Never would Jumie have thought that she was the one submitting to solitude.

But as she laid on her back in the middle of the bared school field, letting seconds of the day ticking away, she thought perhaps there was a first time for everything.

Guilt gnawed persistently inside her mind, whispering words of mockery to the 17-years-old girl as she paid no attention to the hovering speckles of shaved ice that inconveniently fell on her form, melting before it could really settled on her already cold body.

Somewhere in her blank head, she could hear the distinct ringing sound of the school bell, signalling another change of period, again causing her guilty conscience to snap at Jumie’s virtuous mind. She wasn’t one to play truant, as she knew all too well that her grandmother wouldn’t appreciate it. Still, lately she found herself doing it.

Her black-rimmed eyes were now more pronounced due to lack of sleep and necessary nourishment, her pale skin varying from sickly yellow and chalky white, enough to show that she was suffering from anaemia. Despite that, sleeping under freshly fall snow tempted her to close her eyes. She peeled them open back lazily when an image of a certain boy appeared behind her eyelids without her permission.

Jumie had gotten used to the nightly dreams which deliberately covered confusing interactions between her and the one she held most respect for: the youngest brother of the Min siblings. At first, it had been rather light-hearted to the point where she would wake up with a smile that would last for whole day.

Recently, however, her sleep seemed to be bordering between a dream and a nightmare.

Jumie’s cheeks flamed slightly in colour as she came across the thought.

“There you are!”

After being found by both Jimin and Chanmi in all her alabaster glory and peaky state, they ushered the mechanical girl immediately for the school infirmary. The moment they entered the main building, the sudden heat and dizzy swirl of lights affected Jumie that she swore she could see Min Yoongi somewhere along the way.

Meeting the school nurse—which she needed to remind—is the fiancée to Min Yongjun, didn’t exactly help as it only caused the girl to almost fell unconscious in Jimin’s arms.

Jimin reluctantly returned to his class afterwards. Chanmi, on the other hand, went out on her way looking for the most healthy take-out there was in this area, insisting that the sick girl hadn’t eaten for days. She left though in a flash before Inna or Jumie had anything against that to say.

Inna made sure to provide Jumie with blankets and warm packs, almost suffocating the younger girl as she began to sweat under all the heat. With the way Jumie was breathing through , the woman wouldn’t be surprised to see her tomorrow with a bad case of flu. Honestly who is crazy enough to stay outside in this weather?

“Drink this,” instructed Inna as she handed a suspicious-looking juice box, which Jumie quickly guessed a cranberry juice. She took it nonetheless . “You seriously need more colour on those skin.”

Jumie didn’t have anything to say to that, keeping her eyes down, hesitantly and shakily trying to poke a hole on the carton. Sensing the younger girl’s struggle, Inna helped her with that before casually giving her a gentle pat on the head.

Bewildered by this warm gesture, Jumie was unsure how to react, for she was now freezing up, eyes blinking rapidly in confusion. This only caused the school nurse to grin and for good measure, gave her ebony hair a good ruffle, laughing at the incredulous look in the younger’s eyes.

“Jumie-ah, are you in love?”

The girl gasped inaudibly, lifting her eyes to meet Inna’s amused ones.

Inna simply smiled, returning back to her post. “From the way you’re acting and with your age, I would say that you likely found someone you like. And judging by the blush on your cheeks right now, I can say that you have not-so-innocent thoughts about him, am I right?”

If that was any true, Jumie could feel the warmth on her cheeks spreading to the roots of her hair, causing her to retreat into her cocoon of blankets, looking quite akin to a turtle.

Inna let out a light laugh, as though trying not offend the girl. With a slight twinge, Jumie could see how this strict, refined yet slightly sadistic woman was the one for the ever mischievous and friendly Min Yongjun.

They completed each other.

“Is Yoongi the lucky guy?”

Something seemed to trigger inside Jumie’s more than dysfunctional mind because her hands moved on their own accord, applying too much pressure on the carton, and spattering pink stains on her skirt and sleeves. Inna didn’t react well to that as she now reverted back to nagging like an angry mother hen.

Unknown to them, Chanmi leaned against the door outside of the infirmary. She was very still. “Jumie-ah…”

At the call of his name, the student body president turned away deftly from a discussion with a fellow classmate before glancing in question at his music teacher. Yoongi waved his friend off and approached the waiting teacher.

“Yes, sir?”

“Min Yoongi,” The middle-aged man regarded him with a small smile before bringing forth a music folder, which evidently belonged to the senior by the look of his messy handwriting on the cover. “Have you ever considered pursuing a career in music?”

Yoongi quirked an eyebrow. “Sorry?”

“You’ve always been passionate about it,” explained the man, flipping absentmindedly through the folder. “I don’t see no reason for you not giving it a shot. Have you start applying for college?”

Yoongi looked away, lost in thoughts long smothered by bitterness of constantly feeling like a failure in his family. What was he next to his ever high-achieving brother?

He will always, always be the second best in everybody’s eyes.

A music career? What a laughable idea.

“Yes, I’m actually considering for a few law schools. If not, maybe a high-income job—anything to put money on the table, really.” He finished with an uneven laugh.

The teacher had the briefest look of pity before nodding affirmatively. “Well, if you ever change your mind, I know just the person that can help you with that. I wish you good luck, son.”

Yoongi monotonously thanked the teacher and left the music room, shrouded with depressive thoughts that had been accompanying him as of lately; it was even harder to deal with the standardized exam looming ahead.

He was so distracted that he didn’t hear Namjoon from afar, not until the taller boy yelled into the senior’s ear, which provided a very valid excuse for Yoongi to punch the light out of the platinum blond boy, but instead, the president simply resorted to a directed glare at his friend.

“You okay?”

“Just peachy,” grumbled Yoongi, rubbing his molested ear. “Though I would appreciate it if you don’t yell at my ear. I got Chanmi for that job already.”

Namjoon made a strangled sound, features grimacing in disgust. “I’ll never get why you even bother with her. She’s infuriating as heck.”

“I don’t. She’s the one who keeps coming to me.”

The taller boy guffawed at the older’s deadpan tone. Yoongi eyed his laughing friend, an indistinguishable smile slowly forming on his pale face. Like him, Namjoon had extraordinary talent and love for music, so there was never a time where the two friends wouldn’t joke about a future of them dominating the world with their so-called music.

The prospect was highly amusing.

Before the boy could express his curiosity, someone knocked into his elbow, successfully toppling him forward but luckily he caught himself right. He looked to his left, and made eye contact with a lifeless Jang Jumie.

He raised his eyebrows at her weakened state.

A panicked cry caused Yoongi to draw attention to the situation. This was quite a scene, as both worry-stricken Jimin and Chanmi were on Jumie’s sides, escorting the languid girl somewhere and disappearing behind a corner.

“There’s a rumor going about our little dark princess being lovesick.”

Yoongi turned to Namjoon, silently requesting for an elaboration. Namjoon grinned, mischief apparent behind those smart gaze. “She had no friends until now. With her innocence, it won’t take long for her to develop a crush now that she has us, don’t you think?”

Yoongi snorted, rolling his eyes. “What kind of tragic vampire romance have you been reading now?”

“Hey.”

After learning of her visit to the infirmary, Mrs. Son made sure that the girl had abundance of meat and iron (even went as far as threatening to force food down the girl’s throat if she didn’t go along with it). It was at times like this when she would wish for some deity to come and put a sock to her grandmother’s endless nagging.

It was almost bedtime, and Jumie hadn’t even started on her schoolwork. It was an achievement that she managed to drag herself to the writing desk after the heated dinner. She had a lot to catch up to but at the moment with her full tummy, she doubted that she could even take out her textbooks.

Min Yoongi at this time would most likely be studying. Sometimes she found herself envying for the student body president. He was always so expressive and determined; an exact opposite of her. She wished that she could have that kind passion.

Just as she was about to fall asleep on her desk, her phone began to ring its designated tone. Without looking up, she blindly answered it and immediately regretted upon hearing a loud screech coming from the other end of line.

“JUMIE-AH! JUMIE! ARE YOU THERE?”

“Please stop screaming. You’ll wake up my neighbours.” Jumie pleaded, convinced that the one on the other line is Chanmi; there’s no one else that could make that kind of voice.

For a few seconds, the line was quiet until she heard a soft chuckling coming from the other end. “Sorry, I’m just a er for dramatic entrances. Were you asleep?”

Jumie smiled slightly, covering her yawn with the back of her hand. “Yeah, a bit.”

“Good, now you’re awake!” she said happily. “Sooo…when did it happen?”

Jumie blinked in bewilderment, the innocent smile still intact on her face. “When what happened?”

“That happened.”

“Well…I was actually supposed to be studying but after eating too much, I…almost slept around 7—no, I think it’s quarter before 8…oh well, almost 8…”

“Not that!” Chanmi hissed at the end, and there was a faint smacking noise on the other end that Jumie suspected was the caller smacking her face. “I mean, your crush on the world’s biggest jerk!”

The younger girl literally froze with a stupid look on her face. She figured that the chances of her feelings being discovered by Min Yoongi was enormously high, now that Chanmi knew.

Spirits, have mercy.

Wow, it’s already 2017. Anyway, happy new year to all, what’s your guys resolution for this year? I’m actually not looking forward to this…I’m getting old… =_=

Like Suga, I’m getting really depressive these days. I’ve been wanting to write for a while but I feel so unmotivated…the idea is still there but ah…

It won’t be long before the end of this story. Not sure when but soon. I have a few ideas on how to end this but I’m curious at your thoughts on the ending. Should I end it happily or not….