So, how're your newly found friends? –Rin

 Jenny? Eh, she’s fine. But I really don’t like her princess attitude. I really miss you guys. –Dara

How about this other guy? What do you call him? Annoying G? –Panda

Ugh! He’s been annoying for 3 consecutive days! He’s like a 5-year-old kid! –Dara

Give him a chance, maybe he just wants to be friends with you. –Rin

Or maybe he likes you. Kekeke… -Panda

Shut up, both of you! I don’t want to be associated with kids like him! Jen is enough already. –Dara

Whoops! Gotta get back to work! Laters! –Panda

Dara, you need to adjust okay? It’s your new environment. You’ll be there for 4 years. Gahd! Focus! Aren’t you tired studying? –Rin

 

Dara locked her phone and placed it in her bag. She takes a quick glance in the mirror and went outside her room. She stood in front of her apartment gate and looked up in the glaring sun. She’s been trying to mingle with everyone in her school but her anxiety dominates her. She then walked and looking forward to a positive day, without the annoying G.

 

As she was nearing the school’s entrance, a car behind her beeped and she jumped in surprise. She quickly stepped aside and the car suddenly stopped beside her. She eyed it intently because the car is tinted. Then the windows rolled down, she saw Jen waving at her and beckoning her to ride. She just smiled and started to walk away. But the car followed her pace gaining multiple looks from the other students. ‘Great! Everyone’s looking at me!’ Dara thought.

 

“C’mon Dara!” Jen shouted. Dara just simply said, “No, thanks.” And walked faster.

 

She then reached the school’s entrance and immediately walked on the covered sidewalk. Suddenly Jenny ran and tapped her shoulders. She was panting and clutching her chest.

 

“Hey! What was that?!” she said while catching her breath. Dara continued walking leaving the girl behind, but she immediately followed her.

 

“Why would you let me ride when I was just 10 steps away from the entrance?” Dara asked irritatingly.

 

“Because it looks cool coming down from a car, you know and we’ll both be wearing sunglasses and as we stepped down we slowly remove the glasses and walked like models in the entrance. Ain’t that cool?” she beamed as she waves to handsome seniors that they just passed by.

 

“Shut up. Don’t drag me into your fantasy world. I’m trying to be non-existent here and you’re always giving the spotlight when it’s not really necessary.” Dara stated as she turned left and went inside the restroom.

 

She immediately locked herself in one of the cubicles. Jen leaned on the door and heaved a heavy sigh.

 

“Why are you easily got irritated? I never heard some positive things from you. I mean… if you’re not quiet, you’re irritated, you spout mean things. C’mon, lighten up. Do you want to live your 4 years in here with that kind of attitude?” Jen said while checking on her nails. And then Dara suddenly opened the door which made Jen stumbled because she’s wearing a 3 inches high heels. The other girl from the next cubicle who was about to go inside assisted her to stand up. “Thank you!” Jen bowed and smiled sheepishly. Dara just stared at her amusingly and laughed.

 

“Oh my gosh! I can’t believe you’re laughing at my own predicament! Instead of you helping me!” Jen stomped her feet and stormed outside. Dara just shook her head in amusement. But as soon as she realized she went overboard, she immediately followed Jen who is now out of sight.

 

She then immediately fished out her phone from her bag and texted on their group message.

 

What to do? I just made Jen mad at me. –Dara

 

She clicked her tongue in annoyance and decided to go straight to their room because she will just meet Jen and will apologize to her. While she’s on the way to the Music building, Jiyong suddenly pops up. He ran beside Dara and waved at her.

 

“Hello, Sandy!” Jiyong beamed. Dara gave him a dagger look.

 

“Stop calling me, Sandy!”

 

“Then, Dara?”

 

“Don’t ever say my name! I don’t want to hear it from you.”

 

“I saw your friend. She’s crying.” Jiyong said nonchalantly. Dara slowed down her pace and looked at the most annoying guy beside her.

 

“Where did she go?” she asked.

 

“In our class… I think. Where else she would go?” Jiyong said while his hands are inside his pockets.

 

Dara ran towards the music building and planned to immediately apologize to Jen before the class starts because she doesn’t want to start the classes when someone has an ill-feeling towards her. Her anxiety rises just by thinking that. 

 

 

When they arrived in the room, almost everyone is on their seat. She roamed her eyes to look for Jen, and she saw Jen was sitting in front with her head bowed down. She immediately went to Jen and sat in front of her holding both of her hands firmly. Dara saw the tears streaming down Jen’s cheeks. She then wiped it using her handkerchief.

 

“Hey, I’m sorry. What I did back there was mean. I didn’t mean it though. Forgive me… I am sorry.” Dara said sincerely.

 

Jen lifted her head and sniffed.

 

“You’re the only person here who still entertains me even though my attitude. I know that. That’s why I’m just trying to be funny.” Jen said softly while wiping the side of her eyes using Dara’s hanky.

 

Dara rubbed Jen’s back. “I’m… sorry.” Were the only words she let out. Jen understands her so she just nodded her head and smiled again. “It’s okay. This is just me you know… letting off the steam.” She beamed and immediately went to their seat at the back. Dara watched Jen’s back and felt grateful because someone is still persistent on her even though she’s very pushy. Until she caught Jiyong’s eyes which are smiling, shivers ran through her spine and thought to herself, ‘But not him.’

 

 

The professor gave them a group activity, they will compose and produce a song on their group’s given theme and they need to finish it by the end of the day. Dara’s group was given a theme of love. She’s very bitter about the theme which made her mood worst and it also did not improve when one of her groupmates is Jiyong.

 

But, she saw a different kind of Jiyong. He’s very serious while he’s scribbling down on his notes, he’s also exchanging information and suggestions to their group mates. Jiyong stared at Dara and kicked her foot.

 

“Hey, Sandara you’re so passive. Wanna help?” Jiyong cocked his eyebrows. Dara parted in bewilderment because it is her first time seeing him so serious. Gone is the little boy.

 

“I…uhh…don't know how to write songs.” She simply said.

 

Jiyong placed his pen on the table and heaved a heavy sigh.

 

“Neither of us. Tabi here doesn’t even know how to sing, Sol plays the piano, Jen sings, and me on the other hand… I’m trying my very best here. How about you?” Their group mates are staring at her intently; she is now having an anxiety attack. She felt very attacked right now. She then cleared and remembered how Donghae praised her voice, they once composed a song to each other but that was long dead. She doesn’t want to write songs nor sing because it just reminds her of her ex. But this time, she felt the need to show to them what she can do.

 

She straightened her back and started singing ‘Statue’. Her group mates looked at her in amazement, even their classmates and the professor. She could feel all their eyes on her, but as soon as she started singing everything stops. But she suddenly halts after the part, ‘It’s like you love me more than I love myself’. Everyone just clapped their hands while she just ran outside. Jen and Jiyong followed her.

 

Dara stormed the restroom and locked the door. She leaned on the wall and heaved heavy breaths. Her chest is pumping up and down while controlling her tears not to fall. But her eyesight becomes blurry as the tears she’s trying to hold on streamed down her cheeks. The problem whenever she’s crying, she can’t control the sound of her cries, everyone can hear her pain. A student is still inside the restroom and when she saw Dara slumping on the floor crying like a child, she assisted her but Dara just slapped her away and spoke between her cries.

 

“I’m…okay…just…go…” The student hesitantly goes until she opened the door again and went out. Suddenly, Jen went inside together with Jiyong who hurriedly sat beside her when he saw her sitting on the floor.

 

“Oh my gosh! Dara! What is happening?!” Jen tried to assist her standing up, but she has no energy to even move, she poured her energy in crying. Jiyong and Jen stared at her like she’s a lost child, a child who just lost her precious toy.

 

Some students are bewildered whenever they enter the restroom with Jiyong inside and a crying Dara. Jen beckoned the students to just go and use the restroom downstairs. Jen locked the door and sat beside Dara.

 

“I know we just met… but you can’t just carry your problems… alone… We’re here. We’re always here. That’s what friends are for, right?” Jiyong said as he stared on Jen who nodded her head in agreement.

 

Dara wiped the side of her eyes and then stood up slowly, Jen and Jiyong assisted her. They just stared at her, worrying on what she’s gonna do next. Dara opened the door and faced her two newly found friends.

“I’m lost for words. That was embarrassing. You saw me in my weakest. Thank you…” she then forced a smile and then Jiyong and Jen smiled at her, not knowing Dara is still hurting deep inside. It’s like a knife is stabbed in her heart. Millions of shattered glass are trapped in her heart, and she can’t take away the pain no matter what she does.