For the first time, the girl decided to break the school rules and sneaks to the roof, which is supposed to be out of bound to the students. Hugging her bag close to her chest, she slips under the metal chain quietly and looks around before walking up that last flight of stairs to the roof. The moment she opens the door at the top of the stairs the cool breeze and fresh air captivated her. Nervously, she takes a step and to be greeted by a falling object that hits her right on the crown of her head.

 

“Oww…” She rubs her head gently and looks around to find out what is the fallen object, surprised to see that it is a shoe.

 

“Hey you over there. Help me to pick up my shoe.” A voice sounded in her ears and she starts to look around frantically to find the person talking. “Up here, pabo.” She turns around quickly and look up, shocked to see a girl sitting on the top of the staircase shelter. “Pass me my shoes, quick.”

 

It’s her. The school most popular girl and the lazy genius, Choi Sooyoung. Sooyoung had been topping in all the tests and exams, but no one actually seen her studying at all. Even her roommate back at the dorm did not see her touching any books before. In fact, she didn’t even have a single book. She is forever absent from classes ad even if she did appear, she would be sleeping for the whole day, only waking up at lunch break and end of school to eat. After various failed attempt to get the girl to study like the other students are doing, the teachers gave up on trying. As long as she continues to ace in all the tests and exams, they will not bother about her anymore. Other than being the top in studies, she is extremely good at sports as well, no matter which sport it is. Her attitude can be bad or worse, but she is a great friend to her friends. However, due to some bad experiences with her ‘friends’ back in middle school, she shuts herself out from socializing and making friends.

 

“S… Sooyoung ssi…” The girl blushed instantly. She had always admired this lazy bum right in front of her, but she doesn’t have the courage or confidence to show it like what others did. And it’s just pure admiration, not love.

 

“Yes, yes… Can you like give me my damn shoe now? I had been waiting for ten minutes for you to pick it up and give it to me.” Sooyoung frowns, obviously annoyed. Staring at the girl for a while, she thought she had seen this girl somewhere before, but the memory is vague. Even for those students that follow her around, screaming her name daily, she hardly remember how they look like, not to say someone that never do that before.

 

She watches as the girl picks up the shoe, brushing the dirt away with care and handing it to her with both hands. She couldn’t help but to chuckle secretly at the sight of that. Just before she is about to lie down again, she notices the girl going towards the edge of the roof and sitting down, pulling out a sketchbook after which. Looking at the hand and arm movements of the girl, Sooyoung could easily guess that the girl is drawing something, probably the scenery. What amazes her the most is the speed of the girl in drawing out the scenery. Within merely five minutes, she could roughly see the outline and it looks beautiful.

 

Getting curious, Sooyoung jumps down from the top and approaches the girl quietly. Without the girl realizing, she stands behind the girl and watches as the drawing comes to life under the pencil of the girl. The scenery that she is looking at right now is printed on the sketchbook perfectly.

 

“S… Sooyoung ssi…” The girl finally noticed the tall girl’s presence when she turns around to keep her pencil. She is obviously shocked to see the girl standing right behind her and at the same time, she feels embarrassed.

 

“Let me see…” Sooyoung reaches her hand out and takes the sketchbook away before the girl can even respond, and she stares hard at the drawing, unable to find a single flaw in it. It is so perfectly drawn. “Your drawing skill is amazing. This is one thing I cannot do well.” The tall girl commented, as she flips to the front. She thought she sees a figure sleeping on the bench in the school garden, but before she could identify the person, the girl snatches the sketchbook away and runs off. Sooyoung stood there for a moment, mind trying to progress what just happened, before noticing a brown keychain lying on the floor near her feet.

 

“Rilakkuma?” She picks up the keychain, a Rilakkuma keychain, and looks at it. “Did I see this on someone’s pencil case before, in class…?”

-----

The tall girl sticks her head into the near empty classroom, and looks around, noticing a familiar face. For the very first time, she remembers someone’s face this clearly. She ignores the grinning classmates of hers and walks to her seat, sitting down and yawning, before fishing out the Rilakkuma keychain from her pocket and putting on the desk of the one sitting beside her.

 

“Yours, right?” She asked, looking closely at the girl’s expression.

 

“A… Ahh… W… Where did you find it? I was looking for it…” The girl picks up the keychain immediately, rubbing it gently with a faint smile, before clinging it back on to her pencil case.

 

“Roof. You dropped it there yesterday.”

 

“Yoona ssi, you went to the roof? Isn’t it out of bound?” Just then, the guy sitting in front of the girl turns around and asked, eyes obviously on another person though. Sooyoung didn’t even bother about that and positions herself comfortably on her chair, closing her eyes and soon, she’s sleeping already.

 

“Y… Y… Yea…” The girl replied, not really used to talking to her classmates. She hardly interacts with her classmates, or rather; they hardly try to interact with her. She, being the quiet one, always sits alone at her seat and does her own work quietly. No one bothers coming over and befriends her, and she never have enough courage to initiate a conversation with someone else. Making friends is a hard thing for her.

 

“How high is the degree of your spectacle?” The guy asked, eyes still on the sleeping girl. It’s obvious that he’s just finding an excuse to be facing the back and looking at the tall girl blatantly.

 

“It’s quite high…” The doe-eye girl lied. In fact, the spectacle has zero degree. Wearing it makes the doe-eye girl feels more comfortable as it kind of act as a tiny barrier between her and the others. At least that how she feels about it. After getting an answer, which he didn’t really want to know, he turns back to the front. The doe-eye girl lets out a sigh, as her heart calms down slowly. Talking to people makes her nervous somehow.

 

Just then, she thought she feels someone hand going into her bag. She turns around quickly and sees the tall girl’s hand in her bag, seeming to be looking for something, and she knows exactly what the girl is looking for. She takes out the sketchbook quickly, before the tall girl can get it and hugs it tightly.

 

“I want to see…” The tall girl says, reaching her hand out, wanting to get the sketchbook. Yoona shook her head violently, strongly indicating that she doesn’t want to show it. Sooyoung smacks her own forehead and sighs. The girl’s strong refusal makes her even more curious about the drawings in the sketchbook. With swift movements, she attempts to snatch it but failed. Feeling annoyed of having to move so much early in the morning, she grabs the collar of the doe-eye girl.

 

Their classmates watch as the two of them struggle with one another, surprised by the fact that the tall girl is being interested in something and also, the fact that the doe-eye girl seems to evenly match with the tall girl. Finally, Sooyoung managed to grab the edge of the book but before she can pulls it out from Yoona’s embrace, Yoona moves it away quickly, causing Sooyoung’s hand to slip from it and landing on something else. Something soft.

 

“Wooo~ Sooyoung ssi did it!” The guys cheered, as they stare at the hand on Yoona’s chest. Yoona’s face turns red instantly and she loses grip on her sketchbook as she slaps Sooyoung’s hand away quickly and covers her own chest. Making use of this chance, Sooyoung grabs the sketchbook before it drops and slumps back into her chair. With one hand across her chest, Yoona tries to get it back but Sooyoung grabs her hand and twists it, locking her movement.

 

Staring at her own hand which grabbed Yoona’s chest by accident just now, it feels weird yet somewhat good. However, she doesn’t really care about that. She places the sketchbook on her desk and flips it open, and soon, their classmates are all crowding over to take a look at it. Yoona is conveniently pushed out from the crowd, and her attempts to get back in to get her book back failed.

 

“Woah~ We didn’t know that she can draw so well…” The content of the sketchbook is amazing. Every single drawing seems to be alive and right in front of them. The details she put in for everything are absolutely gorgeous. Sooyoung flips through the book slowly, admiring each drawing and soon, she came upon the one that she almost sees on the roof yesterday. “Isn’t that Sooyoung ssi sleeping on the bench?”

 

Sooyoung raised her eyebrows as she looks at the drawing of her. Why did the girl resisted so strongly just to not let her see this drawing? Before she can flips to the next, Yoona successfully got through the crowd and snatches the book away, face completely red and she has this tearful expression on her face. Pushing her way out of the crowd again, Yoona ran out of the classroom with her sketchbook.

 

“What’s with her…?” The classmates murmured, as they return to their seats one by one. Sooyoung continues to stare at the back door, which Yoona ran out from. For the first time, she felt sorry. Drawing is probably the only way the girl can express herself thoroughly, and looking through it is like ripping her heart apart and looking at its content.

 

“Should I apologize to her…?” Sooyoung scratches her own head gently, before staring at the hand that touched Yoona by accident again. “… Have to admit. It feels great…”

 

Yoona returns to the classroom one minute before the first lesson start, with her sketchbook still in her embrace. She sits down quietly without a word and throughout the whole day, she is hugging the book tightly. Sooyoung had been looking at her quietly from the side. For the first time, she is unable to fall asleep. For the first time after so long, she feels like getting know about someone more. For the first time after so long, she feels like befriending someone. And that someone is the girl sitting beside her. The girl seems so mysterious, being so quiet, always on her own.

 

“Araso. I will go over as soon as school ends.” Sooyoung is just strolling along the corridor when she thought she heard a familiar sounding voice. Go over? To where?

 

“S… Sooyoung ssi…” The doe-eye girl appears from behind the wall, shocked to see the tall girl standing there. Bowing quickly, she walks away. Curious, Sooyoung decided to be a stalker for the day and follow the girl. Soon, she sees the girl entering a café and entering the staff office.

 

“… She’s working part time?” Sooyoung murmured to herself, watching the girl from outside. The girl is doing all the cleaning job, since she couldn’t handle the job of having to speak to strangers. However, after she is done with the clean up, she went behind the cashier and took the orders. “Isn’t she uncomfortable with speaking with strangers?”

 

Looking around, Sooyoung enters the café quietly without Yoona noticing and joins the long queue of people. Business here is great and the aroma of the coffee is making her swallow her saliva.

 

“Goo-“ Yoona is about to greet the next customer but she stops when she realizes who is it.

 

“Isn’t it forbidden by the school to take up part time job?” The tall girl asked, looking cold and indifferent. Yoona couldn’t answer her and seeing that, Sooyoung grabs her hand and drags her out of the café immediately. “I didn’t know you like breaking the school rules that much.”

 

“… I… I… I thought i… it will help increase my self-confidence…” Yoona looks down to the floor as she removes her hand from Sooyoung’s slowly. Sooyoung stood still and quiet. She didn’t know why she is even bothering about this girl. So what if this girl breaks the school rule? It’s not her problem, is it? Why is she doing this? As questions flood her mind, she notices something when Yoona is looking at her shyly. A light bulb lights up immediately when she notices that.

 

“Don’t work anymore. You’re a good student, aren’t you? It’s not good if any sentence of you breaking school rule is reflected on your testimonial.” Sooyoung stuck her hands into her pockets and walked into the café, entering the staff office without permission and coming out again with Yoona’s stuff. She spoke with the manager about something and came out, dragging Yoona off after the girl changed back to her uniform.

 

“W… Where are you bringing me to…?” Yoona asked, after getting drag all the way back to school and up the stairs. Sooyoung remains quiet and soon, the two of them are at the roof again. She asked Yoona to climb up the ladder, to the top of the stair shelter, and blushed madly when she forgets about the fact that Yoona is wearing a skirt and she tried climbing the stairs right after Yoona climbed a small distance. In fact, she saw something she shouldn’t. “A… Are you okay…?” Yoona looks down and asked, when she noticed that the girl is not moving.

 

Snapping back to her senses, Sooyoung climbs up immediately and looks around to check that they are really alone.

 

“Take it off.” Sooyoung demanded.

 

“W… What?” Yoona couldn’t understand.

 

“Your spectacle. It’s a fake, isn’t it?”

 

“H… How did you know…?”

 

“I guessed. But I want to confirm something so please take it off.” Sooyoung repeated and waited, but the girl remains still. She doesn’t want to remove the ‘barrier’ she had. Sighing, Sooyoung pulls it down before Yoona can react, and she starts to smirk. “Okay.”

 

Feeling uncomfortable instantly, Yoona starts to tremble and her body curls up slightly, as though she is trying to make her existence smaller and unnoticeable. Sooyoung frowns at the sight of that, as she realizes how important the pair of spectacle is to the girl in helping her get through her daily life in school.

 

“That’s it. I will help you. Let’s build up your self-confidence.” Sooyoung announced, and Yoona turns slightly to look at her. Sooyoung froze for a moment, when those doe eyes stares right into her eyes, captivating her. Such beautiful eyes the girl possesses. “I will keep this spectacle for you.”

 

“... N… N… N… N… No…. No…. I… I… I ne… need… i…. it….” Yoona replied, stuttering more than ever.

 

“This will hinder your progress. I will keep it, and when I feel that it’s enough for the day, I will return it to you. You have to stop relying on this thing for your confidence, Yoona ssi.” For the first time, Sooyoung called Yoona by her name. “Befriend me, Yoona ssi.”

 

“W… W… W… What…?”

 

“I want to be your friend. I feel that you will be a great friend, Yoona ssi. So I want to befriend you. Be my friend, will you?” Sooyoung requested, holding Yoona’s hands in hers. Yoona blushed instantly and tried to pull her hands away, but Sooyoung is holding on tightly. Somehow, she stops trembling after feeling the warmth from Sooyoung’s hands. Yoona nodded slightly, not making eye contact. “Great! Okay, first we have to let you get use to meeting people, without your spectacle. Like I had said earlier, I will keep these for you and give it back when I feel that it’s enough.”

 

“W… W… Why…?”

 

“Why? Why what? Why am I helping you?”

 

Yoona nodded.

 

“Because you’re my friend, Yoona ssi. Friends help each other, don’t they?” Sooyoung smiles sweetly at the doe-eye girl. Somehow, Yoona doesn’t feel nervous or uncomfortable anymore, for that very moment when Sooyoung smiles at her. It’s warm. And she likes it. Smiling back, Yoona nodded.

-----

“Confidence, Yoona…” Sooyoung sighed. The two of them had been walking in this position since Sooyoung takes away Yoona’s spectacle just now, outside Yoona’s room at the dorm. Yoona had been hiding her face by burying her face on Sooyoung’s back, and gripping tightly to Sooyoung’s blouse. The students had been wondering who is that girl behind Sooyoung, going so close to Sooyoung.

 

“I… I… I… I can’t…” Yoona whispered, her voice muffled.

 

“Slowly move away from me and walk beside me. Do it slowly.” Sooyoung reaches her hand to the back, grabbing Yoona’s hand and pulling her. For a while, Yoona refuses budge but soon, she gives in and moves slowly, away from Sooyoung’s back. She is staring right at the floor as they walk, and her hair is covering most of her face. “Look up, Yoona…” Sooyoung smacks her own forehead. Yoona stops suddenly, and Sooyoung bends down to check on her expression, giving her the spectacle quickly. “Jeez. Don’t start crying suddenly, okay? I get it. That’s it for today. You did great.” Sooyoung pats the girl gently.

 

Yoona nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. The students are obviously surprised. Why are the two of them acting so close suddenly? And what on earth are they doing earlier? Of course, there are people who are unhappy about Yoona being so close to their goddess and would not mind doing anything to get the girl to stay away. But the tall girl’s presence around the doe-eye girl makes things difficult. They couldn’t even get close, not to say do anything.

 

“It’s day ten already, Yoona. You have to look up. Let people see your face.” Sooyoung gives herself a face palm, when the girl beside her still refuses to look up. Each day, more and more students will gather as the two of them walk into the school together, with Yoona hiding behind Sooyoung at first to walking beside her with her head hanging low. “Yoona…”

 

Yoona takes in a deep breath and nods slightly. Bit by bit, she lifts her head up slightly. Sooyoung brushes the hair on the girl’s face away and cups the girl’s face, when the girl finally looks straight instead of looking at the floor. The students literally gasped and the guys blushed. She’s cute. Really cute. Yoona stares straight into Sooyoung’s eyes, as the girl smiles proudly at her.

 

“Good job, Yoona.” Sooyoung rubs the cheeks of the girl playfully, but her hands felt something wet suddenly. “Y… Y… Yah! Don’t start crying all of the sudden! You did great, Yoona.” Pulling out the spectacle quickly, Sooyoung puts it on the face of the doe-eye girl and the crying stops immediately. “Jeez… You’re like a baby crying for the pacifier.”

 

Yoona’s face flushed red with embarrassment when she hears that, and she smacks Sooyoung’s shoulder gently and shyly.

 

“What…? It’s true…” During the process of trying to increase Yoona’s self-confidence and allows her to step out of her comfort zone, the two of them had bonded greatly. Every night, Sooyoung will visit Yoona and converse with her, when she isn’t wearing her spectacle. Though tiring and uncomfortable for Yoona, she has to admit that it’s really helping her. Soon, she is able to walk around without her spectacle for a short while, but with Sooyoung’s presence. She finds herself relying greatly on the girl, not daring to imagine if the girl stops walking by her side one day.

 

Her sketchbook got filled up quickly; as she drew one drawing everyday after Sooyoung left her room, which she stayed in alone. On day fifty, she is walking the whole journey from the dorm to the classroom without her spectacle, but still, with Sooyoung by her side.

 

“She’s ill…?” Yoona stood outside the room of the tall girl and asked worriedly. The tall girl’s roommate nodded and sighed, allowing Yoona to enter the room before leaving. Yoona rushed to Sooyoung’s side quickly and the tall girl smiles at her instantly. “… S… Sooyoung ssi…”

 

“Ha… I got ill. Sorry but I don’t think I can walk beside you today.” Sooyoung sighed, coughing violently. “But then, it’s a good day for you to try doing it without me right?”

 

“Sooyoung ssi… I… I can’t…” Yoona shook her head. She is not confident that she will be able to do it without Sooyoung walking by her side. After talking to Sooyoung for a while, with Sooyoung trying to convince her that she will be able to do it, she left the room and head to the school. At the entrance, she tries to remove her spectacle but her hands are trembling non-stop.

 

S… Sooyoung ssi… What to do, Sooyoung ssi…? I can’t do it without you by my side, Sooyoung ssi… Yoona squats down at the entrance, hugging her knees tightly.

…..

Taking each step slowly, Yoona’s eyes dart around furiously as she surveys her surrounding. Those students are staring at her, watching her as she takes each step. She tries her best to push down the urge to wear her spectacle, because she really wants to show the girl that she can do it. She wants the girl to be proud of her. She had been holding in the tears, not wanting to cry suddenly. It’s a failure if she cries. She can’t fail.

 

“Fighting, Yoona ssi.” Just then, one of the girls standing near her spoke.

 

“Yea~ Jump over that hurdle and it will be over!” A guy shouted from somewhere within the crowd in front of her. Soon, the students around her are cheering on her. All of them know about her fear, and they watched the process where Sooyoung is helping her through. It’s common for her to rely on Sooyoung instead of her spectacle, because Sooyoung has always been there for her. When Yoona finally sets one foot into the classroom, the students cheered loudly. However, at the moment, she reached her limits. She breaks down instantly.

-----

“How is it…?” The tall girl asked, when the doe-eye girl came to visit her.

 

“… I… I’m sorry, Sooyoung ssi… I failed. I disappointed everyone… They cheered for me yet I failed. I… I…” Yoona started crying as she squats down beside Sooyoung’s bed. “I’m such a disappointment… I’m so sorry… Y… You must be disappointed in me…”

 

“Tell me, Yoona. Where did you stop?”

 

“I didn’t managed to go all the way to my seat…I… I broke down before I could even get into the classroom… I’m so sorry…” Yoona sobbed uncontrollably. Sooyoung stares at her for a while and gets up slowly from her bed. She first pats the girl gently on her head, before pulling the girl into her embrace. “I’m so sorry, Sooyoung ssi… I’m so sorry…”

 

“No, Yoona.” Sooyoung continues to pat the girl. “You’re awesome. You did great, Yoona ssi. You did it, Yoona ssi. You’re great.”

 

“B… But I…”

 

“You stepped out of your comfort zone, Yoona ssi. You do it by yourself, without me by your side. But don’t worry, Yoona. I will get well soon, and walk beside you again.” Sooyoung smiles, comforting the girl with her hug and gentle pats. Yoona nodded, hugging the girl even tighter.

-----

“What’s this?” Sooyoung asked, as she takes the nicely wrapped item from Yoona. It’s not her birthday, nor any other special day, but the girl is giving her a present.

 

“Open it when you get back to your room later.” Yoona replied, blushing slightly. Sooyoung raised her eyebrows at her, feeling puzzled. For the whole day, she is anticipating the end of the day, where she can get back to her room and unwrap the present quickly. But then again, she doesn’t want it to end soon as well, as she wants to stay by the doe-eye girl’s side. The bell rings and the two girls head towards the roof together.

 

“Not going to draw? The sunset is especially beautiful today…” Sooyoung let out a happy sigh, as she turns to look at the girl beside her, not entirely surprise to see the girl sleeping. “Aish… The floor is dirty, you know…” Sooyoung lifted the girl up slightly and positions the girl’s head on her lap, careful not to wake the girl up.

 

Sooyoung’s eyes fell on the wrapped object suddenly, and she picks it up. Hesitating for a while, she decided to open it right here. It’s a surprise for her, when she sees the sketchbook inside. Slowly, she flips through sketchbook, admiring each drawing. Around ten drawings later, she starts to see the drawings of her and for the rest of the book; she is in every single drawing. For the last few, there are words underneath the drawings.

 

Thank you for befriending me, Sooyoung ssi.

 

Thank you for helping me.

 

Thank you for staying by my side all these while.

 

Thank you for making my drawings perfect.

 

Thank you for comforting me and encouraging me.

 

Thank you for holding my hand, and take me out of my comfort zone.

 

Sooyoung ssi, thank you for everything. I owe you my whole lifetime, for helping me overcome what I couldn’t do on my own.

 

Please allow me to be greedy, and hold on to you tightly for a while more. I want to be by your side.

 

Allow me to stay by your side, until you find someone you love.

 

Sooyoung doesn’t know what to feel after reading all those words. Things that the girl couldn’t express verbally, she draws it down. Things that she couldn’t express through drawing, she writes it down. All these while, she had been preparing this wonderful present for the tall girl. Taking in a deep breath, Sooyoung flips to the last page, which has nothing but sentence written in the middle of the page.

 

Forgive me for being greedy and want you by my side, but I really want to say this to you - I love you.

 

From admiration to love. The warmth and care that Yoona felt from Sooyoung turns her admiration for Sooyoung to love for the girl.

 

“… Y… You unwrapped it…?” Yoona sits up suddenly, blushing madly when she realizes that the girl is at the last page of the sketchbook. “I… I… I need to go to th-“

 

“Yoona…” Sooyoung closed the sketchbook and grabbed Yoona’s hand before the girl can walk away. While still holding Yoona’s hand tightly, Sooyoung stands up and hands the sketchbook back to the doe-eye girl. Confused, Yoona takes it, saddened as she thought it’s a silent rejection. However, the tall girl cups her face suddenly and pulls her closer, clashing their lips together. Though surprised, Yoona returns the kiss immediately and they went on for a while, before stopping. “You said that you owe your life to me. I’m going claim it now. You are allowed to stay by my side forever, for the one I love is you. I love you too, Yoona.”

 

“S… Sooyoung ssi…” Yoona stares at the girl blankly, before starting to smile at the girl and hugging the girl tightly.

 

“By the way, that day when I accidentally touch you on your chest…”

 

“… Y… Yea…?”

 

“It feels great.” Sooyoung grins mischievously at the doe-eye girl, who blushed madly after hearing that. “You’re mine now, Yoona.”

 

“That doesn’t mean you can touch me anywhere you like…” Yoona pouted, with a slight frown.

 

“We will see about that.”

 

“W… What?”

 

“Come on…”

 

“D… Don’t! Get away from me!”

 

“Yoona, come on…”

 

“NO!!”