The first day in school was interesting so far. I had five classes, each seventy minutes, and two breaks: first break after two classes and lunch break after the third. I sat in the canteen with my friends during lunch break. Our table was empty; it went from seven people, sometimes ten, to four. It was a big slap in the face to remind us half of our friends weren’t going to be around anymore, at least not daily.

“So Mina is in your homeroom class, and Sana is in Hanbin’s? That’s so unfair, why are Momo and Tzuyu not in mine?” Chanwoo complained.

Speaking of the four girls, we noticed them entering the canteen together. Two of them were laughing loudly and Mina, Mina was smiling softly while walking with them to a table. Oh, and the other one just had her face straight if you were wondering. On their way to whatever table they had in mind, Mina and I met each other’s eyes again. I noticed how she stopped the girls in their conversation and I saw one of them with big eyes and bangs walk to our table while the other three girls followed after.

“Hi!” the girl greeted and we did the same. Chanwoo was right, all four girls were indeed beautiful I realized after seeing them all up close together.

“I’m Momo. Mina, Tzuyu, Sana and I are new and all tables are full already. Is it alright to have lunch here?”

I wanted to tell them that the table two rows away from ours was quite empty, with only Yuju, Yeri, Chaeyoung and Jungyeon sitting, but that would be rude. Besides, I was convinced Chanwoo would attempt throwing a rock at me if I sent the girls away.

“Sure. Nice seeing you again, Mina.” I said and they sat down.

Lunch was alright. It was a little awkward at first, especially for me and I’m assuming Mina and Tzuyu too considering the expressions they wore, but Sana, Momo, Donghyuk and Chanwoo seemed to enjoy themselves perfectly fine and at some point even Hanbin had an actual conversation with them. The girl who sat next to me, Tzuyu, excused herself saying she saw her friend entering the canteen. I looked up and saw her walking to Jihyo. It was unexpected, but I didn’t care too much. Instead, my attention was now on the fact that Mina sat next to me.

Honestly, I was quite nervous sitting next to somebody so pretty. It was a weird experience. The girl was so beautiful, but it wasn’t just that. There was more to her. She had some kind of aura, one that just pulled you in. I like to compare it to hot summer storms. It reminded me of that.

It was my favorite type of weather.

After a while the bell rang and we all split up to go to our classrooms. It was the first day, and school was already tiring. “Junhoe,” I heard her speak my name for the first time, “I think we share our next class together.” She said and I told her I’d guide her to the classroom and let her sit next to me.

On our way to class I told her some basic information and asked her questions. I found out that she’s a week older than me. She dances ballet and has been practicing it for eleven years, heading towards twelve. She told me that she can be a little awkward at times since she’s shy and I told her that it’s alright because I am like that too (though, in my case it’s mostly because I need to watch my mouth).

Our quiet and peaceful get-to-know moment all happened in minutes, and when we sat down in class we were met with the toxic whispers of gossip. One of them spoke a little too loudly and Mina and I shared a look when her name was mentioned. “Don’t worry about it, it’s just because you’re new.” I told her and placed my hand on hers to make her relax. She flashed a stiff smile and I let my thumb the side of her hand. Maybe I should’ve realized that I was only creating more topics for gossip; perhaps not for now, but definitely for in the long-run.

//

Two weeks passed by in a flash.

The current state: The new girls aren’t awkward around us anymore, and neither are we around them. They’re actually quite chill to be around, and we share common interests. Every day after school Chanwoo, Mina and I would play Elseword together. Chanwoo was more than excited when he found out she played it, and it was a rather pleasant surprise to me. Sometimes Mina and I would ditch Chanwoo to play it on our own because – boy gets a little competitive at times.

Yes, I know. You’re curious about Mina and me, if there even was a Mina and me.

Was there? Mina and me, Mina and I – Myoui Mina and Goo Junhoe. It was a little early to say that such thing existed.

Forget the ‘Mina and I’, I was quite intrigued by the girl on my own. It was weird, considering the last girl I fell for was more bubbly and out-going, at least more than Mina was. Mina was still quiet compared to all of us even if she’s comfortable with us. Even Tzuyu was a lot more talkative nowadays. The other guys complained before about how they can't seem to get rid of the barrier between them and Mina. I shrugged and told him that that's just Mina. Quiet, smart, slightly awkward, but so rich of all the wonders you've been looking for. It felt like she was living in her own world and made an effort to step out of it to be with us.

“You know,” Donghyuk broke the silence between us during history class. If there was one subject I hated the most in my entire life, it would be history. Physics was a close second. But history, I just didn't want to hear about it and every single year they just repeated the same things over and over again. Before Donghyuk spoke I was about fall asleep, so I was thankful for him saving me from detention this early in the school year. I hummed in response thinking my voice probably still sounded like I just woke up.

“I noticed Mina is a lot more open around you.” 

I turned my head, which was still leaning on my hands on my desk, to Donghyuk and asked how he came to think of that.

“I don't know, it's just that whenever I take a look at the two of you she's always smiling, laughing or even excitedly talking to you. She's different around you.” 

I stretched my arms and leaned against the wooden backrest of my chair. A yawn escaped my mouth and I told him maybe, maybe it was true. I looked around in class and saw everyone writing in their workbooks until I saw my teacher glaring at our way. Well, actually just at me. Donghyuk was good in every subject, none of our teachers would care if he didn't participate in class since he'll end up the highest on the scoreboard anyway.

I grabbed a pen out of Donghyuk's pencil case and flipped through the pages in my workbook until I found the one that matched the chapter opened in front of Donghyuk. I started writing down some things I picked up about the subject but again a yawn escaped through my lips.

“Why are you so tired today?” Donghyuk asked and I told him that it's because of history class. 

However, my exhaustion that morning came from the fact that Mina and I stayed up until a half past one last night. We were talking about the new episode of Scream Queens at first, about the dangers of the night secondly, and somewhere along the way we started talking about losing and meeting people so quickly when in fact we're all still underneath the same sky.

“When I was in Japan I had this friend,” Mina was telling me, “he was amazing, it was almost surreal. He was handsome, good at sports, smart, friendly and just a good person all around. One day he told me he was leaving. He said he was going to a different country to study: South-Korea.” By this point her voice started to sound heavier, as if she was trying to hold back the emotions she kept burried for everyone else.

“So I followed suite. I left Japan, I left all my friends and family to go to South-Korea for a foolish reason. But when I got there, it was almost as if I did no longer exist to him. He wasn’t my friend anymore and he made it very clear. I lost my friend just like that.” 

I stopped her from carrying on with the story, “Mina, you can't call somebody like that a friend. Never.” 

“I didn't, at least not anymore. Not for the past two years. It was hard on me, since he was the reason I came, and it felt like I had nothing to gain anymore after I lost my purpose. But I still gained a lot from coming here. My mind opened to many things and I made many great friends. I learned a lot about what it's actually like to be on your own, and I learned a lot about how greatnesss will always be part of my surroundings. And Junhoe, please don't think weirdly of me as I say this, but I think I realized it all over again when I met you.” 

I kept silent after she said that. I wasn't sure how to reply; I wasn't sure how to reply properly, but I had to say something before any misunderstandings happened.

“I'm glad to mean something to you, even if it's only been two weeks.”  I said because truthfully, I was glad. I was glad that it wasn't just me who felt the connection: she did, too.

After that we were silent again. I was in bed and still hadn't closed the curtains. It was a clear night and the weather was still hot; the stars were visible and the moon lit up half of my room. At that moment, I felt peace, I wished for it to last longer — with Mina underneath the same sky. It was nights like these where I felt the connection the most. We understand each other.

“Mina?” 

“Yes?” 

“Would you want to go to my place on Friday after school?” 

Donghyuk's words rang in my mind again.

If Mina lived in her own world and made an effort to step out of it for her friends, it felt like she trusted me with an invitation to enter it.

//

I lost count of how long it had been since school started, but surely it was over a month already by now.

School was alright. My grades were okay, my friends were chill as always, my family was fine and Mina and I grew even closer after we turned hanging out in my house after school into a habit. My sister was either at her boyfriend's house or in university, and my parents were at work, so it couldn't bother anyone. Every now and then they'll meet her, and after she was gone they'd tell me how lovely she seemed. We'd only meet at my place, since Mina lived with her friends. She shared a room with Nayeon; I knew her from being in last year's senior class. She was head cheerleader and friends with Jihyo and Jungyeon. But yes, Mina lived with her. Her parents, mainly her father, have great jobs meaning lots of money meaning they're able to afford her stay in South-Korea perfectly fine. But Mina said it got really lonely sometimes, so after she met Momo, Sana and Tzuyu she let them stay with her. Nayeon was the girl who lived next door, and Nayeon was the girl who felt lonely, too. It was something about the girl moving out because her parents would move to another city while her university was in town. I wasn't sure. So that's how they ended up living together (yes, it was a huge apartment), and that's why I can't always visit her place. 

“You look so good with that hair.” Mina grinned and reached out to slide her fingers through my platinum blonde hair. Yes, platinum blonde. Because Mina wanted to dye her hair red, but didn't want to be alone in doing so. I'd rather have chosen something natural, but she said I'd look good in something like, oh I don't know, platinum blonde?

“And you look beautiful with yours.” I told her and put a strand of hair behind her ear.

We were in my room after getting our hair dyed on a good Thursday afternoon. 

Mina was excited about it. She couldn't wait to show everyone that we dyed our hair together, and I thought it was cute. Mina was cute, and it somehow made me feel really giddy.

She slid her hand from my hair to my nape and brought her other hand up to wrap her arms around my neck and automatically I wrapped my arms around her waist. I grew a lot taller compared to just a year before; tall enough for Mina having to tiptoe to wrap her arms around me properly. Why were we being like that? I didn't know, but it felt good. We smiled at each other until I lost balance (don't ask me how, I'm just clumsy like that) and fell on bed dragging her along. At first we were laughing, but laughter died down to grinning and grinning died down to mouths hanging slightly open and eyes scanning each other's faces. It was then when I realised our position. I sat up straight, thinking that it might help us out of it, but instead Mina was now sitting on my lap with her legs around my waist. 

Forgive me for being just another teenage boy. 

We stayed like that and I almost felt guilty for fixing my eyes on her lips. Our heads were getting closer to each other's and then—

“Hey Junhoe do you kno– OH MY GOD.” 

Mina jumped out of my lap and I hurriedly stood up and walked to my wide-eyed sister.

“What were you about to ask, sis?” I asked her with awkwardness dripping off my tongue like venom. Her eyes traveled from behind me to myself, “I... Was going to ask if you knew when dad would be home but right now I'd prefer an answer to what I walked up to.” 

To say that that was the most embarrassing moment in my life would not be a lie. It was so embarrassing. It was my sister, she's seen me in many embarrassing situations, but this one topped the list. I wasn't sure how to answer, but I didn’t seem to be doing so anyway because Mina spoke up before I could.

“I'm sorry Yejin.” 

My sister's face became less tense and it even looked like she had some sort of motherly smile on her face. Strange. 

“No dear, I'm sorry he got a beautiful girl like you far enough to put up with his .” Was the last thing she said before she walked through the door opening and I slammed the door shut, turning around and leaning my back against it before plopping down on the floor and hiding my face between my knees. 

“So. Embarrassing.” 

///

The days after it were good–great, even. After the incident, Mina and I didn't feel uncomfortable around each other. We didn’t bring it up anymore, and it was probably better like that.

But of course, everything was too good to be true. The following Monday, I had a surprise waiting for me at school. 

With Mina around, I was distracted from many things that didn't matter, and focused on stuff that did matter: like school, and Mina. Somehow all the worries I had in the beginning of the year started to vanish.

“G'morning.” I talked next to Mina's ear when she was going through her books in her locker. She jumped up in shock and hit me when she realised it was me.

“.” 

“The perkiest of all.” I grinned and she grimaced.

“Good morning!” I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around not recognising the voice. 

But when I saw who it was, my jaw dropped open. He pulled me into a hug, “I missed you!” he told me and I couldn’t utter any word back because of the shock I was in.

If Jungkook's here...

I shook my head and gathered myself to talk to him, “Dude what are you doing here I thought you transferred.” I said with a smile and felt a pat on my back by a small hand I recognised as Mina's. She probably saw right through my act.

“That school was horrible. We wanted to return already in the first week but apparently we first had to give the place a chance. Chance given, chance wasted. So now we're back!” 

We.

Yein.

“That's great!” 

“Who's your friend? I've never seen her around before.” Junkook looked past me at Mina who was staring at me.

“This is Mina,” I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, perhaps because I didn't want Jungkook to think he had a chance to make a move. “She's Japanese, but she's been living here for a while now. She's a new student together with a few other foreigners.” I introduced her and she followed suite, introducing herself. 

“Nice to meet you Mina. I'm Jungkook, a friend of Junhoe. Oh by the way, Yein is looking for you, Junhoe.” Jungkook winked at me.

Of course she was, did I expect anything else?

“I'll look for her later then. Mina and I should go to class, right Mina?” I turned my head to a confused Mina. I knew what was going through her mind, I knew what kind of questions I could expect.

“Who's Yein?” Mina asked me when we walked into the classroom together. “Jungkook's sister.” 

Mina snorted, “Yeah, I followed that part. I may not speak Korean fluently but common sense doesn't require it.” She snapped and sat down on her chair. I sighed and rubbed my temples, “Don't be like this.” was all I told her. She didn't speak to me after that. Of course that didn't go unnoticed, I could hear the whispers already. 

And as if it couldn't get any worse,

“GOO JUNHOE!” Yein squealed as she hopped into the room.

I was scared to look at Mina's reaction, but I'd rather look at that than at Yein at the moment. Mina looked at me for confirmation; is this the girl? Yes, this was the girl, I nodded. Mina looked awat and sat up straight, I assumed she was about to introduce herself but Yein was quicker to talk.

“I missed you so much Junhoe, you have no idea, being away from you really made realize a lot of things.” She told me and hugged me. From the corner of my eyes I could see Mina's body stiffen and at that moment all I was, was confused. 

Yein and I never broke up, but we weren't really together either. Mina and I never got together, but we weren't nothing either.

“Oh the teacher is here.” Yein said and sat in the seat in front of me. She turned around and asked, “Junhoe, please sit next to me.” 

I shook my head, “I already have a seatmate.” 

Yein glanced at Mina, finally acknowledging her presence and Mina looked away, mocking my words, “Seatmate, huh?” 

“Who's she?” Yein asked me instead of Mina herself.

I felt uncomfortable and clueless. I wasn't thinking when I said it, but the words rolled off my tongue before I realised it, “Mina is my friend.”

.

To be fair, I wasn't lying. But then again, Mina was never really just a friend. However, my answer seemed to please Yein enough for her to turn back around.

I put my hand on top of Mina’s after Yein looked in front of her, but she pulled away. She was bothered by me.

So I waited for her.

_////

_{its 4:20am im up bc of fasting. ramadan mubarak guys! ill check the chapter on errors later lol goodnight sorry for this mess}