“What happened to you?” Sana asked a pale-faced Dahyun who was limping her way to her seat.

“You know that Samaritan thing you do for friends, where you disregard your wellbeing to help and crap? Remind me not to be too supportive next time.” Dahyun said after grunting in pain when her came in contact with the chair.

“In my defense, nobody told you to do that skit, Dahyun. You could’ve done something less stupid. You did that to yourself.” Mina argued.

“What happened to her?” Tzuyu, who just arrived, asked. She looked too happy upon seeing Dahyun in pain.

“She decided to dive and have a swim on dry lands.” Chaeyoung answered and chuckled upon remembering the ruckus Dahyun did. Even her father, who was part of the audience who witnessed Dubu’s acting debut, was amazed by Dahyun’s outstanding drama.

“Thanks, you guys. This is what I get for helping you two. I’m blessed.” Dahyun said with a tone of sarcasm and a sour face.

Things were back the way they were, if it’s only the classroom scene we consider. Outside the four walls, Chaeyoung, unknown of Mina’s wariness to Nayeon, still frequents the guidance’s office for a quick chat with the latter. There were several attempts that Nayeon did to get Mina to talk but the bitterness on her face made the bunny anxious and squirm off. Mina was only there for Chaeng and she has to make sure the eldest of them understands that.

The bell signaled an early dismissal because of an urgent faculty meeting. The students rejoiced one second and dashed out of the institution to spend the whole afternoon of leisure to their hearts content. The students we know of- Mina, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu, Sana, and Dahyun respectively have different routes to proceed with. Mina wanted to walk home with Chaeng but that was out of the picture since a bunny-teethed individual beat her to it, so she took the choice of a solitary walk. Tzuyu, a volunteer worker in the dog shelter, decided to spend time with her canine friends rather than her actual friends. Sana, craves for some banana smoothie in her recently discovered café where the waitress named Eunha worked, and as a side note to that- Sana thinks she’s cute. And lastly, Dahyun, the slick being that she is, didn’t bother telling the author what her plans were

●

(MINA’s pathway)

Mina thought her plan for an after class walk with Chaeyoung was seamless but the said meeting was only for faculty members and, unfortunately, Im Nayeon was not a member of it. She sighed countless of times already, wanting to relieve her disappointment. The cub seemed eager to talk to Mina, at least that’s what she perceived when Chaeyoung suddenly wondered and asked her if the park would be packed today and also asked her if she likes listening to violins. The violin part confused Mina but when she got to the vicinity of the park, a fair amount of people formed a crowd around a violinist who was playing for free. Then again, a sigh escaped Mina’s lips. If Nayeon wouldn’t have dragged and clung unto Chaeng a second quicker than her, they would’ve been part of the audience and if that happened, it would’ve been their second intimate get together (only because Chaeyoung was still reluctant to call it a date). Nevertheless, Mina headed to the park and sat on the bench by the river. Even by the distance, the rhythm was still audible to Mina’s ears. She closed her eyes and engulfed herself by the skillful and, at the same time, natural flow of musical notes from the violin. It took over her body, and being a ballet dancer for eleven years, it made her stand on her toes and dance in harmony with the wind and the Canon in D major. The cool breeze of the monsoon was enough to dry the sweats before they trickle down from her forehead. It was a reminiscing feeling- dancing to forget about the clutter called reality.

●

(CHAEYOUNG and NAYEON’s trail)

Chaeyoung has been staring at Nayeon ever since she was forcefully dragged out from the school. She’s been asking the older to wherever they were going but was only replied by a snigger. They have been aimlessly walking for a while now, just casually striding around the streets. And Chaeyoung knows that Nayeon might have something important to tell her because she literally never shuts up or stays still unless it was a vital factor, so she waited until her unnie drops the missile.

“What do you think of Mina?” The older one suddenly asked. It made Chaeyoung replace the word missile with nuclear bomb.

The cub gave her a shrug and the silent treatment. Even if it was her Nayeon-unnie that she always opened up to, she found it difficult to put into words what she thought of Mina.

“Let me rephrase that, what is Mina to you? What role does she play in your life?” Nayeon stopped her pace and sat on the waiting shade of the bus stop, her eyes not showing any hint of emotion. It was hollow and unyielding.

The question boggled Chaeng’s mind. She sat beside Nayeon and stared at the street across, not focusing her eyes on anything but the emptiness in front of her. A few minutes had passed when a bus stopped in front of them and unloaded some passengers. It made Chaeyoung look and unknowingly familiarize the faces, hoping she knows someone that will pick her up from the grim of a question Nayeon asked her.

“Have you ever asked yourself why that’s a hard question for you to answer?” Nayeon asked her another punch to the gut.

Chaeyoung looked at her like how all of us would look when we see this: x+an=k=0nnkxkan-k. For the meantime, Mina, to Chaeng, was one of the persons that can make her happy even with just a smile from her. But there was also a few that have an effect on her, Nayeon, for example.

“Like for me, what am I to you, Chaeyoungie?”

“You’re someone special and dear, unnie. I know that because I grew up with you around.” Chaeng immediately answered her brows were still furrowed, however.

“Then, what do you feel when Mina’s with you?” She looked at Chaeng through the corners of her eyes.

“I don’t know. I can’t pinpoint it. My body moves on its own and words escape my mouth without my brain’s proper consent. I guess she’s taken over me but, before, I was sure it was just physical attraction; some kind of a hoax played on me by the adrenaline rush when I first saw her and what we did after our first meeting.” Nayeon successfully squeezed an answer out of her.

“And now?”

“I see her beyond her hot and attractive exterior.” Chaeyoung looked at Nayeon in the eyes, expecting an end of this session.

“Good progress, Chaengie. You really have grown up. Let’s leave that as it is. I know you’ll get there on the right time and I can sense how patient Mina is when it’s you.” It didn’t sound condescending at all; Nayeon said it with pride and warmth. She patted Chaeyoung’s head and ruffled her hair, “I think she’s still at the park.”

●

(TZUYU’s track)

“You’re here early, Tzuyu.” The vet/owner of the shelter smiled.

“I had enough with humans, Dr. Suzy. They’re tiring to take care of.” Tzuyu feigned a grimace and chuckled.

“I have to thank you a thousand times more. Ever since you started to volunteer here, tons and tons have visited the shelter to adopt a dog. It certainly makes a huge difference when a beauty waltzes around.” Her boss winked at her.

The bell rang on the front door, signaling a customer has entered. Tzuyu enthusiastically approached thinking that another homeless dog would be provided of the warmth of a family.

“Yes, may I be of any help?” She greeted.

“Yeah, could you help me choose a good dog to adopt?” The guy shyly said, his cheeks a tint of red.

“No problem. This way, sir.”

Tzuyu guided the guy around the shelter for him to pick his dog of choice. Despite Tzuyu naming all the dogs’ breed and telling fun facts about them, the guy wasn’t paying attention for he was glancing often at Tzuyu. The tall girl noticed and asked him politely.

“If I adopt a dog, would you give me your phone number?” The guy said his purpose while scratching his nape.

“Okay. But I should warn you that I have two daughters who are huge headaches for me, one has the inability of sensing the atmosphere and inept in reading between the lines, the other is an unknown species derived from the world’s first ever nuisance and her picture is found under the word jerk in all dictionaries. If it’s okay for you to experience half the migraine that I have, then, it’s a deal.” Tzuyu beamed