“Now, wait here!”

Jihyo winced from the loud slam of the office door as she sighed once more. She slumped against the hard plastic chair as she crossed her arms. She clicked her tongue in disbelief, before rationalizing that she’ll at least get suspended. At least then she’ll have a few days of being away from the world. Maybe start making singing videos, upload them to YouTube. After homework, of course.

The door opened again, pushing her from her thoughts. The form that entered pulled her breath. Jihyo froze as the girl with short hair entered. Her circular-framed glasses were falling off her nose as she tried to use her chin to keep the stack of boxes from falling. She bit her unusually red bottom lip as she struggled to lift the box onto the counter of the office. Jihyo did her best to keep her eyes onto the girl’s cute lips and have them not wander down to the cute -

She snapped her gaze back to Momo’s thin neck.

“Oh, Ji-chan!” Then snapped the gaze to Momo’s eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I uh…” Jihyo scratched the side of her head. “I got into a fight…”

“What?!” Jihyo jumped at the speed at which Momo dashed to the chair beside her. She was surprised her glasses didn’t fall from the sheer force of movement. “Who was it? Did they hurt you? Did you lose?!”

“Momo, calm down!” Jihyo couldn’t help but smile at the concern as she held the older girl back. “It wasn’t anyone you should really care about…”

It’s someone you should just forget about, Jihyo thought. You don’t need to remember her bullying you or Nayeon.

“But I have to if they’re hurting Ji-chan!” Momo pouted and ballooned her cheeks. “Now I’m really worried!”

We’re not even really supposed to be seen together.

“Come on, tell me!”

At least, not unless you want the both of us to be treated worse than Nayeon. 

Jihyo smirked at the older girl’s pout. She made sure to not to stare at the redder-than-normal lips. 

And I can't just let that happen to you.

“How are you a grade older than I am, again?” Jihyo mused. 

“I’m a hard worker, duh!” Momo pointed to the boxes. “I’m not all dumb. At least I know how to get some extra credit done.”

“Shouldn’t you be doing something with those then?” Jihyo asked. “Instead of slacking with me?”

“I gotta wait for-”

“Park Jihyo!” The girls winced at the strong volume penetrating through from the principal’s door. “Into my office!”

“That’s your cue, I guess.” To Jihyo’s weird relief, Momo looked a bit crestfallen. “Time for me to wait for Ms. Wang…”

Maybe it was the sullen look the older girl gave to the floor. Maybe it was the red lips that kept enticing Jihyo throughout the conversation. Maybe it was just an internal, “screw it,” since lunchtime.

The last thing Jihyo felt before the dread of stepping into the principal’s office was the softness of her crush’s lips.