The Guide to the Infinite Year

__________________________

Chapter 3

 

“... and secondly it has the words DON'T PANIC inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover.” - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, (Douglas Adams)

 

///

 

“Miss Munn,” Dahyun raises her hand. 

 

She could feel everyone’s eyes on her and she knows that they know why she suddenly had to interrupt the class politely. 

 

“Yes, Dahyun?” 

 

“I have to convene my council. I’m really really sorry. It’s an emergency about the Pep Muster.” 

 

“Well, I hope it’s not anything bad.” Miss Munn tried to smile despite the genuine concern. “Come back soon.”

 

“Yes, Miss Munn. Thank you!” 

 

Act cool. Act cool. Act cool. 

 

Dahyun stands up, and in the absolute silence that followed, the echo of a clatter slices through the room. Jeongyeon winces and Chaeyoung’s jaw drops at the sight of Dahyun’s phone on the floor. It was faced up that everyone in a one meter radius saw who she was texting.

 

[Unknown Number] 7:12 AM

Dahyun! Sorry, I got your number from Yujin’s friend. 

We switched jackets. Are you available to 

 

[Kim Dahyun] 8:01 AM

Please tell me this is Sana.

 

[Unknown Number] 8:01 AM

You saw, didn’t you?

 

[Kim Dahyun] 8:02 AM

Meet me at the council office.

I don’t care how but it has to be now.

 

[Minatozaki Sana] 8:02 AM

Wait, are you mad?

 

[Kim Dahyun] 8:02 AM

NOW! 

 

Dahyun quickly snatches her phone and hurriedly walks all the way to the front. 

 

In the middle of answering the question ‘Why does Chaeyoung always choose to sit at the back?’, she could feel everyone’s eyes burning right through her soul. As the president, she is not a stranger to attention. But when you know the reason why everyone is looking, the place becomes too claustrophobic too quickly.

 

“Now, he also had romantic comedies like the Twelfth Night and Midsummer Night’s Dream. Quintessential works where we got some of the famous lines..” Miss Munn continues and Dahyun quickly responds Really? Romantic comedies? Right now? in her head. 

 

“As Shakespeare once said, the course of true love never did run smooth.” Miss Munn said as Dahyun closes the door, and it made her conclude that the universe is speaking through her Literature lessons for the day.

She ran all the way to the council room, quietly thanking the universe for empty hallways and closed doors. But what she can’t thank the universe for is Sana. 

 

Sana who appears out from the corner of the hallway, running towards her like she’s watching a sports commercial. Her tousled raven black hair, her sparkling hazel eyes, and her supple parted lips are more than enough to remind her of a dream she had. 

 

The day has been hard on her and she doesn’t really need for things to be much more difficult than it already is.

 

Do you really have to look this beautiful when you run? Dahyun thinks. 

 

“What?” 

 

Dahyun froze, her eyes widening at the realization that she might have thought too loud.

 

“I-I-I said, d-d-do you really have to run?” 

 

Wow. Real smooth, Dahyun.

 

“You told me in all-caps ‘NOW’. Usually, that kind of ‘now’ means this instance.” Sana said half catching her breath as she combs her hair back with her fingers. Oh, the visual pleasure of Sana and her breathing. Dahyun wished Sana hadn’t done that. “Why? What’s wrong? Should I not run?” 

 

“Just don’t run like that in the hallways. It’s dangerous.” Dahyun ended with a lousy reprimand, reminding herself to slap her own face once the day is done.

 

“You used all caps, Dahyun.” Sana reasoned back.

 

“Just get in.” Dahyun’s brows furrowed, then she jams the key into the knob. She was the first one to step in, then when Sana joined her, Dahyun looked around the hallway before closing the door.

 

“Me, you, in a room where anyone can come in isn’t really the best idea here.” Sana said, but before she could take a seat, Dahyun taps her shoulder and points at the window.

 

“We’re not talking here. Get out that window.” 

 

“Really, Dahyun? Another day, another window? I must say, we are really getting good at this.”  

 

“Now.” Dahyun opens the window and gestures for Sana to get onto the other side. 

 

“Is that in all-caps? I can’t tell.” Sana pauses midway into climbing out. Dahyun just bites her lip and raises an eyebrow, settling on non verbals to feign annoyance.  “Yeap, that’s an all caps kind of now.” Sana agrees then climbs out.

 

They made their way up through an old fire exit that’s not visible from anywhere in school. Dahyun discovered this last year when she got trapped in the old library wing, which is ironic since they both found themselves inside the supposedly closed part of the school. 

 

The place hasn’t changed much except that all the bookcases are covered with white opaque plastic sheets like every book is riddled with some sort of disease. Some parts of the ceiling are also supported by metal scaffolding and pieces of furniture were moved into parts where dust and debris won’t reach them. It’s obvious that a bit of work has started in the old library wing, but it’s also pretty quiet.

 

“You sure no one would just barge in?” Sana peeked around a bookshelf. When she was sure that no one was around, she pressed her back against the bookshelf opposite Dahyun. 

 

“No. That door is chained from the outside. They’ll start working around Autumn Break.” Dahyun ped and took her (see: Sana’s) jacket off. “Now, I want an honest answer, Sana. Did you tell anyone about that night?” 

 

“Hey!” Sana quickly points at Dahyun accusingly. “It was your picture on that tweet! If anything, I should be the one asking you on how they caught a wind of this!” 

 

“I was wearing your jacket!” Dahyun raises the jacket she was holding. 

 

“Which you should’ve checked!” 

 

“Why didn’t you check yours?” Dahyun accuses back.

 

“I texted you, remember?” Sana her hips and folds her arms under her chest. She did text, and yes, Dahyun didn’t reply. “Why did you not check yours?” 

 

“I was drunk, then our machine acted up so I had to bring it to the laundromat, then I was late today so I snatched it without checking..” Dahyun’s voice trailed slower when she realized how the events connected her to the crime. “.. then I wore it because my stupid friend thought my shirt is a good canvas for chilli paste art. !”

 

“So technically, President Kim, this is your fault.” Sana smirks.

 

“Wait, what? No! This is just a misunderstanding!” Dahyun defended. “We’ll clear it out with them and negotiate. Maybe they can take the post down.”

 

“Fine,” the quarterback sighs. “We’ll just file a formal report then have our friends sign as witnesses.”  

 

“You can do that?” Dahyun perks up at Sana’s suggestion.

 

“No!” Sana throws her hands up in surrender. She can’t even begin to understand how Dahyun came up with that question. “Of course you can’t do that! The high school jungle isn’t an institution! That’s not how you get off the hook! There’s no office where you can file complaints or ask people to stay out of your business!” 

 

Dahyun deflates, sinking down the floor until she was sitting on her calves. She presses the soles of her palms against her forehead and felt her brain fuzz out. She has always been a subscriber to gossip but never the topic. It worked out for her that way, so when she finds herself in the middle of a scandal, she can’t even think on what to do next.

 

“Dahyun,” Sana gets down on both knees and to Dahyun’s level. “Remember, the next question they’re going to ask is, how the hell did we even switch jackets? You know the answer to that, right?” 

 

“We tell them we switched during the party.” 

 

“We wore our jackets correctly the whole night, until.. you know.” 

 

“.” Dahyun takes in a deep breath and tilts her head up. “Am I still in a dream, because damn, I am so ready to wake up.” 

 

Sana just snaps her fingers right in front of Dahyun’s face to get her back into the conversation. 

 

“I have an idea.” 

 

“What?” 

 

“Let’s do it.” 

 

“Let’s do what?” Dahyun sighs.

 

“Be a couple.” Sana puts her arms out like she made the best point. 

 

“What?” Dahyun’s face contorts, begging to disagree. 

 

“Look, you can make an issue a non-issue if you treat it as a non-issue. We kill the hype with a ‘Yeah, so what?’ then it’ll be out of your hair once a new hot topic comes up.” Sana explains. The idea is not entirely stupid but Dahyun wanted to explore other choices. “You get this off your back in a couple of months. I make my ex jealous. We separate ways after the season, then we’re off to graduation.”

 

“Wait, why do we need to do this until the football season is done?” 

 

“Do you really wanna be blamed if the quarterback loses a game because of a broken heart?” Sana narrows her eyes and wiggles her finger in front of Dahyun.

 

“Hm.” Dahyun forces out a laugh, her shoulders jerking up. “You thought about this already, haven’t you.”

 

“No, but if you have to ask, yes. I put it all together when we were climbing up the fire escape.”

 

“Weird flex, but okay.” Dahyun raises her brows and looks away. 

 

“Nothing to lose, so much to gain!” Sana presses on. “Think about it. This is your one stop solution to everything. The party, the jackets, the rumors.”

 

“Why?” Dahyun drops her hands limply over her lap and looks up to the ceiling with closed eyes. “Why is this happening?” 

 

“Hey, is being with me that bad?” Sana frowns with Dahyun noticing she hit a string. 

 

“No!” Dahyun manages to say, but Sana is already making her way to where they came from. 

 

“I’ll just give you some time to think.” She climbs out of the window but peeks inside again to remind Dahyun. “I can’t miss Physics. You have my number and you know where to find me.”

 

Dahyun shouldn’t feel bothered, but the sudden blandness of Sana’s voice was hard to miss. She listened for Sana’s steps on the metal stairs but it didn’t take long before she felt alone. It didn’t help that for the first time after a long time, she didn’t have the solution to a problem.

 

///

 

When lunch time rolled in, Dahyun and her friends decided to spend a couple of minutes behind closed doors.

 

“Chae, close the door.” Jeongyeon orders the youngest, as all of them steps inside the DMZ. 

 

With just the three of them barricading in, Dahyun knew exactly why they had to detour here instead of lunch. The urge to runaway from them has never been so strong until now, and the feeling was only made worse when she hears Chaeyoung lock the door. 

 

Jeongyeon takes her usual seat and Chaeyoung settles on the blue leather couch at the other end of the room. The common area isn’t as big so there’s no real way Dahyun could hide from all of this. 

 

“So?” Jeongyeon began.

 

“Okay, let me start off by saying that, holy , this is not what it looks like.” Dahyun defends her guilt. 

 

“So what is this?” Chaeyoung asks without letting a beat pass.

 

~

 

“You just have to ask, huh?” Sana shoves a couple of books back into her locker and grabs some required readings after lunch. She didn’t pay much attention to Momo and Jihyo who were flanking her on both sides, looking at her in a mix of amusement, amazement, and fear. 

 

“Stop dodging the damn question!” Jihyo hisses between gritted teeth. Sana responds by closing her locker, and leaning her shoulder against it. There was a smug smile on Sana’s face that Jihyo wanted to wipe out so badly. This wordless reply on important questions has always been a habit of the quarterback but that doesn’t mean Jihyo and Momo got used it. “I swear to god, Sana!”
 

“Whatever’s between me and Dahyun stays with me and Dahyun. It’s that simple.”

 

“Not buying that bullcrap.” Momo eases herself off the lockers as the two begin walking towards the cafeteria. 

 

“Not asking you to buy it. I’m asking you to respect it.” Sana spins on her heels then walks backward for a couple of steps. “Come on, thought you wanted this for me.” 

 

“Don’t play that with me!” Momo tucks in her hands in her jacket pockets then stomps her way to front of the posse. “Dude, you don’t even know Dahyun’s number until like four hours ago.” 

 

“So you don’t believe me?” Sana stops walking.

 

~

 

“Well, she is the Minatozaki Sana. I find it hard to believe.” Jeongyeon shrugs. Dahyun’s jaw drops as she placed her hand over her heart for dramatic offense. And coming from someone who forced her to wear the jacket, Jeongyeon should have no business disrespecting her.

 

“I am actually offended! So what are you saying? That she’s out of my league?” Dahyun puts her hands out. 

 

“Well, she is the Minatozaki Sana.” Chaeyoung repeats. 

 

“Shut up, Chae! I got it the first time!” Dahyun spits. “And it’s not like this is anything serious. She needs me to make her ex jealous and I just need this scandal to blow over.” 

 

“That explains the party, your disappearance, and the jacket.” Jeongyeon enumerates, ultimately dismissing the brewing questions that would’ve followed. “Damn, you’re really out there making this last year count! Attagirl!” 

 

“It’s really not a big deal, you guys.” Dahyun then switches her strategy to just sweeping the entire thing under the rug. 

 

“Not a big deal? Are you kidding me?” Jeongyeon laughs in disbelief. “Kim Dahyun, Student Council President, is dating the school’s football captain slash star quarterback. Holy , then you’ll go on long drives, and movies, and dinners. Not to mention that you have an actual date for the prom! Dahyun!” her voice shakes in excitement. “You finally have a life!” 

 

Dahyun didn’t know exactly why, but the thought of Jeongyeon’s words made her smile a bit. Maybe a little bit too much when she noticed Chaeyoung tilt her head in pure skepticism. It never sat well with Dahyun — Chaeyoung being all suspicious and that. 

 

Chances are, she’ll be asking more implicating questions and the last thing Dahyun wants is to blow this out of proportion.

 

“Guys, can we do this another time? It’s lunch and the Muster is in three hours.” Dahyun complains. She pulls her phone out and sends a quick text. 

 

“But, Dahyun.” Chaeyoung presses on, much to Dahyun’s worry. “You dating the football captain slash star quarterback slash Nancy’s ex slash the hottest girl in campus isn’t really waiting for the storm to blow over. That’s like the opposite of what you want to happen. Are you sure about this?”

 

~

 

“Yes, I am sure about this! You’re the one who told me about moving on, Momo.” Sana says as she smiles and nods at Lisa’s group. 

 

They stopped talking altogether and Sana knows exactly what they’re on about. Hell, she could even hear her and Dahyun’s name from every small pockets of conversation they passed by. 

 

“Yes, I know but —”

 

“But what?” Sana beats her to the punch. “Because she’s Dahyun and I’m Sana?” 

 

“No, it’s not that.” Momo sighs, thinks for a quick second, then backtracks. “Okay, fine. It might be about that.” 

 

“No, I get what you mean.” Sana turns to her friend. “And this is exactly why I never told you.” 

 

Sana hated accusing someone for something they didn’t mean and manipulating someone’s opinion in favor of her narrative (Which she just thought of doing just now, by the way. Weird flex, but okay.) but it was so convenient that it’s almost a sin if she didn’t pounce on the opportunity. 

 

“I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just.. I don’t know, complicated?” Momo reasons. And she is right. 

 

But through all of the doubts and the skepticism, Sana was surprised on how honest she was with her next words. Thinking about the last couple of days, plus the summit, she never really expected that she’d get along with Dahyun that well. So even if she’s half fumbling through this lying spree, she finds words that still ring truth.

 

“She’ll surprise you.” Sana assures as she took her phone out. “She’s actually pretty fun to be with.” 

 

Jihyo and Momo let out a collective sigh to admit their defeat. Sana isn’t being cooperative and most likely will continue to do so, most especially now that she had this big smile on her face when she pulled out her phone. 

 

“Let me guess.” Jihyo begins. 

 

“Yup, it’s my girl.” Sana smiles cheekily. “Lunch, shall we?” 

 

~

 

There are times when you have to cross the bridge when you get there, and maybe the next set of answers are waiting on the other side, but who knows? At this point in the day, 90% of the student body are full aware of the tweet. That’s also counting the people who are absent today for various reasons and also the sophomores and the juniors.

 

It made the walls close in on Dahyun faster than she could push back. If she says no, then she’d also be forced to make excuses that could get her into more trouble. 

 

If she says yes, then maybe — just maybe — she’ll get something out of this. 

 

You finally have a life!

 

So much for finishing the year unscathed. Not that it was her plan from the very beginning. 

 

“Chae.” Dahyun takes a deep breath. “I have to tell you guys something. This basically holds me accountable to anything and everything. But first, I have to take care of business.”

 

She pulls out her phone and types in a quick message.

 

[Kim Dahyun] 12:15 PM

Fine. Let’s do it.

BUT WE KEEP IT DISCREET!

 

///

 

Drums pound in quick loud beats and flyers tumble mid-air for a full acrobatic spectacle. At the same time, representatives of the sports teams are teaching the crowd on how to cheer for the season. The gymnasium is packed with so much scholastic energy, it could very much cheer for the other schools too. The season hasn’t started yet and this isn’t even a pep rally.

 

It’s just a Pep Muster, where the school teams are introduced and where the students are given the chance to sign up for their clubs. But boy was it like a formal kick off for the year.

 

Dahyun watches the entire scene from the techs and lights mezzanine, an area connected to the second level bleachers, overlooking the entire revelry. She wants to be happy on how the entire event turned out but the thoughts of Sana and the deal made it difficult to celebrate. 

 

“Cap,” Dahyun leans her head closer to the source of the sound while she watched the event. 

 

“Pep is almost done. We’re bumping the Recess Absentees half an hour early, then we got the club sign ups. We are almost there.” Minjoo says in a giggly voice, quite excited that she’s finishing her first event for the year. 

 

“That’s good.” Dahyun smiles. “Just don’t leave Jongdae in the snacks area. And Hyewon! They’ll finish it up before we could even feed half of the students here.” 

 

“On it, cap!” Minjoo gives her a quick salute, then they both watch the cheerleaders and the athletes ease down the crowd. On the other side of the stage, Dahyun gives a quick nod to the Recess Absentees, a band Jeongyeon formed two summers ago when she had nothing better to do. Now, with seven or so original (really really good) songs and a new cute drummer, they became the coolest nerds this side of town. 

 

As the athletes go down the stage, Jeongyeon, the vocalist, leads the march. Meanwhile, Jieun, the guitarist, tests the amps. People actually thought she was mute — turns out, she just doesn’t like talking to people too much (which is a valid excuse). Ryujin, bassist, tunes in her bass, but stops midway when she waved for the last member to come in. Yuna jogs in, still in her marching band uniform and matching pleated skirt. She takes her seat behind the drum kit, stomping on her pedals to check the sounds. Jeongyeon recruited her during the marching band tryouts when an informant told her about the transferee. 

 

“Well, Minjoo.” Dahyun sighs in relief, and turns her back to the view. “Jeongyeon and her band can take it from here. Let’s just go around and make sure the club sign ups go smoothly.” 

 

“Okay, but..” Minjoo’s voice trails softer. “Captain, isn’t that your girlfriend with the mic on stage?” 

 

“Girlfriend?” Dahyun scoffs at the farfetched accusation, “Where did you even — Holy !” Dahyun quickly turns and sees Sana on stage together with some of the team representatives. “No. No, no, no. Minjoo, pull her out now! That’s not part of the program!” 

 

Minjoo quickly leaves but Dahyun knows she won’t make it. Minjoo will have to run across the other end of the crowded court and Sana looks like she’s about to speak. Dahyun doesn’t know what’s running in the quarterback’s head but she’s pretty sure that she’s about to set the crowd ablaze. 

 

Then, it happened. 

 

She saw Sana’s brows furrow, her eyes narrowing as if honing on a target. She wasn’t looking up and towards Dahyun, so the president knew that the message won’t be for her. 

 

“Thank you so much for your support, Atteridge!” Sana begins and the crowd roars. Pure star power. Or star quarterback power. 

 

“But let’s also thank the people who made this event possible, Fellow students,” the drums pounded and the crowds cheered. “Fellow members of the school teams,” the drums pounded even louder together with the cheers. “And of course, our very own Student Council, lead by my girlfriend, President Kim.” 

 

And , Dahyun swore the windows behind almost exploded when the drums were in full war mode. The crowd screamed their hearts out, and it was at that moment that Dahyun knew she ed up.

 

No wonder the whole event was doing great. All things considered, she believes that the universe is out to get her today.

 

She just stood there, shocked and helpless, taking in all the eyes that she could take because that’s the only thing she could do. Her heart was pounding so hard. If it was just her or the drums, she can’t tell. 

 

“Joining us this afternoon to blow up our Monday, give it up for the Recess Absentees!”

 

(song cue)

 

Jeongyeon and Jieun jumps and hits the riff when they landed. Yuna hits the drums, and Ryujin bites her lips when the smooth bass tabs held the sounds together. Sana jumps off the stage and meandered her way through the growing crowd. 

 

There were a lot of people who were asking things to her face, which she only replied with a smile, a slight nod, or laughter. Her teammates were giving her pats on the shoulder as she forced her way through them.

 

But not everyone was hyped with her stunt, because standing at the other side of the court was another girl in her lettermans, looking at her in a way a lion looks at a gazelle. Dahyun watched the girl walk towards her and it didn’t take too long before Sana was just a couple of steps from her. Dahyun could already taste her rage crawl up from .

 

You're a wave of a dream

Your love is clean

 

“What the ing hell were you thinking?” Dahyun hisses to the girl walking over to her, ready to give her a beating of words. But Sana quickly replies by wrapping an arm around Dahyun’s waist and pulling her close that she could feel the president’s hips against hers. Dahyun suddenly forgot how to be angry for some reason and she blames musk, cotton bloom, and citrus.

 

“First of all, I am so sorry for the announcement. Just can’t risk you walking away from this.” Sana breathes into Dahyun’s ears, and she wishes that Sana stops half making out with her earlobe! “Second of all, as a gesture of my undying love and devotion for you, you get to call the terms.” 

 

“Oh, count on it, Minatozaki. I’m gonna terms and conditions your so bad you’d wish you hadn’t cornered me.” Dahyun whispers between her pretend smile, because she could see people watching them, hiding their gossip behind their hands. 

 

“Can’t wait to check the box where it says I accept and agree.” Sana coos into Dahyun’s ear, warm breath grazing lightly on her skin. It will take so much for the president to stop her knees from buckling and something tells her that Sana won’t make it easy for her. “So it’s set then?”

 

You're a wave of a dream

Your love is clean

 

“My house, Saturday. Don’t be late.” Dahyun leans close. Way to close that Sana felt her heart catch inside her ribs. Dahyun’s gaze dives into hazel orbs, then she squints her eyes. “I don’t like people who make other people wait.”

 

“I like it when you’re this pushy.” Sana smirks, and Dahyun felt her cheeks burn in all the shades of red. But before she could get herself together, Sana’s lips graze lightly on her skin. “And there’s one more thing.” 

 

Just kiss me hard like you did at the start

 

There are times when one can get so overwhelmed by events that it literally shuts their brains out. It happened to Dahyun once, but never in a form of a gentle kiss on the corner of her lips. It was quick, she remembers, but the warmth lingered on her skin like the kiss never left.

 

Kiss me hard just like I'm breaking your heart

 

For the first time after a long time, the lights in her brain went out just like that.

 

///

 

“Holy !” Jeongyeon cheered with a mix of laughter, disbelief, and passionate celebration. “You don’t have an idea on how much you mind ed my head right now!” 

 

Jeongyeon was struggling to push out words in between intense laughter, and it made Dahyun grip the steering wheel tighter than she should. The only way to stop the sound from getting to her, she figures, is to hit the back of her head against the car chair. Steady rhythmic hits to dull out Jeongyeon’s annoying laughter. 

 

“Dude! You slept with Sana, you wore her jacket, you pretend date her, and now she just announced that you guys are a couple! With a kiss! And it’s just the first day of school!” Jeongyeon dug her fingers into her hair and slowly opens her arms out. “You over ing achieved, Kim Dahyun! You’re an achiever-gold-star student but damn you outdid yourself!”

 

“I.” Dahyun hits her head back against her seat. “Will.” then again, “Kill.” then again. “You.” 

 

Chaeyoung leans over the center console and reaches out to the passenger seat to slap Jeongyeon’s shoulder with the back of her hand. She chuckled at how Dahyun was breaking down but unlike Jeongyeon, she was actually half worried about the snafu. 

 

“Obviously, you cannot break up with her now.” she rests her head on the shoulder of Dahyun’s seat. “What’s your plan?” 

 

“I highly recommend a plan that doesn’t involve digging your own grave. Which, by the way, is your current area of expertise.” Jeongyeon laughs but was quickly silenced when Chaeyoung hits her arm harder. 

 

“I don’t know, yet.” Dahyun finally sits up straight and sighs. “Sana gave me the power to call terms, at least. So I have that one going for me.”

 

“Wow, you’re also the class president of your own relationship. That’s so you.” Jeongyeon tried her best to hide her laughter, but feels another slap landed on her shoulder. “Ow, Chae!” she laughed louder. 

 

“Well, she never told anyone about what happened at the party.” Dahyun pressed the side of her head against the car window.

 

“As far as you know, that is. I mean, she got the whole football team and the cheerleaders.” Chaeyoung winces. “Who knows what they talk about in the lockers.” And Chaeyoung has every reason to be suspicious. 

 

“No, she hasn’t told anyone yet.” Dahyun says in such certainty that made both her friends raise a brow. Noticing their reactions, Dahyun had to assure them. “I’m sure, okay? I trust her.” 

 

“Oh, come on.” Chaeyoung drops herself back into her seat. “This is Nancy’s ex. And Nancy is a horrible person.” 

 

“Chae’s got a point.” Jeongyeon agrees. 

 

“Do I really have a choice here?” Dahyun keys in the ignition and pulls out from the side of the road. “All I know is, I think I can trust her.”

 

They’d be stopping at Chaeyoung’s house first on the other side of the district then hook back to drop Jeongyeon on the way. It’s late and Dahyun thinks she had enough of this day.

 

///

 

The streetlights zip past the window, clothing her mole dotted face in light, darkness, then light. Momo just glances at the girl sitting on the passenger seat, making sure that she doesn’t stare as much as needed. Mina called her out for this — not keeping her eyes on the road. 

 

“Do you think Sana can trust her?” 

 

(Myoui Mina, Senior, Cheerleader,  Top 1 of Forbes Atteridge 100 aka can probably buy anything if she chooses to. Momo’s best friend.) 

 

“Hell do I know? Don’t even know if I can trust Sana’s judgement at this point.” Momo sighs. “I just needed to get my point across, okay?” 

 

“Momo.” Mina chuckles, “You just threatened the student council president.” 

 

“I just said that I’m not gonna make it easy for her if she hurts Sana. You know she’d been through a lot. And the season’s coming up too.” 

 

“So yeah, you threatened her.” Mina insists. 

 

“I just told her that bad things can happen if she doesn’t take me seriously. Think of it as a warning , but like, with bad rewards.” Momo proudly rebutts and Mina just looked at her funny, hoping that her silence will make Momo realize one thing. “I just defined ‘threat’, didn’t I?” 

 

“Aww, don’t stop now. You’re getting really good at this!” Mina patronizes, Momo’s hair, much to the driver’s annoyance. 

 

“In my defense, you’re the brains of this friendship.” 

 

“And you are?” Mina laughed, trying to hide how her voice deflated at Momo’s choice of words.

 

“The driver, if that’s not obvious enough.” 

 

“Oh, come on.” Mina drops her gaze down to her hands, fingers tapping on each other just to calm her down. “You always knew you’re more than that.”

 

The silence treacherously filled the spaces in Momo’s car and when the signal ticks were louder than their heartbeat, it was only then that Momo realized how quiet it was.

 

“Do you have that playlist on your phone?” Momo asks, like it was very ordinary. 

 

“Which one?” 

 

“The driving one? The one that you put up for us when we drove to the beach last June?” 

 

“Oh, the Quickie Playlist?” Mina laughs at the nickname they gave it. Momo did too, realizing now how stupid it was. “Yeah, yeah. Hold on.” 

 

Mina leans over the center console and reaches for her phone. It has its own dock right beside Momo’s phone, and it connects to the bluetooth automatically too. A song plays and Momo began to bob softly to the rhythm.

 

“You stood in the light before me. But could you adore me?” she sings quietly, tapping her finger on the steering wheel. Mina’s ears perk up when she realized that Momo was singing the words like she’d been listening to it more than she lets on.

 

“You’re actually listening to this playlist?” Mina teases. 

 

“What? I listen to whatever playlist you make for us!” 

 

“No, you don’t!” 

 

“I do!” Momo glances at Mina’s direction, very briefly but just enough to make Mina believe she saw her friend smile before looking back at the road. Mina can’t blame her. She called Momo out on this — not keeping her eyes on the road, but when she wanted for Momo to look at her a bit longer,  she kind of regretted reprimanding Momo for it. 

 

For now, they descend into a comfortable silence, unconsciously wandering off to the memories of a kinder summer where this playlist was born.

 

"If you wanna make a move, come on."

If I had my way, I would be yours.

 

///

 

A couple of days in, and Dahyun starts the day by disappointing herself. Because when she’s president and one of the highly achieving students of her batch, Dahyun shouldn’t have any reason to be forgetful. 

 

So it’s quite strange when she found herself staring at Sana with jaws slightly ajar like Sana wasn’t supposed to be in her Thursday lab. Did she just forget that Sana is in her Chemistry class?

 

She quickly scoots to the other side of the long lab table, making sure that she groups up with Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon. Because if Dahyun would create a guide for surviving the senior year, it would include this tip:

 

Senior Year Survival Guide (21): Sit with your friends in lab. There’s a 60% chance you’ll be partnered with a seatmate.

 

But what was not included in her survival guide is this: 

 

Senior Year Survival Guide (27): The most popular kids sit together. Even more so, with their partners. Steer clear. They’ll make you move anyway.

 

So one can only imagine Dahyun’s worries turn into astonishment when people seemed to instinctively avoid the last three seats on Dahyun’s lab table.  

 

Then dread, when Dahyun realized that Sana just came in with Nayeon and Tzuyu in tow. A group of three people wishing for three chairs that sit together. 

 

Then horror, when Sana’s eyes meet hers, as if the stars aligned and sealed Dahyun’s fate. The quarterback raises her hand to get Dahyun’s attention then nudges Nayeon’s shoulder, telling the cheerleader to follow her. 

 

“Aww, you saved a seat for me.” Sana greets, “That’s sweet.” then she takes the seat right across the council president. Nayeon and Tzuyu followed, with Nayeon sitting across Jeongyeon and Tzuyu sitting across Chaeyoung. 

 

“Hi.” Tzuyu gives them a small wave and smiles. Her eyes squint in adorable arches and her cheeks sink into a cute dimpled smile. 

 

(Chou Tzuyu, Senior, Cheerleader, Everyone’s Next Door Dream Girl, Squad's baby)

 

Jeongyeon and Dahyun smile at them while Chaeyoung just spared them a glance before looking down at her phone. At this point, she doesn’t really give a if she looks disinterested.

 

“I did not save her the seat!”  Dahyun quickly turns to her friends, struggling to admonish herself from the accusation. 

 

“You moved, Dahyun. You were sitting on Sana’s chair then you moved.” Chaeyoung accused, almost making the popular kids feel unwelcome.

 

“Chae!” Dahyun ducks down to avoid Mr. White’s line of sight. “I swear I did not!” 

 

“Why wouldn’t you?” Nayeon raised her brow. “You guys are dating. You’re supposed to be seated together.” 

 

(Im Nayeon, Senior, Cheerleading Vice Captain, Allergic to shenanigans, certified queen but nobody's princess)

 

“We’re not that kind of couple.” Dahyun defends.

 

“What do you mean you didn’t save me a seat?” Sana flashed out a pair of puppy eyes, her chin crumpling playfully.

 

“No!” Dahyun hissed, “You don’t get to play those eyes on me!” 

 

“Uhm, guys?” Chaeyoung whispered then suddenly sat up straight. Tzuyu notices this, and looks at where Chaeyoung was looking. Mr. White was explaining to the class the curriculum, but his eyes are tuned to the four kids locked in a whisper battle. 

 

“Yeah, Dahyun.” Jeongyeon joins in, “Why wouldn’t you save a seat for Sana?” 

 

“The hell? You’re supposed to be on my side!” Dahyun slaps Jeongyeon’s thigh with the back of her hand. 

 

“Guys.” It was Tzuyu’s turn to get their attention, glancing back and forth between Mr. White and their table. 

 

“Well! I did not know that a state of war was existing between the Republic of Our Side of the Table, and the Queendom of Their Side of the Table!” Jeongyeon shoots back at Dahyun.

 

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter