“Sanghee, why are we sitting here?” Donghyuk mumbled across the table, hoping the others wouldn’t hear him.

But oh, we did.

“Bobby invited us.” Sanghee simply responds. 

I stared at the boy that was mentioned and watched him return a smile. 

How did this happen, you all ask? Well, Hanbin was questioning why I hadn’t been at their table and after adamantly answering that I would rather sit with my friends instead of feeling paranoid at their table – this was Bobby’s solution to it all.

In his words – he wouldn’t do anything if my friends were around to catch him.

That is very comforting.

So, to my right was Bobby, who rightfully sat across from Jinhwan on Hanbin’s right. Then on my left was Sanghee, who had taken her seat across from Donghyuk on Hanbin’s left. 

In contrast to how I thought, Sanghee didn’t react weirdly to it. In fact, she has adapted quite well in this environment due to her becoming attached to the boys…I still don’t see how that could possibly happen but for some unidentifiable reason, it did, because she thought they were pretty nice boys – the things she wasn’t aware of. And the only person having trouble is Donghyuk…Mr. Goody Two Shoes but I had no doubt in my mind that he would ignore his goody instincts and stay anyway. He wouldn’t be able to leave Sanghee’s side. 

“Jibin says he wants to go out for ice cream again.” Hanbin mentions from across the table.

“Again?” I blurted. Am I still a close second if I took him again? If that’s the case, I'm not going to. 

“Who’s Jibin?” Sanghee interjects.

“Hanbin’s cousin.” I answered while handing my sweet bread across the lunch table for Hanbin to open. And in which, he took and after doing so, wordlessly hands it back before going back to his own food. 

“Since Hanbin introduced you to his family, don’t you think you should introduce him to your sisters?” Sanghee asked next and the question nearly made me choke on the bit of sweet bread that was already in my mouth.

I coughed trying to swallow. “Never.” Can she not ask me such preposterous things while I’m eating? What a hazard.

Sanghee set her spoon down in a fit of disbelief. “Jiwoo –“

“Absolutely not.” 

“How could you say that as Hanbin is sitting right across from you?” She asked in shock.

“Because he feels the same way.” I retort while nodding towards the said boy.

Sanghee gives up in reasoning with me and turns to look at Hanbin. “Hanbin, don’t you want to meet Jiwoo’s family?” 

“Never.”

His answer causes a chuckle to leave my lips. Even Hanbin wouldn’t want to fake this in front of my siblings. Everything in the plan is working fine and this would just be extra work. Extra work that Hanbin doesn’t do.

“Hanbin, that’s ridiculous. Don’t you –“

“Absolutely not.” His words mimicking mine brought Sanghee huffing at the both of us.

After not getting what she wanted from Hanbin, Sanghee snapped her head back at me. I didn’t need to ask to know what she was thinking. Keeping my attention on my sweet bread, I answered. “Told you.”

“What did you exactly sign up for in the Sport’s festival, Hanbin?” Jinhwan switches the subject. Even he knew that this conversation was wasted effort on Sanghee’s part.

“Basketball, soccer, and some stupid track borrowing game.” Hanbin answers.

“Why did you sign up for it then?” Sanghee questions.

“Because his special buddy, Mino, signed up for it.” I clarified, knowing the exact reason why Hanbin chose the events he did. At my response, he shot me a look and I gave it back. It seems he was still suspicious of me due to the secret I knew. 

“What about you, Jiwoo?” Sanghee asked me next. 

I gave her a genuine smile. “Due to my unfortunate injury, I’m only helping out with fundraising.” I couldn’t even pretend to be sad.

“Exactly what you wanted.” She matched my smile.

“I finally found a positive thing about this injury.” I added. “Good thing I got a dislocated shoulder.”

“Who says things like that?” Hanbin clicked his tongue at me but he didn’t know how much relief I felt when the teacher told me that I was forbidden to join the sport-related events. I mean, he could forbid me all he wants but I couldn’t get any happier than this.

“Jiwoo does. She’s always been like that.” Sanghee answered Hanbin’s question while giving me the same response.

I didn’t care about what they thought about my morbid comment – I was only being honest…and optimistic.

***

“Okay, is everyone here?” 

I joined the horizontal line that suddenly formed due the question asked by none other than my best friend. By the way, I see a pattern. There was not a single male student in here.

Sanghee looked down at the paper in her hands. “I will start by splitting you all into groups and assign the stalls that way.”

Remember when I mentioned Sanghee was amazing at fundraising? Well, I wasn’t the only one that recognized her talent for it – she was placed in charge of the preparations for the festival. Which has conveniently started today after school.

I watched silently from where I stood while Sanghee began sending the students in all different directions. Eventually, leaving me as the last person still not knowing where to go.

“Jiwoo, you’re with me!” She cheerfully exclaims while tugging me out of the classroom and into the hall. Not something I disliked. You would rather be with the best of the best, you know? It was human nature. Survival of the fittest – you get it.

I looked down and found stacks of wood planks.

“Sanghee…is this trash?” My eyes darted up and down the hall to find more of these things lying around. “Why is this hallway filled with trash?”

“Jiwoo, they’re going to be used for the stalls.” Sanghee corrects blankly before sighing. “Gosh, you’re always so lost on these things.” She proceeds to bend down and pick up whatever planks she could hold in her arms. 

I’m no good for sports and no good for fundraising. I’m starting to give up.

“We need to move these inside.” She turns away from me and walks back into the classroom with her arms full.

“With my state?” I raised my voice in disbelief.

“You have one good arm.” Sanghee replies without even turning to look at me.

“Ruthless.” I mumbled underneath my breath before bending down. Lifting one piece and before I could fully straighten up, someone hits it out of my hand.

“Whoops.”

I tilted my head up to find the trio that I have forgotten about recently. That’s right…Big and her two friends. “…Seems like you also signed up for fundraising.” Please tell me it isn’t true and that I was wrong.

“It’s like fate.” Big responds with her face all smug and everything. Something tells me she’s going to give me a hard time. 

Instead of fate, it feels more like punishment. “Well…I’m going to try to finish my job.” I attempt to pick up the piece once more and once more it is hit out of my hand…is this how things are going to be like?

Because I