[Eric]

Crushing on Wendy Son is a terrible idea… unless you want to have a broken heart.

School buzzed as Wendy Son entered Cube High that year and a million of fanboys—and fangirls—we’re practically head over heels for her. I didn’t know what to make of her the first day. She seems like an introvert, only throwing warm smiles on strangers who were greeting her. Some tried to talk but she smartly evaded a probably hour long conversation. More than that, there was something different with her. Something mysterious that I couldn’t pinpoint.

It’s like there’s a whole new person inside her but no one will get to see, like she’s reserving it for someone special.

I wanted to know that person… I wanted to know the real her.

…except that, I realized it was too late.

Maybe you can say that I’m a fan boy, but to be honest, I feel more of a coward than them. At least, they get to say their feelings without anything holding them back. I was afraid of being too close to her, that I will accidentally say my feelings. Stupidly, looking at her makes me want to be the person standing by her side.

Liking her is scary, and every day is painful. But… I wanted to be that friend who sticks next to her all that time.

And so, I managed to break my way in her façade. Somehow, we’ve became friends. Well—her only friend in school.

“Why did you pick Cube High anyway, Wendy?” I asked one afternoon while we were spending our afternoon in the school’s library. I was studying for a chapter test the next day. Wendy, well, she was supposed to be studying but her head was on top of her books, her eyes closed as if she planned to sleep through the night. It’s cute when she does that.

Still with eyes closed, she answered. “Well, I was sent for babysitting patrol.”

“Babysitting patrol…?”

She took a deep sigh and sat up straight. “My cousin, Son Daehwi… I was told to look after him, like a spy, in this school. He’s kind of a heap of trouble so my aunt asked me if perhaps I can take him out of it.”

“Your aunt must’ve trust you a lot.”

“Eyy, not really. She just trust me a little bit more. I’ve been into more troubles than Daehwi ever had so they thought, maybe, I can help him out of it. Stupid, I know but it’s fun. I like the new environment and the people here are really nice!”

There’s a twinkle in her eyes as she says that. Still, I noticed a hint of sadness in it, like an emotion somehow associated with the word miss.

It’s like she’s missing someone.

“Come on, let’s walk back to the dorms. It’s getting late.” I told her, looking up at the horizon where the sun sets. I was never a fan of sunsets, no matter how romantic it seems like. Wendy told me she preferred sunrises. I asked her why and she just said that it seems more romantic than the end. I don’t understand what she means.

On the way back, her phone buzzed. We were passing by the cafeteria so I decided to get her some drinks. When I came back, she was still talking to someone, and there I saw the brightest smile she ever had during her stay here.

A part of me wished that I could make her smile like that someday. Wishful thinking, I know.

She hang up a minute later and flashed me a grin. “Is that chocolate drink for me?”

I nodded my head and threw the bottle to her. She thankfully caught it in the air, despite being clumsy and almost knocking it to the ground instead.

“You’re seriously a ray of sunshine, Eric!”

She giggled, and her unusual behavior perked up my curiosity.

“You seem happy… Who called?”

She just shrugged. “Just someone… how about we go out to eat dinner? I want  grilled meat!”

“I thought you are on a diet?”

She pouted. “Fine, how about jajangmyun?”

I sighed. “Okay.”

Our deliveries came half an hour later. We sat by the bleachers of the outdoor basketball court. She was lost in her own world, while I was lost in thoughts of her. She must’ve realized my trance that she took me out of it.

“Hey, have you seen the latest History results?”

“Huh? U-uh y-yeah! Why?”

“I got a D minus. I’m so dead.” She dramatically sighed that made me laugh. It’s funny how she’s so great at math and basically at everything else. Probably one of the few things that made her so endearing among the students too.

“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad. I thought your mom is considerate?”

She groaned, “It’s not my mom who I’m worried about. It’s Irene!”

“I-Irene…?”

It must’ve only occurred to her. It was the first time she spoke of someone named Irene.