"Who's she?" I asked as I lean right not-so-subtlety 

"What do you think? She's the transfer student, you idiot." Dahyun replies

"No, I meant her name."

"If you don't know, I don't know."

I rolled my eyes in response, she was about to say something when "Ahem." The teacher up the front cleared his throat, clearly signalling for us to be quiet. As the murmuring died down he started to speak "Class, this is Myoui Mina. She's a new transfer student. Please get along with her."

There were a few hushed whispers among the students finishing their conversations from before class, but nothing else. 

The new girl walked to her seat, it was was exactly 2 rows in front of me.

Mina that's her name. It suited her. It had a ring of elegance to it. I didn't realise I had been staring at the girl until she moved - She was waving at me. Mina was waving at me, Chaeyoung. I waved back. Mina smiled. It was a really pretty smile.

I couldn't think about anything else during lunch. I haven't joined any clubs unlike Dahyun, who was playing the piano for the school orchestra. Mina probably thinks I'm a creep. She's really pretty, her hair is perfect. Her eyes are perfect. Her skin is perfect. Heck, she's perfect. Damn, this . Why'd I have to stare? She didn't say anything, but I'm sure she was creeped out. Creep wasn't exactly the nickname I wanted. I wanted something more along the lines of lion. Or tiger. Or sweetheart. Wait, sweetheart? No that's not right. What did sweetheart have to do with big, tough animals?

My head is still on the table when I feel a tap on my shoulder, bringing me back into reality "Can I sit with you?" A voice asked. The voice was soft and sweet. Sort of like a dragonfruit. Not too overpoweringly sweet. I really like the voice. I lift my head to find Mina standing next to my seat. I blink a few times, to make sure I'm not still daydreaming before saying "Sure." Mina is quiet, and am I, but it isn't an unpleasant quiet. Like, it was a nice relaxing sort of quiet. "Why'd you transfer over here?" I I finally decide to ask.

"My parents came here for work."

I nearly say I'm glad you came but i catch myself before I could and instead replied with an "Oh." Oh? Really? Was that the best I could come up with? 

"You don't think I'm a creep?" I asked after a minute without talking. Wait, did I just-

Pause.

"Hm? Why would I?"

Well, no going back now! "I-I was just- I mean-, I was staring at you in class before a-and I just thought..."

Mina covers , but what I doesn't see is that it's to cover up a laugh. "No, I don't think that, you were just staring into space."

As if, I thought. Why would I look into space when I could look at perfection? No- I didn't think that. I didn't. I swear. But I did. What is wrong with me? Shoot, I'm staring again. "Uh, yeah, space, yup." I said without really knowing what I said. Mina can't help but laugh a little. "Do you like penguins?" She asks after her laughter subsided.

"Penguins? I guess so, now that I think about it. They're really cute and soft," I answer Just like you I thought"...and cute" 

"You said that twice." Mina laughs again. I like her laugh. I want to make her laugh more.

The break was over just like that. 

A few more breaks went by like that, just idle chat.  And a few more.  And a few more. Until one day, "Hey, Chae, do you want to go to the zoo with me?" Mina asks.

"The zoo? Sure, when?" I answer, there was something different in the way Mina talked this time. That didn't change how my heart was beating faster again, but that's normal. It happens every time I talk to Mina. No, something else is off but I can't put my finger on it.

"This Saturday at 12? We can have lunch as well... if you want,"

"Sounds good! Lunch is good as well," I say. Mina is fidgeting with her hands. 

"Wait, this is- I mean- the zoo,"

"You okay? You're stuttering, do you need to go to the nurse?" I'm worried, she's been acting a bit weird today. She might have caught a fever. She's not answering, maybe she doesn't want to go to the nurse? . What do I do about the fever then? I can't heal her, I'm not a doctor! I could become a doctor? I can go to University and stuff, then I can cure the fever. But she's sick now??? That will take too much time????

"Chae," she says, it catches my attention. "The zoo-, it's a date. I'm asking you out,"

She's red now, and I mean red, like ketchup red. "It's okay if you don't want to, I'm just asking a-and" she takes a breath. "Do you still want to go?" 

"A date?" Out of everything, that was definitely not what I expected. "N-nono I want it. I mean, I want to go on the date. I mean, I like you. Wait that wasn't what I meant to say. Forget what I said. But don't forget the date bit, I still want the date."

I had more things to say, but I was stopped by Mina laughing. I like her laugh. It makes me happy. I like Mina. "So, 12 on Saturday right?" I ask.

"Yep."

The bell rings.

"Gotta get to class. See you on tomorrow!"

"See you,"

I turn to leave when Mina grabs my wrist. I was about to say something when she kisses me on the cheek. It feels soft. It's really nice. Damnit. I'm kind of in full panic mode. I'm sure I'm redder than Mina was before, and she was really red. Mina grins and turns to leave. Well, I guess I have my date to look forward to tomorrow.

(P.s. Mina was laughing to herself on her way to class even though she was still super embarrassed because Chae was really that red. She found it cute tho)

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