Just like another ordinary day, Yebin looks out the window, eyes searching for a hottie of the day that are scattering around the field.

“Yebin, do you want to watch Kyulkyung’s rehearsal for the dance competition after school?”

Shooking her head, she definitely not going to join any meetup after school knowing that she’ll be left aside after a few while. It has been like that since forever and Yebin just don’t want to be treated that way again. Eunwoo snickers and leaves the class for a toilet break.

“Kang Yebin.”, a voice calls out. Yebin turns her head to the door, finding a girl in the third year currently leaning by the door and calling out for her using the index fingers.

Mesmerizing. A senior who never once talked to me called me out. Wow.

Yebin leaves her seat, approaching the taller girl. They stand ahead of one another, making it really obvious that Yebin is really short for her age. She needs to look up to attempt any eye contact with the senior girl.

“Can we walk back home together today?”, the girl asks while holding her hands firmly, anticipating.

Yebin couldn’t help but to let her eyes grow bigger and let agapes. “Wh-Wh-What?”

“Please?”, she begs again, now with a small pout forming on her small delicate lips.

“Um, okay then?”, Yebin gives out her answer, making the other girl jumps out of excitement.

“Of course, Kang Yebin is reliable. I’ll wait for you at the front gate later!”

Yebin watches the back of the girl walking back to her class. No, galloping back to her class. She looks really happy and Yebin couldn’t get the idea on the reason why.

Is she going to confess? Did she likes me? But she? How? I am so ugly? Why would-

“Yebin!”, the girl shouts her name, earning herself some glares as she walks to the gate.

“Did you wait a long time, Minkyung sunb- unn- Minkyung sunbae unnie?”

“Minkyung. You can just use Minkyung. I don’t mind.” Haha, I mind. You’re a senior.

They starts to walk by the pedestrian road, following the lead of the taller girl. Yebin has her hand holding the bag straps and Minkyung seems to enjoy the walk leisurely, humming to some unknown music.

“Are you surprised?”, Minkyung suddenly asks as she turns her heels around.

. Too close. Her face. “Wh-what?”, Yebin stutters. “Aren’t you curious why I want to walk with you today?”

Yebin takes a step back, inching backwards from Minkyung. “I-I do. I curious. Really.”

My words! It’s all upside down! Minkyung chuckles, realizing the blush searing through Yebin’s check.

“I’ll be honest. I don’t want to be seen walking alone. Usually I walk back with my friends but all of them won’t be in school for a week. So yeah, I’m currently asking you a favour.”

Hearing that, it would be a lie if Yebin says that didn’t hurt her a bit. She felt like she was stabbed in the heart with an axe, if that even possible. Yebin don’t have high hopes but knowing that she’s just someone replacing a place of a friend sound so crap. Just a replacement.

“Why me?”, Yebin asks again, hiding the tone of sorrow deep down. “Our house are in the same way? I mean, I stay infront of you. You did, know that, right?”

“Ahhhh.”, a long understanding leaves Yebin’s lips. She nods and continue to walk, this time ahead of Minkyung. Minkyung quickly follows behind her and increase her pace so that she would be walking side by side with Yebin.

“I hope you don’t mind.”, Minkyung claims.

“Of course I won’t. I mean, I’m walking with Kim Minkyung anyway.”, Yebin announces, accompanies by a giggle.

Minkyung starts to talk about her day at school, whining about the Chemistry class earlier. Yebin response with short replies and only butts in for once or twice. She wants to be friendlier but that’s just not how she is.

“I’ll see you again tomorrow. Thank you for today.”, Minkyung greets before she get into her house.

I wonder what will happen tomorrow.

--------------------

Yebin yawns as she pushes the front door. There, a girl is standing infront of her house, tapping her shoes numerous times.

“Woah! There you are. Already yawning?”, Minkyung questions, quickly holding Yebin’s hand and runs with not so much force.

“What, no why are we running?”, Yebin questions, merely shouting. “We’re already late. Yebin wake up so late.”

Yebin glances at her watch. It’s her usual time to go to school but it’s already late to Minkyung. Out of her will, she continues to run following Minkyung, their hands still linked with one another. As they arrives around the school area, Minkyung slows down her run. Her eyes are wandering around, seeing numbers of student are still walking casually makes her halt her run.

“Why are they not running?”, Minkyung asks Yebin, eyes full of curiosity. Ugh, she’s so cute.

“Well actually, we’re not late and I didn’t wake up late. It’s my normal time going to school. You always go to school so early, that’s why.”

Minkyung’s lips forms into an ‘O’ shape immediately. “This is my first time being late.”

Talk about an honour student, Minkyung won the award of the best student for the second year last year with both academic and curriculum in check. Ah yes, with full attendance checked too.

“It seems you’re a really bad student, Yebin. Be early next time.”, Minkyung claims.

“Wha- I’m not-”, Yebin defends herself.

“Yeah, says the person who is still holding my hands in the school compound. This is some kind of harassment, ya know.”, Minkyung steps up her game.

Yebin looks at their linking hands and quickly let it go. It was too comfortable and it’s a good feeling that Yebin swears she didn’t realized the linking hands of them.

“I didn’t harras-” “Shhh. Kang Yebin is a ert.”, Minkyung teases before she bid goodbye and walks into the school corridor. Her lips pursue a small sign of joy.

“Yebin, let’s go and eat together.”, Kyulkyung props her head on Yebin’s head. Yebin looks up and smiles faintly.

“Sorry, I’m not going to eat today. Didn’t bring my lunch.”

“Ah, then it will be better. Yehana’s mom prepare a lot of food for us today. You can have some.”

Truth to be told, it wasn’t jealousy but Yebin really didn’t like to get involved with Kyulkyung or Eunwoo’s friend. The cold treatment from their friends is already a given sign for Yebin to not hang out around them anyway. And Yebin totally get the sign.

“It’s okay, really. You should go now, they must be waiting.”, Yebin reassures her friend. Her best friend after Eunwoo.

“Are you really okay? You have been avoiding to hang out with me and Eunwoo since last week.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll join you next time okay. I promise.”

“Then, I’ll buy you some bread and give it to you after break, okay?”, Kyulkyung attempts again, hoping that her offer won’t get rejected again.

“Alright then. Thank you, Kyul.”

Kyulkyung leaves the class. Eunwoo had long gone even before the school break time starts. Yebin gets up and head directly to her usual solitude spot. It is at the third floor of the building, under the stair of the west wing. Yebin plugs in her earphone and rest her head by the wall.

Regrets starts to fill her heart as she reminiscing Kyulkyung’s look earlier. She looks so desolate and Yebin really hate seeing that look plastering on her best friend’s face.

“Yohoo Yebin.”, Minkyung greets as she squats down in front of Yebin. Yebin opens her eyes in surprise.

“How-What are you doing here?”, Yebin’s brows are knits together.

Minkyung take a seat next to Yebin, pulling out some breads and juice from the white plastic bag. “I always saw you here anyway. I know this is your spot.”

She has been watching me all this while?

“Here I got freshly baked bread. I don’t know what flavour but you can have some and your favourite juice. I forgot between orange or grape.”, Minkyung says while setting out the food and drinks that are supposed to be Yebin’s.

She even almost know my favourite drink. Okay. Almost.

“Why are you here?”, Yebin ask nonchalant, eyes locking on the bread and drink ahead of her.

“I told you that I will be joining you for lunch. Duh.”

“When?”, Yebin pick up the orange juice box and starts to poke the straw into the box.

“Earlier. Yebin, please. I was hoping that you aren’t deaf yet.”

Yebin sips on the drink, glancing over Minkyung that is sitting next to her. Her hair that falls over one side of the shoulder is really magnificent. She looks extraordinary. Some few strands of hair are covering Minkyung’s eyes, making it difficult for Yebin to have a good look at that alluring pair of eyes. Yebin wasn’t sure how she look right now but one for sure, she finds herself not pleased.

“Move it, Yebin.”, Minkyung suddenly commands. Yebin didn’t hear.

“Kang Yebin.”, Minkyung calls out her name. Yebin come back to her trance with a confuse look.

“I said move it.”, Minkyung says. Yebin gulps down her nervousness. She didn’t know she was staring too much that makes the older girl uncomfortable. Minkyung looks unpleasant too. Yebin could only curses herself and laugh in her head.

“I-I’m sorry, Minkyung. I didn’t know what I’m doing.”

Minkyung clicks her tongue, really furious as she know how dim-witted Yebin can be. “I said move it. My strand of hair. I know you wanted to move it so badly.”

Is she flirting with me? She did right? Right? Yebin cups , hiding her surprised and embarrassment all at one. Her check scalds in red but slowly moves her hand closer to Minkyung. Minkyung look at the other girl, knowing she was doing thing out of her conscious but she won’t stop her.

“.”, Yebin curses under her breath, and pulls her hand away from Minkyung. Minkyung shove a bread onto Yebin’s mouth. “Here, eat this so that you can think straight already.”

I’m already straight? Why she keep teasing me? Yebin looks away, not wanting to have any eye contact with the older girl.

“What flavour is that?”, Minkyung asks, pretending like nothing ever going on.

“Huh? Ah, it’s honey butter I think.”, Yebin answers with full of bread.

Minkyung sigh. “Ah, that’s the new menu. I’d really want to try honey butter bread.”

Minkyung brings her fingers closer and place it under Yebin’s chin, turning her head aside so that their eyes met. “Give me some.”

“Vut I ohweady winith it.” Yebin responses. Yebin gulps down the last bite. “But I already finish it.”

“You did that on purpose, aren’t you?”, Minkyung squints her right eyes. “No.”

“You did. That’s so mean.” Yeah, I did. I don’t want to have some kind of indirect kiss with you. Psh.

“But, oh well.”, Minkyung wipes the leftover cream at the corner of Yebin’s lips using her index fingers gently. “This will do.”, she onto the cream on her fingers in a very flirtatious, seductive, ally way that ever exist in this world and grins to herself.

She's really flirting! What the heck! Yebin stands up and swiftly ditch the area as she was caught off guard earlier. Yebin totally drops her jaw and mutters ‘foxy’ which wasn’t supposed to slip out of her goddamn lips. Or goddamn brain. Whatever it is, goddamn Yebin.

After the last class ends, Yebin sneak out faster than the bell rings. She places her books in the locker and ready to get going until someone summons for her.

“Yah, your bread.”, Kyulkyung shout from the end of the corridor. Oh no, not this time. .

Eunwoo stands behind her, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Accept the bread then only you go.”

Kyulkyung hands the bread to Yebin. “Don’t push me away. Don’t avoid me or Eunwoo. Just don’t do anything that is not you.”

“Is this about our friends? My choir team and Kyulkyung’s dance member?”, Eunwoo starts her interrogation. Yebin wants to run away but she know she shouldn’t. That is really not Kang Yebin.

“Yeah, honestly. Your member with the name Syoran or Shannon something always give me that one kind of Antarctica glare that I feel like stabbing her eyes with a fork. And Yehana, she looks like she wants to own you alone and not going to share you with me, so yeah. I’m just avoiding them.”

Kyulkyung and Eunwoo exchange their glances. “We know that and-”

“And I really really have to go now. I’m sorry. I don’t hate you guys and I love you both dearly so don’t be sorry and I’m so sorry for sputtering everything now but I really need to go really really.”, Yebin without a pause sputters everything out as she gives both her best friend a tight hug and quickly quits the scene.

Yebin stand by the gate. One step and she will be out of the school compound and this is the first time she’s afraid to go back home. Knowing that Minkyung would be waiting for her outside the gate, she fear nothing else right at that moment.

She sneaks her head by the gate, finding no one looking like Minkyung there. She lets out a relieve sigh and walks back home.

“Thank God she’s not there. Thank God. I promise to study really hard, mom and dad. I promise to always pray too, God. Thank God she’s not there.”, Yebin tells herself as she strides by the road.

“Who is not there?”, a voice questions her by the street lamp, making the shorter girl freeze to the stand that she is glued to the concrete.

Humiliation! Let me die God. I take back what I say. Just let me die now!

“Yah Yebin, stop praying already. God has decided to make us meet here anyway.”

Yebin looks sideway, avoiding eye contact. She knows damn well that her healthy-looking red face already coloured her face. Minkyung extends her hand. Yebin glances at the extended hand.

“What?”, Yebin questions, still fighting to hide her scalded expression.

“Don’t want? Hold hands?”

“What for?”

“For Yebin’s entertainment purpose.” She really is flirting! What a girl like that see in me??

Yebin didn’t have the answer why on the way she’s responding. Her hand immediately reaches for that hand. Her eyes is gesturing for it to be pulled back but the hand keep leaning towards the white pale hand.

“Next time, if you want to do something. Do it. Don’t stop yourself. You’ll only have regret.”

Wow, now she’s a psycho with a magic skill to read mind.

“It’s only normal for girls to hold hands anyway. Me and my friends always hold hands.” Ouch. I’m nervous for nothing.

Yebin wants to let go of the hands but the ‘you’ll only have regret’ strikes her. She keep holding onto it firmly even after her hands secretes a lot of sweat on her palms.

“Are you nervous?”, Minkyung asks, grinning to herself. “You sweat a lot on the palm.”

“You can let go if you want.” Audacious Yebin!

Minkyung bite her lower lips in silent, not wanting Yebin to catch her off guard this time. They finally reaches infront of their respective house. No one wants to let go of the linking hands and no one even bother to speak up.

“Don’t wait for me tomorrow. I have something to do with my basketball club earlier in the morning, so you can wake up late.”

Minkyung let go of their linking hand but still hasn’t move from her spot. She really wants to hear something from Yebin and she hope it would be today. Yebin turns around, ready to get into the house.

She turns back. “Can I have your number?”, Yebin asks with her eyelids shut closed.

“Do you really need to have my number? You could just come to my house anytime.”

Wow Ha Ha Ha. I’m done. She keep teasing me. This humiliation. Ha Ha Ha. Die. Let’s die.

Yebin turns around again, eyes still closing. Minkyung suddenly pulls her hand and places a piece of crumpled small paper in her palm. “I’m glad you ask.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you for today.” Minkyung quickly enters her house and she vanishes as Yebin look back again.

What’s coming next? I wonder.

--------------

“Let’s go for lunch together. Just you, me and Eunwoo.”, Kyulkyung invites Yebin with a begging look. Yebin stares at Kyulkyung, thinking. “What? I don’t accept no as an answer.”

Kyulkyung quickly pulls Yebin and drags her towards the café. She seat