“Final match is on this month. Don’t you think she needs a lot of improvement though? I bet that dyke is worse than Kai, just look at her bro. She can’t even reach the net,” the tallest boy nagged after he drink a bottle of water. His eyes still piercing on Amber who’s running around the court for their practice.

The other boy chuckled-joining his buddy watching the tomboy.

“Oh come on, Kris. This is not worth to talk about. We don’t have much more time, right? Like what you said, final match is on this month. I am pretty sure she can make it,” Myungsoo spoke as he wiped his sweats on the face. “I’ve seen her playing a ball before. She did a great shot. A long distance shot which value 3 points, dude. Such a waste if we dump her,”

“What if they know we recruit a GIRL into our team, Myungsoo? This gonna be so not good for me,”

“Hello Kris, there’s no rule talking about only-boys-allowed in the game. I mean, they all just expect the nice match. You shoot into the goal, they will scream. That’s it, dude. Not a big deal,”

“Not a big deal you said???”

“Yeah,”

Kris released a lazy sigh. “I don’t understand you, captain. We still have other boys to replace Kai. I wonder what’s so special at that dyke that you guys so excited for…” Kris said again while rolling his eyes annoyingly.

“Stop it, will ya? Amber might not like you’re calling her dyke,” Myungsoo gently hit his stomach. “Let’s just rely on her, okay? I am so sure Amber is very good on this,”

The tall boy groaned again then.

“Ggahhhh… If you say so!” Kris snorted back. “If she can’t score in our first match. I want you to eliminate her from our team. Do you hear me, Myung?”

Myungsoo shooke his head in disapproval. He slowly laughed at his friend’s antics.

“Just wait and see, Kris. That Amber will make your jaw drop, trust me,” he stated while lifting his brows playfully.

That evening practice, Myungsoo proved his words. Kris’s eyes went big as Amber did a long-distance shot repeatedly during the small game. He looked at the captain in disbelief.

“Whoa!” Kris shouted and laughed. Myungsoo nodded- smirking proudly.

“Convinced enough now, dude???”

“It’s beyond than convinced enough! She’s spectacular, I mean I am tall but I can’t score like she did,” Kris stopped running and calmed his breath then. “Let’s have a drink with her, bro. She’s cooler than I think,” Myungsoo just nod- trying to hold a laugh again.

“Amber! Yow Amber!” Kris screamed, waving at Amber excitedly. The tomboy frowned at him. She saw the boy ran to her with a big smile.

“It’s really nice to have you in our team, Amber,” he extended his right hand. “Kris, I am the co-captain part I, and Kai is part II, but since you replaced him, you’re now the part II co-captain after me,” Kris said- slightly tapped the young girl’s shoulder.

Amber sticks out her hand and hesitantly shook their hands together. Since she’s not used to be friendly to anyone, Amber just curved a forced smile. “Actually I should thank Myungsoo about this. He’s the one who asked Mr. Geun to put me into your team. And, yeah, nice to meet you too, Kris,” Amber gave the boy a small bow.

“Oh-oh, no need to be formal. Since we’re team mates, we treat each other casually,” told Kris, while slightly made a “X” sign with his hands. “Oh come on, let’s get some drink. I am going to tell you all the secrets to be an outstanding player. Just like me,” he threw his arms around Amber’s shoulders than dragged the tomboy along. Myungsoo still can’t stop chuckling, witnessing the scene between the two.

***

Amber’s POV

It’s been two weeks since I became an official main player of our school team. I made friend with Kris, Myungsoo our captain and some other boys. I can’t describe how grateful I am. They are cooler than I expect, and even greater when we’re practicing. I feel so happy to be in the squad. First match will be next week, and I’m already tensed about it. Myungsoo said, we’re going to Yeokjeo High School- and they won the final match for the last three consecutive years. Gosh, I need to practice hard from now.

“Still daydreaming huh? Hey llama, can you hear me???” Krystal snapped her fingers in front of my face. I am startled a bit, shaking my head vigorously.

Here she came for our private lesson.

“Krys, can we…” I can’t even finish my sentence as she covered my mouth with her note book.

“I know what you are going to say. No, Amber. We can’t, next Tuesday, it’s gonna our first History test. Remember that?”

“Oh yes, I do. I mean… Can we rest today? I am full of sweats and smell like a goat. I’m afraid you can’t stand with these you know. Don’t you think I stink right now, Kryssss?”

She stared at me sharply. I feel goose bumps through my body as she closed her face right to mine. What’s she doing anyway???

“You’ve got a point here, finally,” she said, doing a nose like a mouse, probably enduring my nasty sweating body.

 I sighed in a big relief. I am so tired and need to rest right now. I still have work today so I planned to go home and take a nice nap. I placed my books in the locker and closed it tight. I wiped the sweats on my forehead and look at the most beautiful girl in my life. I stared at her secretly. Since she’s busy reading the timetable which hanging at the locker’s door, she didn’t know I am staring lovingly at her.

Why she is so beautiful anyway? I can’t deny, I’m falling even more at Krystal. Getting deepen day by day too. And suddenly I remember, about my feelings. My hidden feelings on her. I promised Helmoni that I will confess, but until now, I don’t know why I still can’t do it. I don’t think it’s a perfect time yet. I am not ready to tell Krystal, that I like her so much.

I am sorry, Helmoni, I am still afraid to say those easy three words.

“AMBER,” I felt all my deep thoughts snapped out as Krystal voiced out to me. I shook my head to make them away and focus at this friend of mine. Her eyebrows scrunching tight, frowning at me.

“What’s the matter with you???” Krystal stared at me, looking like in confusion.

“What’s the matter with me???” I asked back innocently.

“You’ve been spacing out a lot lately, llama. Is there a problem?”

“O-oh--,” I lost my words. I avoided her eyes and turned around, started to walk away from our lockers. Krystal quickens her pace and step with me side by side.

Gosh, this is hard. She must not know what I’ve been thinking these days.

“Hey, what is it?” she asked again. I stopped taking further steps and looked at her angelic face. I shouted in my mind, “I’ve been thinking of you, Krys!”

But the real thing I say is, “I was just so tired, Krys…” I sighed deeply and took a small step then. I shoved my hands into the pockets, trying to add another sentence as explanation for her. Then I got an idea.

“The match is coming closer, and the tests too. I’d just so exhausted, like I’m losing my energies these days. The team hopes for a miracle shot, while you and Mrs. Woo expected me to do well in our lessons. You know I still have a job to do after school and these things wrapped me up. I felt like I can’t breathe. I think I’ve just---stressed out. Yeah, I am so stress with all of these, Krys,” I explained to her. Actually it’s also the truth. Besides trying to handle my inner feelings, those tight schedule were really killing too. But, thinking about her is the major one.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you before, Amber. I’d told you, right? You might misbalance your times?” she replied.

I looked down and nod my head. Krystal is right. She said it to me before.

“Yes, you were, Krys,” I muttered weakly.

There’s a silence between us until Krystal gently pulled me by arm. Slightly dragging me out from our school and headed us to the bus stop. I stood there with her and a confuse looks.

“Krystal, where are we going?” I questioned her and looked around. There’s no one there, just two of us. Well, it past 2pm already. They must get home and landing on the bed right now. Krystal didn’t say anything back instead just curved a sweet smile to me.

A few moments later, the bus arrived and we get in. After paying for the tickets, she pulled me to the last rows and seats herself next to the window. I am still clueless about where is the place we’re heading to. I know this bus is going to the town, but not sure what is the specific place is.

“We’re going to my aunt’s candy store, Amber,”

“Candy store???”

She nodded excitedly. While I’m still in confuse looks. She laughed seeing I frown like a squirrel the chipmunk. “Your llama face is so hilarious,”

“Excuse me….?”

“Relax, Amber. We’re going to chill out. You’ve been pressured with basketball, books and works, right?”

“Oh yes, I am,”

She put her hand on mine and slightly tapped them. “Sweets help me a lot if I’m in depression. If I can’t concentrate on my studies or anything I’ve been working on, I’ll go to my aunt’s store then shopped the bars of chocolates and strawberry lollipops. Well, who know if I bring you there, they might enlighten you a bit right?”

“O-oh, I thought candy doesn’t work for teenagers like us anymore,” I replied in a flat tone. Seriously, I don’t think that kiddy stuff can light me up right now. “But I’m glad you try to cheer me, it’s much more sweet than chocolate bars though,” I playfully said and chuckled.

Krystal put a straight face then pouted. “You’re a senseless llama, don’t you know that?”

“Yup, I knew that,” I laughed then.

“I hate the senseless llama of you, really,” Krystal rolled her eyes and looked away, staring out of the window.

I heaved a sigh and smiled a bit.

“Hey Krys, thank you,” she quickly looked at me, her face is so priceless.

“For what?”

I think for a while and continued my words,

“For everything. You know, before I meet you, I’m never feel hopeful on anything. I lost my parents and I lived alone without any relatives. I stayed with their loyal maid or right now she’s my Helmoni. She took me away from my birthplace and brings me here, taking care of me like her own. I have no one in this world, but just her. Helmoni is like my everything. I was in my elementary school when she was diagnosed with heart cancer. I used to be a cheerful kid, eating candy like there’s no tomorrow, playing around our neighborhood and tried making friends with other kids and never think about my unlucky life, being poor and penniless. Who cares, I have Helmoni’s love, I was thinking she’s gonna stick with me forever then there’s nothing to worry about. And on the moment I realized, Helmoni getting weak day by day, I started to be afraid,” I expressed. Don’t know why, I feel my chest tighten, remembering my childhood days. Krystal gently holds my hand as she waits for me to say other words.

“And then I decided, I am not going to care about anything else, I will have a ton of money by working hard and pay for Helmoni’s medicine bills. I really don’t care about school, what I am going to be in future and one thing that I keep in my mind was, I’m going to cure Helmoni and she’ll stay with me forever. I didn’t mind people tease me, by saying I looked so messy and no fun to be friend with. I wear baggy clothes which I took them from recycle place and looking not much but more like a rubbish people on the streets who begging for money. I used the same dusty uniform for school, even though sometimes I feel uncomfortable when other students staring at me weirdly. When I told Helmoni how hurt I am, she will cry along and hugged me tight. She kept saying sorry to me and I don’t know why I hate the fact that she has a limit time. She said I need to be strong and try to look up for other person to rely on when she’s gone one day. I really don’t what that thing to happen, the day where Helmoni will be not here anymore with me,” I stuttered as the tears streaming down on my cheeks. I sniffed and held back a cry. I saw Krystal’s face is red.

“I was very afraid of losing Helmoni and doing nothing for my future if she’s gone. I think I am going to be left alone at the end, so I give up to chase my own dreams. What’s it for anyway? To have anything in this world, but I lost the person I loved. Thinking of that, it does hurt me a lot, Krys…” I closed my eyes and let the tears slowly flow down. Helmoni’s smile played in my mind, making my heart tighten more and more. I sobbed remembering of her getting weak day by day.

“Amber… Don’t cry, please…” Krystal managed to say between her cries and wiped my tears. She slowly brings my shoulder close to her and hugged them gently. She place her arms around my neck and caressed my short hair in a very comfort way. 

I calmed myself and sniffed back my sobs. I slowly hugged her back, sniffing her good scent that really eased me a bit.

“Then I met you, Krys. You teach me with patience and kindness, where the others didn’t do to me before. You handed me a true friendship. Treating me nicely and always help me out. You never say you’re bored of me, or annoyed of me, that’s make me feeling more not worthy to be close with you,” I muttered with inedible voice, half-whispering, half-crying.

“Please don’t say like that, Amber. I really care about you, I really am,” she released her arms from my shoulders and faced me directly. I stared at her with teary eyes again. Eyeing her angelic face, I think I didn’t deserve to confess my true feelings. I looked down, afraid she can read what I am thinking right now.

“Hey Amber, remember this. People aren’t the same. Each of us has our own stories. Maybe most of them with struggle and hardships, or with happiness and satisfactions of what they want, but being grateful of what we are a lot better. I can’t take your pain away, but I believed, a hand of friendship might help you to cheer up. What I am doing right now is, a simple and tiny thing of a friend to her friend. We’re friends, Amber,” she said sincerely. She gripped tight our locked hands and added,

“Don’t thank me for everything, Amber. It’s the God’s will. It’s His plan, our encounter is in His wants. Do you believe that?”

I nodded, totally understand what she said. “Yeah, I do, Krys,”

She smiled sweetly, slightly nodded too. “Very good,” then she caressed my face, her lips didn’t stop smiling which make my heart flutter again. How much I like her, only God knows.

The bus stopped. Krystal stared out of the window again and tried to fix her bangs. She complimented her messy hair almost screaming to herself in whispering voice, but still I can listen. I secretly chuckled and pulled out a hairclip with blue- ribbon shape from my back pack and extended to her.

“Take it, maybe it help to tidy up your hair,” I said with a smile.

“O-oh, where you got it? You didn’t even have a hair to be tie up anyway,” she muttered and took the item then carefully clipped it onto her long-beautiful black hair. I flashed a playfully smile at her. “Helmoni, she gave to me a few years ago, in case I will have a long hair one day,”

“Oh, that’s mean you never have a long hair?” she asked with a surprise expression. I hummed and grinned as an answer.

She laughed and pulled me by arms as we get out from the bus, dragging me through the busy streets. Krystal kept clinging on me, she said I might be lost in the crowd so she need to hold me every time. I just shook my head at her protective antics.

We’ve stepped into a very antique-look-like store at the corner of the tall building. Our hands still locked to each other as we walk into the wonderful place. I roamed my eyes around and found a man-portrait hanging on the wall. At first I guess, it must be Krystal’s great-great-great grandpa because the photo looks so old. But then she said the man is the founder of Ferrero Rocher, the most delicious chocolate in the world. I laughed realizing I know nothing about the chocolate histories.

“I don’t know you’ve got yourself a new boyfriend, Soojung,” a young lady who’s standing at the rack of muffin greeted us with a teasing smile.

“Auntie Miyoung, she’s Amber, my friend,” Krystal corrected her with a stern voice. “Aish, you and your smirk can’t stop isn’t it?” this friend of mine put her bag on the counter and lazily hugged the lady.

“Having a good sale today huh?”

The lady smiled and nodded proudly. She pinched Krystal’s cheeks and the Hitler-girl can’t help but to smile along

I stood there speechless.

Wait, is she Krystal’s aunt?

Wow, she’s very young to be a teenager’s aunt though.

“Hi auntie, I am Amber, Krystal’s friend,” I introduced myself with manner and slightly bowed as she shifted attention at me.

“Oh, Soojung, it’s your first time bring someone to my store,” she stated while looking at me. “Hello there, Amber. I am Hwang Miyoung, very nice to meet you, kid,” then she extended her hands for a shake. I’m gladly took them and replied,

“Pleasure to meet you too, mam,”

Krystal laughed loudly. And her aunt too. I let out a forced smile, don’t have any idea of what I did that is very funny for them.

“Hey, I’m not married yet!” she shouted playfully. I looked at Krystal, asking for some explanation.

“You’re such a funny girl, Amber. Come here, sit with us,” she invited me to a small-wooden dining table, which is proper for three persons and excused herself for a while.

“I don’t know you have a young aunt, Krys. I didn’t see her at your birthday party before. Don’t mind telling me about that beautiful lady?” I questioned and sat myself comfortably on the chair. Krystal put her legs on the tiny table and answered me with a not-interesting face.

“Well, she’s the youngest sister of my mum. She lived back in the states with my grandparents before they passed away. My mum encouraged her to stay with my family when she’s 15 years old and right after high school graduation, she enrolled national cooking institution and opened this store with money that my grandparents left for her. She’s a good baker and making desserts is her expertise. I learn a lot from her to bake a delicious cake,”

I just nodded as response. So, her aunt is so independent. Very interesting lady, already owned a store at such a young age.

“Do you like coffee, Amber?” Krystal’s aunt went out from the kitchen with a tray of food and drink along. She put them on the table one by one and took a seat beside of me.

“Well I do, auntie,” I replied shortly. This lady chuckled as she sipped her drink. “You look so honest and straightforward, Amber. Oh, did this brat burden you by the way? She can be really creepy sometimes you know…”

“Auntie!”

I shook my head and tried hard not to laugh. Krystal scoffed angrily and glared at her aunt.

“No, she’s not. Krystal is nice and kind to me,”

“Whoa, really? I dont believe you. Did she threatened you to say something nice if people asking about her?”

“Auntie Miyoung!” and Krystal shout again. We both laughed at her. “Amber, don’t listen to this crazy woman, she will influence you with bad things,”

“Hey young lady, I am your aunt. If I am crazy, you’re crazy too. We shared the same genes, remember?” Auntie Miyoung teased again with her devil-look. I can’t help but laughed while watching these beautiful creatures arguing.

“This coffee and desserts are very tasty, auntie,” I complimented sincerely.

“Gosh, I feel old like a granny hearing you called me that, Amber,” she joked then put her cup on the table. “Okay, since you’re close with Soojung, I will let you call me just by name,”

“What?” I can’t catch what she just said.

“Call me Tiffany, it’s my English name. Just Tiffany is fine, kid,” she told with her eye-smile.

“Wow, it’s a beautiful name. Isn’t that gonna be disrespect for you? I mean you’re older, I must to address you with formality, right?”

“Yeah, you’re right. But this is a special case, Amber. Back in the states, we just called each other by names, and I found it more close and casual. Only I called Krystal, Soojung, her Korean name, and only her can call me just Tiffany sometimes. It wasn’t disrespectful but more into feeling closer, Amber. Come on, chill okay?”

“Err… okay………..Tiffany,” Krystal and her aunt exchanged a smile as I called her in informal way. At first, I feel bad, but the more we talk, I’ll get along with her pretty well. Tiffany is a cheerful and bright lady. She gave me a plastic of grape candies and two bars of dark chocolate for free after we said it’s almost 4pm, and we need to go home. She wants me to come over again if I have a free time and we hugged her before waved a goodbye.

Krystal called her dad to fetch her while I’d deciding to ride a bus. I don’t want to burden her anymore. What she did today is more than enough to cheer me up. For somehow, I forgotten about how I’m feeling toward Krystal, and enjoyed our hangout so much.

“I’ll get going, okay? See you tomorrow at school?” I said as I saw the blue bus is coming at the stop. She nodded and gave me a sweet smile. “Come on, Amber. Go now, you might be late for work if you miss the bus,”

“Yes, Krys. Thank you for today,” she nodded again. I flashed a smile and get into the bus. I took the seat next to the window, still can see Krystal is standing while waving at me with her beautiful smile. And she’s slowly disappeared as the bus getting far from the stop. I released a deep breath and smiled alone, already figured out how to make a confession. 

I am going to confess the week before the school is done for this year. 

Wait, Krys, I am going to say that I really love you so much. 

And may God bless me this time. 

___________________________________

I missed KryBer so much. Who feel the same? Dont answer but keep waiting for the next update, okay? Thanks for reading and subscribing this story. I promised I will do my best for our KryBer feels. Haha :) 

By the way, I finished my internship and today is my independent day!