In Japanese Class

Yoomin's POV

I entered the classroom, quietly and moved to the back of the classroom to take my usual spot. Sungmin was already on the table next to mine, busily finishing up some hematology homework. I slid slowly down onto my seat, not wanting to disturb him.

I failed of course because he looked up at me and smiled.

Just with that one smile, everything that happened last Sunday, came back to me. The 'MinMin' Teddy bear, choosing me to do the Peppero Kiss Game with him, and then that k-ki...fraction-of-a-second-brushing-of-lips. I felt myself redden against his warm gaze. I averted my eyes into my bag, in search for a...something.

"Hey," he said, turning around on his seat so that he faced me. I looked up at the sound of his voice. His brows were furrowed in concern and he was no longer smiling.

"Em, yeah?"

He pursed his lips and paused for a bit, like as if he was trying to choose and mince his words carefully.

What is he trying to say?

"I know," he began, before gulping. "It's not my place to say. I don't know if you already know."

"What is it?" I asked, panic gripping me on my throat.

"Seonhee is my friend too, well has become my fri-"

"What about Seonhee?? What happened to her??"

He tried to hush me and held my shoulders with both his hands, pushing me back onto my seat. As some of the students in the class turned around to give us weird looks.

"Seonhee, has always top the class, remember? I don't ever remember her getting less than average or even just an average for a subject," he continued, his voice soft.

I nodded my head in response, listening very intently.

"We just got back our hematology test last tuesday, and Yoomin," pausing for awhile with me holding my breathe.

"She failed it."

She what? I couldn't believe my ears. All the years that I've known Seonhee, she wasn't one to fail a subject or any subject. She was always studying very hard and of course her parents made sure she didn't get anything average in her academic report. In fact, she's a scholar in our school. Knowing her, for her to fail a subject, well it's next to the impossible.

I looked away from Sungmin and faced my Criminal Law book absent-mindedly. The words on it swimming in my vision.

Seonhee failed a subject. And she never told us? She never told me?

I shook my head in disbelief. She probably had forgotten about it and was sure to mention it later to me. Or if I ask her about it.

Just then Ms Ukiro came into class and lessons began.

.

At the cafeteria

Yoomin's POV

Seonhee was sitting beside Eunhyuk at her usual spot, right opposite Jiyoo who was sitting next to Leeteuk. She was laughing at something Eunhyuk had whispered to her. I slid next to her with my tray of food. She didn't even notice me.

"Seonhee," I called, nudging her on her side, trying to catch her attention.

"You, emm, okay?"

She frowned at me and raised her brows.

"Yeah?" she replied matter-of-factly.  

"Are you okay?" asking in return, her voice low and quiet.

"You look kind of pale, nervous and uneasy... Did something happen?"

I'm her friend, we can talk of serious personal stuff to each other, no problem there. Just ask and she will open up everything to you. Perhaps she was just waiting for someone to ask her because she couldn't bring herself to say it. I'm her friend, I have the right to know as well, right?

The rest continued their own business, eating the food on their plate. Leeteuk and Jiyoo were having some private conversation, muttering to each other. While Eunhyuk was eating his food silently, and a book opened on his other hand, propped in front of his plate.

"Seonhee," I began.

"Did something happen to your haematology test?"

I pursed my lips awaiting her reply.

"What is it to you?"

I blinked. She wasn't supposed to say that. That wasn't how she was supposed to respond. Stunned, I was very much speechless and I couldn't respond immediately. I turned to my food and took a bite, an attempt to calm myself down. Seeing me turn away, she too turned back to her food, taking a tiny spoon of her soggy coleslaw.

She...she was supposed to gush out and pour out everything to me. Then we will talk about everything and all...

This wasn't really how it was supposed to be.

I felt like screaming at her. What is it to me?? You asked me what is it to me? Seonhee ah, you're my friend, your problem is also mine and I want to be there to help if I could. And if you need help I will give it my very best shot. What is it to me? Sure, your test paper means nothing to me. But knowing you, if you had even so much as get anything average, something must be up. Your test paper is not my concern. My concern is that "something" that caused you to become like that.

All too heated up to contain my temper, I turned to look at her and grabbed her shoulder to make her turn to me. She frowned at me and tried to shake my grip off her.

Jiyoo and Leeteuk looked up from their plates, stunned by what was happening in front of their eyes. Jiyoo looked very much surprised not knowing how to react; whether to stop me or to just stay back, standing halfway off her seat. Eunhyuk looked away from his book and watched on as well.

"Relax, you two," he said, prying my hands off Seonhee's shoulders. I swatted his hand off me.

"You failed a test Seonhee. There's got to be reason behind that. What's going on really?" I asked, my voice, loud enough for everyone on our table to hear, shaking with anger.

Her face paled and closed when she noticed she had  left it opened in her shock. Her eyes welled up with tears that threatened to overflow. She blinked and looked away from me and quickly gathered her things and left without another word. Even Eunhyuk who tried to hold onto her hands could not hold her back. Eunhyuk quickly dumped his book inside his bag and ran after her. Jiyoo and Leeteuk remained silent, not knowing how best to respond to what had just taken place.

Yoomin! What have you done? That wasn't what you meant to say!

"Yoomin?" Jiyoo asked cautiously, standing up from her seat. She walked over to my right and sat where Seonhee had been.

"What have I done Jiyoo?"

A drop of water fell onto my hand that was fisted on my knee before it slid down onto my leg. Only did I realize I had actually been crying.