“What about Jiyong?” Minji leans over the side of the bed, her head almost touching the floor as she looks at her best friend Chaerin upside down. She waits for the answer with open, asking for a piece of the popcorn that the other is hoarding on the other side of the room.

“What about Jiyong?” The other asks, tossing a piece of popcorn at Minji’s face, purposefully missing . “He’s obnoxious, and rude and ugly, I don’t want Jiyong, and I especially don’t want him to take me to prom.” Chaerin scrunches her nose up in disgust and puts another salty kernel on her tongue.

“I’ll give you obnoxious, but that boy is far from ugly.” Dara says having paused the game she was playing on her phone to join the conversation.  “He’s got that jawline, and his hair is flawless.” She adds, stretching her legs out in front of her and poking Minji’s side with her slippered foot.

“You go to prom with him then.” Chaerin quips and rolls her eyes.

“He doesn’t want me.” Dara pouts and pokes Minji again, ignoring her slapping hands.

“That’s probably because you’re a freak.” Minji says sitting up and adjusting her PJ shirt to cover her stomach again before she screeches and jumps at her blue haired friend.  The loud giggle filled wrestling match that follows is too much for Chaerin and she gets up, and grabs a pillow to start smacking at her friends with it.

“You both !” Chaerin yells, bludgeoning her friends, though her giggles betray her anger and the fight continues until her sister comes and pounds on the door.

“Oh my god! Shut up! People are trying to sleep!”  Chaerin’s sister’s voice whines loudly from the other side of the wood door.

“Sorry!” All three girls call in unison, falling into giggles once more before they all move to their assigned sleeping spots. It’s quiet for a while after Chaerin turns the lights off, all three staring at the ceiling and waiting for sleep to come.

“He’s really not that ugly…” Dara says to the ceiling.

“Shut up and go to sleep.” Chaerin laughs and rolls over totally ignoring any thoughts of Jiyong for the rest of the night.



~~~

“Chae! Chaerin!” Jiyong’s voice is an annoying buzz that pulls Chaerin from her studying and she looks up and scowls at him.  “Lee Chaerin, come on girl don’t give me that look.” The older boy pouts and plops down in a back turned seat in front of her.

“What do you want Jiyong?” Chaerin almost growls, closing her text book in annoyance and sliding back in her seat, legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles.

“Why you always so sour?” Jiyong pouts and it floats through with his tone. “I just want to talk to you.” He adds with a shrug.

“I was trying to study.” Chaerin responds, obviously annoyed as she opens her text book and stares down at the words that fill it.  It’s silent for a moment and Chaerin is hopeful that her actions have discouraged Jiyong. But that’s before she hears a chair drag across the lunchroom’s linoleum floor and she can feel a body now at her side.

“Is that for Bio? I thought that test was canceled.” Jiyong is now next to her, chin propped on his palm as he looks over her shoulder.  He raises his eyebrows as Chaerin scoots just a little further away and sighs.

“What on earth would give you that idea?” Chaerin asks flatly.

“I heard the other teachers talking, Mister Warren is out sick for the week.” Jiyong shrugs and leans back in his chair.

“That doesn’t mean we won’t have a test.” Chaerin quips and sighs.

“Fair enough.” Jiyong taps at his lips and leans forward once more, trying to get Chaerin to look at him.  “Listen, can you just give me a minute? I know I’m like your least favorite person ever but I just wanna talk okay? Can we do that?” Jiyong’s voice is almost pleading and it gives Chaerin pause. She places her finger on the page and shuts the book around it keeping her spot as she turns and looks at the boy next to her.  Really he’s not that bad, and Chaerin knows this. He is obnoxious, he has been since they were in elementary school, way too hyper and full of himself. It’s not that Chaerin hates him, he has made her laugh with his antics on more than one occasion, but Chaerin has always been well behaved and thoughtful, and Jiyong is just… not.

“Alright, what do you want?”

“There’s this thing this weekend…” Jiyong starts and smiles softly. “And when Youngbae told me about it we both thought you would like it okay? So it’s not just me.” Jiyong’s hands come up, palms out in front of his chest as he shrugs.  “Anyway, we thought you’d like to come.”

Chaerin eyes the dark haired boy next to her before she lets out a short laugh. “I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me what it is.” She leans forward, interest piqued at what these two boys could possibly think she would be interested in.

“You like fashion right? I’ve seen you in study hall reading those magazines and things.”

“Yes I like fashion.” Chaerin admits before shaking her head and taking her finger out of her book to point it at Jiyong. “You’re a creep by the way.” She adds wrinkling her nose.

“Sure, whatever you say.” Jiyong smiles. “What I’m saying is there’s a fashion show this weekend, and Youngbae and I thought that you would want to go. I mean, we’ll be there obviously, but don’t let that deter you okay?” Jiyong’s smile is despicably wide as he stands and pushes his chair in. “Just think about it, I’ll see you in Bio.”

~~~

“So you gonna go?” Minji asks as she shoves a bite of salad into .  It’s lunch and Chaerin has exactly one more half hour until Biology and more than likely an impatiently waiting Jiyong.  She watches Minji eat, not really wanting to answer the question and scowls.

“You really should go.” Dara shrugs and pulls her long blue hair into a bun on top of her head. “And if you don’t, can I go? Or if you do go, see if I can come! I’ll be a buffer!”  Dara’s face lights up with excitement as she practically bounces in her seat. Her grin quickly fades to a pout as a cherry tomato hits her in the collarbone and rolls down her chest.

“Why you always gotta be trying to bust in on Chae’s koolaid!” Minji teases loudly and sticks her tongue out as Dara stuffs the tomato in instead of giving it back.

“Why you always gotta abuse me Minji! I’m your Unnie! Come on show me some respect.”  Dara exclaims pointing at MInji and chewing loudly as she speaks. “Anyway, I’m just trying to help, if Chae wants to go to the show but not hang out with Jiyong then I can be a distraction and we can both enjoy ourselves!”

“What show? Where’s Chae going?” Bom asks, finally walking over and sitting with her friends after taking forever to get through the lunch line and missing the majority of the conversation.

“Jiyong and Youngbae invited Chae to a fashion show this weekend. “  Minji explains.

“Oh! You gonna go? I thought you didn’t like Jiyong…” Bom tilts her head to the side and shoves a spoonful of soup in as she stares at Chaerin.

“I don’t!” Chaerin pouts. “I mean, he’s not awful, but he’s annoying. I don’t know.” The thud is loud as Chaerin’s forehead collides with the lunch table out of frustration. “Ow.” She whimpers and all of her friends simultaneously reach forward and pat her on the back. The three exchange looks before Chaerin lifts her head again. “Going to the show would be fun. I’ve never been to one and if it’s legit it’d be really cool to see one right? Maybe I can get some ideas for my own drawings or something?”

“If anything that would be worth it.” Bom says and reaches forward patting Chaerin’s hand, noting the confusion on the other’s face. “Chaerin, spending time with Jiyong isn’t going to kill you, anyway Youngbae is going to be there too right? You at least like him? You had that project together last year right? You have something in common right?”

“I guess…” Chaerin trails off, wondering if she really is considering spending her weekend with a boy she more often than not can’t stand, and his not nearly as annoying but still not always pleasant best friend.  She doesn’t really speak for the rest of lunch, silently deciding that yes she was actually going go to the show, if for nothing but the opportunity to see a real fashion show.  When the bell rings for the end of lunch Chaerin’s stomach is in knots and her friends are wishing her luck, all heading their separate directions.

Chaerin breathes a sigh of relief when Jiyong is too distracted with his own friends when she walks into the Biology classroom to notice her right away. Once she’s in her seat she pulls her book out and waits for class to start. Jiyong was right earlier, a different teacher is sitting in Mr. Warren’s seat, but he still starts class when the bell rings, and he still hands out their test a few minutes later. Chaerin is happy that she took the time to study and her test is handed in quickly, quietly going back to her seat and pulling a book from her bag, settling in for the rest of class until she feels something hit her in the back of the head. Her had quickly flies to her hair, fingers combing through it to dislodge whatever may be sticking to it as she turns around to scowl at the people behind her.

Jiyong quickly catches Chaerin’s eyes and raises his eyebrows. “Down.” He mouths, pointing to the ground and waiting for the blonde to notice the crumpled up paper that he had assaulted her with. With a shrug he smiles and sits back as the girl picks up the paper and turns back to her desk quietly trying to smooth it.

‘So you coming baby?’ Chaerin reads the words and makes a face.  With a quiet but still exasperated sigh she pulls her pen out and scribbles on the paper.  ‘Yes, but because I want to see the show, not because of you. Is it legit?’ She looks at the paper, staring at her response, hesitant to toss it back before she quickly adds, ‘And don’t call me baby.’ Crumpling up the paper again she turns slightly and waits for the sub to be distracted before she pelts Jiyong in the side of the head with it.