ROSE’S POV:

For the umpteenth time, I felt Jisoo’s head gently settle onto my shoulder. For the umpteenth time, I gazed at her fondly, chuckling softly as she began to drool onto her skirt. For the umpteenth time, a livid teacher yelled for her to wake up, which she promptly did, before holding up a peace sign and announcing, “I'm awake.”

Professor Choi practically begged in a pleading voice, “Chaeyoung, can you please make sure she doesn't fall asleep anymore? She's incorrigible.”

As always, I was dragged into the picture, and as always, I paid no heed to their instructions. I wasn't quite sure if that was due to my lack of interest in school, let alone teachers, or simply because I knew trying to get Jisoo to stay awake in class would essentially be as glorious a feat as making pigs fly--it just wasn't going to happen.

I was really appreciative of Jisoo, though, she was the one bright, easygoing spark amidst the dull, dark monotony of school, the only one who could brighten up my day while everyone else was simply lost in the dungeons of textbooks and exams. I really hated school, for I felt I was wasting my life learning appallingly complicated content I had no interest in whatsoever, when I could be chasing my dreams, to be a singer, to play the guitar in front of my adoring fans…

Indeed, I was a dreamer.

Sadly, my parents weren't. “Have you ever considered the financial costs? If we support you all the way, and you don't succeed, what's to become of us? Left to fend for ourselves on the streets? Please just settle for an ordinary job, where you earn a guaranteed salary…”

What was I to say to that? Eventually, instead of moving to Korea as a trainee in the hope of pursuing a singing career, I moved to Korea to study calculus and organic chemistry. Oh, the joys of life...

As it turned out, Jisoo was in exactly the same predicament I faced. Our parents, the ones preventing us from reaching for the stars. She had an interesting life philosophy, though, since she couldn't chase her dreams, she would make the most of life by having fun and creating precious memories with her loved ones. Hopefully, I will fall into that category eventually…

Jab. Jab. Jab. My train of thought screeched to an abrupt halt as my body responded to Jisoo’s incessant poking. “Good luck,” she whispered. Huh?

“Park Chaeyoung, are you listening? Explain the process of evolution by natural selection fully.” Professor Choi ordered, tapping his foot on the floor impatiently.

.

“You wanna just hang out today?” Jisoo asked before plopping herself face-first onto her bed.

“I'm up for it, but you don't seem like you are, you lazy bum.”

Jisoo yawned loudly and performed some form of weird, cute attempt at a stretch. “School is dreadfully counterproductive, I swear, lessons are useless plus it's so draining.”

“Seeing as though you're asleep half the time, how tiring can it get?”

“You have a point,” Jisoo snickered. “Let's visit the Han River, I could make good use of the energy regained earlier.”

It felt wonderful to finally be outdoors again. Back in Australia, the lifestyle of the average student was so much more relaxing, school was essentially an avenue for horsing around with friends, after which we would head to the park for picnics, we would play tennis, we would gossip endlessly. Here in Korea? Not so much.

“I haven't been here for a long time.” Jisoo took a deep breath of the fresh air, her hair swirling around in the strong winds and I marveled once again at her astounding beauty. There truly isn't a flaw to be seen…

“Don't stare. It's rude.” Jisoo pointed a finger at me, frowning in mock displeasure, while I blushed unconsciously, having been caught red-handed. I sometimes wondered what I really felt for Jisoo, perpetually leaving it as infatuation, because, like, who wouldn't feel physically attracted to such a gorgeous girl, right?

“Oh my god, let's ride bikes around the river!” I brushed off my embarrassment and pointed excitedly towards a bike rental shop I had spotted out of the corner of my eye.

“But...believe it or not, I can't cycle.” Jisoo mumbled while pouting cutely.

“That's fine, I can teach you!”

“Was this really a good idea…” Jisoo grumbled as she dusted herself off, having crumbled to the ground in an uncoordinated heap with her bicycle for what had to be the millionth time. “This disobedient device simply doesn't listen.”

“Maybe your instructions are just really unclear.” My lips slowly curved upwards as Jisoo struggled to find balance on the bicycle. As she began swerving wildly yet again, I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Get on the back, I'll show you how it's done.”

(Maybe, just maybe, I was slightly motivated by the fact Jisoo would be hugging me from behind.)

PS: This story is not meant to have any relation to real life, I know Rosie and Jisoo obviously were amazingly brave in the pursuit of their dreams, with quite the splendid outcomes, but people are rarely willing to take such risks, and I'm trying to put them in the shoes of everyday students.