in you!!  


Student #4: Can I switch seats with you?


Student #5: No! I want to switch seats with Sulli!


Student #1: In your dreams guys! That seat is mine!! If Amber touched it, then its mine!!


Student #3: What?! Who says!!


Student #1: I said!!


Student #2: Who made you boss!?! I want that seat!!


Student #4: I asked Sulli first!!


Sulli: G-g-guys…


Student #1: So what?! I already claimed that seat as mine so it’s mine!!


Krystal: YAH!


Student #1,2,3,4,5: ………………






I chuckled as I watch the students go back to their seats quietly after Krystal’s outburst.


It’s simply amazing how everyone fears her.


I turned to look over at Daniel only to find him sound asleep.


“Hey, wake up, class is about to start.” I said poking his shoulder with my pencil.





“Daniel, wake up.”





I threw my pencil at his head.


No response.


“Aish this guy…”


I decided to let him be as I looked over at Krystal.


Her head was turned towards the window so I couldn’t see her face.


I wonder what she’s thinking about…






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End of part V.
Whew *whips sweat away* posting is tough lol~

So what do you think? Has it been flowing okay for you guys? Or is everything just really confusing?