We arrived at the beach at 11am and all students were now gathering at the center of the camping site, listening to our tour guide’s instruction.

“Hello kids, welcome to Hongdae. As you can see, we will not stay in a hotel room with TV and air-con, we will let you stay in group of 10 in tents. You will be divided into groups randomly by picking your tent number here, after finishing the lottery, I will hand over the tents and you will build it up on your owns. If you need any help, your teachers and me are here. Got it?”

“Ne!”

We all answered, some of us annoyed, especially the rich ones. I heard Hara complaint.

“What is this ? There’re tons of mosquitoes here, and I haven’t mentioned that sea wind will make my skin dry as hell!”

Minho comforted her

“Didn’t you bring the lotion, bear this for 2 days only, baby!”

“Ew!”

Jinri next to me, who also overheard their conversation, made a face and I had to try so hard not to laugh loudly.

I elbowed her to pay attention to the tourguide.

“Okay, if you don’t have anything to complain, then please go meet your teacher to pick your tent number.”

Our class went to the teacher’s place, he already had a box of paper in his hand. Because there’re 30 students in our class, that meant we would devide to 3 tents.

When it was my turn to draw out, I prayed in my head.

“With Jinri please, with Jinri”

And I was lucky enough, we were in the same tent, number 2.

Guessed what, we stayed together with Hara, Minho, Howon, and other 3 boys and 2 girls.

Of course, being the queen of class, Hara didn’t touch her finger to help building the tent. I didn’t care, as I was helping, Howon came next to me.

“Hi!”

He said, with his usual hoarse voice, which I found really actrative.

“You can leave it here, it’s not nice of us letting a girl like you do this kind of work.”

I tried not to shake my voice so much.

“Ah, it’s okay, my dad taught me how to make a tent and I think I’m used to this more than you guys.”

“Really? No wonder I saw you did things pretty professionally.”

He saw me? He watched me? And he complimented me?

My mind was almost explode from the excitement of the fact that Howon praise my work. But outside, I still kept calm and acted as if his words were nothing.

“What should I ask him? Work, this stupid head, think of something.”

I desperately used every neuron to think of any topic, but before I could say anything, Jinri appeared next to us. Well, you know you always have that one friend who show their face at the most unnecessary moment? Jinri was that one at that time.

“Hi Ara, hi Howon, are you guys finished? We’re all done the other parts.”

“Almost, let me tie this knot…”

Howon replied her, tying the final knot, sweats ran down from his forehead, I resisted not to wipe it with my bare hands.

“… okay, done! You guys can bring your stuffs in.”

He said with a smile, the brightest and most beautiful smile then left to Minho and Hara’s place.

I was about to follow him but Jinri held my arm back.

“What?”

I asked her, surprised.

“Your face are red.”

She simply looked at my face and replied.

“What are you talking about? I’m not red!”

“Your whole face and ears are all red like a tomato, Ara. Even Howon saw it, if you don’t believe me, go ask him!”

“Howon saw it too?”

I began to panic, if he saw my red face, he would know I liked him.

Suddenly Jinri broke out and laughed, holding her stomach.

“Jinri?”

I lowered myself to check on her.

“Are you okay?”

“You should see your face just now, Ara!”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“I didn’t mean to, but your reaction is too hilarious, you were all panic and looked like about to cry.”

“Yah…”

Annoyed by Jinri, I turned away and left her behind. Not so long, she caught up.

“You like him, don’t you?”

My heart stopped a beat, but still decided to play innocent.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t try to act dumb, everything is written on your face.”

I stopped half way while picking of my backpack from the ground.

“Seriously, Ara, for how long do you plan to hide this from me?”

“I…”

Jinri was waiting for my answer.

“I didn’t mean to hide, but I was afraid you would laugh at me, for a girl like me to dream of him, who wouldn’t?”

“Listen, Ara..”

Jinri sat down on a rock nearby and signaled me to follow.

“I don’t know what others think or do, and I don’t care about the bull ‘he’s too perfect I don’t deserve him’ that you’re thinking. There’s nothing wrong for liking someone and you have every rights to do that. Ara, remember this, I know you always live in your shell, but you have to understand that people may treat you bad, but I will not. I treasure you as much as you treasure me, what you do not do to me, I do not do to you too.”

As she finished her words, I felt tears about to run out of my eyes and had to quickly cover it by hugging Jinri.

At that moment, I didn’t care what Howon or anyone thought about me, I only knew that I had Jinri, and didn’t people say that friendship last longer than love?

“Beside…”

Jinri pat my back gently.

“I heard from Hara and Minho, Howon and his girlfriend broke up 2 weeks ago. They splitted cause she couldn’t have enough time for him.”

“Really?”

“Uhm.”

“That girl broke up with him?”

“Uhm.”

“How can she?”

“Yeah, I know, he’s too perfect. No one can understand that girl. Giving up on a boy like him.”

Jinri chuckled and slightly push me off her.

“So I have chance, right?”

I whishpered.

“Yes, babo, you have a chance now. If that girl can make him fall for her, I see no reason why you cannot.”

My story will have a lot of characters, but i couldn't tag since I have to decide which idols I would use. All the idols I've used so far are not because they're my biases or I particularly like them, I just think they match with the characters.