Hearing the chair scrap across the floor, Haru came face to face with Jieun as she settled herself at Haru’s desk. 

“What are you doing?”

“The teacher said to find a partner.”

Even so – “Why are you sitting here?”

“Because I want you as my partner.” Jieun responds, not quite catching onto what Haru really meant or maybe she was just disregarding it. The latter seemed more plausible. 

Seeing how silence will not get to the bottom of this, Haru decides to be patient. It was a foreign idea but she thought she will give it a try. To start off – she wanted some answers. “Why do you insist on being around me?” 

“Well –“ Jieun begins while organizing her things on top of Haru’s desks. “I want to become closer to you.”

“Aren’t there other people that would work out better?”

In all honesty, Jieun shakes her head. She already has her heart set on Haru. “Now, why do you keep rejecting me?”

“Because I’ve always been alone.” And in her defense, it has worked out quite nicely. Haru just didn’t play well with others and she knew that much about herself to prevent future troubles by staying away. 

“But now, you don’t have to be anymore.”

“It was a choice.” 

Jieun’s lips twitched as a smile appeared on her lips. “Just give me a chance, Haru.” She says with a slight whine. “I’ll stay out of your way.”

But with her just being here, she’s already in the way. 

To further aid her argument – Haru always had a habit of either turning in her assignments late or never at all. Today, with Jieun’s stubborn insistence, she turned in her finished assignment at the end of the class period. It was a new record. Even as she handed it in, both her teacher and herself had a look of confusion on their faces. 

With a shrug, Haru left the classroom to go to her next period class. 

Unfortunately for her, Jieun was in this one as well. 

***

“Haru, do you know why I’m happy?”

Staring back at her guidance counselor, Haru grimaced in response – she wasn’t sure if that was sarcasm or not. Mr. Jung never keeps her back after school to meet at the end of the day. When things are out of the norm, it usually means big trouble. 

“I’m not sure.” She ends up responding knowing fully well that whatever he wanted to scold her about will happen in just a mere few seconds. It was easier to accept it and move on.

“I heard…” His tone starts off soft. “From your first period teacher that you turned in your assignment right after class.”

Why does he know about that already? It’s only just been hours since. “…Yeah.”

“That is – “ He couldn’t even finish his thought. “I am so proud of you.”

Haru pressed her lips together while her hand reached up to scratch her head. She didn’t know what to say. She was never in a situation where those words were uttered to her. “Really?”

“Yes, really!” Mr. Jung grins wildly. 

“Well, then.” Haru couldn’t help smiling in response. 

“Did something happen?” He questions with his eyes wide with excitement. 

“I wouldn’t say that. There’s this girl, Jieun?” Haru watches for his expression while she spoke. “She’s kinda glued to me.” Her sentence ended off in more of a question form and that is how Haru felt about it. It was just strange. 

“Jieun? Song Jieun?”

“To be honest, I don’t really know her full name.” She barely memorized her first name.

“If we’re talking about the same person, then I’m not worried.”

Haru wanted to ask why and Mr. Jung probably saw it on her face.

“Jieun is first in your grade.”

“First?”

“In grades – she has the highest grade out of all the students in your grade.”

Hiding the sudden confusion that washed over her, Haru managed a smile for the sake of her guidance counselor. “I didn’t know.”

“Well, I’m not surprised.” He clears his throat before reaching his hand out to pat her on the head. “But, keep up the good work. I’m also glad you’re surrounding yourself with good people.”

People? She wouldn’t say people. But, like she always done in order to not drag this meeting out longer than it should, she nods her head wordlessly. 

With a smile, Mr. Jung spins around towards his desk and the action leads to knocking over a small pile off of his desk and spilling it to the floor. Haru and Mr. Jung both reached for them. Picking up a pink envelop, she was quick to notice it was a love letter. His name drawn on it so intricately and along with the hearts – it was easy to say so. 

Handing it back to him, Mr. Jung takes it gratefully. 

Shifting her eyes back on the messy heap on his desk, she sees the same design – well, it must be from the same person.