"She's not here yet?" Sakura entered their classroom, seeing no one inside yet. 

 

 

Usually she would be the second to arrive; Yena always came to school really early and would always be the first in class unless she's going to be absent. She always makes sure to message Sakura when she's taking a day off but she didn't receive one today. 

 

 

"Did something happen?" Sakura walked over to her seat, hanging her bag on the side of her table before sitting down. She fiddled around with her phone as she entered deep thought. 

 

 

Her life has gotten a bit more complicated than she's used to. 

 

 

She's gotten herself way too involved with Chaeyeon and Eunbi when she hasn't even settled her issues with Gaeun. 

 

 

She wasn't in the position to be helping anyone. She could barely help herself. 

 

 

Even then, she didn't regret anything. It was a wild ride, sure.. but it was fun becoming friends with Chaeyeon. Outside of the complications, Chaeyeon was great company.

 

 

The way their friendship started was out of the ordinary. Their two weeks knowing each other was a lot more eventful than some years of her life.. and it was definitely more complicated but that can't be helped. 

 

 

It was a new feeling for Sakura. She always thought it was weird to be too comfortable with someone you've just met. She never understood people who immediately become close before knowing more about someone. 

 

 

She always believed that time was what made everything stronger; A person who's known you for years would know you better than someone who's known you for a few months. 

 

 

That was something she's always held onto - one of her principles in life. 

 

 

That wasn't how she felt when she met Chaeyeon though. Despite being wary about being involved with strangers, she approached Chaeyeon that day and even took her out to the arcade. 

 

 

It was very out of character.. but she was glad she did it. 

 

 

She was going to take out her phone when she heard the classroom door open. She smiled at the girl who just arrived, Yena, and said, "You're late."

 

 

"Kkura, I'm the second person to arrive," Yena grinned her, before going to her seat. Sakura turned her chair to face Yena's table as the other girl sat down. 

 

 

"Yeah, but you're usually first," Sakura grinned back, "You look.. kinda happy today. Did something happen? With that second year?"

 

 

"We went to school together today," Yena had this proud look on her face, much to Sakura's dismay.  She's bragging about it, huh.

 

 

Yena then rested her face on her palm, wiggling her brows at Sakura. "Actually, I could say the same to you. Don't think I didn't know.. You've been hanging out with a second year too, right?"

 

 

Sakura laughed, "I wonder~?"

 

 

"Aissh~ There's no point hiding it," Yena started poking the other girl. She actually found out from Hyewon that Sakura and Chaeyeon took a walk together. 

 

 

"Maybe we hung out this weekend. A little bit."

 

 

"Ah, but are they okay now?" Yena's smile turned into a look of concern, "Chaeyeon and Eunbi, I mean."

 

 

"I'm not sure," Sakura let of a long sigh. "Chaeyeon told me that they've already talked.. Whether they're okay or not, I'm not sure."

 

 

"Okay, Okay." Yena opted to change the topic, "Sorry for suddenly making you gloomy. Anyways~ How was your date?"

 

 

"It wasn't a date," Sakura immediately smiled when Yena asked the question, "We just hung out like normal people."

 

 

"Hmmm~" Yena nodded but she obviously wasn't convinced. The two of them spent their time chatting about random things from tricking each other to teasing about certain second years in their lives.

 

 

One by one, their classmates arrived. Eventually, another one of their friends arrived. The two watched as she placed her bag on her seat before walking over to them, hugging Sakura, "Good morning.."

 

 

"Good morning Hyewon," Sakura hugged back, snuggling against the other girl's stomach.

 

 

"Ew, stop flirting in front of me," Yena joked with a laugh.

 

 

"Ah," Hyewon let go of Sakura and went over to give Yena a hug.

 

 

"What is this? You're two-timing us?" Yena gasped before laughing, "What a flirt."

 

 

"W-What? This is slander," Hyewon laughed awkwardly, "I'm just giving you a hug.."

 

 

Sakura and Yena only laughed at the awkward girl before resuming their random chats, occasionally joking about Hyewon being a flirt whenever the girl clings to them. After a lot of pointless topics, class eventually started.

 

 

Sakura usually looked like she wasn't listening in class. She liked looking out the window and admiring the skies. When it rains, she counts the little droplets on the window and seemingly looks distracted all the time. 

 

 

She used to get in trouble for always looking out the window. She remembered the one time a teacher called her out to answer because she wasn't listening and could clearly recall the look on the teacher's face when she got it right. 

 

 

She was the type who can listen without paying direct attention. Even if the lesson was like background noise, she would remember key points just fine. The teachers eventually figured this out and just let her do whatever in class - may it be staring off to the distance or fidgeting with her things - considering she's a model student who gets really high grades so there really isn't an issue.

 

 

Well.. Aside from respect, I guess? There were a few teachers with pride that wouldn't allow it but she knew how to handle it. 

 

 

Taking a break from admiring the skies, Sakura decided to look back at Yena.. who was grinning to herself like an idiot. Sakura sighed and then looked around the classroom, seeing a fair amount of people looking at and admiring Yena's smiling face. 

 

 

Curse her popularity. Wouldn't normal people find it weird that she's smiling to herself all of a sudden?  Sakura thought to herself as she turned to the board, scanning what was already written. Maybe if these idiots started paying attention in class instead of looking at Yena, our class average would be so much higher.

 

...

 

Trying to ignore her whipped classmates, Sakura decided to actually pay attention in class for once. "Sir."

 

 

Sakura raised her hand. 

 

 

"What is it, Sakura?"

 

 

"You spelled that word wrong." Sakura pointed at the word on the board which happened to be written in all caps and was the biggest writing. "It's supposed to be e and not i, Sir."

 

 

"O-Oh.. Ahem.. Thank you.." Akwardly, the teacher corrected the writing and this seemed to get everyone's attention back to the lesson. 

 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

 

 

Very quickly, it was already dismissal. 

 

 

"Kkura-yah~ Let's walk home together today~" Hyewon approached Sakura as soon as they were dismissed, her bag already in her hand. 

 

 

"You're excited to go home." Sakura giggled. "But yeah, sure. Let's go." 

 

 

"Yah. Invite me too." Seoeon walked up to them. 

 

 

"No~ I'm going on a date with Kkura~" It was quick rejection from Hyewon. She didn't even think about it. 

 

 

"Wow.. You didn't even consider for a second.." Seoeon pouted. "I thought our friendship meant something to you.."

 

 

"It does mean something to me. It's just that Kkura is more important." Hyewon answered, patting Seoeon on the shoulder. "Anyways~ Let's go~"

 

 

Hyewon pulled Sakura up from her seat and they started making their way out of the classroom, leaving Seoeon behind. 

 

 

.

 

 

.

 

 

.

 

 

"Wait." 

 

 

Before they got far from the classroom, they were stopped by a teacher. Sakura's.. favorite teacher.

 

 

"Ssaem." Hyewon knew she wasn't the one the woman was after but she replied anyways. "What's up?"
 

 

 

"I need to talk to Sakura." Gaeun said simply. 

 

 

"But it's already dismissal." Hyewon tilted her head slightly. "Let us go home early, Ssaem~"

 

 

"It's important. Sakura.. We need to talk." Gaeun grabbed Sakura by the arm. "I'm sorry Hyewon.. You'll have to take her another day."

 

 

"But- Wait- You can't just do that." Hyewon grabbed Sakura's other arm. 

 

 

"Don't cause trouble, Kang." Gaeun put on her teacher voice, the strict and mature tone she used in lectures. This was enough to get Hyewon to let go but not before glaring at the teacher. 

 

 

"Let go." Sakura wasn't resisting physically. She wasn't about to cause a scene in school. Whatever it is that's happening between her and Gaeun - The school didn't need to know about it. "I'll go with you so don't be immature and cause a scene with a couple of students." 

 

 

Gaeun didn't reply and let go as Sakura asked her to. 

 

 

She then started to walk off and Sakura followed her. As expected, she led Sakura to the infirmary, Gaeun's territory in the school. 

 

 

Once they got in, Gaeun made her way to her table and sat down but Sakura remained near the door, standing still. 

 

 

"Sit." Gaeun gestured with her eyes for Sakura to sit down on the chair in front of her. 

 

 

"I'm leaving as soon as you're done with what you have to say. Hyewon was really excited, you know?"

 

 

"I could tell."

 

 

"Why'd you suddenly get in the way then? If you knew she was excited, why'd you have to ruin that?"

 

 

"I didn't like it."

 

 

Sakura's eyes grew soft, the glare she had held disappearing and being replaced by a more baffled look. "What?" 

 

 

Gaeun didn't.. or couldn't look at Sakura as she said, "I didn't like it.. Seeing the two of you so excited together when.. you've been cold and intent on ignoring me."

 

 

"...What are you..saying all of a sudden?" Sakura's eyes couldn't hide the confusion. Gaeun tried to make eye contact but this time it was Sakura that avoided her gaze. 

 

 

"You heard me, didn't you? I don't like seeing you act all friendly and cheery with other people while you're avoiding me."

 

 

Flustered by Gaeun sudden change of tone, Sakura couldn't help but stutter. She hadn't expected such things to come from Gaeun. "A-And I'm asking.. W-Wha.. Why are you suddenly??" 

 

 

"Stop this." Gaeun looked directly at Sakura and the girl couldn't stop herself from returning it. "...You're finally looking at me.." 

 

 

"S-Ssaem... Don't play with me.." Sakura said weakly. "I.. won't fall for this. I don't know if you feel bad or.. whatever this is.. but.. please don't do this to me.." 

 

 

"What? Sakura- Wait-" Unable to stop her, Gaeun just watched as Sakura rushed out of the room.

 

 

...

 

 

"I'm.. not playing with you.." 

 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

 

 

 

"What the f-" Hyewon almost screamed in public when she felt an impact on her back and a pair of arms wrap around her waist. She looked down, seeing the watch on the person's wrist and immediately figuring out who it was. "Kkura? Are you done with ssaem already?"

 

 

"N-Nevermind that-" Sakura quickly avoided the topic and Hyewon caught onto it quickly. "W-Where are we going?"

 

 

Anyone could see how shaken Sakura was. Hyewon, who paid special attention to the girl, would notice it much easier. There was only one answer to Sakura's question given the situation.. so Hyewon smiled and said, "PC Bang."

 

 

Two words that made everything feel okay. Maybe it sounds a bit materialistic to be that attached to games.. but it was more than just games to Sakura. It was her escape. She wasn't just carelessly spending all of her time on games - She actually balanced her responsibilities and her gaming time very well. 

 

 

She doesn't usually play games on weekdays and Hyewon knew that. The fact that Sakura didn't reject going to the PC Bang as she normally would have was the decisive information she needed to know that Sakura definitely wasn't okay. 

 

 

Hyewon was dying to ask what happened but she knew she needed to calm Sakura down with games first before she got anything. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

[A few days later..]

 

 

 

 

Even after a few days, Hyewon still hasn't gotten anything from Sakura. Everytime she would mention Gaeun, Sakura would switch the topic, pretend not to hear her, or straight up say it doesn't matter. 

 

 

What exactly did Gaeun do or say? There was no way Hyewon wasn't going worry about it. The normally calm and composed Sakura was suddenly all jumpy and gets completely thrown off whenever Gaeun was the topic. 

 

 

As soon as the bell rung and lunch began, Hyewon got up from her seat and grabbed Sakura by the arm. 

 

 

"Hyewon?" Sakura flinched a little though she already saw Hyewon heading her way. 

 

 

"What are you doing?" Yena asked in a serious tone. No, it's not because she's angry or anything. Sakura noted that ever since the day she walked to school with Yuri, Yena's been acting really down. They didn't know why but it was safe to assume Yuri has something to do with it. 

 

 

Sakura then turned her attention back to Hyewon who didn't bother to explain and just pulled her up and out of the classroom.

 

 

"Yah.. Where- Yah! Kang Hyewon!" Seoeon tried to ask them where they were going when he saw the serious look on Hyewon's face but the girl ignored him and kept going. 

 

 

"Hyewon?"

 

 

.

 

 

"Hyewon-ah.."

 

 

.

 

 

"Yah.. What's wrong??"

 

 

.

 

 

Sakura found herself being taken to the back of the school, a place where people don't usually go. "What's with you?? Why did you take me here?"

 

 

"Be honest with me. What did ssaem say to you that day?" 

 

 

"Why should it matter..?"

 

 

"Agh! Kkura!"

 

 

"Y-Yah... Why're you so interested..? We've got more important things to worry about you know."

 

 

"More important things?? Like what??"

 

 

"Hyewon-ah.. I'm sure you've noticed this dark aura around our little duckie." 

 

 

Okay. Hyewon had agree with that one. Certainly, the aura around Yena recently was a lot worse than whatever aura was around Sakura... but even then, Hyewon wasn't going to let Sakura go without explaining. 

 

 

"I know about that so don't change the topic. What happened before you caught up to me-"

 

 

"Look- I'm also not sure!" Sakura messed with her own hair in frustration. "She suddenly said she didn't like seeing me all friendly with you as if.. as if she was jealous or something.. I don't know! I just.. don't know what she's trying to do."

 

 

Sakura let out a very long sigh after she told Hyewon. 

 

 

"I can't figure her out.." Hyewon pouted, frustration evident in her furrowed brows.

 

 

"What? Hyewon.. what are you-"

 

 

"Just what does she feel about you?" Hyewon said.. before walking off. 

 

 

"H-Hey! You literally dragged me here and you're leaving???" Sakura voiced out disappointment but she just stood there. "Ugh.. What is up with her??"

 

 

Sakura leaned back on the school building, looking at her watch to check the time. 12:25 PM. There was still enough time for her to go back to the classroom and eat but she really didn't feel like eating at all. 

 

 

Did Hyewon really have to remind me of that?  

 

 

She sighed, sitting down on the grass. It was surprisingly comforting. The air around her felt fresher than usual - maybe it's all the trees. 

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

She took a deep breath...

 

 

It feels like it's been a while since she knew how to breathe. 

 

 

If she were to be honest.. She's been feeling like she's suffocating in the middle of all the issues surrounding her. 

 

 

She had Gaeun to think about - how their 10 years of friendship seemed to be crumbling along with her own heart.. She didn't know what the woman's motives were with their last talk. She had no clue what Gaeun wanted to happen at all. 

 

 

...And then there's Chaeyeon.. and Eunbi.. and Chaewon.. and Minjoo. Was she really getting herself involved in that? Whether she liked it or not, she found herself related to every single one of them in some way. 

 

 

She's in the same club as Minjoo.. then she became friends with Chaewon through Yena.. She just so happen to see Chaeyeon and Eunbi fighting and somehow befriended Chaeyeon along the way. 

 

 

And then there's that vague conversation she had with Eunbi; She was called dangerous by the other girl. That's another added to the list of things she just didn't understand. 

 

 

Was she dense? 

 

 

Was she stupid? 

 

 

What's the use of high grades when she couldn't figure her own life out? 

 

 

"Maybe I should just go back to Japan after graduation.." She considered it. It's not like she had no future in Korea or anything. There have been many situations where she got scouted in one of their plays inside and outside school. She rejected them but she ended up receiving various business cards telling her that she can call anytime she changes her mind.

 

 

But what was the point? She came to Korea for Gaeun. It's not like she really thought about what she wanted to do while she was there. To her, being with Gaeun was enough.

 

 

But what if they can't be together anymore? What if their relationship breaks into something that can never be recovered? 

 

 

Should she have kept quiet? 

 

 

Was she supposed to just let her feelings fade without being recognized? 

 

 

Should she have been fine with just loving Gaeun with her one-sided feelings? 

 

 

Would it be better if she just set her feelings aside? If she hadn't selfishly wanted it to be notice?

 

 

Was she wrong? Was she the one that was wrong for having those feelings?

 

 

....

 

 

"Agh.. What am I doing here?" Sakura got up and made her way into the school building. She walked for a bit and was going up the stairs when she noticed that Hyewon was just standing in front of one of the doors in the hallway. 

 

 

Sakura didn't need to read the sign to know what room that was. It's the infirmary. Hyewon was just standing by the infirmary door. She looked like she was having an internal debate on whether to enter or not. 

 

 

Sakura watched from afar to see what Hyewon was going to do.. and to her surprise, Hyewon eventually entered the infirmary. She hurriedly ran over but once she held the handle.. she suddenly couldn't bring herself to open the door when she heard Hyewon speak. 

 

 

In the end, she found herself listening in to the conversation...

 

 

...

 

 

"Ssaem."

 

 

"Do you need something?" 

 

 

"Ssaem.. isn't it about time you stopped being so vague? You knew about Kkura's feelings from the start, didn't you?"

 

 

"....Kang Hyewon.. Are you really going to talk about this in school?"

 

 

"You were the one who decided to abuse your authority as a teacher a while back."

 

 

"In what way did I abuse it?"

 

 

" 'Don't cause trouble, Kang.' Do you remember that? You took a student past dismissal and even threatened me despite not having any official reason to talk to her. I'm sure you didn't talk to her about school."

 

 

"Kang Hyewon."

 

 

"Lee Gaeun." 

 

 

"I.. could get you in serious trouble for speaking to me that way."

 

 

"Then do it. I walked in here knowing that." 

 

 

"Get to the point, Kang."

 

 

"What do you really feel about Kkura?"

 

 

"What is it to you? Why should you care about how I feel?"

 

 

"I hate watching you act careless with her feelings."

 

 

....

 

 

It was silence after that.

 

 

....

 

 

Sakura decided that she had heard enough. She wasn't going to stay for more. 

 

 

....

 

 

She shouldn't have heard anything.

 

 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

...

 

 

....

 

 

.....

 

 

......

 

 

.......?

 

 

What is this situation?

 

 

In front of Sakura was Hyewon, Yena, Seoeon... and next to her was Gaeun. 

 

 

"Isn't this wrong?" Seoeon raised a brow at the woman. "She said she doesn't want to go." 

 

 

"Don't.. cause trouble with me." Gaeun replied simply, her grip on Sakura's arm strengthening. 

 

 

"It's.. dismissal now." Yena pointed out. "Right now.. You're not our teacher anymore."

 

 

"You're right. I'm not doing this as your teacher." Gaeun agreed. Gaeun looked at Sakura before turning back to the other three. "I'm doing this.. as her childhood friend."

 

 

"You're hurting her." Hyewon looked at Sakura's wrist which was starting to redden.

 

 

"Guys.. Just stop." Sakura pleaded. "I'll go with her.. We needed to talk anyways."

 

 

"Is this really okay?" Seoeon asked. 

 

 

Sakura nodded and smiled at them. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

 

 

"...Right.. See you." Seoeon was the only one who greeted back. Hyewon stared at them.. or more specifically, glared at the woman while Yena weakly waved.

 

 

When Gaeun was sure she wouldn't resist anymore, she let go of Sakura's wrist. The two of them headed for the staff parking - Teachers had a separate parking space from visitors - and headed for Gaeun's car. 

 

 

Gaeun watched Sakura's every movement as if she was afraid that Sakura would run away but Sakura had no plans to do so. She was going to open the door to the backseat but Gaeun stopped her.

 

 

"Why are you going to sit there? You always sat next to me."

 

 

Sakura acted like a child getting caught stealing candy, awkwardly moving to her side to open the front-passenger seat door instead. 

 

 

When Gaeun saw this, she smiled and entered the car first, waiting for Sakura to come in. 

 

 

Is it too late to bolt?  Coward move, she knows. For someone who boldly confessed and acted coldly, she was being really timid. She was caught off guard by Gaeun's recent uncharacteristic actions. 

 

 

After some contemplation, Sakura entered the car and they were off. 

 

 

....

 

 

It was complete silence between them. They didn't speak a word. Sakura was busy on her phone, trying to calm down her worried friends in their group chat. 

 

 

She understood why they were worried and tried her best to reassure them.. after which she made a peculiar request. 

 

       

 

....

 

       

 

 

....

 

 

She had a feeling Hyewon was going to be difficult. Hyewon wouldn't let anything go easily when it came to Sakura. Ever since... that  happened, Hyewon has been kind of overprotective when it comes to her. Thankfully, Seoeon was always someone she could rely on to help her with that. 

 

 

Seoeon might seem as if he doesn't care enough; His lack of reaction, at least compared to Hyewon, might make him seem a bit indifferent. That's completely false, though, considering Seoeon was very attentive and just prefers to tackle things calmly than to let his emotions get the best of him. 

 

 

...And then there's Yena who didn't even bother to reply. It was seen but Sakura isn't sure if Yena even read it at all. She isn't normally like that. She was like a combination of Seoeon and Hyewon in that she was pretty vocal about her worries but she doesn't get so worked up like Hyewon. 

 

 

...

 

 

She looked to her side, staring at Gaeun who was focused on driving. 

 

 

To continue with the topic in her head, Gaeun was the typical older sister when she's worried. She would try to talk to Sakura as calmly and as understanding as possible.. and do things such as take her out or just stay at home and cook her favorite food. 

 

 

...That makes Gaeun sound like her mom, doesn't it? 

 

 

If their relationship wasn't nothing but a platonic friendship.. if it was more than that.. then the description could've been seen as a wife, no? 

 

 

But family was that they've ever been. She wasn't someone Gaeun saw as anything more than a little sister.. that much was obvious.. at least to Sakura, it was. 

 

 

"I know I'm beautiful but you don't need to stare at me that much." 

 

 

"You really are beautiful you know?" 

 

 

Gaeun flinched slightly at Sakura's reply. Was she getting so used to being ignored that she forgot what it was like to be the center of Sakura's affection? 

 

 

It wasn't the first time Sakura said something like that; She did it all the time. It's just that Gaeun was starting to get accustomed to constant glaring that she hadn't expected that. 

 

 

"Why are you suddenly looking at me like that? Didn't you come to like glaring at me all the time?" 

 

 

"Do you hate it when I glare at you?"

 

 

"...Of course I do. You can't just.. suddenly act so cold when you showered me with affection for the past 10 years.. I'd never be able to adjust to that."

 

 

"Maybe if you weren't such a coward." Sakura looked away from Gaeun and leaned back. "I told you I was fine with any answer.. but you just had to run away." 

 

 

"Look.. that wasn't easy for me either. I wasn't expecting you to confess so seriously." 

 

 

That made sense. She did put Gaeun on the spot so suddenly. "Okay.. I'll admit to that. It was pretty sudden so I understand if you weren't ready but.. that still doesn't make your reply right."

 

 

"I know." Gaeun had a sad smile on her face, looking straight at the road. "I'll properly tell you everything when we get home, okay?"

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

 

 

Sakura warily looked around.

 

 

Seated on the couch, she studied everything around her. 

 

 

There were.. quite a few changes. 

 

 

She's been to Gaeun's apartment multiple times before. There was a point in time where she lived there when she could barely speak the language and get around on her own. 

 

 

Still, it felt unfamiliar to her despite it only having been a few weeks or so since she had last been there. 

 

 

...Did she always have a lot of pictures in display here? 

 

 

Pictures of her and Gaeun in their childhood were on frames on the wall on both sides of the TV. She didn't remember them being there. It must've been placed there in the times she hadn't gone to visit. 

 

 

...

 

 

But why? Why would she suddenly put up those photos? She's never seen them before. Those pictures were probably in an album Gaeun stored in one of the boxes stashed under her bed. 

 

 

"I missed you." Gaeun answered as if she read Sakura's mind. 

 

 

"We see each other everyday..?"

 

 

"I'm talking about my childhood friend.. not my student." 

 

 

"....I see." Sakura looked down at the coffee table where a cup of tea sat. She hadn't taken a single sip of it. She was sure it has gone cold. 

 

 

"You like green tea but you haven't touched your cup at all." Gaeun noted as she sat down next to Sakura. 

 

 

"I don't feel like drinking it right now." 

 

 

"I see." 

 

 

".....Unnie." 

 

 

"Didn't you decide to stop calling me that?"

 

 

"...Can I?"

 

 

"Say my name, Sakura." 

 

 

...The atmosphere. 

 

 

There was something wrong with the atmosphere surrounding them. 

 

 

"...Ga.. Gaeun..?"

 

 

 

~ + ~

||a/n: I was planning something completely different for the next scene.. but I changed my mind so this is what it turned out to be.||

~ + ~

 

 

 

Ever so slowly.. so gently.. Gaeun moved closer to Sakura, her arms creeping around the girl's waist. Sakura could feel Gaeun's breath against her ear and the feeling was something she couldn't explain. 

 

 

Just what was this atmosphere? 

 

 

She felt like running away but she couldn't move.

 

 

She couldn't pull herself away from Gaeun's touch. 

 

 

"You know.." Gaeun spoke in a breathy, whispering voice. Was she doing it on purpose? Maybe she was. The reaction Sakura gave showed just how sensitive her ears were and Gaeun couldn't help but tease a little.  

 

 

"W-W-W-What..???" Sakura looked at everything but Gaeun. She was definitely not going to turn to her side. 

 

 

"Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to control myself?" 

 

 

"W-What are you s-saying.. you.." 

 

 

"I'm.. an adult, Sakuchan.." 

 

 

Gaeun slowly lowered Sakura down until she was laying on her side. "Do you know how hard it is to restrain myself? I'm a teacher.. I can't just.. give in to my desires so easily."

 

 

"W-Well.. I mean- Uh-" Sakura tried to say something but she was immediately silence by the soft feeling of Gaeun's lips brushing against her ear. She shut her eyes tightly, pressing her lips together as to not make any unnecessary sounds.

 

 

"It was already hard for me, you know?" Gaeun kept speaking right against Sakura's ear. "At school.. I needed to watch you act all friendly with so much people.. at home I.. I had to make sure I kept myself at a safe distance.."

 

 

Is she hearing this right? 

 

 

Well, certainly Gaeun was more than close enough so there's no way she would mishear it but this was a complete turn from everything Sakura knew and believed.

 

 

"G-Get to the point." Sakura managed to get a few words out despite the tightness in . She was barely breathing. In fact, she only breathed when she couldn't hold it anymore.  

 

 

"I.. have loved you longer than you know." 

 

 

Those words seemed to echo in her ears. Even after Gaeun had said them, she still felt like she could hear it. 

 

 

"W-What..?"

 

 

"I love you."

 

 

Sakura looked Gaeun in the eye after avoiding it for so long.. 

 

 

And what she saw in Gaeun's eyes were the sincerity of someone... who meant everything she said. 

 

 

...God... Miyawaki Sakura.. You truly are stupid.  Sakura thought to herself. How stupid did she have to be not to notice that those sincere eyes had been directed at her? 

 

 

With the gentle movements of Gaeun's hand, Sakura's ribbon came slowly undone. Despite having noticed it, Sakura couldn't take her eyes off Gaeun's. 

 

 

...She could hear the light shuffling of her uniform as Gaeun carefully undid the buttons one by one. 

 

 

As she did this, Gaeun started to lean in until their lips were a mere inch apart. 

 

 

In less than a second.. 

 

 

Before Sakura could take a breath..

 

 

Their lips had touched..

 

 

 

 

...

 

 

I've snapped once.. Now there's nothing stopping me from doing it again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll stop you.

 

 

...

 

 

 

 

But it didn't last long. 

 

 

"No.. This feels wrong.." Sakura said as she pushed Gaeun off and shrunk back to the other side of the couch. 

 

 

Gaeun's eyes shook when she took a good look at Sakura and realized what she had just done. Sakura also noticed the change in Gaeun's eyes when she looked back at the woman. 

 

 

"I.. I'm sorry.. I.. shouldn't have.." Gaeun carefully approached Sakura again and started to fix up her uniform and undo what she had done. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.." 

 

 

The panic and regret in Gaeun's face was evident as she tied Sakura's ribbon again. Her hands were shaking as she did but she still managed to tie it neatly. 

 

 

"U-Unnie.." Sakura watched as the woman's eyes looked around frantically. "Look at me." 

 

 

Sakura cupped Gaeun's cheeks, forcing the woman to focus on her. "Listen.. I.. I'm sorry.. I didn't notice.. at all. Somewhere inside me.. I'm happy to hear that you felt the same way.. but.. I can't do this.. I can't..."

 

 

"...S-Sakuchan..?"

 

 

"I.. I think my feelings for you.. aren't as strong as they used to be, Unnie."

 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

 

 

||a/n: You good?

We learn from Sakura that Hyewon was overprotective because of 'that'. It doesn't seem like it's only Hyewon. Seoeon and Yena too seemed protective to an extent that they would talk back to a teacher for Sakura's sake. Just what happened to her?

After all that happened in the earlier parts of this chapter, Sakura finally decided to talk to Gaeun and the last scene.. Sakura had waited and wished for this for the past 10 years.. but she refused it. With such a timing, a memory visited her mind. Do you remember whose voice it was that she heard? From this chapter onward, she's torn too.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter~  I wish I could tell you guys that it's going to get better cause I know how bad it must hurt to see them like this.. but it gets worse~~ (・∀・)

The next update might take a while~ I'm a college student now and I don't have as much free time as I used to.. I'll always try to make time to write so I hope you guys don't ditch me if I take too long~ If you want to yell at me to update, you can dm me on my twitter: heart_39chan  (・w・)||

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[P.S. I started laughing when I realized this was Chapter 8 and I titled it 'Refuse' because I remembered how I titled Chapter 8 of Misled- (ᗒᗜᗕ)՛̵̖ ]