Chapter 7 - Dance

I feel like a ship beneath the waves,
A child who's lost its way,
A door without a key,
A face without a name,
I feel like a breath without the air,
And everyday the same,
Since you've gone away.

Sakura had just finished a class. Her class earlier was a delight, with Yujin answering all the questions well, she was quite satisfied with today’s lesson. She walked down the hallway towards the staff room and suddenly she saw a familiar face. She thought she was seeing things, but it really was her.

Kwon Eunbi.

The older woman was strutting through the hallway, focusing on a document in her hands, completely unaware of how beautiful she was. She was breathtakingly beautiful, even though she was wearing her casual clothes with minimal makeup. She was walking towards Sakura, and the younger woman hesitating on what she should do. Should she let her walk by or should she say hi?

As she approached closer, she knew the answer. She cannot let her pass by.

“Eunbi unnie!” she called.

The older woman looked up, and her eyes searching for the person who called her name. Her face lit up almost instantly as she saw Sakura, and she took long strides towards her, as if she was impatient to meet her.

“Sakura! What are you doing here?” she asked, excited.

Sakura creased her eyebrows, “I work here, remember? I’m a teacher.”

Eunbi chuckled, “Yeah, of course. Are you heading to class?”

“I actually just finished a class. Yujin was so active in my class; she raised her hand at every question I asked.”

“Seriously? That’s surprising. The last time I went meeting her teachers, they said she avoided eye contacts when it comes to answering questions, but still so loud in class. Especially maths.”

Sakura giggled, “Well, maybe she likes the subject.”

“Or maybe she likes the attractive teacher itself,” added Eunbi casually.

Sakura looked at Eunbi, and her cheeks slightly blushed.

“Okay enough about me, what are you doing here? Are you applying to be a teacher too?” she asked jokingly.

Eunbi chuckled, “No, I can’t be a teacher. But I’m here to grab some documents regarding the bar at the school’s ball next week.”

“You’re opening a bar at the school ball?!”

Eunbi laughed, “Not the alcoholic one. It’s gonna be a fruit juice bar and also some fancy sparkling drinks for the kids and the adults. Can’t risk the kids getting drunk.”

“Or the adults, who knows what will happen when they get drunk,” said Sakura lightheartedly.

Eunbi and she looked at each other, and suddenly it became awkward. The last time they were drunk together, some major things happened. Sakura already regretting saying unnecessary things, because she was trying to act witty.

Sakura cleared , “So, you’re coming to the ball?”

“Yes, of course. I am Yujin’s guardian.”

“Great! I will be there too!”

Eunbi smiled, “Who you’re going with? Who’s your date?”

“My date? It’s just gonna be Nako and me. I don’t have a date.”

“Someone like you? You can have anyone you want as a date,” Eunbi said casually.

“Well, I have someone in mind, but I’m pretty sure she already have a date,” Sakura replied. She glanced at Eunbi and their eyes met.

Eunbi looked away, “You should’ve ask sooner.”

She looked at the older woman, trying to understand what she was saying. However, she just smiled at her, letting her solve the riddle on her own. Sakura was lost in her eyes.

“Eunbi!” a voice called.

They both looked at the direction and saw Sana walking towards them. She was flashing her beautiful smile, and her face was beaming as she was staring at Eunbi.

Sakura froze when her colleague wrapped her arms around Eunbi’s waist, and gently pulled her arm and intertwined their fingers together. She still froze when Sana looked at Eunbi as if she was the only woman in the world, and fixed her bangs for her. She can’t hear anything other than her own heartbeat. She’s pretty sure Sana was talking to her because she saw moving, but she can’t hear anything.

“I-I have to go,” she blurted.

She didn’t wait for a reply and walk away from them as fast as she could, leaving them at the hallway.

**

Yujin can’t focus on anything in her book. She could not help but keep glancing at the girl sitting in front of her, quietly doing her homework in the library. She was the one who asked Minju to study together, but she knows herself that she only wants to spend time with her. Study, not much. She has been staring at the same page for almost an hour now.

“Yujin-ah, is there a textbook on my face?” Minju asked suddenly.

Yujin gulped and quickly looked away, busily flipping the pages of her book, as if that would help.

Minju chuckled and shook her head, “You should study more. Remember that the exam is coming up soon.”

“I-I was just thinking for a bit, I am studying, okay?”

Minju stood up from her chair, “I’m going to look for a book, and you better be studying. I don’t want to distract you.”

Yujin grinned, “You’re not a distraction.”

“But you seems pretty distracted with me around.”

Yujin shook her head, “No, I’m not. Don’t flatter yourself.”

Minju rolled her eyes, “Okay, fine then.”

Five minutes without Minju at the table and Yujin had lost interest with her textbook. She glanced at Minju who was looking for books at one of the shelves, picking one book after another. She looked so beautiful just by standing there. Yujin smiled just by watching her from a distance. She got up from her chair and slowly made her way towards her.

Minju was flipping a book, trying to find what she was looking for. She was looking for the compilation of past year questions but for a specific year. She put back the book on the shelf and saw someone at the other side of the shelf.

Her friend Yujin was leaning at the shelf, holding a book in one hand, and another hand tucked in her pocket. Minju find herself smiling watching Yujin, who was obviously trying to act cool to impress her. She has to say that Yujin has a way with her, though her ways are sometimes clumsy and obvious with her feelings but that is what’s charming about Yujin.

“What are you reading, handsome stranger?” asked Minju.

Yujin looked up from her book and acted as if she was surprised to see Minju there.

“Oh, Minju, I didn’t see you there. I was just reading this-

She realized that she was holding the book upside down.

“Wow, some skills you got there, reading a book upside down,” teased Minju.

Yujin was slightly flustered, “Well, I have many skills that even I’m unaware of.”

She looked at Minju through the neatly stacked books, “Have you find the one you’re looking for?”

“Not yet. I’m still looking.”

Yujin smiled sheepishly, “Maybe the one you’re looking for is right in front of you all along.”

“Eh?” Minju looked at Yujin and their eyes met. She could feel her cheeks heating up, so she quickly looked away.

“Maybe.”

**

It was another day at school, and Yujin and Nako were already in their classroom. Yujin had forgotten about a homework that they were supposed to submit that day, and she was busy copying Nako’s answer.

Their friend Yuri shook her head, “How could you forgot that? Didn’t you stayed back at the library yesterday to do homework?”

Nako rolled her eyes, “Doing homework my . The only homework she did was studying the color of Minju’s eyes.”

Yujin was annoyed but she was too busy to care about Nako’s remark. She was copying the Maths homework quickly and her handwriting was becoming sloppier as she goes. She finally reached the final question and finished copying everything perfectly.

“Done!”

Nako sighed, “You really need to do your own homework.”

Yujin returned Nako’s book back to her and flashed her friend the widest grin, showing her charming deep dimples.

“Thank you so much, baby macaron,” she said, playfully poking Nako’s arm.

Nako sighed again, “I have a name, you know.”

Suddenly a familiar face appeared at the classroom door. The whole class were staring at the girl, some gasped and gawked at her beauty.

“Yujin-ah, can I see you for a bit?” asked Minju.

Yujin stood up immediately, “Of course!”

The class roared and teasing them as Yujin made her way to Minju. She grabbed her arm and pulled her outside the classroom, away from her nosy classmates.

“Did you miss me already? You can’t wait until recess to meet me?” Yujin asked, teasingly.

Minju let out a chuckle, “Aren’t you’re the one who missed me?”

“Oh please, don’t flatter yourself,” Yujin replied, slightly blushing.

“What is it? Is there something you want to tell me?” she asked, serious.

Minju looked down; her expression was grim. Yujin should have noticed it earlier that Minju was not acting like usual. She reached for her hands and held it tightly.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Minju slowly looked up and met Yujin’s gaze.

“Yujin-ah, about the school charity ball, I’m sorry but I can’t go with you,” she said.

Yujin stared at her for a while, still trying to process what she just heard.

“W-Why?”

“My mom found out about the incidents regarding you and she told me not to be close with you. She forbids me to go to the ball with you.”

Yujin swallowed, hard. She was looking forward to go to the ball with Minju. She had picked her dress, and planned to confess to her that night.

“So,  who you’re going with?”

Minju sighed and avoided Yujin’s eyes, “You know that my mom is close with Chaewon’s mother, so they-

“You’re going with K