"Maybe we'll be alright then."

Words that took a 16-year-old Yena by surprise. 

And words that took all of 14 years old Yuri's courage just because her grades are definitely on the line. At least that was all Yuri's intention.

"Yo-" Yuri didn't even let the teenager speak.

"-please pair up with me I am sure we'll be alright."

There was an event in their school and students were expected to interact and pair up with other year levels for this Valentine's Day event, of course, there are plus points in all of their subjects if they would be able to pair up with a senior. Yuri, being an ace Grade 9 student would do anything to get those plus points. Other than her being competitive with getting the highest honors, she also needs to socialize with new people just so she wouldn't be that too out of place with everything. What she meant by new people was not Kim Minju and Yabuki Nako only. 

In fact, Yuri sees this event as bull because she thinks teachers and student councils are only holding this event to give the spotlight to those junior-senior straight couples and to stir up rumors and s again all over the campus to issue some rumored couples and maybe create more scandals again which is of-course within the campus' reach only. 

Yuri doesn't even know who she's asking, she just randomly spotted a lady sitting all alone by the stairs at the backstage of the theatre hall inside their school. She thinks this senior is also like her, maybe introverted too because everyone else is outside having fun going to food stalls and photo booths while this girl is just here, sitting and spacing out not until Yuri comes.

Yuri started to get embarrassed as each second of silence started to pass by, still no response from this senior.

How did Yuri know she was a senior? Well, there is this color coding where juniors need to wear orange shirts while yellow for the seniors. It's too bright to Yuri's liking, she feels like her eyes are being tortured as she looks around spotting everyone looking so bright like an eyesore.

"O-oh I guess that's a no, I'm sorry for interrupting and surprising you. I didn't mean to- I mean I am not expecting anything. Like who wants to pair up with m-"

"Jo Yuri right?" and now it was Yuri's turn to get surprised.

"I say yes, let's pair up!" and the way the senior's voice and smiles are so bright, this time much to Yuri's liking, just did a flip inside her.

"I'm Choi Yena. Let's go and be each other's date for today then."

And jokes on them for being each other's date and company for a day only. 

...

"Hey!" 

Ever since that day, Yena and Yuri are always bumping into each other despite being in different year levels. They usually always accidentally meet each other in the science lab and library, but this time it's in Yuri's research subject and she's wondering why is the older here. 

"Huh? Yena? What are you doing here?" Yuri asked when Yena suddenly took a seat beside her.

"Don't you know that it's our science fair right now," Yena said as she handed Yuri a very well-designed card that has scientific terms and whatever words she doesn't understand at all.

"And?" 

Yena smiled. "Help your friend out and rate my research high, please?"

"Hmm. Let's see, don't you know that I'm very strict when it comes to research titles?" Yuri mocked.

Yuri finds it surreal how they grew closer with each other ever since Valentine's event that she now feels ultimately comfortable around Yena although it has only been 2 months since they met. 

...

"So do you have a crush on Choi Yena or what?" Minju asked.

It's break time and they're at the canteen when Minju suddenly asked a question out of the blue.

"Huh, no. What are you saying?" Yuri asked. Truth be told, deep inside she's nervous, she doesn't know how to answer that.

It's already been 7 months and heck, Yuri would be lying if she would say that Yena is not her crush. But she thinks it's only a puppy crush so she doesn't want to think that much about it

Yena is attractive she has to admit, not just her physical appearance but Choi Yena as a whole is attractive, especially her attitude.

How did this puppy crush even start? 

Is it since Valentine's event? Their accidental meetings in the library and science lab? Or since the science fair?

Maybe it started after they have been constantly meeting each other in the library and science lab. Yena is a very nice person, she always greets Yuri with a wide smile, she always greets Yuri even if she's busy conducting her research methods, she always smiles at her even if the older is busy, she always makes time to talk to her even if they don't have anything to talk about at all. She's always nice to Yuri, she always makes Yuri comfortable and happy, she never fails to make her laugh when the younger is down although it is evident that the older is tired and stressed out from her research. She always shows Yuri her happy side and that's when Yuri only noticed that Yena has never told her about her worries yet.

Yuri could write a long paragraph explaining how Yena makes her happy, but of course, she wouldn't literally do that. In her mind, there's already a long long list of Yena's good qualities and God, Yuri herself couldn't believe that someone like her is existing. 

It's then that Yuri realized that Yena does everything for her to the point of masking her burdens just to talk to Yuri without ruining the mood because of her. 

It's afternoon, they are both at the bus sitting beside each other, Yena is unusually quiet, although she still jokes around, however, this time Yuri could notice that Yena is holding everything back.

"My classmate earlier was really debating with our teacher that Bible is not a reliable source at all. It was such a sight, I swear,"' Yena said but Yuri's focus is obviously not on the story Yena is telling, but her, Yena.

Yena was halted from speaking when suddenly she felt a hand slipping to intertwine her hands and a head leaning against her shoulder. When she looks at Yuri she sees the concern in her eyes and Yena almost melted at the sight.

"Is there any problem?" Yena asked. 

Another thing that makes Yuri fall for Yena even more, even if the older is obviously having personal burdens, she still asks about Yuri.

"You know, you can always vent out and tell me if anything went wrong with your day, right? And not just tell me about the funny things that happened the whole day," Yuri started and before Yena could even notice, she was already tearing up.

"They didn't want to sign my research paper."

And that's the first time Yena ever told her about her burdens.

---

The familiar beige-colored sand, the fresh breeze of air, the briny smell by the seashore and the blurring noises of children playing and people having fun— this was everything Yuri could ask for a vacation (maybe except the noise of children and people playing).

Well, this will probably be her first decent vacation after ages. Not that she hasn't experienced a day off work before because she surely has had plenty of day-offs even on non-holidays, it's just her previous vacations had always involved her co-teachers, and usually, she'll be assigned to teach on summer classes too. However, this time, it's with her friends.

Struggling to hold her luggage bags, Yuri almost tripped over, thankfully though she remains her balance or else she doesn't know what kind of a shame she has to face and overthinking sessions every night she has to get over with instead of enjoying her 2-month vacation just to think over an embarrassment she almost had.

Well, you see INTJ people.

"Oi, young lady, take care. Need a hand carrying those?" a passerby just asked after witnessing Yuri struggle her way towards the cottage of the waiting area.

It is such a windy day for the summertime. Yea curse it. Yuri wanted to mentally scold herself for not keeping her straw hat in place before she left her home. She almost wanted to curse at the wind for being too windy, as in way too windy despite the sun blazing hot. But what did she even expect, this is Busan anyway. Windy days are normal even through the hottest days.

Yuri slowly turned her head towards the person that offered help to turn them down and excuse herself.

"It's fi–"

"–oh Yuri is that you? Long time no see! I haven't seen you visit Busan for so long!"

To her surprise, it's the woman whom her mom gets along with that also lives near their place. In the end, Yuri accepted her offer to help her carry her luggage bags to the cottage. They had a mini chit chat on their way, mostly it's just the woman complimenting how beautiful Yuri looks and how she's grown into a fine lady that her mother is surely proud of. Yuri couldn't help but smile and laugh throughout their conversation.

"Auntie, thank you so much. I'll just wait here for my friends. Take care on your way!" and there Yuri bids her goodbye.

Finally sitting down on the bench, Yuri heaved a sigh of relief before fixing her ruined hair that she worked so hard to iron it straight just 10 minutes ago. She even almost burned her pinky finger in the process.

Right, damn this stupid wind, who told it to be windy on a sunny day.

Not so long after she came, a van pulls over in front of her, welcoming her with noisy cheerful greetings the moment the door opens.

"Hey! You could have just waited for us at your home. I could have helped you carry your things."

Yuri smiled upon seeing her friend. Yuri opened her arms wide asking for a hug however the person in front of her played hard to get which result