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your silhouette is in my head // if I don’t see you // my days are boring

Hyori twirled a lock of her curly hair, reading through her textbook. She was at one of the college’s many cafés, studying. Her next class was still in two hours. She usually spent her long breaks going over to the architecture students’ building to see if she could find Ren, but now…

The memories of last night came to mind and she smiled.

He blatantly rejected her, sure. She even found out she wasn’t in his ual preference group…

… but only she knew of his uality. That made her special, doesn’t it? Compared to the several girls on campus that love him, only she know that part of his… It wasn’t an advantageous aspect for her, but she should at least take it in its only possible light! She turned the page and took another sip of her Frappuccino, that big smile still not leaving her face.

Hyori chocked on her cold beverage when she saw Ren sit down across from her.

“… I don’t remember praying this morning for this to happen!” she said, shocked. She looked up at the sky. “Thank you!”

Ren just shook his head at her behavior before also pulling out a book and placing his hot drink on the side.

“You’re sitting with me!” she said excitedly.

He glanced at her with a blank look. “Clearly.”

“… Why? Not that I mind though! You don’t even need a reason! Sit with me whenever! Even when you don’t want to!” she said, giggling happily. Today was going to be a wonderful today!

“You haven’t told anyone, have you?” he asked, not looking up from his book.

She quickly raised up her hands in defense. “Not a soul!” she made a motion of closing with a zipper. “… Is it supposed to be a secret?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Not necessarily… but I’d rather not have it be common fact that everyone knows. Most of the guys I go for prefer to keep it hidden… Wait!” His eyes widened and he took hold of her hands suddenly and lowered them.

He was holding her hand! He was holding her hand! He was holding her hand! She was never washing them again!

“Your nail art is gorgeous,” he said in appreciation, the awe clear in his eyes.

Hyori laughed haughtily and wiggled her fingers around. They were done in various shades of pink, complete with small jewels and glitter. She always received compliments on her nails... but this was the first compliment she got from Ren! “I know, right? I do them myself. Want me to do yours?” she offered with a smile.

His eyes widened as he regarded her. “… You’ll do mine?”

She hummed and nodded in reply. She took hold of his hands and examined them. “I won’t be doing the same design though,” she said with a laugh. “Maybe something more on the dark color scheme…” she looked up at him. “You’ll let me?”

He grinned. “Of course! Thanks. I’ll head to your place later?”

She was blown away at his gorgeous smile.

“… Don’t look so thrilled,” he said in amusement. He removed his hands from her grasp and went back to his book.

“But I am!” she said, clapping happily… but then froze. “Wait. You’re coming to my place?”

“You don’t want me to?”

“I do! I do! I do!”

“Okay, okay, okay,” he said, laughing lightly. “You have this bad habit of saying things three times.”

“I know it’s a habit of mine… but I didn’t think it was a bad habit,” she muttered with a pout. She tended to emphasize her words or thoughts several times when she was excited or shocked. There was nothing wrong with that!

“It gets annoying,” he bluntly said.

She visibly deflated. “… Oh.”

“But you’re a pretty annoying person over all. It’s what makes you, you.”

Hyori almost fell back on her chair. “Aaaahhh!” she clenched onto her heart. “My heart!”

Ren looked up from his book and glanced at me in worry. “Your stupid theatrics again… That wasn’t even a compliment.”

“But even if you think I’m annoying, you’re still here with me!” she said, smiling so brightly and happily.

He suddenly gathered his book and drink and stood up.

“No~o!”

“My future husband~!”

Ren stopped in his tracks before he could come into her embrace. Hyori’s outstretched hands fell to her sides and she pouted.

His friend laughed. “I like this one. She’s a lot more entertaining than your other fan girls!”

Hyori placed her hands on her hips and laughed in pride. “I’m on a whole other league!”

Ren glared at his tall friend. “Don’t humor her, Minhyun.”

His words were ignored. Minhyun smiled at her. “You were the one at L.O.V.E. cafe during sem break, right? The one that introduced herself… and confessed right after?”

“The one and only!” she said, bowing. He clapped.

“Idiots,” Ren muttered under his breath. “What are you doing here anyway?”

She stood straight and tilted her head at him in question. “I always come over!”

Ren looked away, agreeing with her words. She was his most… active of fan girls. Several of his admirers squealed over him at chance encounters, but never really sought him out. A few approached him on special days, like his birthday and Valentines…

But she was really the only one that went out of her way to see him when she had the time.

“It’s creepy. Please go away,” he said.

Her face contorted into such sadness.

Ren stared at her, not believing it for one second.

“… Interesting,” Minhyun suddenly said with a chuckle. “You’re usually nicer to your admirers… I take it you actually do know her?”

“No!” he quickly denied.

“Yes!” she said, clapping her hands merrily.

He laughed again at their opposite answers. “I’m going on ahead. You two sort your relationship out!” he said, giving a small wave and walking away from them.

When he turned a corner and was out of sight, Hyori glanced at the blonde that was glaring at her. She was unfazed. “… Does he know?” she asked, pertaining to his uality.

Ren began walking and she immediately fell in step. “Yes, all four of my friends know. It’s not awkward or anything. They know that they’re just in my friend zone.”

“Ah… just like me.”

“We’re friends? That’s just your imagination.”

“I won’t do your nails anymore!”

“Yes, you will.”

“… Yeah, I will.”

“I love that movie.”

“You do?!” Hyori laughed and hugged the DVD to her chest. “This is my most favorite chick flick ever! Let’s watch it!”

As she put the movie in, Ren looked back down at his nails. They were done in black and white with various designs per nail. It was done in such a meticulous manner. She really took her time in it and it was totally worth it. “… I still can’t get over this. I love what you did,” he said.

She squealed. She plopped down on the couch next to him. “Are you praising me? Yay!”

Ren leaned back on the large couch, looking around the small living room of her apartment. It was decorated in a very… girly design. It was done in pastel colors and had a very feminine feel to it. It matched Hyori’s personality perfectly. “I don’t know if I said it already, but I love your apartment too.”

Hyori grinned and scooted closer to him. “Thanks! So close!”

“Close?”

“You’re saying you love so many things! Are you going to say you love me too?!” she said, hands clasped together and a bright twinkle in her eye.

“The movie’s starting.”

She pouted but focused back front anyway. When the male protagonist appeared, she squealed. “So handsome~!”

“Yes!” Ren agreed, facing her with a grin. “That jawline!”

Hyori laughed and nodded. “I noticed his eyes first, actually! Oh! But what I really love is his body!”

“They showed it here?” he asked, excitement clear in his voice.

“Yes!... Wait, no, it’s in the special scenes of the DVD. It shows his six-pack and everything!” She reached for the remote, but then stopped and glanced at him.

Ren saw the conflict on her face. He sighed. She was probably wondering why he was fangirling over the main guy as much as she was-

“Would you rather check it after the movie? In case you’re not a fan of stopping midway?” But then she pursed her lips. “But since we talked about it, I wanna see it real badly… I’m so conflicted! You choose! Hu~urry!”

Ren eye’s widened. That was what she was fussing over? He smiled and nodded. “Go ahead and go to the special scene. I’ve seen the movie a million times already.”

“Oh yeah!” she cheered, going to the menu screen. “My other friend who likes this movie said the second guy is more handsome. Can you believe her?”

“What? All he has going for him are his biceps. His face pales in comparison.”

“Exactly! That’s why he isn’t the main!”

“How many times have I told you to separate your trash properly?!”

Hyori clasped her hands together and bowed. “I’m sorry! I’ll be sure to do it next time, ahjumma! Really!”

“That’s what you said the past fifty times!” her landlady exclaimed in anger.

She laughed. “You were counting?!”

“No, I’m just bullting you,” the older woman said blankly. When she caught sight of movement behind Hyori inside her apartment, she narrowed her eyes. “Did she sign into the guestbook? I don’t remember seeing a woman’s name in it.”

Hyori opened up her entrance door a little wider so the old woman could see Ren more clearly. He went by Hyori’s side and gave a small bow in greeting.

“… You swing that way now?” the landlady asked, turning to Hyori.

“Ren’s a guy!” she said with a glare.

She looked at the blonde again before facing Hyori. “He’s a lot prettier than you. You sure are out of your league!”

“I’ll be sure to (pretend to) try and separate my trash from now on! Bye, ahjumma!” Hyori said, closing the door in her face.

“I heard something between ‘to’ and-!” but the door had already blocked out the woman’s words.  Hyori leaned back on the door and sighed.

“… Sorry.”

Her eyes widened when she realized that apology came from Ren rather than her own mouth. “… Huh? What are you apologizing for?”

Ren frowned when she saw the surprise on his friend’s face. Did he really have to spell everything out for this girl? “She mistook me as your girlfriend… and she said I was prettier than you.”

“Well, you are prettier!” Hyori suddenly grinned impishly. “And I actually quite like how she mistook you as my partner though!”

“… Really?” Ren said with a laugh. “My past girlfriends broke up with me because they hated being compared like that.”

“You had girlfriendssss before?!” Hyori exclaimed, devastated.

“Must you emphasize that it was plural?”

Hyori sobbed and slammed her head on the wall. “Noooo!” she wailed in despair.

“That sounded like it hurt,” Ren noted with a sigh as he went back to sit on the couch.

“But it doesn’t hurt as much as the pain of knowing I’m not your first!” she wailed, falling down on the spot next to him.

Ren turned to her and wondered about the nonsense leaving . “What first?”

“Your first girlfriend!”

“I already told you, I don’t like you. You aren’t my type at all,” he said bluntly. “Not to mention you aren’t even in my ual preference-“

“I can change that! I’ll swing you back!” she said, grabbing his hands and looking him in the eyes.

“That made no sense,” Ren merely replied. “Unpause the movie,” he said as the remote was next to her.

She looked down at his hands and the nail art she had done… “Thanks.”

“What now?” he asked, not understanding her sudden outbursts. 

“For hanging out with me. I already did your nails, but you’re still here!” she said with a laugh. She finally let go of his hands and resumed the movie.

“… You make a nice friend,” he said, not looking at her.

She squealed. “Close enough!”

“You have Lady Lock’s limited edition conditioner?” Ren asked, coming back to her living room with the bottle in hand. He had used her bathroom and saw the special bottle by chance.

Hyori looked up from her magazine and laughed. “I lined up real early to get it! I bought a dozen bottles! Want one? I love you, Ren… but I’m not willing to give you more than one.”

“Yes! Oh my God, please. Thank you!” he said, following after her as she went to her bathroom. He was behind her, so he carelessly took a lock of her long, brown hair. “… I love your hair.”

She quickly whirled around and faced him with hopeful eyes.

“… I’m not going to confess to you,” he said, recalling her earlier words about him ‘loving’ everything here.

Hyori sighed and faced back front.

“… But you aren’t as bad as I thought.”

She turned around again and pulled him into a hug. “Ah~! This is a great development! So, you don’t think I’m annoying anymore?”

He laughed and pushed her away lightly. “I still do.”

Hyori frowned and looked down.

“… But I don’t mind.”

She looked back up again and smiled at him. “I’m so glad that we spent time together like this! I finally know you a lot more now!”

Ren rose an eyebrow. “Oh? So I guess you don’t like me as a guy anymore, right?”

Her eyes widened in complete shock. “Eh? What are you talking about? I’m loving the personality behind that gorgeous face! I like you so much more now!”

Ren grew silent at her earnest words… He continued to her bathroom. “I’ll accept your gift and repay you some time… And I have to get going. It’s getting pretty late.”

She laughed and fell back in step with him. “I don’t mind if you stay over! Please do!” But then she sighed. “On second thought… you’re still a guy… Never mind.”

“What? It’s not like I’ll pull anything on you.”

“But I might!

“… Good point.”

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you're my storybook girl // you're my storybook girl // you're my girl