Chapter 5: 

“Psssh!”

Irene does not need to look down on her table to know that another note has been placed on it by her annoying partner. She continues to pay full attention to the screen, completely ignoring the piece of paper at the edge of her table. 

“Joohyun, look at it.” Seulgi leans in and whispers into her ear, causing the latter to push her away by instinct. 

Irene throws a sharp glare at Seulgi, like what she has done for the past week of lessons whenever the other girl disturbed her. Upon seeing Irene’s reaction, Seulgi pouts sadly (as usual) and complains, “I’m bored. Please look at my note.”

Irene grunts and picks up the note, knowing that Seulgi will not stop bothering her until she opens it. The piece of paper is revealed to be a drawing of Irene’s side view, that is most likely drawn from Seulgi’s point of view during lessons. She drew well, better than Irene has expected. 

Irene passes it back to Seulgi and says casually, “It’s not bad.” She proceeds to look at the screen again. 

Following her praise, Seulgi’s smile is so wide that Irene can see it from the corner of her eye. The dance captain is smiling like a fool while staring at her, which is something Irene has already gotten used to unexpectedly. 

For the past week, Seulgi has been non-stop trying to hit on her at every occasion possible. Literally, anywhere and anytime. 

Apart from taking Seulgi’s car to school everyday with Wendy (because apparently that’s part of the deal), Seulgi has been trying to give her gifts everyday. 

A bouquet of roses. Another expensive perfume but citrus scented. A giant teddy bear. A romantic love letter and so on...

Even though it is irritating, she has already gotten used to Seulgi’s nonsense and secretly, she found some of her antics actually quite hilarious.

For example last Wednesday, Wendy suddenly pulled Joohyun to the classroom window during break time, only to see Kang Seulgi standing down there dressed in a white oversized shirt and black jeans, surrounded by a crowd of people currently filming the spectacle with their phones. 

Seulgi’s eyes visibly lit up when she saw Irene standing at the edge of the window. 

Seulgi clears and recites loudly, “But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!” Seulgi points at the vehement mid-day sun that is shining right on top of them comically, and it ignites a burst of laughter from the people onlooking.

Irene, who was too surprised to say anything, immediately recognises this iconic scene from Romeo and Juliet. She looked at Seulgi and immediately knows in her heart that this was the worst interpretation of her favourite play ever. 

Seulgi sudden increase in her volume of speech catches Irene’s attention again. Seeing Irene’s eyes on her, Seulgi continued, “It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?” 

‘Romeo’ points at her ‘Juliet’, as if expecting her to say something. Irene looked around her nervously and mouthed to Seulgi to stop it. Seulgi chuckled, “Her eye discourses; I will answer it.I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven-“ 

Irene thought of something and suddenly replied with a cold glance, “What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night. So stumblest on my counsel?”

“W-What? Wait, that isn’t the next line!” Seulgi complained. It was Irene‘s turn to chuckle when she saw Seulgi trying hard to remember what followed her reply with a cute frown. Seulgi looked at her friends desperately for help, and all of them were already on their phones searching. 

Seulgi looked at Irene again with a sheepish smile and said, “Please wait for a moment.” 

“Well,” Irene stifled a giggle and said with a straight face, “If you can’t reply me, then I cant accept your courtship either. You can do better than this, Kang Seulgi.” Irene then proceeded to close the windows sassily, in Seulgi’s face. 

Upon hearing Seulgi’s groan that soon followed, Irene laughed along with the crowd in her seat. 

(Back in the present) 

“See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!” Seulgi whispers into her ear to remind Irene that she is supporting her head with her hand again. 

She quickly removes her hand and mutters, “Ugh, get lost.” She regrets telling Seulgi to try harder because Seulgi went home and memorised the entire play that night. And ever since, she has been reciting lines from the play at every situation possible. 

Instead of heading her words, Seulgi cheekily leans in closer to Irene, such that their faces are only an inch apart. However, her playful action backfires as Irene turns her head to face her at the same time and Seulgi finds herself staring at the other girl like a complete fool, unable to say anything more but gawk at Irene's beauty, which is even more prominent up close. 

Irene, who is too shocked by their sudden proximity too, does not push her away immediately too. They continue to stare at each other for a few seconds before...

“I said no dating in class!” The professor’s booming voice suddenly brought them back to reality, that they are in fact in the middle of physics class. Seulgi pulls away instantly to slow down her raging heartbeat and Irene just looks in the other direction towards the windows, pretending to check out the people who are playing in the field currently. 

The Professor looks at the clock, which shows that the lesson is already ending in 5 minutes. He then proceeds to order the class monitor to collect the homework he has assigned to the class last week. 

Irene has spent her past week working on the homework diligently and she beams to herself, knowing that she will score well if nothing goes wrong. She searches her file to find her piece of work, but after going through the entire file, she realises it is nowhere to be seen. 

In a state of panic, she searches her bag frantically but after emptying her entire bag, she still cannot find it. 

“Irene, where’s your assignment?” The professor calls her out. 

“Ugh...where did I put it?!” The model student cries to herself, unable to accept the fact that she has indeed forgotten to bring it. 

Seeing Irene in a state of panic, Seulgi peers at the girl and asks cautiously, “What’s wrong?” 

“I...I didn’t bring my homework.” Irene bites her lip nervously after telling Seulgi the truth. Seulgi offers to help her search but Irene informs her that she has already searched her stuff thoroughly. 

Irene finally decides to resign to her fate and she raises her hand, “Prof, I did-“

“Prof, here’s her homework! I forgot to bring mine.” Seulgi abruptly stands up, holding her piece of homework while looking at Irene with a smile, as if saying “I’ve got you babe, don’t worry.” 

Irene immediately stands up and denies, “No! That’s Seulgi’s work. I didn’t bring mine.” The professor lifts his eyebrows in surprise, as it is the first time his model student raised her voice in class. 

"This is yours." Seulgi replies with a firm smile as she pressed her homework towards Irene. 

"No, I didn't bring mine!" Irene shoves it back to Seulgi angrily. 

"You did!" 

"I did not!” 

"Just take it, please. I know you’re trying to help me but I’m fine with getting scolded, Joohyun.” Seulgi says in a sweet tone, which attracted a few swoons from the rest of the class. 

Unable to stand liars, the usually cool-headed Irene bursts out, “You’re the one who’s trying-“

"Shut up! Since y'all like to have your couple quarrels so much, both of you can go clean the windows of Block A classrooms during recess time. You can quarrel all you want while cleaning." The Professor shuts both of them up instantly. 

——

The silence is suffocating. It is even worse