“Mom, I’m leaving.” I told in her direction, grabbing my bag and leaving for the already open door.

 

“Take care on your way sweetie, and have a nice day.”

 

“Thank you, I’ll see you soon.”

 

I went out in fast footsteps, not being late but far away from a comfort zone where I could slow down the pace of my steps. Some blocks ahead of me, I could visualize and also recognize a silhouette. She always leaves before me, it is just a daily routine to watch her back like this, that’s why it was so easy to tell who it was. Oh, and of course, the orange and pink strands in the back of her hair made it impossible to miss. Kim Dahyun, we’ve known each other since childhood and every morning I see her in distance. This ain’t the first time, maybe it was becoming another habit, that seeing her like this makes me wonder about our relationship.

 

The day was so boring, that I had to start thinking about my non-friendship with my neighbor and how I knew her back so well. Or it was just this morning laziness, that couldn’t even make my fast footsteps enough to reach her and stop my mind. What happened to you, I’m Nayeon? You were quicker than girls three years younger than you, what happened?

 

When I got inside the school and sat on my chair, just after leaving my bag on top of the table, I just felt the emptiness of longing to be alone again. It wasn’t a good day, even if it had barely started. I had too many things to do and couldn’t find a proper reason to be that down. Not wanting to see anyone wasn’t my thing at all, I was usually outgoing and always around my friends.

 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” She was the best at reading me, always.

 

“I just want to go home and sleep all day, I don’t want this damn class.”

 

“It didn’t even started.”

 

“It is starting right now, miss Hirai and I hope that I can count with your attention. Both of you. And if it’s possible, please turn yourselves to your front, okay?” The teacher asked stepping inside the class, professor Jung was not well known for being kind.

 

“We’ll talk on the break.” Momo whispered and I only nodded back to her.

 

Took ages for the break to finally arrive. I looked to the watch on my wrist and it was ten in the morning, when I looked again it was ten in the morning still and in this day it took nearly two weeks for this hour to pass. I kept looking, though. When the eleven came we got our so deserved first break. I gathered everything up and grabbed my bag, leaving the room without letting the teacher notice me.

 

“Wait! Are you going to skip the next class?” Momo asked, when she reached me outside of the room.

 

“I wish… but no. I have some books to get at the library, will you come with me?”

 

“I can’t, Jeong is already waiting for me in the cafeteria.”

 

“Buy me a bagel then, I’ll meet you in a few minutes. I shouldn’t take too long.”

 

“Cream cheese in it?”

 

“Yep.”

 

I was actually glad that Momo couldn’t follow me, because then I had a silent walk, just as I was wishing for, and could walk slowly around the school. The trees kept swinging, the wind touching its leaves, and I could appreciate the sound that was able to dissipate all the presence of noisy students nearby. There was a fountain just before the library building, I sat there to make some space inside my bag and when everything was set properly I saw Dahyun again. She saw me too, as she was walking just in front of me, she waved and came in my direction.

 

“Hi Nayeon, are we going to meet later?”

 

“Yes, hm, can it be around three?” I asked seeing her taller than me for the first time, as she wasn’t about to sit apparently.

 

Dahyun left the books she was caring on the bench, at my right, and asked for a moment with her finger. She took her cellphone and started to look after something.

 

“I have piano class at four... What about just after the class, or do you have something else to do?”

 

“No, of course not. I don’t have much to do, apart from cleaning the house and study for the finals so… the time that suits you better is fine for me.”

 

“Alright, I’ll just grab my notes in my house first then I’ll go to yours after the class.” She was looking a little bit nervous, her voice trembling and her hand not getting to put her cellphone back in her pocket.

 

“See you later then.” I said, getting up with a little smile covering my lips. “Oh, I forgot to tell you the other day, your hair looks really nice like this. I loved the pink and orange strands.”

 

“T-thank you.” Two little pink spots covering her cheeks, her hand going to the back of her head. “I, hm, need to go. My friends must be wanting to kill me, because Iˋve spend too much time in the library. See you later Nayeon.”

 

“Bye.” She answered the last smile I gave in her direction, with a clumsy one. She went tripping on her way, getting out of my view and I got in my way to the library a little after.

 

My mood a little better.

 

After our little chat Iˋve spend some minutes to find all the books I needed and I had to run my way to the cafeteria, so I could eat my bagel without getting late to the next class. Momo was sitting there in a very cheerful conversation with Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung sitting with them as well.

 

“Finally!” She shouted when she spotted me going towards them. “We were almost leaving and your bagel got cold.”

 

“No problem.” I left my bag on the floor, next to my chair, to sat by Momo at my left and Jeongyeon at my right, Chaeyoung was in front of us. “What were you doing?”

 

“Comparing our drawings for the art class, with Chaengˋs portfolio and laughing because weˋre really bad at this.” Jeongyeon said, while gathering her own drawings before I could see it.

 

Well, I wasnˋt that curious to look at them anyway.

 

“Hm…” I hummed, as I was starting to eat. “How much do I own you guys?”

 

“Jeongyeon brought it.” Momo answer was fast and bitter. She wasnˋt very fond of the way Jeongyeon liked me.

 

I was trying to ignore them both.

 

“Buy me an ice cream on our way home and weˋre even.” She said, a playful yet sad smile on her face.

 

“I canˋt today, maybe tomorrow?”

 

“Tomorrow is good, no need to hurry.”

 

“What are you going to do unnie?”

 

“Study is the only thing Iˋve been doing lately. Dahyun is going to my house today, just after the class.”

 

“Talking about that, have you guys seen what she done in her hair?” Jeongyeon asked. “Donˋt you think it’s weird?”

 

“Well, I didnˋt like it that much as well.” Momo complied.

 

“I liked it.” Her hair wasnˋt weird at all. “Thereˋs nothing wrong with a little change, I wanted to do something in my hair as well. I just donˋt know what.”

 

“She said it was to impress someone, but Iˋm not quite sure that she was being serious.” Chaeyoung revealed, while she was drawing.

 

“Sana must know something, theyˋre glued to each other nowadays.”

 

“I wonder about the reason…” Jeongyeon laughed at her own implication, Momo followed. Maybe I was tired of their jokes, because I didnˋt found it funny at all.

 

Chaeyoung wasnˋt laughing at it either.

 

“What about stop talking about other people lives?” I asked getting up. “As, you know, weˋre pretty late for our next class.”

 

“What? Are you stepping to her side just because she knows a thing or two about calculus? Or are you just jealous?”

 

“Shut up Momo.”

 

(...)

 

“Let me see if I got this…” I started asking. “...If I get this two together, Iˋll have the other one I needed and then can get to solve this equation?” Confusion was taking over for half of my brain, maybe more.

 

“Well, it’s more to have some sort of proof that the answer is right… You donˋt need this to answer the equation, just the first one. But, you can check if your answer is right and re-do if it is necessary. If the results don’t match, it means that you got the wrong answer.” She said, her voice tone extremely, and weirdly, so captivating. God, I hated math so much. Her way of explaining, though, made everything a little less blurry than that seemingly nonsense of numbers that it was for me. “Better now?”

 

“Yes. You have a really exceptional way of teaching this.”

 

“Iˋm not that good… I could do better if I was more interest into study it deeper, surely. I just have an easy time understanding and getting to teach others.”

 

“And I have lucky to have you tutoring me.”

 

“I just hope that I can really help you.” She gave me a shy smile, then I noticed how close we were.

 

I took the chance to touch her hair, mostly the new colored strands, imagining that her hair would be really damaged.

 

“Woah, your hair is really soft.” I was surprised. “I mean, sorry, I was thinking that it should be damaged by the bleach and the paint.”

 

“Itˋs okay.” She laughed. “I just, hm, get some shivers when people touch it? It seems like the hair gets more sensitive when we bleach it. I mean, someone told me that. I donˋt know if it is true.” Maybe because I was looking at her bright smile, I havenˋt noticed how the hair on her arms were standing up.

 

She was really shivering and that was cute.

 

“Why did you dyed it? Do you want to impress someone?” I asked, remembering what Chaeyoung told me earlier.

 

“The young ones, surely…” We laughed. “But, Iˋm not sure… no one in special, I guess.

 

“You guess?” She gave a weak smile and averted her eyes from me. “Well, I want to do something different with mine as well. Not dye it though, maybe get bangs or cut it a little. I donˋt know if the girls will like it, I told them this morning and they didnˋt even gave me attention…”

 

“There is no way that someone will dislike it, of that Iˋm sure.” Was she complimenting me? My cheeks felt warm all of the sudden. “Chaeyoung talks a lot about you, but I wasnˋt aware that you two were close you know?”

 

“She just showed up inside our group, I guess. She knew some of the girls already and we got along well. Besides, as she lives nearby too and we see each other often after school.”

 

“She was the one to tell you that I could help, right?”

 

“Exactly, I donˋt think Iˋve ever saw you two hanging around before so I was kind of shocked.”

 

“I usually spend my breaks at the library, so I donˋt have much time. But we are in the same year.”

 

“Understood... But, when you want, you can hang out a little with us. We donˋt bite or anything, you know?” Maybe Jihyo had this thing about bitting shoulders, but I couldnˋt actually tell Dahyun that.

 

“Then I will.” She was always with this bright smile covering her face, but I could tell that it was a sincere one this time. “Sana invites me all the time and I always refuse, but I donˋt think I can do that when youˋre the one asking.”

 

“Thatˋs great!” I said a little too fast, maybe because I couldnˋt quite of process what she told. “Showing up and giving just a Hi is enough, if youˋre too busy to stay.”

 

“I can do this.” She had something different. Something about her… I couldnˋt understand what. “Can we wrap things for today? I canˋt get late to my piano class.”

 

“Okay, Iˋll keep doing the exercises you left me. If I have any question, can I send you a text about it?” I got up, watching Dahyun gathering her books.

 

“Even two, if you want.” I started to help her to pack everything up. “You can call me too.”

 

“Youˋre really kind Dahyun, thank you.” Between the books we were gathering our hands touched and that, somewhat, got me shivering just like the way I saw her doing before. My cheeks probably got red as well, I could feel the heat crawling up my skin.

 

When Dahyun left, I took a break to clean the house before my parents got back from work. So I could take a shower and come back to my studies. Meanwhile, I kind of kept thinking about our conversation and trying, I donˋt know why, to get something out of it? She was really sympathetic, I think, and sort of captivating, that made me wonder why I repelled her for so long thinking that she was too childish. Dahyun wasnˋt like that, or maybe I was seeing her mature side just because she was now tutoring me.

 

I couldnˋt tell.

 

The funny thing, though, was the way I felt after she left. Iˋve spend my whole day trying, and wanting, to be left alone. When I could, everything got even more weird and boring. So, I decided to just stop a little and enjoy doing nothing, in front of the television, as I checked my phone notifications. At least, I had finished the house cleaning by the time.

 

Jeongyeon_ Nayeon didnˋt appear all day, must be good this study time with Dahyun…

 

Momoring_ I think you lost Jeongyeon, Nayeon has a new girlfriend now…

 

LeaderJihyo_ What are you guys talking about, care to tell me?

 

ChaeChae_ Theyˋre just teasing Nayeon-unnie, because sheˋs studying with Dahyun.

 

LeaderJihyo_ Can you guys grow up? You should be studying too, if you want to accomplish anything in life.

 

Momoring_ Let us have some fun!

 

BunnYeon_ When I rock this math exam and you both fail, we can talk.

 

ChaeChae_ What about skype time?

 

BunnYeon_ Iˋll pass today. Need to take a shower and study a bit more.

 

LeaderJihyo_ Iˋm reviewing some stuff with Sana, Iˋll put her on call as well.

 

Jeongyeon_ Add her here as too, come on. I donˋt know why she’s not already.

 

Momoring_ Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.... do you remember me? Thank you!

 

BunnYeon_ Come on Momo… Sana is kind to everyone, you need to stop this whatever you have against her.

 

Jeongyeon_ I bet you have a hidden crush on her, hm, Momo? I get it, she is kind of cute. Annoying, but cute.

 

Momoring_ Nah, Dahyun already has her… Oh, no, no, Dahyun is Nayeonˋs little girlfriend now.

 

BunnYeon_ At least sheˋs not annoying as you guys…

 

ChaeChae_ Forget them unnie. Theyˋre just saying this because they donˋt know her well and theyˋre all jealous of you…

 

BunnYeon_ I know… Iˋm going to my bath now. Bye. Donˋt go to sleep so late again Chae…

 

(...)

 

What do you do, when the loneliness start to give you allergies? I was trying hard to not call Dahyun, but I had this urge to contact her. Which was weird, I know, as weˋve spend some hours together earlier in this day. The exercises were the only excuse for me to contact her and I had serious questions about them. I really, really, had to call her. But I held myself from doing, texting her instead.

 

BunnYeon_ Busy?

 

Dubu_ Not for you.

 

A smiley emoji follow her text, why a smile came up to my face as well?

 

BunnYeon_ I have some doubts in the seven question, can you help me?

 

Dubu_ Do you mind if I call you?

 

Of course not, this was exactly what I wanted! I thought, but of course I couldnˋt send her that.

 

BunnYeon_ Please do!

 

“So, hm, I think it is easier to explain like this, than by text.” Her voice was trembling, as she spoke first.

 

“You were missing my voice already, werenˋt you?”

 

“Yah! Just because youˋre the It girl at school, you get so full of yourself…”

 

“Me? I donˋt think Iˋm the It girl…” I said sitting on my bed, the books all over it.

 

“Everyone likes and keep talking about you, like all the time.”

 

“Well, but this happen to you as well as far as I know. I think youˋre even famous. Thereˋs, like, always some followers around you when I see you in the corridors.”

 

“Thatˋs because they want my help in study, just like why. But have you been checking me out?”

 

Maybe I was blushing.

 

“Letˋs talk about the exercises, shall we? Letˋs cut the chit chat.”

 

“Fine… So, whatˋs your question?”

 

“I donˋt know the exact formula for the equation, Iˋm torn between the A or the D one.

 

“Right, in the question… Which question exactly, can you tell me again?” She asked, as I heard some paper noises.

 

“Question seven.”

 

“Seven… let me see…” Then I heard a really high noise of things falling and probably her phone as well.

 

“Hey, is everything all right around there?”

 

“Hi… yes, yes… I think Iˋm fine, just some stuff falling. So, in the seven you have to questions to solve actually. Trying using the D formula, then you apply the A to the results you got and you should find the proper answer.”

 

“Well, Iˋll try then…” I wasnˋt that sure if I got it, but it was kind of making sense. “Maybe Iˋll need some more explaining, about todayˋs lecture.”

 

“I can correct for you tomorrow and explain better, what do you think?”

 

“Thatˋs great, we set the time tomorrow in the school?”

 

“Why donˋt we set the same as today? If itˋs okay to you, of course.”

 

“Tomorrow after class it is.” I totally forgot about buying Jeongyeon an ice cream, but she said that it didnˋt need to hurry, right?

 

“Iˋll get the books to class and we come back together then.”

 

“Why donˋt you stop here before going to class and leave the materials, so you donˋt have to carry more weight? We can go to class together, maybe Chae will join us as well…”

 

“Okay.”

 

Silence came after that, maybe I always wanted to go with her to school. Seeing her back everyday got me feeling, somewhat, inferior?

 

“So, how it was your piano class?”

 

Somehow I didnˋt wanted to stop our conversation right there, so I started to call upon other things and maybe learn a little more about this girl.