“Jeon Heejin?” 

A small hand is raised high when the name is called. It belongs to one of the friendliest girls in the world but also the loneliest. Jeon Heejin had hundreds of eyes on her but they did nothing but look from afar. She was always the topic at lunch, in between classes and even after school. So many people talked about her but never to her. Heejin would always smile and wave. Complimenting anyone who would meet eyes with her.

All she would get in return was a shy smile and a bow.  

She would receive confessions of love but how could they love her when they didn’t know her? She would receive praises for being a model student but her grades were average. She would be told she was perfect but no one told her why…it was just a given. Jeon Heejin didn’t know what was so special about her. All she knew is that with all the friends in the world.

She still felt quite lonely.

Maybe that was what was special about her. For being one of the popular girls in school she sure wasn’t popular. She sat at lunch alone most days since the two friends she did have spent the period in choir. She would part ways with them after school every day going back to an empty house. During a class break she would look around for someone to talk to and when someone would meet her gaze they would quickly look away with a slight blush.

Heejin never gave up though. Every day she would wave at all the students in the hallway. Smile whenever she caught someone staring only for them to turn away. She would compliment the people that she thought needed to have a little confidence. Jeon Heejin was perfect in everyone’s eyes but how could she be. When she looked at her own reflection she couldn’t see what they saw. The girl that everyone talked about.  

She wanted to live up to her expectations, her label. If she was popular she should have friends right? So Heejin started talking to people asking them to be her friend and every time she would start a sentence they would pass out, go silent or just look at her funny. It started to frustrate her. She felt like some holy spirit that everyone was afraid of but at the same time infatuated with. 

Heejin was just a normal girl and she wanted to be treated as much.

One day in class she was doodling when she heard a conversation that she didn’t understand. The voices echoing in her head as she swirled the lead around on the paper.

‘She’s so pretty and nice I wish I was her.’

‘I wish I was with her I would consider myself the luckiest person alive.’

‘I bet she has so many friends. I heard she has a boyfriend outside of school.’

 They were wrong. They were always wrong about her. Jeon Heejin started to hate the image she has created. She started to hate the assumptions. People had in their heads what they wanted Jeon Heejin to be…who they wanted her to be but never actually wanted to know the person behind the pretty smile. The deep comforting voice. The cheerful girl with the world on her shoulders.

Jeon Heejin gave up on people. They didn’t actually want to be her friend. They just loved the thought of it. How cool would it be to be friends with the most amazing girl in school? That’s when Heejin made her first friend besides the ones she kept from grade school. Her first new friend. The girl was nice enough. She had a cheeky smile and a bubbly attitude. 

So Heejin accepted the friendship delighted that someone actually wanted to know her. One day though she was walking down the hall to receive a make-up quiz when she heard the conversation.

‘Yeah I’m friends with Jeon Heejin…I’m going to be the most popular girl in the school.’

‘Wow, that’s amazing!’

That’s when Heejin started to ignore people. Started to lose her smile and her brightness. If that’s all people looked at her for then she’ll sabotage it. If she’s not popular then what else will they talk about? What she didn’t know is that she would become one of the least popular girls in school. 

Jeon Heejin remained the topic at lunch, in-between classes and yes even after school but the talk now wasn’t as positive as before.

‘Gosh, she’s such a why does she never smile?’

‘It’s such a shame really she’s so pretty.’

‘Remember when she was nice? What happened?’

‘Maybe her boyfriend broke up with her.’

Heejin could care less. If everyone only liked her for being the popular girl then so be it. She didn’t want friends if all they were after was her social status. She wanted a true friend someone who saw her for who she really was. Someone who really looked at her without all the labels, the assumptions, and ideas. 

It didn’t hurt…the truth. What hurts the most was finding out she wasn’t special after all. Those hours spent looking at her own reflection was her truth. She knew herself better than anyone else. And when she couldn’t find what was special about her…it was because there was nothing special to be found.

The truth freed her though. She could go on about her day peacefully not putting her effort into to people who only liked her because when they looked in their own reflection and imagined it with her status made them feel better about themselves.

Today was different though. It was out of routine for Heejin. The normal disappointment was replaced with something that Heejin has never felt before. Curiosity.

“Okay, today we have a new student. Come on in sweetie.” The teacher blankly looks at his paper. Speaking the words out with a hint dullness. His motivation reflected the class’s atmosphere but it was soon filled with something else. At least for Heejin.

In walks, one of the prettiest girls Heejin has ever seen. She’s tall and has an athletic build. Like the kind of person who could be active for hours without breaking a sweat. Her eyes stay glued to the floor as Heejin’s stay glued to her face. Her dark hair is silky and it frames her face like a portrait. It’s the first time Heejin has ever stared at someone, it’s also the first time she’s ever been caught too.

The girl’s eyes snap to Heejin’s in a second and she can feel her breath hitch. It also becomes the first day she’s ever blushed. Heejin couldn’t get the sharp almond eyes out of her head. So she had to take another look. When she glances back up she felt her blush deepen since the girl still has her eyes locked on to Heejin’s face.  

The world stops for her. It’s the first time someone has truly looked at her without breaking away. The girl seems to be confused by Heejin’s manners and tilts her head like a puppy would. She’s freaking out. Heejin has never been flustered before. So why was this girl who was now scowling at her making her heart race?

“Introduce yourself to the class I’d like to start sometime soon.” Heejin wants to curse the teacher for being so rude. He hasn’t even looked up from his laptop to give the girl his attention.

The girl’s facial expression doesn’t change as she breaks eye contact with Heejin to look at the teacher, “it doesn’t seem like you do. You look pretty busy with,” she squints her eyes and leans forward to see the computer screen raising back up when she reads it, “single milfs ready to bang in your area.” He jumps up and slams his laptop shut shushing the class when everyone bursts out into laughter. 

Including Heejin.

The girl's tone was soft and airy. Unlike her attitude. Heejin didn’t mind though. She liked the idea that this girl didn’t fit an image. Like her. She was hoping that this girl was similar to her. Heejin saw herself wanting to become friends with her not even knowing her name.

“Quiet down!” He yells as the tall girl stands there perfectly still. He hisses out the next sentence, “I was not looking at…that it was just a stupid ad on my computer.” 

The girl tilts her head again, “no it wasn’t you were typing it out in the search bar.” The class holds in their laughter this time and Heejin is biting her lip wiping the tear from her eye. 

The teacher removes his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose, “please god just introduce yourself and go sit down behind Jeon Heejin.” She freezes at the mention of her name and looks behind her. Oh yeah, of course, it’s the only empty seat in the classroom. She turns back around to lock eyes with the new girl once again but this time there’s a small smile on her face. 

She then faces straight ahead and bows before standing straight back up.

“Nice to meet all of you.”

“I am Kim Hyunjin.”  

…

Later that day Heejin is skipping through the puddles on the way home. She loved the rain but for some reason, she really enjoyed it today.

Kim Hyunjin

Heejin giggles as she kicks a small pool of water. Making it splash and sparkle into the air. She continues her journey home thinking about the new girl and ways she’s can introduce herself so she can become her friend.

The way Heejin’s heart flutters every time she repeats her name is something new for her.

There was a lot of news that day for Heejin including the small cat shivering in the rain. It was underneath a tree freezing to death and soaked to the bone. It was orange with cute brown swirls and Heejin couldn’t help but think it looked like a pastry. Slowly approaching it Heejin crouches down at the small feline.

It looks up at her with angry eyes…sharp almond-shaped eyes. Titling her umbrella she holds it over for the both of them and the cat seems thankful for the help and crawls a little bit closer to the girl.

She tilts her head at the little thing. Looking at its soft wet fur matted by the rain. “Are you cold?” She softly asks it. Not like it could understand her. She thinks for a moment. Tapping her index finger to her chin to get the gears in her head to crank. Heejin lets out a small noise when she remembers the snack she packed in her bag.

Quickly she throws it off digging through it. The cat curiously leans its head over to watch the girl shuffle through the notes and folders. “Ah ha, here it is!” She pulls out the honey bun and the cat instantly starts meowing. It’s cute and a little airy. Just like someone’s voice that Heejin heard previously that day.

Unwrapping the plastic she sits the pastry down and watches the cat devour it, “Wow you must have been a hungry little guy.” She continues to hold the umbrella over the cat as it finishes off the whole honey bun. Heejin giggles as the cat the sticky sweetness off its nose. She can’t help herself and goes to tickle its full belly.

She has to pull straight back when the cat latches onto her wrist with its claws. She winces at the pain but she doesn’t mind. To the cat, she was a complete stranger so she understands the hesitation. Thinking it’s time to leave the thing alone she stands up and waves her goodbyes.  

Heejin starts walking again when she hears the little meows behind her. Turning around she notices the little cat is following her.  

“Do you want to go home with me?” The cat looks up at her with beady eyes tilting its head and Heejin feels her heart burst due to the cuteness overload. Leaning down to pick the cat up it easily hops into her arms and surprisingly cuddles into her bopping her nose.

 She giggles from the softness of the paw tickling her, “Okay okay! I’ll take you home but you have to be quiet okay?” She leans back to give the cat a serious look and it gives her the same look back, twitching its ears in the process. 

She carries the cat home in her arms. On the way she thinks of names that she could give it. She doesn’t think it has an owner but she could be wrong. For now, though she could at least save it from the rain. Focusing on the orange tone of its fur and brown swirls there’s only one name that comes to mind as she snuggles the cat closer to her chest.

“I think I’ll call you…”

Honey Bun.

~~~~~~~~~

R-R-R-remix. So I changed up my writing style a bit. This could be a one shot or I could turn this into a whole fic. I am really bored and stressed. Writing keeps me distracted so here you go hehe.