Part 2/5

 

Kim Mihyun is a hard worker. And evidently, so was Yeonju. With combined productivity they'd managed to complete the planning for their English project in two lessons. That didn't mean that they were done though. Far from it. And because Mihyun was being a cranky child and Yeonju was still acting all shy, communication wasn't a plus. Another thing that annoyed Mihyun a lot (like a lot) was the fact that Yeonju hadn't stopped following her. Sure, it had only been two days since her transfer, and yeah, Yeonju wasn't exactly a burden. But it was annoying. Upon realizing Mihyun couldn't get away from her by running, she just stopped trying and let the girl follow her. Which meant that they would be late for lunch. Well not late, but you know. Not early. And that meant that Mihyun couldn't sit with Jiho at lunch. She had to sit at that god forsaken empty table by the window. With Yeonju.

 

Mihyun slammed her history book shut, silently cursing because her next class was English and she just couldn't be bothered today. She spotted Jiho, and was about to run up to her, but then noticed her talking to Arin. She better not. Jiho and Arin had a very complicated relationship that Mihyun didn't have the energy to try to understand. Instead, she lingered at the back of the classroom, watching the other students leave for their next class. She didn't begin walking until she was the only one left besides the teacher, who gave her a weird look.

 

She strolled through the almost empty corridors, lost in her worried thoughts about maybe leaving the window open when she left home that morning. What if the cat jumped?

 

Absentmindedly she walked into her English class. Somethings was off. The classroom was empty.

 

Strange.

 

Well almost empty. Because there was Yeonju. Sitting in her seat, seemingly waiting for someone.

 

“Where is everyone?” Mihyun asked, grabbing the girl’s attention.

 

“The teacher’s sick,” Yeonju began carefully. “We have a free period.”

 

“Okay.” Mihyun sighed. “We'll never get this project finished in time…” she couldn't help but mumble. “Well Jiho and the others are probably at Starbucks.” She turned around and started making her way out, noticing that Yeonju wasn't following her.

 

Mihyun sighed once more, turning around to face the (blushing?) girl behind her. “You coming?”

 

Yeonju flinched, grabbed her bag and hurried to Mihyun’s side.

 

-----

 

Mihyun ended up being right. No surprise there. Inside the cafe was Jiho, Arin, Hyojung, Yubin and Mieun. Mieun, of course.

 

Yeonju followed the blonde into the store, looking as shy as ever.

 

“Mimi!” Jiho exclaimed upon seeing them, and suddenly all eyes were on her and Yeonju.

 

“Don't call me that,” Mihyun growled as she sat down in one of the empty chairs.

 

“Well someone's in a bad mood,” Mieun commented matter-of-factly, rolling her eyes at her sister's immature behavior.

 

“Whatever,” the younger muttered, and unconsciously pouted.

 

The girls exchanged a look, that look they always have whenever Mihyun is around. That ugh-why-does-Jiho-like-this-grumpy-know-it-all-again look that Mihyun had gotten used to. Jiho liked to ignore it and pretend they were all friends. And Mihyun hated her for that.

 

Suddenly, Yeonju cleared . Mihyun had almost forgotten she was there.

 

“Oh hi!” Mieun said in her annoying “friendly” voice, smiling brightly at the new face.

 

“Yeonju, right?” Jiho asked. “You're the new girl.”

 

“Y- Yeah… I here came with Mihyun-ssi. May I join you?”

 

“Aigoo, so polite… Has my sister scared you?” Mieun joked, causing Mihyun to glare at her.

 

“Er, no, haha,” Yeonju laughed nervously.

 

“Sit down!” Jiho encouraged, smiling her signature charming smile that will calm anyone down and maybe make them just a little bit smitten.

 

“You're so pretty!” Arin squealed, everyone agreeing. And so the conversation was reinvented, this time solely focused on getting to know the new girl.

 

Mihyun felt herself growing smaller, disappearing into her chair. She always felt like this around Jiho’s friends. When her and Jiho were alone, they could talk about anything. They could laugh and be weird and tell each other secrets. But when her friends were there, any of them, it would just get uncomfortable. Jiho would always try to include Mihyun, but she would only be rude back and then Jiho’s friends would give her that look. Today wasn’t any different. And the fact that Yeonju was here too made it even worse. Because even though she didn’t really like Yeonju, there was a part of Mihyun that wanted Yeonju to like her. And she didn’t want her to see her like this. She didn’t want Yeonju to think she was an outcast that nobody liked, no matter how true it was. And what she wanted even less was for Yeonju to end up being another one of them. Another one to bring Mihyun down. Another one to just be put under the category of Jiho’s Friends. Because Yeonju was so much more than that.

 

At some point the conversation shifted to English class, and Mihyun suddenly felt like listening.

 

“Yebin will come over to my place and we’ll finish it then,” Jiho explained, taking a sip from her vanilla bean coffee. “What about you Mimi?”

 

Mihyun got caught of guard. She blinked, realizing everyone was looking at her, expecting an answer. She was about to snap back, say something like “none of your business,” or “don’t call me that,” or “why do you care?” But then she saw that Yeonju was also looking at her. Expecting an answer. Of course she was. She needs to know too. It was also her project after all.

 

They locked eyes.

 

“I don’t know,” Mihyun answered, holding Yeonju’s gaze before looking over to Jiho again.        

 

“Why don’t you come to our place!” Mieun suggested, the question directed at the new girl and not her sister.

 

Mihyun glared at her, trying to explain to her what a stupid idea that was without actually saying it.

 

“S- Sure,” Yeonju answered cautiously.

 

‘Dammit,’ Mihyun internally screamed.

 

And then all eyes were on her again.

 

Mihyun cleared . “Sounds great.”

 

She tried to not sound bitter. She really did.

 

*****

 

A/N:

 

Yay part two is up

 

K imma go and be social now

 

Lol who am i kidding