forty-eight

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soo ah.

Everyone was busy preparing for the school festival. In just a few more weeks, the event will start, and it needs to be perfect without any delay. The student council and the committee members have been working hard in organizing the program. In a school festival, each class would have to come up with something that would attract people into visiting their stations, like a Cultural Festival. 

With the help of Jae Hwan, our class had agreed on a Butler Café, wherein everyone would have to wear fancy black and white suits or maid outfits and serve the guests with drinks and fine delicacies. Hak Yeon was quite excited with the idea Jae Hwan thought of. I was pretty okay with it, but Taek Woon hated the concept. "It's fine. If you, a committee member, would like to participate in the event, it's voluntary." Hak Yeon informed making Taek Woon sigh in relief. "He's watching too much anime." Taek Woon grumbled in a whispering manner. "Though we need to help in decorating the classroom and making the outfits, menu, and such. It's our class after all." I nodded in agreement with what Hak Yeon said. He gestured the whole class to come over and make a big circle so that we could all talk about our suggestions and opinions. 

"So, who would like to volunteer in making the decorations for our classroom?" He officially started the meeting. 

"I would!" 

"I'd like to help too!" 

"Do we really need to make the costumes ourselves?"

"We could buy it instead! I know the right place!"

"How about the food? Who knows how to cook here?"

"Oh! Oh! Is Soo Ah going to wear a maid outfit!?" One asked out of nowhere. The question made me jump up from my seat. As much as I would like to help my other classmates in serving the other guests, I couldn't imagine myself in that maid outfit. "Yeah! That'd be awesome!" Another exclaimed. Before this becomes a big problem, for me that is, I looked at Hak Yeon for help and we meet eyes. He automatically knew what to do. "Okay, okay people. Soo Ah won't participate. But if you guys desperately want to see her in that maid outfit, I'd volunteer in her place, what'd you say?" 

After Hak Yeon's statement, everyone fell silent, and nobody even bothered to speak up.

—

I met Ji Eun along my way to the faculty room. She gave me a big, tight hug, and after she released me, she asked, "How's your café doing?" "Pretty good." I gave her a warm smile, "We're getting started." Ji Eun decided to come along to the office even though she didn't have any errands to run. "How's your haunted house?" I asked, the curiosity in my voice was evident. "I don't know what's scary, the haunted house or that Lee Jae Hwan." My eyes widened with Ji Eun's reply. "What do you mean?"

"He won't stop bugging me. He's like Hak Yeon, but taller, with a much more bigger nose." I giggled with what she said. "Jae Hwan's also sarcastic, and his feedbacks were a lot better than that tan guy. Hak Yeon's fun to pick on, and it's amusing to talk with Jae Hwan, though they're both annoying." She added. "In what way is he annoying you?" "Well, he won't stop asking questions and all that." 

"Is that so..." I then nodded. The latter immediately changed the topic, "By the way, I'm planning to join that contest." She faced me with a smile on her face. "You better." I replied, clenching my fist while mouthing the words "Fighting". You'd definitely win - I thought as I stared at her who was full of passion. "I don't know if I'll do well though." I answered with a single word, "Practice." 

"Yeah, I'll do that later in the music room. You'll join me after class, right?" She put her hand around my shoulder and I assured her I would. 

"Mm!"

—

The day came to an end, so I fulfilled my promise to Ji Eun and I took a peek using the little window on the door to see if anyone was in there. Assuming that no one was in there, I softly tip-toed into the music room for I didn't want to disturb anybody who was inside... If there was someone therein. Looking around, the whole place was empty, which lifted a burden in my heart. I mean, if someone was in there, it would be really rude to suddenly burst into the room.

While waiting for Ji Eun, I took a look around. I was surrounded by my own figure since the place was filled with big mirrors. The practice room was spacious and the floorboards were squeaky clean. They were literally sparkling. The instruments were placed on the left corner of the room near the windows. I approached them and named all of the instruments I knew - An electric piano and an organ right beside it, a bass guitar, electric guitar, some flutes, a violin, a drum set, a xylophone, triangle, clarinet, and a whole lot more. "Wah..." I gasped, fascinated with the wide variety of musical instruments the school had. They even have a harp! 

I've decided to kill some time with the acoustic guitar since it would be too boring and tiring to just stand there in the middle of the room doing nothing but stare at the ground. I sat on the spot under the window, positioning my fingers on the guitar. I played a few basic chords, and it seems that the guitar was perfectly in tune. "No one's around, right?" I set my eyes on the door with a nervous heart, wanting to know if anyone was around the area. I remembered that the place was sound proof, so I guess I'll be safe? I strummed the guitar and decided to hum a song. After I finished humming, the whole place became silent, and the song of the chirping birds took over.

Just then, the door opened. Taek Woon entered the room. My heart avoided a pulse, but by the time I realized that it was him, I calmed a little. Only a little. His sudden appearance made me cower on my spot. I placed the guitar on my lap, hoping that he didn't hear me hum or see me play it. And of course, I tried not to make it obvious that I did. "Hey." He flashed a crooked smile. With my heart still beating fast, I smiled back. "...Seems that you play guitar." Yikes! I'm caught. Taek Woon approached me and sat beside me. "Are you going to join the competition?" He asked with his pacifying voice. His sentence was choppy, and yet, it didn't fail to make me smile. I tried to hide my anxiety, but I failed since I couldn't stop squirming on my spot. He stared at me for quite a long while, making me question why. Did he notice how nervous I was? 

"That... Song." Taek Woon blurted out of nowhere. I turned my head towards him, "...It's nice."

Hearing the compliment, my cheeks flushed in the tint of shell pink. "What's it called?" He asked. Afterwards, I searched for a certain piece of paper in my pocket. It was folded four times, and by the time I found it, I gave it to him. Taek Woon blinked twice at the piece of paper and opened it. His eyes went over the lyrics written on it, at the same time, he was nodding.

"...You sing the first part, I'll sing the other." He suddenly ordered.

My eyes grew big, and without having much choice, I positioned my fingers and strummed.

The butterflies inside of me started fluttering.

—

My Prince

All night, I wait for the sun to rise out the window
Because when morning comes, I can meet that person
Thank you for holding my hand, thank you for looking into my eyes
Thank you, my prince that I’ve dreamed of, for appearing before me

All day, I wait for the moon to rise in the sky
Because when night comes, I can talk to you
Don’t forget our promise, don’t forget our secrets
Don’t forget how my heart raced when you looked at me

—

Ji Eun didn't come that afternoon.

I thought as I closed the book I just finished reading. This empty feeling took over my body. After ten minutes of blankly staring at the ceiling, I raised the book high above so I could clearly see the spread. "The Little Prince." I murmured the title of the book to myself. 

"...My prince is not little. He's tall." I smiled to myself and got up from the bed. "He's very tall, and soft-spoken, and gentle, and kind. He's an ice prince." I exited the room, not letting go of the book and headed towards Soo Hwan's room. I've been thinking of it - trying to imagine how Taek Woon's voice sounds like. It had been a few days, and now, I've finally heard it. It felt like a dream. "And hardworking, and affectionate, and has a wonderful singing voice, also..." My words faded when my attention caught Soo Hwan playing with his little lego pieces in bed. I sat at the corner as he eyed my actions. I smiled at my little brother, patting the spot beside mine. He obediently sat beside me and asked about the book. "What's that?" 

"It's called "The Little Prince". It's nice." I beamed.

"...Do you want to read it?"

—

author.

the two things i love and are held dearly in my heart:

my prince - a werewolf boy ost

the little prince by antoine de saint-exupéry

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