Hayoung POV

Dang it. I hate this place. I hate this teacher. Always making me stay after class.

“Oh Hayoung, do you know why I asked you to stay after class?” The teacher asked.

“so you can praise me about how well I’m doing in school.” I said.

“hilarious. Your grades are failing miserably, soon you will be kicked out of school.”

“uh huh.” I said not really caring.

“you need to start taking school seriously! Your parents are going to be really disappointed in you if you flunk out.”

Ugh. There he goes again using my parents as an excuse. My parents and my teacher are actually really good friend, that’s why he keeps letting me off from time to time and making me try harder. I don’t see what’s the point; I’m just not set up for school.

“it’s not like I’m doing it on purpose.” I said.

“really? It seems like you are. You need help, that’s why I’m assigning you a tutor.”

“what?! I don’t need a tutor though!”

“too bad. Your parents told me that if you flunk out, they’re sending you abroad. And I know you don’t want that.”

“maybe I do.” I said crossing my arms.

“then I guess you want to leave your friends too?”

He got me there. Although I don’t care about a lot of things, I care a lot about my friends.

“your tutor name is Kim Namjoo, you will meet her in the library in an hour. If you fail to show up, you will fail school and need to pack your bags.”

“ugh.” I grunted and then walked out of the classroom.

I can’t believe this! It’s not like I choose to fail in school. School is just hard for me! I started walking to my usual hangout spot and found both my friends sitting and chatting.

“hey.” I said solemnly.

“what’s with the tone?” Chorong unnie asked.

“I got a tutor.”

“wow! I can’t believe you’re doing worse than me in school!” Bomi unnie said.

“stop making her feel more bad! Not that I approve, but why don’t you just ditch the tutor?” Chorong unnie asked.

“if I flunk out of school, my parents are going to make me study abroad.” I sighed.

“oh cool, bye!” Bomi unnie said.

“yah! You’re not helping!” Chorong unnie hit Bomi unnie on the back of her head, “just try to pass the classes with at a C. if you need help, just ask me.”

“thanks unnie, you’re really awesome.” I said hugging her.

“yeah and you can ask me any time too!” Bomi unnie said.

“yah we want her to pass, not fail even more.” Chorong unnie said making me laugh.

“I swear it’s always 2 against 1. I need new friends.” Bomi unnie grumble.

“so Hayoung-ah, who’s your tutor?” Chorong unnie asked.

“Kim Namjoo, have you guys ever heard of her?”

“oh yeah! She’s friends with Naeunnie.” Bomi unnie said.

I can see Chorong unnie’s eyes the expression shifted a bit. Sigh. Oblivious Bomi unnie. Chorong unnie has been in love with Bomi unnie for quite a while now. She would drop small hints about it, but Bomi unnie never notices. It always hurts Chorong unnie whenever she sees how close Bomi unnie and Naeun unnie are.

“do you know how she is?” I asked.

“I can text Naeun and ask if you want.”

“no it’s fine.” I said quickly.

Mainly because if Bomi unnie starts texting Naeun unnie, then Bomi unnie would be smiling and laughing at her phone, making Chorong unnie mad.

Chorong unnie pulled me closer to her and then rested her head on my shoulder.

“thank you.” She whispered.

I took her hand and started playing with it. To other people it seems like we’re a couple, but that will never happen. Chorong unnie is my big sister whom I love so dearly. She’s always there for me and helps me through everything.  

“unnie, how come you never lay on me?” Bomi unnie pouted.

“because your shoulder hurts. I need some meat to lay on.”

“heeeey are you calling me fat?” This time it was my turn to pout.

“of course not! Hey isn’t it time for you to go to your tutor?”

“pssh nice save unnie.” Bomi unnie said.

“uggggggggggggh.” I groaned as I got up.

“have fun Hayoung-ah, tell me all about it later!” Chorong unnie said.

I just waved them off and made my way to the library. I’m really dreading this. I hate being tutored. What’s worse is that I’m being tutored by a stranger. I was trying to find my way to the library, but since I have never stepped foot in one, I had no idea where it was.

I kept walking around school trying to find it, but I couldn’t. I wanted to ask Chorong unnie or Bomi unnie, but I knew I would never hear the end of it.

“are you lost?” a girl asked me.

Oh god if I wasn’t feeling so embarrassed I would be admiring how beautiful the girl look.

“do you know where the library is?” I asked feeling like an idiot.

“yeah I’m on my way there now, we can walk together.” The girl gave a small smile, which comforted me a bit and made my heart beat faster. This must be what love at first sight feels like.

We started walking and I was contemplating if I should make conversation or not. I was about to say something, but then we turned the corner and there stood the stupid library.

“here it is.” The girl said.

“oh my god. I was so close.” I said face palming myself.

I thanked the girl and went to an empty table. I wonder if Kim Namjoo is here already. I wonder if I’ve seen her before since she’s friends with Naeun unnie. I started using my finger to tap the table getting impatient.

“that’s a really annoying habit.”

I looked up and I see it was the girl who showed me where the library was. I opened my mouth to say something, but then she placed her stuff on the table and then took a seat beside me.

“sorry, but this seat is taken.” I said even though I wouldn’t mind having her sit next to me.

“hi Hayoung-ah, I’m Namjoo.” The girl said and stuck her hands out.

. She’s Kim Namjoo? Oh god I must have looked like an idiot in front of her.

“hi.” I said shortly.

“so I heard you’re failing, how come?”

“ugggh.” I grumbled then put my head down. I hate it when people ask me that.

“hey!” She said then hit me on my arm.

“yah! How can you hit a stranger like that?”

“I’m older than you, so don’t you dare use yah. And Naeun unnie told me to use any means necessary.”

“seriously? That unnie.”

“let’s get to work.”

Then she opened her book and pushed it in front of me. Then she took out a notebook for me to write. I sighed and accepted my cruel fate. She’s not that cute anymore now that she’s being bossy.

Chorong POV

“I’m worried about Hayoungie.”

“same, it would be weird not having an annoying kid here everyday.”

“even if Hayuong leaves I’m still stuck with an idiot kid.” I said, sticking my tongue out.

“Bomi unnie!”

Bomi and I both looked at the source of the voice and saw Naeun and Eunji walking our way. Oh great. It’s not that I don’t like them, but seeing Naeun and Bomi close to each other just .

“oh hey Naeunnie, Eunji.” Bomi greeted.

Naeun went to sit beside Bomi, while Eunji came to sit beside me.

“where’s Hayoung?” Eunji asked.

“getting tutored by Namjoo.” I answered.

“whoa she actually went? I didn’t expect her to.” Naeun said.

“is Namjoo nice?” I asked, feeling bad for Hayoung.

“yeah, don’t worry.” Eunji said

“Namjoo is a smart kid so Hayoung will be passing the class soon.”

“alright I hope so, Hayoung is bright at a lot of things, but not when it comes to school.” I said.

“hey! Talking behind my back now?" I heard Hayoung say.

“hey Naeun unnie, Eunji unnie.” Namjoo greeted.

“oh hey how was the tutoring session?” Eunji asked.

“Naeun unnie! How can you tell her to use any means necessary to tutor me? She’s so violent!” Hayoung pouted pointing her finger at Namjoo.

“that way you will learn.” Naeun said.

“Chorong unnie, Namjoo unnie is bullying me.” Hayoung said then hugged me like a baby.

“there there.” I said patting her head.

“what a baby.” Namjoo scoffed.

“hey!” Hayoung shouted.

“behave kids!”

“oh Naeunnie, there’s something I gotta ask you!” Bomi said.

“what’s up?”

“are you busy later? I need help with English, I don’t understand anything.”

“sure, I’ll come by after school!”

I wonder why Bomi didn’t ask me for help. Well Naeun is better at me when it comes to English, but still I’m her best friend. I wonder if they’re just going to be studying or will be doing other stuff. What if Naeun confesses to Bomi or Bomi confesses to Naeun? I’m thinking way too far ahead…

“hey Eunji, let’s go get ice cream after school. My treat.”

“really? Why?” Eunji narrowed her eyes.

“can’t I just be nice to my favorite dongsaeng?”

“Chorong unnie! I thought I was your favorite.” Hayoung pouted.

“you’re no one’s favorite.” Namjoo said.

Namjoo stuck her tongue out at Hayoung and Hayoung also returned the gesture.

“you can come to Hayoungie.” I said.

“can I come too?” Bomi asked.

“you and Naeun are busy.” I said a bit colder than I intended.

“boooooo!” Bomi pouted.

“so unnie, what’s the real reason you asked me out for ice cream?” Eunji asked.

“no reason.”

“lies.” Hayoung said.

“shut it!” I said hitting Hayoung on the head.

“so why?” Eunji asked.

“let me ask you something, do you know if Naeun has a crush on Bomi?”

“ahhhh I get it now. You’re jealous!”

“bingo!” Hayoung said high fiving Eunji.

I reached across the table and hit Hayoung on the head again.

“one more word out of you and you’re never going to pass your classes.” I threatened.

“to tell you the truth, I have no idea unnie. Naeunnie is always talking about Bomi, I wouldn’t be surprised if she does like Bomi.” Eunji sighed.

“ooh do I sense jealousy in that tone?” Hayoung teased.

“do you want me to tell Namjoo about those loving eyes you kept giving her after the tutor session?” Eunji shot back.

“w-what? What are you talking about?”

“huh? What is this? Does my little Hayoungie have a crush?”

Finally something to about.

“no! I don’t like Namjoo unnie, she’s just my annoying tutor.”

“really? Oh really?”

“yes!”

“if I recall correctly, it took you months to finally call me unnie, but Namjoo gets to be called unnie in less than two hours.”

“t-that’s…d-different!”

Hayoung’s cheeks were becoming really red now.

“weren’t we talking about the both of your love life?” Hayoung tried changing the subject.

“I don’t know what to do…” I sighed sigh.

“you could always confess to Bomi first.”

“or or or you can confess to Naeun unnie!” Hayoung suggested.

“no way!”

“oh yeah, hey doesn’t Bomi unnie have a race today?” Hayoung said

“oh yeah huh, she didn’t mention it today, do you think she forgot?” Eunji asked.

Just as I was about to answer my phone started beeping. I took it out and noticed Hayoung leaning over to look too. I used my head and banged it lightly to Hayoung’s so that she would lean back and not look. She gave me a pout before turning her attention back to her ice cream. I checked my phone and noticed that it was Bomi texting me. Once I saw her name a smile immediately formed on my face.

CHORONG UNNIE! REMEMBER THAT I HAVE A RACE TODAY. I NEED MY GOOD LUCK CHARM THERE!

This kid. I felt myself smiling even wider as I was replying.

Don’t worry, I’ll be there. Hayoung and Eunji are going to come along to cheer you on, fighting! (:

“by the look on your face, is it Bomi that texted you?”

I nodded my head giddily.

Alright, see you later <3

“your cheeks are going to hurt soon, unnie.” Hayoung said then squished my cheeks together.

“ywah!” I tried to say.

“you’re so cute unnie, how can anyone not fall for you!”

“are you confessing to me?” I asked teasingly as Hayoung let my cheeks go.

“I think she’s practicing for when she confess to her Namjoo unnie.” Eunji said teasingly.

“no! I don’t like her!” Hayoung shook her head.

“come on, Bomi race is starting soon. We have to go be there to cheer her on.” I said pulling the both of them up from the table as they groaned.

Naeun POV

I was sitting on the bleachers watching Bomi unnie and the other runners stretching. I kept looking at my phone and checking the time to see when the unnies and Hayoung are coming. Even though I’ve only been away from Eunji unnie for a couple of hours I’ve missed her a lot already.

Flashback

“seriously thanks Naeunnie, I really appreciate it!”

“no problem unnie, glad I can help you!”

“alright, we still have about 30 more minutes, do you want to go to the school early or hang out here for a bit?” Bomi unnie asked.

“let’s hang out here for a bi