forty-four

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ken.

By the time I exited the faculty room, I headed straight towards Hak Yeon-hyung's classroom. The teacher asked if the cleaning went well. It did, though all those work made us tired that we kept on looking for air to breath in even though it was all around us. The pool was large, and it nearly felt impossible to clean each and every spot or tile. I opened the door and saw Ji Eun fixing all the chairs. It seems that they've already finished cleaning. Great! Right on time.

I neared her and helped her put all them back to place. I blinked and looked around, searching for someone. "...Where's Hak Yeon-hyung?" I asked. "Ah! He went looking for Soo Ah." Ji Eun stood up straight when the last seat was put back to its original position. She sighed and rolled her film shoulders, easing her aching body. She let out a heavy sigh. "She's been gone for quite a while... I wonder what happened..."

"Where'd she go anyway?"

"She threw the trash out - "

Ji Eun's sentence was cut off when Soo Ah entered the classroom dumbfounded.

And... Soaking wet. 

My head cocked with eyes popping out from its sockets. My mouth hang low and I let out a scream. "Wah!!!" I stared at the girl in front of us. Ji Eun ran towards her and took her from the shoulders. She had this surprised look on her face as she guided Soo Ah towards a chair. I could hear the girl beside me gulping. I stared at Soo Ah who was shivering; I bet that water's cold... I removed my blazer and put it on top of her. She gently took it and buried her wet face on it. "What happened?" I asked. When we got nothing out of her, this time, Ji Eun asked again. "Soo Ah, look at me." She crouched to Soo Ah's level and inquired with worried eyes. "What happened?"

After a while, the silent girl spoke. "I... I fell by the pool." 

I scratched the back of my neck. "But Taek Woon-hyung and I cleaned the pool... And I didn't see you there, not once." When Ji Eun heard of those words, she tightened her grip on the latter and sighed, "I'll be fine. Just tell us what exactly happened."

"Is it...?" Ji Eun spoke out, and in a split second, Soo Ah nodded.

—

hye jin.

After I finished tilling the soil, I stood up and stared at the shell pink-colored flowers. My eyes narrowed as I kicked them. "Tch. Stupid flower..." I dropped the spade and got the watering can. I know that it may seem worthless that I've tended the flowers just to torture them, but I didn't care, especially now that I've done it. Every time I would see flowers, it would always remind me of her.

Her... 

That... That "Unreachable Flower".

I wonder why she was dubbed like that. Is it because I'm out of her league? As if!

With the watering can on my hand, I walked by the corridors towards the sinks. And to get there, I would have to pass by my classroom. My feet came to a stop when I saw someone standing in front of the door. We locked eyes. "Hye Jin-sunbae... Can I have a moment?"

—

leo.

Hye Jin-sunbae wasn't like herself today. She wasn't clingy and loud. "Taek Woon-ah~" She smirked, "I'm very thankful that you've come to visit me, but I have other things to do, so I have to go now, okay?" She was leaving when I spoke up. "Leaving?" I looked to the side and saw her back profile froze. I looked down and carefully thought about my words. "...Are you scared?"

From what I saw with my peripheral vision, her eyes widened. "S-Scared...? Hah!" She scoffed, "Of what?" I turned my head and darted my eyes on her. Hye Jin-sunbae winced. "Don't think that I don't know what happened. Just tell me the truth and maybe I'll forgive you." For a while, I thought to myself... I wondered how I was able to speak out all of my thoughts. I mean, the Taek Woon right now, wasn't the Taek Woon I know. I would always keep my thoughts to myself and would often speak of them, but right now, I think that I've emptied my brain and let all my opinions out on the air. I wondered how I was able to talk clearly and continuously, without stuttering. What's more, I was able to look at someone in the eye. 

Well, it was because I was angry. It might not look like it, but I truthfully was.

"Tell... Tell you what? About what?" The girl in front of me tried to avoid my eyes. I neared her, and by the time I did, she took two steps backward. "Is there a reason?" I coldly asked; the deadpan expression on my face didn't fade. "Is it because you like me?" Hye Jin-sunbae's eyes grew big. Bingo!

"Are you jealous of Soo Ah?" Her eyebrows furrowed. I knew it. "So you do like me... But it seems that you're not showing it right now."

"...W-What do you mean?"

"You said you're very thankful that finally, for once, I'm the one who approached you. But then later on, you're suddenly leaving. If the person you liked would be the one to talk to you first, would you leave? Isn't that odd?" I kept on mouthing my notions. "You're scared, aren't you?" I took a step forward. She took a step backward. "You're scared that I would have to confront you about what happened. And now that I know, you're scared that I'm gonna hate you for what you did. You're afraid that I might think badly of you, that's why you're leaving, so that you wouldn't hear it... So that you wouldn't get hurt. Am I right?"

"What are you talking about!? That's ridiculous!" Hye Jin-sunbae argued. "Yeah..." I murmured, "It's ridiculous that I know, huh?" She stared at me with furious orbs. "That's because I know... The feeling of being scared. I was scared of knowing what she was thinking about, that's why I would sometimes leave in thin air. I was worried of what she'll think of me."

There was a slight pause in the air. "You know what Hye Jin-sunbae... I've kind of looked up to you."

"...Huh?"

"You were able to tell your feelings towards Soo Ah without hesitation. On the other hand, I couldn't. You're brave. I wanted to be brave like you too..." I stared at her. "But then this happened."

"Why do you even like her!?" She screamed out of nowhere, "I did show you that I like you! I really don't get it! What's so special about her that each and every one of you are so fond of her! I mean, I like you... What's the difference!? Don't treat her like she's someone important! You could've chosen me... You could've..."

I closed my eyes tightly and sighed, "What the difference?" I tucked both my hands on my pockets and spoke about the truth. The truth that might hurt her heart. The truth that might leave a painful, aching sting. 

"Soo Ah doesn't flash a working water hose in front of people."

—

author.

yo guise~ i missed you all ;3;

anyways, i wanted to update this a few days ago but i was kind of busy.

i was busy with training for a writing contest. i finished it today, and the results will be on friday!

omg and i have to catch up with my class /creys life is so harsh on me.

anyways, i hope that you liked the update~ (gonna update on my other stories next time)

thanks for reading and do drop a comment! also, wish my luck and i hope that i win kekeke

fighting!

:3

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