Sakura

“Ahh, the day has been so long.” she stretched and laid her head down on the table.

Chaeyeon teased, “Has it? Your yawning every minute didn’t give it away at all.”

“Hngg.” she groaned and shut her eyes.

When she opened her eyes, Chaeyeon was also lying her head down on the table but had turned to look at her with a warm smile. They were currently in the Student Council room for lunch but even when the rest of the girls were talking loudly as they ate, she felt like she and Chaeyeon were the only one’s in the world.

In the about two weeks since she had arrived at the school, the girl had integrated herself seamlessly into her life.

In the mornings, if she was lucky and Chaeyeon caught a ride with her and didn’t take the bus or pick up Minju, the whole day felt like it was starting well. If she didn’t ride with Chaeyeon she at least knew that she would see her at school all day.

Except, Chaeyeon had progressively gotten busier practicing with the dance crew that the girl had even started skipping lunch with them.

That’s why today was a nice day, because she had managed to get Chaeyeon to eat lunch with them.

“Oh, is that a homecooked meal?” she asked when Chaeyeon took out a three-tier container.

The dancer nodded, “Yeah, I’ve finally settled into my schedule enough to start making lunches for Chaemin and I.”

“You learned how to cook? How much more perfect are you going to get?” Minju joked.

When she glanced at Minju there was something hard to place in her eyes as the girl stared at Chaeyeon. Maybe it was admiration? Kind of sadness?

“Can I have some?” Hyewon’s eyes were shining at the lunch.

One section was cute rice balls that looked to have different fillings, another was spicy chicken, and the last was healthy fruits with what looked like a toast dessert.

Chaeyeon nodded, “Sure, everyone can, I made enough to share.”

The greedy members of the council didn’t need to be told twice. When she took a bite of the spicy chicken she was blown away by the perfect balance of flavors.

Hitomi gave a thumb’s up, “You really are good at everything, Chaeyeon!”

“Wow this is really good.” Chaewon nodded.

While everyone complimented the girl, Hyewon was eating at a pace that didn’t even seem humanly possible.

She gently said, “Hyewon you sure are eating a lot.”

The girl gave her a dirty look that she only gave when food was involved.

“Yeah Hyewon-ah, if you don’t slow down you might get indigestion.” Chaeyeon said with worry.

Hyewon set down her chopsticks, “You’re probably right.”

What was that? She had kindly tried to help her friend and had gotten a look like she stepped on the girl’s manga collection but one word from Chaeyeon and she just agreed.

There was something off here.

Chaeyeon pulled out a napkin, “You have something on your mouth.”

She watched as the dancer gently wiped Hyewon’s mouth for her and somewhere in the back of her mind she swears she heard the romantic background music that came up in all Korean dramas. When she turned around she realized it was because Yena was playing the music on her phone.

At the same time, the frown on Minju’s face as she looked at Hyewon caught her attention.

Wait one second, she could connect the dots here.

“Guys, Somi and Yeonjung set off like twenty coca cola mentos rockets in the atrium again.” a breathless Han Chowon burst into the room.

Eunbi threw her hands up, “One day without one of the crackheads causing trouble at this school. Let’s go everyone time to do clean up duty again.”

Darn it, last time this happened she had to throw away her uniform.

“President, I haven’t eaten my prescribed 2000 calories a day so I might pass out if I go. Can I stay and eat?” Hyewon raised her hand.

Eunbi patted Hyewon’s head, “Aww of course you can Hyewon.”

“I don’t want to go, can I stay?” Yujin raised her hand.

The president grabbed the girl by the ear, “Let’s go you crackhead.”

The rest of the girls followed after their leader as she pulled Yujin out the door. When she took one last glance in the student council room, Hyewon was being fed food by Chaeyeon.

Hyewon had all the luck….

“This is unfair, there is clear favoritism in this student council.” Yujin complained after she managed to free herself.

She smiled, “Of course there is and you’re obviously at the bottom.”

“Well okay, I’m sorry I’m not as adorable as Nako and Hitomi or cutely 4D as Hyewon.” the girl pouted.

Wonyoung offered, “I mean you make us laugh by being so stupid.”

Like usual, the two started arguing like kids as they led their group through the halls.

“I bet you fifty they’ll get together by formal.” Nako turned to Minju.

She interrupted, “I bet you fifty it’ll be before formal.”

Yujin and Wonyoung had to get together before formal otherwise known as the biggest event at Seoul Academy. The dance was the social event of the year and the school went all out. It was the student council’s job to plan the whole thing.

Anywho, Yujin and Wonyoung had been running circles around each other for years. She was sure the two would break any day now.

“What is happening?!” Eunbi yelled.

She was pulled out of her thinking at the screaming and the need to dodge a Coca-Cola mentos rocket.

Chaewon screamed, “Jeon Somi, you are in so much trouble!”

“I did it in the name of science.” Somi defended herself. “And because I thought it would be funny. Anywhoooo, later girls.”

The girl sprinted at an impressive speed away from everyone.

The chaos was actually almost impressive. The Coca-Cola rockets were flying in all directions, while the girls were trying their best she was trying as well.

“Sakura!”

When she turned dropped as a rocket came straight at her which she managed to dodge, unfortunately a rogue mentos popped out and hit her straight in the eye causing her to trip and fall like a sack of potatoes.

“Oh god, man down!” Yena screamed.

Hitomi cried, “No, Sakura unnie.”

“She was so young.” Eunbi dramatically got on her knees.

“I will avenge you, Somi will be pelted with m&ms for eternity.” Yujin declared.

Oh god, these idiots…..

Chaeyeon

“Who are you Minju?” she teased. “Do I have to worry about you getting hurt all the time too?”

Sakura whined, “Jjaeyeon!”

“I’m just kidding, hold still.”

She was currently doing her best to gently pour some clean water into Sakura’s eyes. When the girl had gone off with the rest of the student council to clean up the mess with Coca-Cola rockets, Sakura had gotten hit straight in the eye with a mentos flying for heaven. Which explained why they were currently in the greenhouse, with her trying to do her best to clean out Sakura’s eyes.

“There, all done.” she said after finishing.

Sakura blinked, “Thank you.”

She leaned back on the bench and took in the peaceful ecosystem of the greenhouse. It was nice just to take a second and have a break. Even in the short time she had been in the school, she felt like she belonged here. One of the reasons was Sakura. Actually, all of the girls had been great but she definitely felt closest to Sakura, Hyewon, and Minju.

With Sakura things were easy, there was just a natural feeling being with her. Being with Hyewon was like being in a fun little world that seemed kind of just their own. And Minju….well lately it seemed like Minju seemed to be avoiding her a bit but usually with Minju there was this familiarity and connection they had that only really came from knowing someone since you were a kid.

Hmm, what was up with Minju? She didn’t want to think badly about her friend but it seemed like whenever she tried to spend time with Minju or talk to her, the girl had avoided her lately.

“What are you thinking about?” Sakura asked.

She blushed when she realized how close the pretty vice-president’s face was to her own.

“Just things.”

“Want to tell me what things, Jjaeyeon?”

She smiled automatically.

Sakura asked, “Why are you suddenly smiling like that?”

“It’s just….you say my name really cutely.”

Her smile only grew when Sakura blushed at the compliment.

“Don’t tease me.” the Japanese girl complained.

She looked up at one of the blue jays flitting around the greenhouse, “Why do you never believe me when I compliment you? But if someone else does you just say thank you.”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s just you just seem like you mean it too much.”

“And what does that mean, Saku-chan?”

“If people compliment you, it can be empty even if you mean it. But whenever you talk you’re just so earnest, I’ve never met someone that always meant what they said like that.”

Hmm, she guesses she understood that.

Sakura leaned her head on her shoulder, “I like that about you though. That and a lot of things.”

“Like what?” she asked with a teasing tone.

“Like how you take care of everyone, how you look when you dance, and especially when you laugh.”

She had not gone into that expecting that level of honesty.

“Now you’re the one blushing.” Sakura grinned.

Her red face gave her away, “No.”

When she finally cooled down a yawn unintentionally left .

“I feel like you’ve gotten no sleep since the dance crew started practicing for the competition.” her friend looked worried.

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