So a oneshot sequel won!

For everyone else, it was a new school year. For me, it was more than that--it was a new dawn, a new era.

I had fearfully trudged through all my classes on the first day school, wary of the one person I was fearing to meet the most.

    Byun Baekhyun.

    Until nine months ago, he was my best friend. My other half. The one who ate off my tray without thinking twice, the one who would bluntly ask me if I was on my period regardless of what time of what month it was or the fact that he asked me same goddamned question last week.

    As much as I hated to admit it, I missed him a lot. As summer flew by, I went along with my regular life, but still awaited just one call or text. Not an apology, he was too proud for that. He never apologized, no matter what.

    I wanted reassurance, that I wouldn’t be hurt again. And for as long as I waited, that answer never came.

*      *      *

“Hey, I was thinking of switching classes,” my friend Luna informed me.

    That surprised me. “Really? Why?” I asked, interested. It was only the fourth day of school and although a lot of people got their schedules changed, I didn’t think she would.

    “I’m in English now for fourth period, you know?” I nodded. “Well, I’m not sure it’s right for me. The teacher’s not that great, and I don’t have that many friends in that class either. I was going to ask if I could maybe take it next year.”

    “Oh...well, who do you know in that class?” I inquired. “Anyone I know?”

    She nodded. “Yeah, there’s Jia, Chanyeol, Baekhyun--” she cut herself short, giving me a look I learned to recognize when his name was brought up--it was a mixture of fear and pity.

    I gave her a small smile, signaling it was okay. “So Jia and Baek s--er, Baekhyun signed up for the same classes before they broke up? That must be awkward,” I blabbed, trying to talk over the obvious discomfort at her words. I knew she didn’t intentionally bring it up, but it still affected me more than I wanted to admit.

*      *      *

“Bruh,” I said, my mouth full of noodles. “Guess what?”

    Amber glanced at me sideways. “You’re disgusting and need to learn table manners?” she guessed.

    I waved at her dismissively. Unfortunately, I moved the hand that was holding my chopsticks and I consequently ended up flinging a noodle in her face. She picked it off her face and slurped into loudly. “What was that about table manners?” I snorted. “Anyway, Baek and Jia have like, the same schedule. Luna was telling me when we were talking about her transferring into our history class.”

    “Ugh, that’s awkward. Why wouldn’t they have it changed?” she asked.

    I shrugged. “He probably wanted to be with her or something.”

    Amber pursed her lips. “I’m gonna regret telling you this, but Baekhyun actually asked out Ji Eun over the summer.”

    I gaped. “Ji Eun? The girl from our class last year?” I remembered Lee Ji Eun; she was a genuinely nice person, and was always good to be around. I kept in touch with her even though we weren’t very close.

    Amber nodded. “The very same.”

    “So what did she say?” I asked impatiently.

    “She rejected him, duh.”

    I let out a deep breath I didn’t even know I was holding. I had guessed she would reject him. Ji Eun was sensible and smart. That, plus all the she had heard Amber, Luna, and me talk about him over the last few months. It wasn’t a secret amongst my friends how much I resented him.

    “Hey, you actually gonna finish those noodles?”

*      *     *

And so half the year passed like that. After two semesters, our schedules changed and we headed to different classes. I now began my day with Chemistry, much to my disappointment.

    It was a feeling that only deepened when I saw the class roster outside. My eyes could pick out his name anywhere: Byun Baekhyun.

    I wasn’t sure what to feel, to be totally honest. Against my mind, my heart seemed to swell at the thought of seeing him again, but another side of me was a bit more wary…

    And as if it couldn’t get worse, we had assigned seats, mine placing me in a group of four: myself, a pretty girl I didn’t know by the name of Chae Rin, goddamned Byun Baekhyun, and--

    Oh, .

    The fourth and final member of my group was none other than the Jeon Jungkook.

    I froze on sight upon seeing his face: the kid I’d had a crush on for the last two years.

    This was where my feelings got messy. I wasn’t physically attracted to Baekhyun. He wasn’t repulsive or ugly or anything, I just didn’t like him like that. My feelings for him ran deeper than that. I liked him on an emotional level, as a person. He was just someone who was ingrained in my soul, that’s all. Nothing more than a potential soulmate, swearsies.

    But Jungkook was different. I remember how we met--in ninth grade, we had every one of our classes together. We didn’t know each other then, but I liked him a lot and I got the vague feeling he returned at least a portion of my interest. Jungkook was my definition of perfect: taller than me, with black hair, black eyes, and a constant crooked smile that made you believe he knew something you didn’t. But what really did it in for me was once I got to know him and discovered something that practically made me puke rainbows.

    He was a total dork.

    That alone increased my feelings for him drastically. But as tenth grade came around, I didn’t get to see him as often. We only exchanged glances in the halls, but the last time we saw each other was last year,