A/N: Hey, everyone! Just want to give a big thank you to all the people who have subscribed, upvoted, and commented on this fic. I'm always interested to read what you think about each chapter, and it definitely helps me with improving the story. ^^

“Gosh, she looks so good,” Sowon said dreamily under her breath, but loud enough for Umji to hear.

“SinB-unnie looks good?” Umji asked for clarification, surprised to see the taller girl look so head over heals.

“What?!” Sowon’s voice rose as her demeanor contorted with incredulity. “No, Pipsqueak. I’m not talking about Wolfpup. I’m talking about Nayoung.” Cradling her face with her hands, Sowon leaned forward until her elbows touched her thighs. She frowned, longing to be with the girl who may seem stoic and cold on the outside, but inside laid a heart of gold. “I used to call her ‘Sweet Cheeks’ when we were a couple. It's still saved as her name in my contacts.” Sowon sighed before reaching over to take a sip of her soda.

“Sowon-unnie, you shouldn’t be pining over your ex,” Umji advised. “It’s not healthy.”

The older girl breathed out a chuckle. “Are you also a genius in love and relationships, Pipsqueak?”

“No,” Umji replied shyly. “But, maybe your relationship with Nayoung-unnie just wasn’t meant to be, regardless of your… beliefs and standards.” She treaded cautiously, not wanting to bring up the taller girl’s decision of becoming a lone wolf.  

Sowon continued to stare at Nayoung and Jieqiong from afar. Nayoung was talking to a short-haired teammate, probably giving her pointers and words of encouragement. Jieqiong stood right beside Nayoung, an arm casually wrapped around her waist. When the short-haired girl left, Jieqiong whispered into Nayoung’s ear, causing a wide smile to stretch over her round, yet adorable features. Sowon always wondered what her life would be if she never parted with her first love. But, at that moment, she couldn’t deny how happier Nayoung looked with Pinky than when they were still together.

“Perhaps,” Sowon stated in finality, leaning back in the bleacher. She glanced at her watch and released an exaggerated yawn. “For a sport that’s all about speed, you would think they would move along each event more quickly,” she chided.

“The athletes need to prepare themselves, Unnie,” Umji simply commented. “They say that running is twenty percent physical endurance and eighty percent mental endurance. Besides, it’s nice to just be outside and get some fresh air. The last time I’ve been at a sports event like this was when my Oppa played on his high school’s baseball team.”

“I keep forgetting that you have a sibling,” Sowon said, nudging the younger girl’s arm with her elbow. “How much longer does he have until he’s finished with his military service, again?”

“About a year more,” Umji answered. She shifted in her seat, looking over the crowd to get a better view of the track course. Her face brightened when she saw a certain Alpha werewolf walk and position herself on the middle lane. “SinB-unnie’s race is about to start,” Umji excitedly informed as she flipped her notebook to the sign she made and held it up in the air.

The announcer began to read off the names of the girls who were competing in the 400m sprint. Once he got to SinB’s name, Umji waved her sign frantically, hoping to get her friend’s attention. Playing it cool, at first, Sowon decided to join in. She put the tips of her two fingers in and whistled as loudly as she could, causing heads to turn.

SinB was one of the many people to look up in the bleachers. She instantly regretted it, though, when she saw Sowon blow a kiss to her. Eyes diverting to the ground in embarrassment, SinB tried to drive that public display of affection out of her memory.

“Friends of yours?” Eunha, who stood behind SinB in the lane right next to her, asked. Her lips quirked in humor.

SinB looked over her shoulder. “Yep,” she simply replied, teeth clenched as she forced out a smile.

Eunha glanced towards Umji and Sowon’s direction, giggling as she returned her attention to SinB. “They're cute.”

“One of them is cute,” SinB spoke, giving Umji a thumb’s up. “The other one is a pain in my neck.” Eunha laughed, and SinB couldn't help but take note of how adorable it sounded.

Facing forward, SinB rolled her neck one last time before the referee signaled the five runners to get into position. Placing her feet on the starting block and fingertips on the hard, rubber course, SinB could hear the crowd cheering louder in anticipation. Heart thumping anxiously, she closed her eyes, inhaled through her nose, and opened her eyes once more. This was her time. This was her moment. This was her race to win. As soon as the gunshot went off, SinB pushed herself off the ground, freeing her apprehension and fueling her body with adrenaline.

Being on the outer circle, Fantagio High’s Kim Doyeon was automatically in the lead. SinB wasn’t worried, though. She noticed that Doyeon put way too much power and energy in the first 70 meters, which meant that it was only a matter of time until she tires herself out. SinB kept a steady pace, accelerating her speed to match race velocity.  

Finishing the first curve of the track course, SinB went into cruise control mode. She relaxed her arms a bit, careful not to sway them as much which would create unwanted tension in her shoulders. Legs and arms moved in time with each other, and SinB easily speeded to the front of the group. Reaching the next curve, the gray-streak-haired girl decreased her speed and shortened her range of motion just slightly enough to balance out her stamina.

SinB knew that with her werewolf agility, she had the power to beat any Olympic record set out there. She didn’t feel even marginally tired. And, her face barely had a drop of sweat. She could reach the finish line faster than humanly possible. But, despite all these powers, SinB knew it was best to keep herself grounded. It wouldn’t be fair to the rest of her competitors.

In any typical circumstance, SinB would have started to double time her movements and quicken her speed. Arms and legs working like a locomotive. But, she was a good 20 to 30 meters ahead of everyone else. So, she continued to run at a humble pace, pretending to look exhausted to avoid any suspicion. Internally, she was calm and collected, knowing that she had the race in the bag. It seemed all too predictable.

More than midway around the curve, though, SinB heard a dramatic change in the audience’s cheering. She gave her head a quick turn and saw Eunha catching up to her. SinB couldn’t believe it. Did she underestimate her cute and friendly competitor all along? After all, Eunha was from Pledis High. She could be their secret weapon.

With about 150 meters to go, SinB and Eunha were now neck and neck. Afraid that she might just zoom past her rival, SinB gave the crowd a show by continuing to match her speed with the short-haired girl who huffed and puffed with every stride. Seeing Eunha using every bit of energy, though, made SinB consider letting her rival win. No matter much she tried to convince herself otherwise, it was never a fair race to begin with.

Slowing down an increment, SinB allowed Eunha to take the lead. Upon doing so, Navillera High screamed at the top of their lungs, urging her to run faster. But, SinB couldn’t. She felt drained. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. She didn’t want her ego to undermine the chances of winning for all the athletes competing. Athletes who legs were burning, chests were aching, and brows were perspiring. All the while, SinB’s body failed to feel that exertion she had experienced in the past.

It’s not fair, SinB thought, forehead pinched as she argued with herself.

The finish line was just a measly 50 meters away. Breathing becoming heavy, SinB stayed behind Eunha and watched as the Pledis representative made her way to first place. SinB arrived soon after, placing in second. Doyeon was third, Starship High’s competitor made fourth, and Woolim’s runner finished in last.

Members from Pledis High, Nayoung and Jieqiong included, rushed up to Eunha, circling around her in celebration. Standing still with her hands on her knees, SinB met with Eunha’s eyes for a snapshot of a moment. SinB stood up straight and exchanged a congratulatory smile to the girl. Returning the smile, Eunha waved goodbye to SinB as her teammates escorted her back to their station.

SinB exhaled a deep breath. She placed her hands on the back of her head and decided to face the music. While walking to her own team’s spot, SinB kept her gaze to the ground in shame. Once in range, her teammates clapped with less enthusiasm compared to Pledis. Gaining the courage to finally look up, SinB was met with a hoard of moderately happy, yet undeniably disappointed faces.

If she placed second in the 400 meter sprint during her Freshman or Sophomore year, SinB would have been treated with the same fervor as Eunha. But, SinB was no longer at the stage to build a reputation and gain respect by her peers. It was already her Senior year, and during the past three years, she has won plenty awards and has crossed the finish line first plenty of times to demonstrate that she was not only talented, but reliable. A hot shot that would drive the team to success with each race.

They were all depending on her. And, SinB had let them down.

“You still did good out there, SinB,” Coach Kwon spoke, hoping to uplift the mood. “Second is not bad. That Pledis girl was a tough cookie. At least, we now know, so we can work on it for the next track meet.”

Tightly pressing her lips, SinB nodded, sensing that even the Coach had high expectations for her. Slowly walking past her teammates with her chin slumping downward, SinB made her way to the end of the bench in complete avoidance of Yerin and Yuju.

Coach Kwon clapped her hands, perking everyone’s attention. “Alright, girls. Now is not the time to get discouraged. We have the field events underway starting with Yuju and the long-jump. Are you good to go, Yuju?”

Yuju stood up from her seat, back straight and shoulders arched. “I’m ready, Coach,” she declared, tone exuding confidence. “Come on, team. Let’s show what Navillera High is made of!”

“That’s the spirit! All the girls participating, follow Yuju,” Coach Kwon instructed, clapping her hands some more to get the team pumped up.

With half of the team competing in the field events, the other half either followed them to cheer their teammates on or went to the restroom for a break. The only remaining people left on the bench were SinB, sitting at one end and Yerin who sat on the other far end.

In need for some water, SinB got up and walked over to the dispenser which was next to Yerin. She continued to avoid eye contact, but was curious as to why the older girl didn’t leave with the rest of the crowd.

The two kept mum, acting as if they were almost perfect strangers. Taking a swig of the cold water, SinB swished it in before finally consuming it. She flicked the paper cup into the garbage bin, wiped with the back of her hand, and found the courage to look directly at her best friend. SinB was taken by surprise, though, when she realized that Yerin had her eyes glued onto her the whole time.

Quickly and subtly her lips, SinB cleared . “Aren’t you going to watch Yuju?”

Yerin shook her head, expression relaxed. “I’ve watched her plenty of times during practice. I know that she’s going to try her best. Whatever the results are in the end, I’m still going to be proud of her. Just like how I’m proud of you, SinB-ah.” Her eyes and lips reshaped into luminous crescents.

SinB’s heart skipped a beat. There was no way she could restrain herself from Yerin any longer. Without a word, SinB hurriedly sat herself back down on the bench right beside the older girl. Upon doing so, she felt Yerin’s arm drape around her neck, coaxing SinB to rest her head on her shoulder. SinB obliged, not caring how others might perceive it.

SinB took in a deep breath. Along with oxygen and the smell of a variety of food from the snack bar, she also inhaled Yerin’s unique scent. A scent that, even to that day, SinB had trouble finding something to compare it with. She continued to hold her breath until her head became drunk with it. Lightheaded, SinB exhaled all at once before speaking. “I just don't know what went wrong, Yerin-ah. You warned me, though, about Pledis. But, I guess I thought I could just bounce back as if I were invincible.”

SinB wanted to say more. About her powers and her abilities. How it didn’t feel right to take them for advantage. And, most importantly, about being a werewolf. But, it wasn’t the right time and it definitely wasn’t the right place to reveal such things. “I know that you and the rest of the team were counting on me,” SinB softly continued. “Mianhae, if I let you down.”

Yerin leaned her body away, causing SinB to lift her head from the older girl’s very comfortable shoulder. Giving her friend’s  bare forearm a small squeeze, Yerin began to relay some thoughts of her own. “SinB-ah, you have nothing to apologize for. You’ve been working so hard this week. Perhaps, too hard at times with all those laps you did during lunch on Tuesday and running in the rain on Wednesday. But, like Coach said, that new Pledis recruit was totally unexpected. Trust me when I say that you didn’t and have never let me down.”

Sensing that the younger girl still felt guilty, Yerin guided SinB’s head back down on her shoulder before rubbing her arm. “Oh my, SinB-ah,” Yerin cooed like a mom taking care of her child. “You must be so cold. Your skin is covered with goosebumps. Don’t worry. Unnie will warm you up with my body.”

SinB chuckled, amused by how ridiculous and slightly dirty Yerin sounded. But, she did feel a hundred times better than before.

Shy to admit, it wasn’t just the afternoon breeze that made her skin tingle.

After much convincing, SinB reassured Yerin that she was fine if her best friend wanted to watch Yuju’s turn in the long-jump after all. The only one left at their area, SinB made herself comfortable by digging her heels into the dirt and laying her palms on the metal surface of the bench as she viewed from afar.

Even from a good distance, SinB could detect the intense concentration on Yuju’s face. With a blow of the whistle, Yuju began to sprint on the runway, gaining speed. As she reached the end of the runway, she lept at the take off point and soared into the air. Her feet firmly planted in the sand as gravity dragged her along in it. She got out of the pit and dusted the sand off her legs and shorts. A wide smile beamed on her face as if she knew that no other competitor was going to beat her.

And, no one did. But, while Yuju found victory in the long-jump, the rest of Team Navillera failed to revive their winning streak from the first couple of games. Pledis High School dominated the field events. For SinB, it was odd to see a team who floundered and typically placed last in the past reinvent themselves into the most valuable players. Nevertheless, she was happy for them. Especially, Nayoung and Jieqiong who have been on the team since they were Freshmen. They were now Seniors and were going to graduate in the a couple of months just like SinB, Yerin, Yuju, and most of the athletes competing that day. The thought of it made SinB a little saddened inside.

As the field events came to an end, SinB got up and went to the restroom. She had one too many cups of water and could feel her bladder begging for a release. Once finished with her business, she washed her hands and tightened her ponytail. The relay was the last event of the track meet, and SinB wasn’t sure what her motive was going to be when she set foot on the course again. Was she going to disappoint her team for the second time? Or, was she going to blaze to the finish line with the speed of a wolf? Her competitors wouldn’t even stand a chance.

Mind bombarded with questions and conflictions, SinB walked out of the stuffy restroom. She stopped short, though, when she saw Yerin with her back leaning against the rail of the walkway and head bowed in respect of others’ privacy. The older girl carefully looked up, perhaps making sure that she didn’t miss the person she was waiting for. Her lips bloomed into a smile as she caught sight of SinB.

“SinB-ah, you okay?” Yerin asked cheerfully as she stepped closer to her friend.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” SinB assured, though slightly confused. “Is something wrong, Yerin-ah? Is the relay starting soon? I swore that I had enough time before it began.”

“No, SinB-ah, you still have time,” Yerin replied, taking SinB by the hand to calm her down. “I just wanted to see if I could talk to you for a bit.”

Hesitant, SinB stared into the older girl’s eyes that had a twinkle in them and found herself nodding. “Sure,” she spoke, snapping out of her daze. “What is it that you want to talk about?”

Yerin looked around her, leaning closer to SinB to make room for a group of kids who were chasing each other up and down the walkway. “Let’s go somewhere a lot less crowded and a lot more private, first,” she suggested with a small smile.

Tugging SinB’s arm, Yerin directed them to what appeared to be Fantagio High’s school garden. There was a row of cherry blossom trees accompanied by some shrubbery that was covered by delicate flower petals. A miniature water fountain carved out of ivory stood as the garden’s centerpiece. It looked undeniably and awfully romantic for two best friends to be located in. Nonetheless, Yerin led SinB closer to the water fountain.

Standing face to face, Yerin released SinB’s hand and began to fidget with her own. “I know that Yuju told you about how I was anchor last semester and helped win the race in the final track meet. Mianhae for not telling you about it sooner.”

“Why didn’t you?” SinB questioned softly, overwhelmed by the garden’s ambience.

“If I had told you, then you would have expected me to win again in the next track meet,” Yerin justified. “And, if I had been able to participate today and didn’t place first, I wouldn’t have only earned the disappointment of the team but also you.” She frowned, eyes gazing at the cherry blossom petals floating on the water’s surface.

SinB looked down and smiled at the ground. The fear of not living up to expectations and disappointing one another seemed to be a common denominator between the two of them. She stared back at the older girl who anxiously waited for her response.

“Yerin-ah, if you had told me about it first, I would have been proud of you and your accomplishment. And, if you were able to run today but didn’t win, I would’ve still been proud of you. You know why? Because you achieved the goal that you’ve spent hours upon hours, weeks upon weeks, and months upon months working towards to. I may not have been there to witness it with my own two eyes, but that doesn’t change the fact that you did it.”

SinB spoke with so much passion she didn’t know she possessed. It was exhilarating. And, if she hadn’t been constantly reminding herself that Yerin is in a loving relationship, she would have been more than glad to seal her speech with a kiss on the older girl’s lips. SinB may not have gotten the melodramatic kiss underneath the cherry blossoms, but she did get a sweet-as-can-be eye smile from Yerin. Like many times before, SinB’s heart fluttered madly from the sight of it.

“Gomowa, SinB-ah,” Yerin cutely thanked. “We should get going. You’re race is about to start in a couple of minutes.”

Yerin lent out her hand which SinB held onto without a second thought. But, just as they were about to turn to leave, Yerin quickly spun around so that she was facing SinB again. The younger girl’s eyebrows knitted in befuddlement until she felt something warm and soft press on her cheek. Blinking back her disarray, SinB reclaimed her bearings and realized that Yerin had placed her lips on her cheek… to kiss her. The older girl leaned away, releasing the kiss which continued to linger on SinB’s skin. She was stunned, but in the most blissful way possible.

“You’ve seen how lucky my kisses on the cheek are,” Yerin spoke with a self-satisfied grin. “Combine that with your lucky running shoes and you’re practically guaranteed to win, SinB-ah.”

Still at a loss for words, all SinB could do was blink and nod her head. As she and Yerin walked back to the track field hand-in-hand, SinB made up her mind about the relay.

She was going to win. For Yerin.

“Last event of the day,” Coach Kwon said as the team gathered around her. “We had our ups and we had our downs. But, no matter what happens after the relay, I just want to let you girls know that you all did amazing work out there for our first track meet of the semester. Remember, this is only the beginning.” She looked at the four girls who awaited to take their place on the track course. “Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung, Mina, SinB, give it your all out there.”

Nodding their heads, the relay group began to march to their designated spots. Jeongyeon was assigned as the lead-off, Chaeyoung was the second leg, Mina was the third leg, and SinB closed it altogether as the anchor.

Palms already moist, SinB wiped her hands on her shorts. She didn’t feel prepared. Running was one thing, but if she failed to grab the baton, then there was no way of getting back in the good graces of her team. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach uncontrollably.

At about several yards from her position, SinB heard someone call out her name. Looking over her shoulder, SinB frowned when the person turned out to be none other than Yuju.

“Hey, SinB-ssi,” Yuju greeted with a friendly smile. “I couldn't help but notice that your track number is crooked on your singlet.”

SinB looked down and realized that the paper number on her jersey really was starting to tear off from the safety pin fastening. Bringing her hands up to fix it, SinB flinched when Yuju suddenly grabbed her hands before she could do so.

“Here, SinB-ssi, allow me to help you with that,” Yuju insisted as she got nearer to the younger girl's personal space.

SinB tensed up, uncomfortable with how she could feel Yuju breathing on her skin. She always wondered how she wasn't able to discern Yuju’s scent the other day in the locker room. But, with her best friend’s girlfriend in such close proximity to her nose, SinB now knew why. Yuju’s special scent was metal like steel or tin. It made SinB’s teeth cringe as if she were chewing on aluminum foil.

“And… there you go, SinB-ssi,” Yuju happily announced before discreetly placing a small item into the relay runner’s hand.

Brows furrowed, SinB stared at her hand and saw what appeared to be a roll of sticky tape.

“Double-sided,” Yuju added as if she was reading SinB’s mind. “Don't want you to betray the team with your butterfingers.” Taking a step back, she winked at SinB before walking back to the bleachers.

SinB was appalled. She couldn't believe that Yuju insinuated for her to cheat. But, what she couldn't fathom even more was the fact that she almost trusted Yuju, almost saw her as someone that was a good enough partner for Yerin. But, through that devious act, all her negative notions regarding Yuju flooded back into SinB’s brain. Her jaw tightened as the metallic smell lingered on her senses.

Tossing the roll of tape into the nearest trash can, SinB hurriedly jogged to her place on the field. She didn't need to cheat. All she needed to do was to believe in herself.

SinB stood on the middle lane again. On her right was Pledis High’s Im Nayoung, and on her left was Fantagio’s Kim Doyeon. She didn’t recognize the other two competitors from Woolim and Starship. But, they looked younger, probably Sophomores.

Staring at Jeongyeon from afar, SinB could tell that she was nervous, yet resolute. Her hand gripped onto the red baton so tightly that the veins on the back of her hand prominently protruded. The referee raised his gun in the air, pointing the barrel to the yellow-tinted sky.  Pressing the trigger, the gunshot reverberated throughout the stadium. Cheers from the audience intensified as the five, first-leg girls started to sprint around the oval curve of the track course. Head and chest held high as she moved, Jeongyeon was in third when she reached Chaeyoung.

Despite her short stature, Chaeyoung didn’t earn the nickname “baby tiger” for nothing. As soon as the baton landed in her palm, she ran with every ounce of power contained in that small body. Arms and legs moved wildly. Her face contorted with such a determined ferocity that it made Mina smile as she watched her girlfriend speed past Fantagio’s Yoojung. Chaeyoung landed spectacularly in second as she handed the baton to Mina.

The cool and confident Mina wrapped her fingers around the baton and sprinted at a marvelous pace around the second curve. Pushing her arms and legs to sprint even faster, the crowd roared when she managed to run ahead Pledis’ Jieqiong who was previously in first. It didn’t last for long, though, when Jieqiong strided even faster and quicker, taking back her first place position.

Knowing that it was only matter of milliseconds until Mina exchanged the baton to her, SinB took in breath. She rubbed her fingertips together and felt the perspiration accumulate. Being this high-strung reminded SinB of her first track meet when she was only a Freshman. She remembered Yuju whispering something smarmy and bitter to her moments before the race started. But, she didn’t let her rival’s childishness get to her. Because, there was Yerin who came to her rescue with an eye smile and a cheer of glory.

I won’t let you down, Yerin-ah, SinB thought to herself.

SinB looked over her shoulder. Mina was darting towards her, raising her arm with the baton in preparation. Sticking her arm out from behind, SinB slowly revved up her legs as she waited for the inevitable to happen. Afraid that she might jinx her chances, SinB kept her eyes forward. Once she sensed the cold, smooth surface of the baton near her palm, SinB snapped her hand closed.

The baton was securely in her fist.

Relieved, SinB began to run faster and faster until all she could think about was Yerin and the finish line, driving Yuju far away from her mind.

Like a game of chess/ I predict your move

I think I know you better/ Better than you do

I’m sick of feeling cheap/ Cheated and abused

Sick of losing sleep/ Thinking about you

Moving rapidly across the the track course, it wasn’t long until SinB gained momentum. She easily ran past Nayoung, stealing her place in first. Cheers became louder as the audience stood up from their seats to witness SinB dart ahead of her competitors and cross the finish line’s threshold.

“Navillera All-Girls High School finish in first place for the relay.”

For a moment, there was a ringing in SinB’s ear. Like her brain was trying to comprehend everything that just happened. Everything that she did to make it happen. All of her teammates and Coach Kwon ran up to her in a frenzy state of joy and jubilee. Yerin wrapped her arms around SinB’s waist, lifting her friend up and down, causing the younger girl to laugh and smile maniacally. Out of the corner of her eye, SinB could see Yuju clapping and cheering for her. But, behind that world-class smile, SinB sensed that there was a new wall of distrust built between them. She didn’t let it spoil the moment, though.

Her hearing went back to normal at the sound of Sowon’s annoying whistle which seemed to have the ability to break the sound barrier of the stadium. Vision darting to the bleachers, SinB saw Umji waving her sign to and fro with a gigantic smile on her face. The sign no longer read Hwang SinB, Fighting!, though. Instead, it was replaced with a sign that was hastily written in bold, red letters.

Alpha Wolfpup, Fighting!!

“Will you quit playing with the windows, Pipsqueak?!” Sowon exclaimed, distracted by how Umji kept pressing the buttons of the car’s control panel.

“But, I want the windows down,” Umji replied innocently.

“Why would you want the windows down when I already have the air conditioner on?”

“You should really consider not using the car’s air conditioner so much, Sowon-unnie. The late afternoon air is quite refreshing, and you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint.”

Sowon huffed in aggravation. “Fine,” she said in defeat before turning the A.C. off.

Sitting in the backseat of Sowon’s black Camaro, SinB giggled to herself as she watched Umji and Sowon bicker like an old, yet adorable married couple. After the track meet, Sowon offered to give SinB and Umji a ride back home. The Alpha werewolf accepted, knowing that there was no way she could handle being in a contained space with her rival for the thirty-five minute drive back to school. She said her goodbyes to the team, Coach Kwon, and Yerin before entering Sowon’s speed-mobile.

SinB stared out the window, watching as the sun set over the horizon. Thumb tracing on the smooth silver and gold plating of her two medals, SinB’s mind began to wander to that moment when Yerin kissed her cheek. It was short, merely a peck. But, it was the most delightful sensation SinB had experienced in a long time. She couldn’t help but wonder if, perhaps, there was something other than a wish of good luck that compelled Yerin to give her a kiss. Could it be that her best friend really did have feelings for her? Or, did SinB misinterpret the look in Yerin’s eyes the first time they were sitting together on the bench alone? One thing was for sure, though. Yerin was the only one who could make SinB feel like she was floating on Cloud 9 with that simple touch alone.

“Earth to Wolfpup,” Sowon spoke, noticing the distant, yet enamored look on SinB’s face. The younger girl jolted from her daydream, causing Sowon to smirk. “Since you’ve tried your Don Juan approach with Yerin all this week, do you think you have time to visit the ranch tomorrow for some actual training?”

“As long as you supply a private jet for Umji and me,” SinB jested.

“A private jet is a bit out of my budget,” Sowon replied with a cheeky smile. “But, I’ll send my family’s chauffeur to pick the two of you up from your house. Is one in the afternoon okay?”

“I’m free at that time, Sowon-unnie,” Umji answered.

“Cuts into my sleep schedule, but sure,” SinB joked.

The trio were mostly quiet for the duration of the ride. Umji would sometimes make Sowon spell out words in English as a form of tutoring only for the taller girl to stop mid-spell to curse at a driver who cut her off or didn’t use their turn signal to change lanes. SinB was occupied with her thoughts as she mindlessly laced the ribbon of the medals between her fingers.

Sowon arrived at their street corner about ten minutes faster than it would take for the school bus to arrive back to Navillera High. She parked at the curb in front of SinB’s house before taking a glance at her in the rearview mirror. The young werewolf had an apprehensive look on her face as if she didn’t want to leave so soon.

“Nice house,” Sowon said. “Looks cozy.”

“It used to be,” SinB replied solemnly, staring at the unfamiliar car that was parked in their driveway. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion.

“Are you alright, SinB-unnie?” Umji asked, turning her body around to check on the older girl.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” SinB responded, eyes darting back and forth between her two confidants and the car that had its windows tinted too dark for anyone to view inside. But, SinB tried to see the person she knew was waiting at the steering wheel. She tried and tried, but to no avail. Clearing , she laid one hand on the door handle while the other hand grabbed her belongings. “Thanks for the ride, Sowon-ssi. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

SinB forced out a smile to Sowon and Umji before heading out of the car door. Closing it behind her, she traipsed to the gate and unhinged it, eyes never leaving the mysterious car. Slowly walking on the stone path to the entrance, SinB halted when she saw the front door furiously swing wide open. Proceeding it was her dad carrying two large, recklessly packed suitcases.

“And, I never liked your kimchi stew!” he spatted out, slamming the door to shut.

Feet skittering quickly to the silver Sedan on the driveway, SinB’s dad froze at the sight of his daughter. His gaze traveled down to the shiny medals hanging on her neck and his mouth gaped open in guilt.

“Eunbi-ah,” her dad spoke, tone saturated with regret. “M-mianhae for not attending your race today. I see that you won. That’s my girl. I always knew you had it in you.” He smiled at her only to take a quick look back at the house. When he faced her again, his mouth had regressed into an unpleasant frown.“I’m sorry, Eunbi-ah, but I have to go. I can’t stay here. But, I promise that I’ll be back soon.”

Head down, he opened the trunk of the Sedan and placed his bags in the empty compartment. Stepping closer to an immobile SinB, he kissed her forehead before trembling out, “Saranghae.”

SinB watched as her dad entered through the passenger side of the car. For a split second, she caught a glimpse of the driver: a woman with brown, shoulder-length hair and no other distinguishable features.

The car reversed and rolled out the driveway. As it did so, SinB noticed that Sowon and Umji were still parked by her house’s curb. Not wanting to cause a scene, SinB turned away from them. She trudged to the front door with her head held high and her eyes blinking back tears.

Song lyrics used: “I Just Wanna Run” by The Downtown Fiction