It's been a few days since Jeongyeon last talked to Momo, who was busy with Spring Dance rehearsals. As curious as she is, Jeongyeon has never seen Momo dance, neither did she have the chance to ask Mina about her - Mina only knew Momo just recently too, so it would be kind of pointless anyway. But if Momo can dance on the same team as pro dancers like Sana and Mina, especially just after transferring here, she must be really talented.

Jeongyeon leaned back on her seat, bored. She misses Momo raving about her favorite k-pop group, her priceless reactions to the memes she would show her, her telling wacky stories about her dogs. (Jeongyeon's personal favourite is the one when one of the canines ate a box full of Hana's paintballs - its poop was a neon fluorescent green for the next six days)

Turning her head to the empty desk on her left, the blonde girl sighed;

Looks like I'm the one who's missing you this time.

*

The school bell went off, signalling the end of yet another school day. Tomorrow was Spring Dance after all, and most students want to get a good night's sleep before the all-nighter they're going to pull off after the dance (everyone knows that the event itself ends at 10 o' clock sharp - but almost everyone will end up partying at someone else's place or clubbing somewhere until dawn afterwards. It's pretty much a known secret by now). Hence, school grounds were mostly deserted by now, bar a few students here and there - including the two girls that were still in some junior's classroom.

The evening sunlight basked the room in a copper shade of warmth. The classroom was totally empty, free of both students and school bags - except for Mina and Tzuyu.

"So you rejected him?" Tzuyu rubbed Mina's shoulder, trying to console her.

Mina hiccuped, her sobbing making her sound almost incomprehensible. "Yep, then he got really angry and..." she proceeded to sweep her hair out of her forehead and pointed to the blue-black spot on her forehead. "I reported him to the discipline teachers, but they ended up laughing at me, saying that 'my standards were too high for men.'"

Tzuyu pulled Mina into an tight embrace. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. That guy and the teachers can go themselves." 

Mina giggled. "It's rare to hear you swear. In so many years I think I've only heard you swear this many times," She then started counting with her fingers, "Around 8 times? I think."

"I only swear when I get really pissed." 

"So you're really pissed now?" 

"Of course! Someone hurt you! A guy at that!" 

Mina smiled, even though tears can still be seen b in her eyes. "Thank you, I really don't know what I'd do without such a good friend like you." Mina and Tzuyu has been best friends since middle school, since they were both in the school team. Tzuyu trusts Mina completely, and so does Mina to Tzuyu. Although they're one year apart in age, the two would still hang out with each other during recess and after school - even up until now, albeit with a few new friends.

Tzuyu took a piece of tissue and wiped the tears from Mina's face gently. "Don't sweat it. I'm your friend after all-"

The girls were then interrupted by the sudden sound of the classroom door creaking open slowly. A small figure walked in, holding a piece of painted canvas in her hands. 

MIna stood up from her seat to face the girl. "...Chae? What are you doing here?" 

"Mina?" Chaeyoung froze in place immediately at the sight in front of her. "O-oh, I'm so sorry, Jihyo told me that you're here so..." she glanced over to Tzuyu, "I'm interrupting something aren't I? I'll just leave the two of you alone." She stammered.

"No, Chae! Come back!" But it was too late. The younger girl had already ran out of the classroom, and by the time Mina reached the corridor outside class, it was empty. 

"Chaeyoung!" 

Chaeyoung's a good runner, and Mina hated it.

*

Chaeyoung's feet pounded hard on the concrete floor, leaving echoing footsteps throughout the school corridor. She wiped the streams of tears flowing on her cheeks with her elbow.

She knew that this would happen. She knew that Mina and Tzuyu definitely have a thing together. It's not the first time she's seen the both of them alone, with Tzuyu's hand on Mina's cheek or Mina's head on Tzuyu's shoulder; neither is it surprising for her when she hears rumours of them being a couple.

I never stood  a chance with Mina. Tzuyu's so pretty, smart and rich; and certainly I'm none of that. All I can do is paint my silly portraits.

Upon reaching the ground floor, Chaeyoung went up to the bin, ready to trash the piece of canvas that was originally meant for her date tomorrow night, when suddenly, she felt a pat on her shoulder. She turned around in surprise.

"...Jeongyeon?" 

"What are you doing here at this hour? I thought I told you to take the bus without me." 

"I... had some errands to run. Coach wants to see me." Chaeyoung said edgily.

"Really? I thought I saw you walking upstairs to the classrooms," Jeongyeon tilted her head, brows knitting in concern. "Are... you crying?"

Chaeyoung sniffed her nose and shook her head defiantly. "No, I'm not-"

"Your eyes and nose are kind of red and swollen right now."

"I-I have a cold."

Jeongyeon moved her face closer to her's, which Chaeyoung flinched away from instantly. "There's tear streaks on your cheeks."

"I... was sneezing." She reasoned pathetically.

Jeongyeon put both of her hands on her waist, clearly able to see through the younger's facade causing Chaeyoung to sigh in defeat. "Fine. I got rejected for Spring Dance. Happy now?"

"Did you ask Mina?" The taller girl ventured. 

Chaeyoung nodded, her head facing downwards. "She was with Tzuyu. Just the two of them. Tzuyu had her hand on Mina's cheek, and the way Mina was looking at her - Actually, I...I ran away before asking her."

Jeongyeon always knew about Chaeyoung's unrecruited crush on Mina. Ever since Chaeyoung was a freshman and MIna was a sophomore the younger girl has always been head over heels for her - every training session, every lunch break you would see the happy glint in her eyes whenever she's around the redhead, and even after a year, Chaeyoung still holds on to the same light and love for Mina. However, Chaeyoung never brought up the courage to tell her, and just remained good friends with her. It seemed as if Chaeyoung would rather be in Mina's orbit in any way she can be, even as a mere friend - as long as she didn't make Mina cast her out (which is exactly what Chaeyoung dreads right now).

The thing was that, there are currently two major obstacles for Chaeyoung to confess her feelings right now - nobody knows anything about Mina's uality as she's never discussed it openly, but what everyone does know is that she has a lot of male admirers. Jeongyeon remembers that every Sports Day the guys would go up to her and call her pretty, which she would only respond with a shy smile. Yet, at the same time there was also Chou Tzuyu, who's been with her through thick and thin, and nobody knows if they're exactly dating either. Whichever it was, it wouldn't be a pretty scenario for Chaeyoung.

"Look, you really can't just assume that she's rejected you just because you've seen her with Tzuyu. However, I know how you feel. The feeling of dread that if someone doesn't share the same feelings as you, and that you coming clean about your feelings could ruin everything," Jeongyeon sighed, "But if there's anything I can advice you to do at this stage, is just to ask her outright."

Chaeyoung scoffed. "It's easy for you to say, who was the scaredy-cat the other day when I asked you to ask Momo to Spring Dance?" 

"I'm not you, and I don't want you to be like me either. It's just that... Even if Mina really turns out to be straight, or is dating who you think she is dating, at least you get a peace of mind afterwards. There's no point in chasing someone's shadow forever, you know?" Jeongyeon said.

She has a point, Chaeyoung.

She looked at the portrait in her hands, with Mina's gleaming acrylic brown eyes staring back at her.

"Come on, now. It's getting late. Time to go to the bus stop." Jeongyeon gestured Chaeyoung to come along as she started walking towards the exit. "I'll buy you ice cream later."

"Did you say ice cream?" Chaeyoung's eyes lit up slightly as she scuttled over to catch up with her senior, "I want strawberry ice cream!"

-

cuties(◕◡◕✿

[Me]

 Sana you haven't told us who you're bringing to Spring Dance!!! >:(

9.31pm

[Mitan]

Me and my friends are betting on who's your date, Sana. The winner gets 10 bucks from each loser.

9.32pm

[Cheese Kimbap]

why don't you tell me who you're betting on, Mina. (ღˇᴗˇ)｡

9.32pm

[Mitan]

Nah, that ruins all the suspense and fun.

9.32pm

[Me] 

Is it the instagram girl you told me about the other day? 

9.32pm

[Cheese Kimbap]

well I'm just gonna tell y'all this first - I'm 99.99999% sure

y'all don't even know who she is (ﾉ≧ڡ≦)  esp u momo

9.32pm

[Me]

what

why me

9.33pm

[Cheese Kimbap]

OK BYE SLEEP TIGHT GIRLS ^^

9.33pm

-Sana is now offline-

[Me]

DAMMIT SANA COME BACK HERE RN

9.33pm

[M