A/N: Hey, everyone! I cannot stop apologizing for another late update. I’ve been preoccupied with my summer classes among other things. But, here it is! Again, thank you to all the new subscribers, thank you to all those who’ve upvoted this fic, and thank you for all the lovely comments. ^^

One more thing. I'm thinking about using either AFF’s story feed or the regular feed feature to give updates on my writing and perhaps share my thought processes. If you guys have any preferences, please let me know :)

“I can’t believe your parents are selling the house,” Yerin said as SinB closed her bedroom door.

The older girl examined the area. The once semi-tidy living space now overflowed with brown, cardboard boxes and plastic storage containers. And, the walls that used to be lined with Big Bang posters and childhood photos were now completely empty.

When Yerin first called SinB that Sunday afternoon, she was hoping that they could hang out at the park and catch up on each other’s lives. Perhaps, get something to eat. But, when SinB informed her of the chaos that ensued Friday night concerning her parents, Yerin dropped those plans and walked over as fast as she could to check on her best friend.

SinB’s mom was the one who opened the front door, letting her in. Behind the woman’s vacant smile, Yerin could see the pain and sadness in her eyes. How Yerin wished she had the right words to say to comfort the aging mother. Words always came natural to her when she would console SinB in the past. But, Ms. Hwang was a different case. This was a woman who gave up a part of herself to be with the person who she loved, only for that person to break her heart. Yerin felt more than sorry for Ms. Hwang. As SinB came downstairs to fetch her, Yerin relayed the warmest, empathetic smile she could.

“Turns out they’ve been planning to sell it for awhile,” SinB spoke, stepping over boxes to get to the other side of the room.  She proceeded to draw back the blinds of the window, allowing some sunlight to enter. “I guess they didn’t have the heart to tell me when I returned from the States. But, with everything that’s going on, they should've in the first place. Now, I have to pack up what I just unpacked several weeks ago.”

“Well, I’m here to help, SinB-ah,” Yerin responded with an encouraging smile. “Where should we start?”

“I want to focus on, at least, clearing off the shelves today,” SinB answered, walking closer to Yerin and placing a gigantic box between them. “We have to move out within three weeks, so time is on the short side.”

The two got on their knees and began to remove the books, magazines, and comics that were on the bottom of the four-story bookcase. They worked in tandem with Yerin taking the item off the shelf and SinB placing it in the box. Occasionally, SinB’s fingers would brush with Yerin’s. The gesture was innocent and absolutely accidental. But, it didn't stop SinB from submerging her face deeper into the box to conceal the slight blush on her cheeks.

After several minutes of working in silence, Yerin side-eyed SinB who paused briefly to tie her hair into a ponytail. “Where are you and your parents going to live?” Yerin asked before tucking a fly-away strand of hair behind her own ear.

Attention focused on organizing the box's contents, SinB refrained from facing Yerin as she answered. “My Appa came by this morning and asked if I wanted to stay at his new condo with his girlfriend. I declined. I rather go with my Umma and crash on the couch in my aunt’s apartment. Even if the place is out of walking distance and much farther away from school.”

“Does your aunt have any children?” Yerin prodded, handing SinB the next hardcover Harry Potter novel to get packed.

“Nope,” SinB replied. She looked up and instantly connected with her best friend's eyes. A smile naturally bloomed on her lips. “Except for a couple of Pomeranians.” The both of them exchanged a round of giggles before returning to the task.

Back and forth. Back and forth. The bottom shelf was looking more and more decluttered while the cardboard box got fuller. Yerin relayed SinB the last item from the shelf: a worn out, storybook filled with fables and nursery rhymes. With the glue of the spine losing its holding power, some of the pages escaped from the binding and fell to the ground. Among them was an illustration of Little Red Riding Hood walking through the woods to visit her grandmother’s cottage. But, following and watching her closeby was a large, hideous wolf. SinB quickly snatched the picture and randomly placed it back into the book.

“I never really liked Little Red Riding Hood growing up,” SinB attempted to explain her impulsive action. “I mean, the wolf eats her grandmother. What the heck is that suppose to teach me as a kid?”

Yerin lightly chuckled. In an attempt to hide her embarrassment, SinB stood up, pushed the current box aside, and grabbed an empty one for the next tier of the shelf which contained her movie and music collection. Before she settled back on the floor, SinB was surprised to see Yerin standing up as well.

“Yerin-ah, is something wrong?” SinB asked, eyebrows shifting in a perplexed manner.

“No, SinB-ah,” Yerin reassured with a small smile and a shake of the head. Her eyes wandered around the bedroom with its nostalgic possessions slowly vanishing. Inside, Yerin couldn’t help but feel saddened. Still, she lifted the corners of her lips and faced SinB. “But, I was thinking… instead of you moving farther away, maybe I can convince my parents for you to live at our house. It is our Senior year, and I hate to see you struggling to come to school five out of the seven days in a week. Not to mention track practice. It’ll probably be night by the time you arrive at your aunt’s apartment.”

SinB pursed her lips, fighting the urge to smile. If circumstances were different, she would have agreed without any problem. But, there was a problem, or more so, problems. Secretly being in love with Yerin was one thing, but being a werewolf and living under her best friend’s roof would certainly bring some unwarranted situations. What was she going to do if there was a full moon? Or, even worse. What was she going to do when she’s… in heat? SinB gulped as she thought about her and Yerin alone together in the older girl’s room. No parents. No pesky people to bother them. There was no way that she could control herself in a situation like that.

“SinB-ah, your face is getting red. Are feeling ill?” Yerin asked in genuine concern, stepping closer to the younger girl.

“No! No, not at all,” SinB replied, taking a step backward before she became high on Yerin’s scent. She bit on her bottom lip, hoping to calm down and quell her frustration. “I appreciate the offer, Yerin-ah. And, your house is practically a second home to me. I have my own toothbrush in your bathroom, for heaven’s sake.” SinB grinned. Yerin laughed. “But, I think it’s best to be with my Umma and give her emotional support.”

Yerin cordially smiled as she nodded. “I understand, SinB-ah. Just know that you're always welcomed to sleep over if it gets too difficult to make the journey back.”

“Gomowa,” SinB thanked, eyes shyly diverting to the ground. When she returned her gaze back to Yerin, though, SinB had to do a double take.

The older girl stood directly in front of the window. Rays of sunlight illuminated around her body, capturing every curve and making her appear angelic. Ethereal. Much too perfect for this world. Quickly, SinB reverted her attention down to the empty box. She shuffled closer to the shelf, drumming her fingers along the edge.

“Anyway,” SinB spoke with an animated jump to her tone, “I’m thinking about giving away some of my DVDs or maybe just sell them at a pawn shop…”

“Omo!”

Surprised by the older girl’s sudden exclamation, SinB looked up and saw that Yerin was striding towards her closet. She curiously watched as her best friend got on her tiptoes to reach for an item that was on the top shelf. Yerin disappeared momentarily, only to come back holding a large, stuffed toy.

“I haven’t seen Umphant for ages!” Yerin said gleefully, squeezing the plush baby elephant with all her might.

The toy elephant, or Umphant as SinB named it when she was eight-years-old, was a Christmas present given by her grandparents. SinB adored it. She would carry it on her back wherever she went around the house. All of the countless adventures she and Yerin had with it during playtime. And, there was never a night when SinB didn’t curl herself between the arms of her precious Umphant. But, as the years flew by, SinB began to play with it less and less until, one day, she lost interest in the elephant altogether. It’s strange how the things we love today can be easily tossed aside the next day. Perhaps, that’s just the effects of growing up.

“Why do you have it stowed away in your closet?” Yerin asked, traipsing closer to SinB before using Umphant’s trunk to playfully hit her best friend’s arm.

“I keep a lot of things closeted,” SinB murmured, half glad to see that Yerin probably didn’t hear her as she was too preoccupied with the toy.

Seeing Umphant after all these years was like crossing paths with an old friend whose kinship ended on bad terms. She felt guilty for abandoning it, but always hoped for the day when she became courageous enough to relive that part of her past. Slightly peeved at how Yerin was hogging the cutest plush animal in the whole world, SinB yanked it out of the older girl’s arms. She stared into Umphant’s round, beady eyes before hugging it lovingly.

“Remember when we used to play safari?” Yerin reminisced. “We would help Umphant escape from hunters. And, once we did, we kept it as our pet and fed it marshmallows.”

“Yeah, but I preferred playing mad scientist over at your house,” SinB added. “I always tried to dissect your Jibang while Umphant served as my trusty assistant.” She smiled mischievously while fiddling with the elephant’s floppy ears.

Yerin pouted. “And, thankfully, I rescued Jibang before you ever could.” She snatched Umphant out of SinB’s grasp before turning away from the younger girl. “It was nice seeing you, again, Umphant,” Yerin spoke, cadence filled with aegyo. She the plush toy’s soft exterior before settling it down on the bed.

Those were the days, SinB thought.  How she missed being a kid and not having to worry about making tough decisions like which parent to live with? Or, when’s the right time to tell her best friend in the universe that her girlfriend is cheating on her?

Last night, SinB ran all the way to Navillera High School. She dove into the bushes, desperately trying to ease her hostility. Music was turned up to the maximum volume, but not even that was enough to extinguish her fury of emotions. After angrily hitting her head against a tree several times, SinB submitted to the monster that tried to break loose. She was able to gain control of herself, though, and shifted back to her human state when her heart rate returned to normal.

Not coming home until way past midnight, SinB was worried that her Umma might have been waiting up for her. But when she entered through the front door, SinB was relieved to see that her mom and aunt had fallen asleep on the couch after a Descendants of the Sun marathon.

Collapsing on her bed that night, the dreaded memory of Yuju and Eunha passionately kissing was stuck on repeat. But, even with Yerin currently standing right in front of her, SinB found it difficult to tell her best friend about Yuju’s infidelity. It wasn’t like she had any proof. And, besides she didn’t want to spoil the mood. Not when she needed Yerin more than ever. SinB made up her mind on one thing, though. Tomorrow, she was going to confront Yuju.

Choi Yuju, the girl who doesn’t deserve Yerin’s affection. Doesn’t deserve Yerin’s love.

With the older girl’s backside still facing her, SinB felt compelled to do something that she normally wouldn’t do: be the one to initiate physical contact. Slowly, she moved closer to Yerin. Holding her breath, SinB guided her arms between Yerin’s limbs and wrapped them around her waist. The older girl tensed up, but only for a second, allowing SinB to slowly exhale while relaxing her body against Yerin’s.

Settling her chin on the girl’s shoulder, SinB pressed her lips together, unsure what would come out once she opened them. “Yerin-ah,” she spoke quietly, “promise me that we’ll always be best friends.” Anxiety building up, SinB gulped. “Please.”

Yerin grazed her fingertips over SinB’s hands that laid above her stomach. “SinB-ah,” she said, matching the same, hushed volume, “we’ll always be best friends. Promise.”

SinB didn't want to go to school that Monday morning. She felt empty. Almost as empty as the bookcase in her room that was now absent of any memorabilia of her youth.

Body still numbly laying in bed, SinB stared at her bedroom ceiling and went over the mental checklist that consumed her thoughts. One, actually eat breakfast with her mom. Two, kiss her mom on the cheek and tell her how much she loves her before leaving for school. Three, inform Sowon about what happened Saturday night. Four, ask Umji for advice and disregard Sowon’s opinion on the matter. Five, try not to do anything drastic to Yuju during school hours. And, six, calmly and rationally confront Yuju and convince her to tell Yerin. Her best friend deserves to know the truth. If Yuju objected to confess her sins, then SinB will gladly be the one to do so.

Currently walking through the busy hallways, SinB felt slightly moderately hopeful for the day ahead. She proudly accomplished her first two tasks by spending some quality time with her Umma. Part of her felt guilty for not being able to see the signs earlier. And, though she still loves her Appa, his actions created a riff in her perception of him that will take time to mend. But, nothing made SinB’s heart rejoice when she noticed a sparkle in her Umma’s tired eyes. An indication that things were going to be alright.

As SinB made her way to her locker, she noticed a buzz generating between students as she passed them by. It reminded her when she first introduced the “new and improved, girl-crush” SinB a week ago. People stared at her in awe, though she wasn’t entirely sure for what purpose. That was until a certain “ex-flame” stepped away from the sidelines and approached her.

“Hey, SinB-ssi,” Dahyun greeted with a smile that made her cheeks extra pinchable. “Sana and I went to watch the track meet last Friday to cheer on Tzuyu. But, we ended up getting super excited when it was your turn for the relay. You did really great out there.”

Slightly surprised by the compliment, SinB sheepishly smiled. “Thanks, Dahyun-ssi.”

“Great? More like amazing,” Sana quickly added, linking her arm with Dahyun’s. “Seriously, SinB-ssi, you looked so cool with your highlights flowing through the air as you ran.” She reached over to comb her fingers through a lock of SinB’s hair.

Shy smile still intact, SinB couldn’t help but blush from the various words of flattery. “Thank you, Sana-ssi.” A slight awkwardness filling the air, SinB rubbed her neck as she tried to find an excuse to leave. “Well, I need to go grab some stuff from my locker. It was nice talking to you two. Thanks for the support, again.”

“SinB-ssi, Fighting!” the Dubu and Shiba Inu couple exclaimed in unison before waving goodbye.

Glancing at the other students she passed, SinB also saw them display a small gesture of congratulations towards her. Though she was no stranger to this sort of attention after a game, it’s been awhile since she felt the encouragement of her classmates. And, after everything that was happening in her personal life, SinB definitely needed something to take her mind off it. Perhaps, today was actually going to go as planned.

Hooking her thumbs on the straps of her backpack, SinB was just a few yards away from her locker when suddenly her nose picked up on a strange, yet familiar clash of fragrances. One smelled sweet and pure while the other was oddly wild and untamed. Just when SinB was about to have an epiphany, the supply closet door swung opened as a pair of hands grabbed her arm and pulled her inside the dark room.

The door swiftly shut to a close and SinB could hear the bolt of the lock turn. Without warning, the lights came back on and she was face-to-face with a smirking Sowon who had her arms crossed, guarding the door. That was expected. But, what made SinB’s eyes widen in complete disbelief was that Umji, her friendly neighborhood pal, was also in her presence.

“Well, well, well,” Sowon abruptly spoke, causing SinB to flinch. “Pipsqueak informed me of the dirty details, yesterday. Seems like Yuju, the snake, strikes again. I have to say, I’m not surprised that a two-face like her is cheating on your B.F.F.”

“SinB-unnie, I saw Yerin-unnie walking out of your house last night,” Umji informed. “Did you tell her?”

SinB let out a deep sigh as she stepped into the dim corner of the small space. “No. I wanted to. Badly. But, I couldn’t. My heart couldn’t reveal those things to her just yet. I’m planning on talking to Yuju today, though. And, if she doesn’t want to tell Yerin, then I have no choice.”

“You’re in luck, Unnie,” Umji said. “After you left on Saturday, I managed to film Yuju’s debauchery on my phone. Unfortunately, it fell into a puddle while I was walking home. I sealed it in a bag of rice to soak up the moisture. Hopefully, it’ll be able to function when I take it out today.”

“That’s great Umji-ya,” SinB responded half-heartedly. “But, I think we should save the video evidence as a last resort. If Yuju really cares about Yerin, then she’ll tell her. Either way, I know that Yerin will break up with Yuju.”

“If Yuju really cared about Yerin, then she wouldn’t have done the deed at all. Want my advice?” Sowon asked rhetorically. “Don’t tell Yerin. Let her find out for herself. She’s not the first person to be cheated on, and she’s definitely not the first person to get her heartbroken. Look at the facts, Wolfpup. After everything you did with your hair, your clothes, and rejoining the track team, Yerin still hasn’t shown any true sign of interest towards you. If she would rather be with that great, deceitful Yuju, then so be it.”

Like venom burning through her skin, SinB felt the pain of Sowon’s words. But, unlike in the past, she wasn’t going to let the taller girl get away with talking smack about her best friend. In a blink of eye, SinB had Sowon pinned behind the metal rack of toiletries and cleaning supplies. She slammed her forearm against the older girl’s neck, choking her mercilessly.

“Why can’t you just shut up for once, Sowon?” SinB fumed through clenched teeth, eyes smoldering with red. “Why must everything you say be so condescending and hateful?”

Sowon dug her nails into SinB’s arm, desperately trying to loosen the Alpha wolf’s grip. Despite her efforts, SinB was much too strong and Sowon was starting to feel lightheaded.

Momentarily shocked by her friend’s unforeseeable, violent behavior, Umji’s fight instincts kicked in. With tightened fists, she began to repeatedly punch SinB’s arms. Her weak jabs weren’t enough, though. Worried for both SinB and Sowon’s safety, Umji decided to jump on the young werewolf’s back. She bounded her arms around SinB’s neck, hoping that her friend would grow fatigue. But, it only made SinB more angry.

“SinB-unnie, this isn’t you,” Umji said, trying to do anything in her power to stop the chaos. “Don’t let the ferocity in you consume you like this.”

SinB grunted as she crushed her arm into Sowon’s neck with a greater force, eliciting a gasp from the older girl. Sensing SinB’s stubbornness, Umji decided to take it up a notch.

“You leave me no choice, Unnie,” the Sophomore whispered.

Unwrapping one arm, Umji pushed away the mess of hair that surrounded the side of SinB’s face. She opened as wide as she could and chomped on the tip of SinB’s ear.

“AH!” the Alpha werewolf hissed in pain, releasing her hold on Sowon.

Umji slid off of SinB’s back, placing herself in front of Sowon to assist the worn out girl. Huffing and puffing for oxygen, the Beta wolf massaged her neck while holding onto Umji for support. The two stared at SinB whose eyes slowly regressed from a violent red to a normal shade of brown.

“M-mianhae, SinB-unnie,” Umji timidly apologized. “I was just trying to stop you from hurting Sowon-unnie.”

Head hanging down, SinB closed her eyes as she rubbed her forehead. “No. Thank you, Umji-ya,” she replied quietly. Releasing a shaky stream of breath, SinB leaned her back against the wall before slowly flickering her attention to the pair. “I don’t know what overcame me. It was like I lost myself for a moment.”

“This is why I’ve been so hard on you, Wolfpup,” Sowon spoke in a raspy, low tone. “Why I keep telling you to focus. The control you have on your inner werewolf is diminishing.” Arms firmly crossed, she cautiously hobbled nearer to SinB. “I can tell you shifted that night after catching Yuju in the act. All that pain and turmoil in your heart had to go somewhere. So, instead of taking it out on Yuju, you went to the school and put all that aggression in the harm of two innocent, stray cats.”

SinB’s eyebrows knitted in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t remember?” Sowon asked, sounding genuinely confounded. “I arrived to school a bit early today and heard Coach Kwon scream from the track field. When I went to check it out, I saw the corpse of two kitties being disposed in a large trash bag by the groundskeeper. After Umji told me about what happened, I figured that you were the one responsible.”

“I… I don’t remember doing that,” SinB responded, forehead crinkling as she shook her head. “I mean, I did run to school and shifted into a werewolf that night. But, after blowing off some steam, I transformed back and walked home. I don’t recall having any blood on me, not even on my tastebuds.”

“Maybe something else was responsible for those cats’ deaths,” Umji pleaded for SinB’s innocence.

“Perhaps. Perhaps, it’s an indication that Wolfpup’s condition is getting worse,” Sowon refuted. “First, it’s harmless animals. But, the next time you go crazy like that, you might be putting a human being’s life in danger, Wolfpup.” Arms falling to her side, Sowon left out the door with a disgruntled thud.

SinB stared at the ground, unsure what was becoming of her. She was scared. Frightened. Soon enough, the words she feared echoed in her mind.

I’m a monster.

With her head drooping downward, SinB took several steps toward Umji. She got on her knees in front of the younger girl and began to sob. Sympathetic, Umji stooped to the ground and cradled SinB in her arms until the bell for first period rang.

At lunch, SinB entered the cafeteria and saw Yerin sitting at their usual table. The older girl was alone, probably waiting for either SinB or Yuju to accompany her before eating. Yerin casually turned around, gaze quickly meeting with SinB’s. A cheerful eye smile formed on her best friend’s face, causing SinB’s heart to palpitate. Briskly walking to the area, SinB took a seat in front of Yerin.

“SinB-ah, where were you this morning?” Yerin asked. “I was waiting by your locker to surprise you with this.” Sliding her lunch box in front of the younger girl, she proceeded to it before lifting the flap open. “Ta-da! Cheese kimbap, your favorite. I made it myself last night.” She grinned proudly.

Taking in a deep breath, SinB forced out a wide smile. “Thanks, Yerin-ah. But, you shouldn’t have put in the effort for me.”

Lips regressing back to neutral, Yerin stared at SinB suspiciously. “You don’t like it?”

SinB’s eyes grew wide. Of course, Yerin would be the one to see right through her façade. “No, it’s just… I’m not as big of a fan of cheese kimbap as I used to be.”

Ever since Saturday night, just the thought of the ex-favorite-snack made SinB’s stomach churn. There were too many unwanted memories tied to it, now. And, it was all because of Yuju’s lying, cheating heart.

“Oh,” Yerin uttered. “That’s okay. I brought some other food you can munch on.” She began to rummage through the contents of her lunch, setting the tupperware container of cheese kimbap to the side.

“It’s fine, Yerin-ah,” SinB assured. “I don’t have much of an appetite at the moment.”

In the inner pocket of her leather jacket, SinB felt her phone vibrate, signaling a new text message. She fished it out and saw that the sender was none other than Sowon.

Wolfpup, I’m skipping out on lunch. Word in the halls, there’s a pop quiz for my English class. I wrote a note for Umji to be excused so she could assist me with a last minute study session. You could join us in the library if you want. The more help, the merrier. It’ll be for the best, too. If you can barely control your temper around me, then I hate to see what you’ll do when Yuju shows up…

“Who’s the text from?” Yerin asked before taking a bite of the kimbap.

SinB hurriedly placed the phone back into her pocket. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to lessen her anxiety and worry. Clearing , SinB spoke. “It’s Sowon. She won’t be able to join us for lunch. She’s studying for her English quiz.”

“That’s too bad,” Yerin commented. “How are things going with you and Sowon-ssi? I couldn’t help but notice the flying kiss she sent you from the bleachers on Friday before your sprint.” A suggestive smirk stretched on her lips.

“We’re… fine,” SinB answered, doing very little to convince her best friend. In all honesty, SinB was tired of pretending that she and Sowon were in a relationship. She exhaled in exasperation. “Actually, I think the both of us are better off as friends. Besides, Sowon kind of has her sight set on someone else.”

“Aww, SinB-ah. I’m sorry to hear that,” Yerin relayed her sympathy as she placed her hand on top of SinB’s. “First, Dahyun. And, now, Sowon. When are the girls of Navillera High going to see how wonderful of a person you are?”

SinB knew her cheeks were heating up, but she didn’t mind. And, she definitely didn’t mind the comforting warmth that emitted from the older girl’s palm. Though Yuju was the last thing SinB wanted to talk about at that moment, she needed to know what other things her foe potentially lied about.

“I’m not that great, Yerin-ah,” SinB humbly dismissed. “Anyway, did you and Yuju do anything fun on the weekend?”

Yerin teetered her head, recalling how she spent the past few days. “We hanged out a bit after the track meet. She treated me to ice cream and a light stroll in the park. On Saturday, I invited her over to my house for a movie date, but she canceled last minute. She told me that her grandfather’s cancer was in remission and that she wanted to visit him. I asked if I could go with her and meet the beloved family member. But, she explained that it would be better if I got to meet him when he’s out of the hospital.”

“She’s still keeping her family situation away from you?” SinB questioned, thumb lightly the back of Yerin’s hand.

“I tried to convince Yuju,” Yerin added. “But, she kept on insisting.” Eyes darting from her lunch box to SinB’s brown eyes, Yerin retracted her hand away. “Do you think the problem is me, SinB-ah?” She stared down at her worn out tennis shoes. “Maybe the reason why Yuju doesn’t want me to meet her family is because she’s secretly ashamed of me. That I won’t live up to her family’s expectations.”

“If you think the problem has to do with social status like in dramas, Yerin-ah, I sincerely doubt it,” SinB replied. She noticed that Yerin was nervously nibbling on her bottom lip. As adorable as she looked, SinB knew that the older girl was seriously worried, and she would do anything to cheer her up. “Maybe Yuju is having difficulty seeing that the best girl in the world is right in front of…”

SinB paused as she spotted Yuju approaching Yerin from behind. Wearing her letterman’s jacket and the gold medal she won on Friday, Yuju pantomimed for SinB to not acknowledge her. She proceeded to remove the medal from her neck, draping it down for Yerin to wear. Yerin’s eyes cutely bugged out for a moment as she looked down at the shiny, gold-plated award, and then up to meet Yuju’s charming grin.

Taking a seat next to Yerin, Yuju placed a quick, yet tender kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek. “Hey, babe. I missed you all weekend. I’m sorry that things didn’t go as planned. But, I promise that I’ll make it up to you.” Wrapping an arm around Yerin’s shoulders, Yuju leaned closer so that their foreheads were touching.

SinB wanted to pummel Yuju. She despised everything about her. And, now, with Yuju’s cringeworthy, metal scent poisoning the air, SinB wished that she was anywhere but the cafeteria. As much as she wanted to swing at the star student’s face, SinB held herself together by the grace of music.

Just like a politician, always playing to the crowd

Changing his position, whatever to be crowned

“It’s okay, Yuju-ah,” Yerin replied. Pressing her lips together, she quickly glanced at SinB who had her earbuds in, giving the couple privacy. “Your grandfather must be doing well for you to be this upbeat.”

Yuju’s happy expression slowly died down as she eased away from Yerin. “Yeah. He is,” she simply stated. “I told him about you, Yerin-ah. And, he’s very excited to meet you once the hospital releases him.”

I bet he is, SinB thought, scrolling through her music library. And, while Yerin and Grandfather Choi chat, I’m sure Yuju will use the opportunity to continue her cheating ways.

After giving Yerin a chaste kiss on the lips, Yuju greeted and smiled at a stone-cold silent SinB. “Annyeong, SinB-ssi. I hope your day is going well, so far.” The girl simply nodded before returning her gaze to her phone. Frowning in confusion, Yuju took notice of Yerin’s lunch and grinned once more. “Ooo, cheese kimbap. I love these things.”

SinB rolled her eyes, mustering all the self-restraint she had.

“Okay, Sowon-unnie. You’re next word is thief,” Umji said, stacking the flashcard with the rest of the pile.

The tall and short pair were in the library, secluded behind rows of bookcases. Though Umji was quite pleased to miss out a day of P.E., she couldn’t help but wonder if there was another reason for the older girl’s excuse to meet each other.

Posture slouched and elbow on the table as she rested her head in her hand, Sowon looked bored. “Can you use it in a sentence?” she asked lethargically while twirling her pencil.

“The police caught the thief who robbed the jewelry store,” Umji spoke in English, making up a sentence for the older girl.

Sowon sat up straight, trying to regain focus. “Thief,” she repeated, forehead creasing as she used her brainpower to think of the correct spelling. “T-H-E-I-F.”

Umji shook her head. “Close, Unnie, but not quite. Remember: ‘I’ before ‘E’, except after ‘C.’”

Sowon strained her eyes, feeling twice as confused before the hint. “T-H-C-E-I-F?”

“No,” Umji admitted regretfully.

“N-O. Let’s take a break,” Sowon gave up, throwing her pencil onto the table. Running her fingers through her hair, there was no doubt that she was growing irritated of her capabilities. Or, more so, lack thereof. “I don’t even know why learning English is a requisite. In my opinion, Spanish is a far more fundamental language to learn in this day and age.”

Sowon stared at Umji who was preoccupied with organizing the deck of flashcards. “The name of my family’s company, Deseo Industries, is derived from a Spanish word,” Sowon explained. "People commonly mispronounce it in the Korean way as ‘De-So.’ But, it’s actually suppose to be pronounced as ‘De-Say-Oh.’ It’s Spanish for wish, but it can also mean desire. My great grandmother was the one who came up with the name after a trip to Spain.” Eyes locked on the cute Sophomore, Sowon leaned on her elbow with her chin in her hand as before. “What’s your desire, Pipsqueak?”

Umji’s eyes grew wide for a second. She looked up at Sowon who had a smug and oddly flirtatious smile on her face. Relaxing her tense shoulders, Umji carried on with rearranging the deck of cards. “My desire is to help you pass your English class so you can graduate, Sowon-unnie.”

“How altruistic,” Sowon chided. She smirked upon noticing how flustered the young girl appeared. “But, come on, Pipsqueak. Don’t you have a crush on anyone in this school?”

Knowing that Sowon wouldn’t let the topic slide, Umji stopped fiddling with the cards before exhaling a breath of annoyance. “Not really. Everyone is either taken or complete jerks without reason.”

Sowon knitted her eyebrows. “What do you mean by that?” she asked, tone serious and indignant. Umji kept silent. Shifting her posture, Sowon inclined closer. “Have people been bothering you, Pipsqueak?”

Umji gulped as she sensed Sowon’s gaze fixated on her. Refraining from making eye contact with the gorgeous girl, she kept her head down as she spoke. “There’s this group of girls who have been… teasing me ever since I did my book report on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein last semester. My literature teacher said it was really good, so she had me read my essay aloud to the class. I wrote about how I sympathized with Dr. Frankenstein’s monster and how he was misunderstood and just wanted people to treat him like anyone else. How he wanted someone to love him despite his many physical flaws.”

Umji cautiously tilted her head upwards to check if the older girl was still listening. To her relief, she was. Like a faithful K9 companion, Sowon sat quietly with a nonjudgmental expression.

Umji darted her eyes back down to a random spot on the table before she continued to speak. “From then on, the group’s leader decided to pick on me. I wasn’t able to make any friends. Until SinB-unnie and you came along, of course. But, it was quite a lonely semester.”

Sowon slowly leaned away from Umji and settled back into the chair. She opened to speak, but soon closed it as if reconfiguring her response. When she was confident enough, Sowon looked into Umji’s round eyes. “Pipsqueak, don’t you ever let those jerks tease or mess around with you again. If they do, you tell me.”

Umji stared at her in confusion. “Why, unnie?”

“Because that’s what friends do.”

Throughout the day, SinB found herself continuously checking the time. Whether it be on her phone or on the wall clock in each classroom, it became a necessity for her to see how much time had passed from one moment to the next. Every second, every minute, and every hour that ticked away brought her closer to the point in which she could confront Yuju.

SinB wanted to approach her best friend’s soon-to-be ex-girlfriend in a civilized manner. She didn’t want to make the situation worse than it already was. Nonetheless, SinB was worried. Worried that her plan would take a wrong turn. Worried that she might lose control of her werewolf counterpart again like in the morning.

The school day sped away and SinB took all the precautions she could manage before track practice. Constantly, she listened to music, rummaged through all the pictures of her and Yerin that she captured on her phone, and tried to avoid Yuju at all costs.

Once practice began, SinB was thankful that Coach Kwon instructed them to run a mile as a warm up. She needed to release some stress. But, with all her teammates around, SinB knew she had to hold herself back from reaching full velocity. So, she decided to jog behind Yuju who was at the very front. SinB increased her speed. Soon enough, she matched with Yuju’s pace and the two of them were at an equal distance away from the finish line. SinB could tell that Yuju was struggling to keep up. But, unlike at the track meet, SinB refused to let the other girl win.

Working her arms and legs faster, SinB crossed the finish line with barely any perspiration on her forehead. Yuju, on the other hand, grunted in disappointment as she placed second. A sly smirk etched on SinB’s demeanor.

“SinB and Yuju finishing the mile with excellent times? Why am I not surprised?” Coach Kwon jested. “Since it’s going to take a couple more minutes for the rest of the team to finish, do you girls mind bringing out the equipment from the storage?”

SinB side-eyed Yuju. Yuju side-eyed SinB.

“Of course, we don’t mind helping,” Yuju spoke with a charismatic smile.

“Great,” Coach Kwon replied, removing the lanyard of keys she wore around her neck. “The key to unlock it is the gold one that has ‘G115’ written on it.” She gave it to Yuju who accepted it graciously.

“We’ll be back in a jiff,” Yuju enthusiastically replied. “Let’s go, SinB-ssi.”

The two walked back to the locker room where the equipment closet was located, neither of them saying a word. Once they entered through the doors of the hollow changing room, Yuju stood in front of the storage room that was right next to Coach Kwon’s office. She took out the key, unlocked the door, and held it open for the both of them to step inside.

“I suppose we need to get the cones and landing pad,” Yuju gesticulated.

Without waiting for Yuju’s instruction, SinB grabbed the large mesh bag that held the various track equipment and shoved it towards Yuju. The star student stumbled backwards, but managed to steady herself. SinB clutched the other bag and carried it over her shoulder before walking out the closet and pretending that Yuju was invisible.

“SinB-ssi, wait up,” Yuju called aloud, jogging after the younger girl.

Half-way from the entrance, SinB halted with her back turned away from Yuju.

“You’ve been giving me the silent treatment all day,” Yuju spoke. “Look, I know giving you that roll of tape before your relay race was stupid of me. And, I apologize if I offended you. But, I just didn’t want the team to suffer another failure that day.”

SinB released the bag, letting it fall to the floor. She turned around to face Yuju and forced herself to stay calm as she spoke. “The sticky tape incident is the least of your worries, Yuju-ssi.”

Pausing in thought, SinB contemplated if now was right time to reveal what she knew. After a tediously miserable day, she knew that she couldn’t prolong the confrontation. “Last Saturday night. In the Contrail alleyway. I saw you making out with another girl.” Yuju’s jaw clenched as her shoulders went taut. “I want you to tell Yerin.”

Yuju kept her expression relaxed, but her eyes gradually consumed with anger. “If I tell Yerin, then there’s a good chance she’ll break up with me.”

“If you don’t tell her, then I sure will,” SinB countered.

“What makes you think that Yerin will believe you?”

SinB’s forehead creased in puzzlement as if Yuju was speaking another language. “I’m her best friend. Of course, she will believe me.”

Yuju cracked a grin. “Hate to break it to you, SinB-ssi, but being her best friend does little help for your argument these days.”

SinB didn’t understand what Yuju meant. She crossed her arms, resisting the urge to throw a punch. “Yerin and I have been best friends for practically a decade. You’ve been her girlfriend for less than five months. I think I have enough credibility for her to believe me.”

Yuju laid the equipment bag gently to the side before zoning her stare directly on SinB. “True. But, have you ever heard of the phrase, ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder,’ SinB-ssi? There's some truth to it, and I’ll give you the perfect example to prove my point.

“While you were away last semester, I was there for Yerin when her only friend left her astray. I sat by her side and ate lunch with her. I cheered her on when she helped the team win first place in the relay race despite being anchor. I comforted her when she couldn’t stop crying because you never replied to her text messages. Face it SinB, your absence only made Yerin grow fonder of me. At the end of the day, I’ll be the one to kiss those delightful lips. And, trust me. She has quite the talented mouth.”

SinB’s heart thumped manically, her stomach agitated with guilt, and her brain throbbed like a bad headache. No matter how heavy her breathing became, her body yearned for more oxygen which was in short supply in the locker room. Despite all of her unbearable symptoms, SinB kept herself composed and level-headed for the most part. But, after hearing Yuju’s final sentiment, it was like a knockout blow to the face.

SinB was furious. And, all that fury caused her to tackle Yuju to the ground, strangling her with one hand and punching her precisely on the cheekbone with the other. For a moment, it was like SinB’s vision could see nothing but red. That’s until she realized that Yuju’s once pearly white teeth were now coated with blood.

Give it up! Give It Out!

Wanna scream wanna shout

Easy come, easy go, let it roll

“What the hell is going on here!”

SinB turned her head towards the entrance and saw Coach Kwon hurriedly emerging from the door in a state of shock and panic. But, Coach Kwon wasn’t the only one whose eyes went wide, horrified at the sight before them.

“SinB-ah? Yuju-ya!”

Yerin ran to area where the brawl occurred. SinB quickly removed herself off of Yuju who continued to lay down, weakened by trauma and her injuries. Yerin immediately sat next to Yuju, completely avoiding SinB as she carefully elevated her girlfriend’s head on her lap.

“Yerin-ah,” Yuju whispered, flinching in pain. “Y-your friend just started attacking me for no reason.”

Shaking her head, tears began to well in SinB’s eyes as she realized how much she screwed up. “Yerin-ah,” she trembled, which only caused the older girl to shift away from her.

Body still quivering, SinB jolted when she felt someone’s hand on her shoulder. With a slight twist of her neck, SinB saw that the person was Coach Kwon.

“Yerin, stay here with Yuju,” the Coach ordered. “Mina and Chaeyoung are already running to get the nurse. As for you, SinB, I’m taking you to the principal’s office.”

Coach Kwon could have said that she was detaining her to North Korea, for all SinB cared. Because no punishment was as worse than hearing Yerin’s response to Yuju.

“Don’t worry, Yuju-ya,” Yerin softly spoke, holding the weary girl in her arms. “She’s not my friend anymore.”

A/N: Sorry for writing a scene where SinB hurts Yuju. Again, I have no hard feelings towards Yuju or any of the members, and I love them all. It’s purely for the sake of the story. But, prepare yourself because it’s going to be angst central in these next couple of chapters.

A/N (Update 7/6): Hey guys. So, I know that the last part is suppose to trigger an emotional reaction, but please refrain from using strong language if you comment. Though I know that you're not talking about the actual GFriend members themselves and more so the characters they play in this fic, it's still a bit weird. But, please, continue commenting. Your support and feedback means a lot to me.

Song lyrics used: “Give It Up” by Hard-Fi