Wonyoung’s phone vibrated suddenly, notifying the owner that she got a new message. She checked who the sender was, the screen was saying “Ahn Yujin”. Just by seeing her name in her phone screen, Wonyoung’s heart skipped a beat. It’s unusual for the older girl to send Wonyoung’s a message during lunch break. Nervously, she opened the message.

“Basketball club asked me to help them, so I should join their practice after school. Also, let’s have a lunch together today.”

Wonyoung stared at her phone screen. It was the first time Yujin specially asked her to have a lunch together. Normally, the older girl would just crash Wonyoung’s table, so reading the invitation was making her nervous, as if Yujin asked her to have a special lunch for just the two of them.

“Wonyoung!” Her classmate suddenly called for her name from behind, making the tall girl startled for a bit.

“Y-Yeah?” Wonyoung responded. She quickly turned off her phone screen and put it inside her pocket, afraid that her classmate would peek at her phone screen and read the message from Yujin.

“We’re going to the canteen, now. You’re coming too, right?” The girl said. Wonyoung really wanted to say that she couldn’t tag along with them this time, although she’s also going to the canteen. Somehow, it was really hard to say it, since she should tell them the reason that she wanted to have a lunch just with the school’s prince.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Wonyoung answered, then stood up from her seat, ignoring Yujin’s message.

While queuing for take an order, Wonyoung kept looking around, checking whether Yujin were there or not. Until she finished ordering and took a seat with her classmates, Wonyoung still didn’t spot Yujin. The girl was worried, did she upset the older girl for not replying her message. She opened her phone, wanting to give her senior a late answer. She was ready to send the message until one of her classmate suddenly waved her hand towards someone,
”Yujin-sunbaenim!” One of Wonyoung’s classmate shouted. Wonyoung reacted quickly, turning her eyes towards the direction. She could see the prince smiled and waved back at her classmate, while approaching the table. She was holding a jam-filled bread as usual.

Wonyoung’s classmates quickly moved and gave Yujin her favorite spot, beside Wonyoung. With no hesitation, the only second year took the seat, then opened the jam-filled bread. She turned her gaze and looked and the younger girl. Letting out her smirk towards the girl, Yujin opened .

“Don’t feel like eating today?” She teased Wonyoung. The girl turned her eyes to her and let out a pout, making funny face.

Answered by a funny face instead of words, Yujin let out a chuckle, making Wonyoung more annoyed than before. The second-year turned away her gaze, now facing one of Wonyoung’s classmate.

“You know, I never thought that Wonyoung is a big eater. She eats so much whenever we’re going somewhere together!” Yujin told Wonyoung’s classmate about their date without any hesitation while finishing her bread. Wonyoung’s classmates let out an ‘whaat’ in harmony, surprised that Wonyoung really had the prince for herself. Embarrassed, Wonyoung hit the older girl’s shoulder with her hand. Instead of complaining, Yujin laughed.

“You should go out together with us too, Yujin-sunbaenim!” One of them said, while the other girls nodded in agreement. Wonyoung silently cursed herself for falling in love with someone that talk too much like Ahn Yujin. Can she just shut up for a while, like when there was only the two of us in her messy room? Wonyoung thought. Come to think of it, where was that Ahn Yujin gone? Moreover, was today’s Ahn Yujin more annoying than the usual?

“Maybe I should think about it,” Yujin said, making Wonyoung's eyebrows frowned.

“...But Wonyoungie seems doesn’t like the idea, right?” Yujin continued her sentence. The girls let out another ‘whaat’ in harmony, disappointed at Yujin’s blatant favoritism towards Wonyoung. Wonyoung’s eyes widened in disbelief at what she just heard as her heart started thumping loudly. She wondered, why the girl beside her never failed to makes her heart beating in uneven rhythm.

Yujin brought her lips towards Wonyoung’s left ear, and whispered words that could only be heard by the latter.

“Wait for me after school,” Yujin whispered. Her act towards Wonyoung made the first years there became hysteric even though they couldn’t hear what she said to Wonyoung. Wonyoung silently nodded, accepting Yujin’s order. Yujin woke from her seat, then stood behind Wonyoung. She patted her junior’s head briefly from behind, and said, “All of you really should make this giant baby talk more,” before leaving.

-

Since Yujin had asked her to wait for her, Wonyoung went to the gymnasium, the place where the basketball club usually hold their practice. Wonyoung never saw sports clubs’ practice before, so she was excited to watch them train. 45 minutes had passed after the training began, but Wonyoung didn’t reach the gymnasium yet. She was called again by her homeroom teacher for her achievement in class. Of course, she’s happy that the school recognizes her ability, but she also thought that there’s no need to always call her to the teachers’ lounge just to praise her.

Wonyoung entered the gymnasium and surprised at how crowded the gymnasium was. The basketball club were playing a three-on-three basketball, since the volleyball club used the another side of the gymnasium. Many first years and second years cheered those two clubs, but it seems that the crowd are more concentrated on the basketball club. Wonyoung walked towards the side that was used by the basketball club as her eyes are searching for Yujin.

“It’s been a while since the last time Yujin joined the basketball club’s practice, no wonders why everyone is here right now,” Wonyoung overheard a second year talking. She was surprised that the crowd is truly the result of Yujin joining the practice. Guess the prince is really a prince, huh? The crowds are mostly consisted by first years, cheering and shouted Yujin’s name wholeheartedly. Some of them are in the same class as Wonyoung, even though they aren’t belong in the same circle as her.

Yujin was wearing a black t-shirt and white shorts, as opposed with white t-shirt and red shorts that were worn by the club’s members. This was the first time Wonyoung saw Yujin in such attire, it was making Wonyoung stunned. She could see beads of sweats dripping from the second-year’s forehead clearly, despite it was currently winter. She wasn’t an expert in basketball, but she could tell that Yujin was a good player, judging from how much she scored.

Students around Wonyoung kept shouting Yujin’s name, cheering the latter. Wonyoung had no idea that the prince has so many admirer in this school. She couldn’t imagine what would happen to her if those girls know that she once kissed Ahn Yujin… well, twice to be exact.

“Isn’t she Jang Wonyoung? The only first year that Yujin-sunbaenim put attention to? They seem so close lately,” Wonyoung overheard the conversation by girls behind her.

“I once saw them going home together, they must be really close. Both of them are pretty, so I won’t complain,” said another girl. Wonyoung pretended to not hear their conversation, standing still on her spot.

“Yeah, but still I think she must be really lucky to be close with Yujin-sunbaenim. I envy her friends, since Yujin-sunbaenim often joined them during lunch,” the first girl continued.

“You should be her classmate and befriend her, then,” the second girl replied with a small laugh.

Wonyoung tried her best to keep focusing on watching Yujin, but the conversation kept distracting her until the end of practice match. The match ended with Yujin’s team as the winner. Everyone cheered for Yujin, but Wonyoung knew that it was a sign that the basketball club still have a long way to go to be qualified in regional competition. The members assembled, and their captain gave a comment about the practice. Yujin stood beside the captain, seemed a little bit unfocused. The crowd were unable to hear what the captain was talking about, but it seemed that the captain was scolding her team.

After the practice was over, Yujin threw her gaze towards the crowd, then smiled before leaving the court. Everyone in the crowd screamed hysterically when they saw the smile of the prince charming. Little did they know, Yujin was smiling to someone in the crowd, to her lovely junior, Jang Wonyoung.

Wonyoung went back to her class to take her belonging. Since it was winter, the sky was already dark even though it was still around 5.30pm. She walked down through the dark corridor, heading to her class. When she reached her class, she sent a message to Yujin to inform the older girl that she was currently in her class, then sat on her desk. A short reply from Yujin comes not long after she sent the message.

“I’m coming there”.

After waiting for a while, Wonyoung turned back as she heard the sound of the sliding door. Ahn Yujin, who was already changed her outfit back to her uniform, entered the classroom and closed the door behind her. Quietly, she approached the younger girl with a calm expression on her face.

“Did you know that school prohibit students to be in school after six if they’re not belong to any clubs?” Yujin asked, her eyes met the younger girl’s.

“It’s not even six yet. So I’m not breaking the rules,” Wonyoung replied in a somewhat cocky tone. Yujin laughed a little, amused at the freshman's answer.

Yujin seems bigger than usual in Wonyoung’s eyes, since the latter was sitting while Yujin was standing in front of her. After their short conversation, silence filled the entire classroom. They stayed like that until Yujin slowly touched Wonyoung’s hand, then stared at the latter’s eyes.

“...I know it’s already late to tell you this, but it keeps stuck in my head…” Yujin said while holding the freshman’s hand. She looked down, averted her gaze from Wonyoung, slightly embarrassed to continue her words. Wonyoung waited the other girl to continue her words.

“Even though I didn’t say anything back then, I really mean it when I did it. You might think that I took it lightly… but, please keep in mind that I’m not joking around with you,” Yujin continued. Wonyoung stiffened, unable to give a proper reaction to Yujin. The older girl seems didn’t mind and took a long breath, then stared at Wonyoung’s puppy eyes with serious expression.

“Jang Wonyoung, I love you.”

The words from Yujin’s lips was echoing in Wonyoung’s minds. Even though they’re dating for a while now, Yujin never said “I love you” to her before. She never realized that words are that powerful, thinking that a mere affection was already enough. Responding to Yujin’s confession, Wonyoung nodded, accepting the confession.

“Thank you,” Yujin said, her lips formed a faint smile.

Wonyoung faced up to meet Yujin’s gaze, then slowly closed her eyes as if she was already longing for a kiss. Yujin let out a chuckle, bringing her face closer to the younger girl, closing the distance between them. Yujin put her free hand on Wonyoung’s shoulder, slightly pulling it.

Their third kiss felt different from their two previous kisses, as Wonyoung could feel that Yujin kissed her more passionately compared to their first kiss. Yes, they were too shy they didn’t even kiss after the first snow. Yujin’s left hand moved to the back of Wonyoung’s head, pulling the younger to deepen the kiss, while her right hand was intertwined with Wonyoung’s left hand, squeezing it. The desk between them was preventing them to exchange their warmth, but didn’t strong enough to hold their feeling. Yujin slightly pushed the desk with her body, caused it to screech for a bit.

When their lips parted, Yujin stuck her forehead on Wonyoung’s while keeping her gaze at the younger girl’s eyes, letting out a giggle. She playfully rubbed her lover’s nose with her own.

“Your hair stinks…” Wonyoung suddenly complained.

“Even though I already used a hair refresher?” Yujin asked the other girl. Their forehead still stuck on each other.

“Yeah, you should wash your hair,” Wonyoung said. Despite complaining about Yujin’s hair, she didn’t seem to hate it when Yujin’s bangs were sticking on her face.

“What if I don’t want to?” Yujin asked once again, a smirk plastered on her face. Wonyoung didn’t give any answer, as Yujin already expected. She knew she already won this time. She was not only winning over the argument, but also the younger girl’s heart.

In the middle of their moment, the two girls were interrupted by the realization that they only have 10 minutes left to be there. After 6pm, the teacher would start patrolling in the corridor, and they would likely be caught. Followed by an awkward giggles, they quickly left the classroom, and walking side by side through the corridor.

Their hand intertwined with each other, when they passed through the school’s entrance hall.

“...I love you too,” Wonyoung suddenly whispered right on Yujin’s left ear, answering the older girl’s confession earlier. Yujin turned her head to face Wonyoung. When their eyes met each other, faint smiles crept out from the two of them. Yujin tightened her grip on Wonyoung’s hand and put the latter’s hand inside her coat pocket as they walked together towards the gate.

Well, they might only have less than 5 minutes to leave the school, but they still have plenty of time and a long way to go to through their unknown future.

-

A/N: In the end, I wrote the epilogue for them. Honestly, I wanted to post the epilogue simultaneously with the second story, but I’m still busy right now even though it’s already Christmas. I hope I can publish the second story before New Year comes...