“So was it really that bad?” Dara is sprawled across Chaerin’s bed, arms and legs hanging over each end as she interrogates her best friend for what feels like the fifteenth time in the night.

“No, okay? No it wasn’t that bad. I had fun. Alright? You can stop asking, I’ll be honest.” Chaerin  pouts and flops back on the floor with a soft grunt. “The clothes were really neat, they weren’t anything special but they were well designed.” Chaerin’s hands are now covering her face. “He thinks that I’d be a good designer.” She admits from behind her hands.

“What? So he’s seen your drawings? Did you show him your drawings?” Dara’s excitement is hardly masked as she jumps up on the bed, her voice raising to a high pitched squeal.

“No!” Chaerin shoots up to a sitting position, and is suddenly blushing. “No, I… he said that he’d seen them in the art room. He’s such a creep.”  Chaerin’s voice is not nearly as woe-filled as it usually is, and the smirk that crosses her best friend’s face is enough for her to grab her pillow and smack her with it.

“He likes you.” Dara squeals again, arms raising to lessen the impending blow.

“I know he does you idiot!” Chaerin laughs in response. “That’s not the issue! I don’t like him, I didn’t.. I don’t… I don’t know.” Chaerin groans as she once again flops back on the floor of her bedroom.

“So you might?” Dara’s smirk is almost permanent now as she slides off the bed and to the floor next to Chaerin. “I mean, okay, I’ve had a few classes with him right? He’s not that bad. He’s funny, and he is kinda smart if you let him do things his own way…”

“He’s also really obnoxious and demanding, and he pesters… and he’s disruptive…” Chaerin trys desperately.

“So am I. And how long have we been friends?” Dara points out.

“That’s different.” Chaerin sits up and wraps her arms around her knees looking Dara dead in the eyes.

“Why? Because I’m a girl?”

“That’s not what I mean, You’re my best friend. I’ve know you since we were kids.” Chaerin says prodding Dara in the side to stop the pout forming on her lips.

“You’ve known him almost as long. Chae, come on, you’re being too stubborn. Even for you.” Dara sticks her tongue out at this before leaning back against the bed and stretching. “Whatever, come on let’s go get some cheese fries or something.” She adds, noting the look of distress on Chaerin’s face.

“Fine. But you’re paying this time.” Chaerin utters as she stands and pulls the blue haired girl with her.

“I always do.” Dara sings songs after her.

~~~~

Chaerin is a little disappointed when Jiyong isn’t in the lunch room before class. After a night of very little sleep, and a lot of talking things through with Dara, she now has a plan, and Jiyong not being at school has officially thrown a wrench in it.  She sighs as she pulls out a notebook, writing down all of the stupid things that she’s thought about for the past few days, hoping that furious scribbling will take them out of her head forever.  When the bell rings she packs up her things and trudges off to class. By the time lunch rolls around Chaerin is in full on mope mode, and all of her friends can tell. Instead of talking they exchange looks and eat in semi-silence, watching Chaerin pout as she picks at her food.

Chaerin is frustrated when it’s time for biology. It’s almost as if Jiyong is pushing himself to prove how big of a thorn he can be in her side, just as she’s decided that she’d rather have him by it, than in it. Her mood only changes when she spots Jiyong, head down on his desk, though his hair is a bit of an odd colour. It is in that moment that Chaerin’s whole plan changes.

Taking her seat, she pulls out her notebook, and after scribbling a note she waits for Mister Warren to turn his back before pelting the paper at the messy mop that is Jiyong’s hair.  When the boy lifts his head Chaerin’s gaze is intense, nodding at him, eyebrows raised until he picks up the paper and un-crumples it. ‘What happened to your hair?’ 

Jiyong snorts softly as he reads over the words on the paper.  Reaching forward and snagging a pen he scrawls back his response, and lobs the paper back to the awaiting blonde before shoving his fingers in his own hair, only slightly ashamed of its looks.

‘Tried to switch it up a bit.’

Chaerin smiles at the paper as she taps her lips with her pen before responding and awaiting another opportunity to return it to Jiyong. ‘I could help you with that. If you want that is. Walk me to my next class?’  Chaerin can’t stop herself from sneaking glances at Jiyong while he reads her note.  She likes the small smile that starts in the corners of his lips before he pockets the paper and she returns her attention back to the lesson.

Chaerin is slow packing up her things at the end of class, making Jiyong wait for her by the door before she falls into step beside him and they head off down the hall toward her next class. “So what exactly where you trying to do?” She asks, reaching up and tugging a small strand on the back of the boys head.
 
“I told you girl,  I just wanted something different.”  Jiyong pouts and reaches up to take Chaerin’s hand from his hair.

“Well it certainly is different. “ Chaerin snorts and takes her hand back, moving it to hold on to the strap of her bookbag. “If you want to maybe come over I could fix it for you, I do Dara’s hair all the time.” Chaerin shrugs and tries to make her voice sound as nonchalant as possible.

Jiyong stops in the middle of the hallway and turns to face Chaerin, his expression only slightly surprised but totally smug. “Lee Chaerin are you asking me on a date?” He gasps, hand coming to his chest in feigned surprise.

“No, I’m asking if you want to help with your hair, it’s not a date, just… a friendly… oh, whatever.” Chaerin groans and turns to head in to her classroom before her arm is gently grabbed and Jiyong is tilting his head at her with a smile.

“Is tomorrow okay? I have a paper to write tonight.” He asks, and the sweet tone of his voice leaves Chaerin taken aback.

“Yeah… yeah that’s fine.” Chaerin smiles softly and nods before tucking her hair behind her ear and swiftly walking into the classroom. She quickly heads to her seat in the back before anyone can pick up on the faint pink colour of her cheeks, or the fact that Jiyong is still standing in the doorway watching her with a stupid grin on his face.