"So your Biology project for this semester will be about a topic that we've been learning for the past one month. Get yourselves your partner and tell me once you all are done choosing who you're going to partner with." The teacher wasn't even done talking when the whole class started chattering and looking around the class signaling to their friends about who to partner. "Class, I wasn't done. The maximum number of people in a group is two. I don't want you all to keep asking if you can have three or four in a group. Only two, understand?"

"Yes Mrs Lee..." Most of the students said lazily, some giving each other the eye roll behind the teacher's back. Seulgi turned her head to where Joohyun was seated. The girl seemed to be in her own world, probably not even listening to whatever the teacher was saying. 

Did she even hear that there was going to be a project? 

"Class dismissed." Seulgi's thoughts were interrupted by Mrs Lee announcing, and all the students' chairs dragging across the floors. The classroom went from quiet to noisy in a matter of seconds. Seulgi got up from her seat and made her way over to Joohyun's. "Hey baechu, do you have anyone you'd like to pair up with for the project Mrs Lee talked about?" She asked the girl who was rocking back and forth in her seat. 

"Yes. But I don't know if she wants to partner with me. I'm quite slow at doing things." Her head dipped downwards slightly, a sigh escaping from as her eyebrows furrowed together sadly. Seeing how Joohyun's spirits were kinda down, Seulgi decided to sit down on the empty seat beside Joohyun. "Who did you want to partner?" She asked curiously. 

She had to admit she felt kind of jealous that Joohyun planned on pairing up with someone else instead of her. But that wasn't the point here anyway. 

"I.. um.. y- you?" Joohyun mumbles in a soft voice barely audible, before feeling ashamed and proceeding to angrily pack her things into her bag. Her answer shocked Seulgi but seeing how frustrated Joohyun looked with herself was even more shocking. Seulgi didn't want her to feel like it was stupid that she wanted to partner her. Joohyun's self esteem seemed pretty low and Seulgi thinks it must've been what those bullies said to her the other day. 

Before she knew it, Joohyun had finished packing her bag and was running out of the classroom angrily. "Joohyun- Hey where are you going?" She called out but the girl ignored her, running into the girl's toilet and locking herself in a cubicle. "Go away. I don't want to see you." Joohyun huffed while sitting down on the toilet seat cover after plopping her bag on the floor. She wasn't angry at Seulgi. She was angry at herself for being such a dumbo and thinking that Seulgi would've agreed to do the project with her. 

Seulgi didn't leave though, because Joohyun could see the latter's feet outside the bathroom stall. "Baechu open the door pleaseeee?" She tried to convince Joohyun. "I wanted to ask if you were willing to be my partner for the project." 

The door clicked open after that. 

"Are you.. sure?" Seulgi saw Joohyun fiddle with her fingers when she opened the toilet door and faced her. She smiled and nodded. "Of course. Who wouldn't want to pair up with you?" 

That was a rhetorical question but Joohyun took it literally and frowned. "The whole class." Seulgi's smile faltered a little at her reply but recovered from it rather quickly. "Well, then you can be my partner-"

Seulgi stumbled backwards when a sudden force - also known as Joohyun - pounced forward and hugged her tightly. The taller girl's smile widened and she pat Joohyun's back lightly. She felt like she was chasing a cheetah trying to maintain a steady heartbeat. It was pounding against her rib cage, clearly out of control. 

Jesus Kang Seulgi get it together. She mentally told herself. 

"I'm going to tell Wendy I found a partner later." Joohyun said happily while pulling away from the hug and giggling. Something about Joohyun's smile always made Seulgi happy as well. Seulgi concluded that Joohyun had a contagious smile. "Yes ma'am."

"O- Oh! And if anyone asks if you can be their partner, say no." Joohyun added, and Seulgi nodded with a chuckle. "Yes ma'am." 

-

Seulgi was pacing back and forth in front of the main gate waiting for Joohyun to arrive at her house. They agreed to meet yesterday and Wendy was going to send her here to complete the project. It was already two in the afternoon and Joohyun and Wendy still weren't here yet. "Honey sit down please. You're giving me a headache from continuously walking back and forth." Her mother complained from the kitchen while cutting up some onions. 

"Eomma I'm just anxious okay?" She sighed. 

"Why? You have feelings for Joohyun or something?" Seulgi's mother laughed, meaning for it to be a joke. But Seulgi froze on the spot and turned around to face her. "Uh.. I- I mean haha whaaaat?" She laughed awkwardly. 

Her mother didn't say anything else but smirked to herself before returning her attention to the vegetables she was cutting. "What time did you invite them here?" She changed the subject, seeing how flustered her daughter got after she asked the previous question. 

Seulgi shrugged and looked at the clock once more. "Around two to two fifteen? It's already one minute past two oh go