We Are Not Friends (Part 2)

__________________________

Chapter 5

 

"But everyone I know is either shouting or dancing around like wild or beating up one another. Do you notice how people hurt each other nowadays?" - Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

 

///

 

It was a Sunday. A little bit under an hour when Chaeyoung and Tzuyu left Haseul’s garage.

 

Sana was just planning to swing by Dahyun’s place to get some Chemistry notes when Dahyun offered her a drink while waiting. So, when she found herself comfortably lying down on Dahyun’s couch (A big “L” shaped one, so Sana fits), she could only wish to blame whatever’s on HBO (yes, HBO is still a thing) at that time for making her stay.

 

But it wasn’t the TV’s fault. Because if it was, then she would’ve remembered what they were watching. Or that they already started on an entirely new movie 30 minutes ago.

 

It was mainly Dahyun’s fault, at least in Sana’s perspective. Afterall, it was the president who brought up on what Sana wanted for post-practice snacks starting next Saturday.

 

Sana was lying down with her back resting snuggly against the couch backrest and some pillows while Dahyun settled on the side of her hips. She was leaning towards Sana, with her elbows resting on one of the upright pillows, and the side of her head resting on her knuckles.

 

“Anything you’re allergic to?” Dahyun took a sip of the freshly blended watermelon juice (Sana had three already), and glanced a bit at Sana’s direction. She watched as the quarterback just turned towards her, a small frown forming in thought.

 

“Walnuts.” Sana answered, much to Dahyun curious amusement.

 

“Good.”

 

“It’s good to have allergies? The hell’s wrong with you?” Sana mocked and laughed. “Ow!” And she quickly learns that Dahyun literally packs a punch.

 

“Are you gonna poison me?” Sana laughed but she gently catches Dahyun’s punch by the wrist and holds the president’s hand down.

 

“Annoying.” Dahyun rolled her eyes and laughed. She gently yanks her hand off, then puts it over Sana’s hand, just in case she needs to punch the quarterback. “I’m allergic to walnuts too so there’s no chance it would end up in your food. But thanks for giving me an idea of how to get rid of you.”

 

Sana lifts her head up and leans closer to the president. Dahyun, with the side of her head still resting on her knuckles, didn’t even flinch. But inside, she’s finding it hard to not get distracted when Sana comes this close. Especially when Sana looks at her like she’s about to do something that Dahyun wouldn’t say no to.

 

“As if. Not when you still have the Guide to finish.” Sana whispered through her smirk and Dahyun wished she’d stop doing that.

 

There was a mere inch between their noses, and Dahyun could feel Sana’s breath graze lightly against her lips. She tasted the watermelons in it, too. But she sat there unflinching still, and with a glance down at Sana’s lips, Dahyun stares right into Sana’s eyes.

 

“You have no idea how much I wanted to wipe that smug look off your face, Sana.” Dahyun said in hushed tones but Sana cannot mistake the conviction.

 

“Wipe it off how?” Sana’s brow perked, her voice mellowing down into sultry hush to challenge Dahyun’s resolve.

 

“With my lips.” Dahyun said without even passing a beat, and it was Sana’s turn to choke on the lump in .

 

“Really now?” Sana, her brow still cocked, watched as Dahyun looked down on her lips once more. Gauging if the president was tempted. She could literally feel the warmth in Dahyun’s breath but somehow succeeding in holding herself back.

 

“You would want that now, wouldn’t you?” Dahyun shook her head. “You have to do better than that, Sana. You know very well that not giving what you want is my favorite thing.”

 

“Oh, it’s on, baby girl.” Sana her lips, and it would take more from Dahyun to hold herself together. Unfortunately for her, confidence can be betrayed by red glow of her pale cheeks. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

 

Dahyun cups Sana’s cheek then turns it away from her, making Sana laugh. That’s a win, alright. And Sana will take it. “Anyway, where’s the Guide?”

 

“Here.” the weight on the couch shifted as she reached for the leather bound notebook on the side table. She tosses it on Sana’s lap and the quarterback was quick to turn to the specific page.

 

“Okay.” Sana’s eyes began to move through the checklist using whatever’s on TV for light. “Go to a high school party. Check! Get drunk. Big check!” They both laughed.

 

“Go on a date. Get high. Play a prank. Skip class. Sleepover.” Sana stopped and looked up to Dahyun. “Sleepover?”

 

“Yeah.” the president just nodded.

 

“You never had a sleepover before? Not even with Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon?”

 

“We tried but things happened then we never got around into planning one again.” Dahyun reasons. Sana just shrugs but she takes a small mental note of it as well. Maybe this is something they could do with her friends.

 

“Serenade someone? Now that’s different.” Sana pauses a while with a tone of curiosity that didn’t sit well with her pretend-girlfriend. Dahyun clicks her tongue and reaches for the Guide, slightly embarrassed when it seems like Sana found it cheezy.

 

Sana pulls the Guide away from Dahyun’s reach and frowned.

 

“What? It’s cute!” Then Sana dug her hand into the bag of dark chocolate glazed potato chips. Dahyun’s favorite.

 

Dahyun just rolled her eyes playfully, taking Sana’s words with a grain of salt. If Sana’s words have an effect on her, Dahyun should make sure that it doesn’t show. You know, just in case Sana is just making her feel better or whatever.

 

“Go to a prom with a date.” Sana made sure to take note and continued, “Do something illegal. Oh, wow. Damn, babe!”

 

“Something that wouldn’t leave a lasting dent on my future plans, though.” Dahyun quickly defends.

 

“Okay, let’s do jaywalking then.” Sana suggests mockingly. “Or overspeeding since you seem like the dangerous type.”

 

“Ha ha.” Dahyun laughed dryly. Sana isn’t wrong though. Being a president doesn’t really open up a lot of opportunities on being a criminal. But Dahyun also hoped that maybe there are activities out there that are considered to be level one illegal activities. Or maybe lower than that? Level zero point five?

 

“Don’t make me regret saving your social life, Miss President.” Sana said, chips crunching in “I’m not gonna go to jail for this.”

 

“My social life is fine as it is before you came in.” Dahyun snatches the pack of her dark chocolate glazed potato chips because hell, Sana doesn’t deserve this treat.

 

“I signed up to be your girlfriend, not an accomplice to a crime!” Sana protested as she reached for the bag of chips. Dahyun tosses it onto the coffee table, far from Sana’s unworthiness.

 

“What? Announcing that we’re dating in front of the whole school suddenly isn’t the best of ideas now? This is your fault, you know?” Dahyun bites back, and Sana felt that sting. All things considered, she kind of dug her own grave here. Pretty deep too.

 

Sana laughs at this. Laughs at the truth in it, but Sana’s not complaining. She is, after all, lying down on a couch for god knows how long. Having random conversations with the person that she’s least likely to spend her Sunday with.

 

Conversations ranging from school work, their friends, shows they watch (apparently, Sana and Dahyun love watching Brooklyn 99, and Lucifer), and pretty much anything that catches Sana’s attention. Conversations that make her think on why she never talked to Dahyun before. Mundane conversations that she never had with Nancy.

 

Speaking of unlikely people spending time together, Sana noticed how Dahyun fell silent all of a sudden. Even more so when the faint light from Dahyun’s phone showed the creased skin between her brows. Sana reached out and squeezed Dahyun’s shoulder, pulling Dahyun out from whatever distracted her.

 

“What’s up?” Sana asks softly.

 

“Are you close with Chewy?” Dahyun glanced at Sana’s direction, with her frown still there.

 

“Yeah. Pretty much so.”

 

“So you know who she’s with tonight?” Dahyun’s eyes narrowed, gauging if Sana knew anything yet. Which is unlikely since they both haven’t checked their phone in a while.

 

“No. I mean, our group chat hasn’t blown up yet.” Sana shrugged.

 

“Hmm.. it means they’re not telling.” Dahyun paused and waited a beat. “Yet.”

 

“They? So you know who she’s with?” Now it was Sana’s turn to ask, turning on her side. The weight on the couch shifts, and Dahyun sits up with crossed-legs.

 

“Yeah.” Dahyun nods.

 

“Who?”

 

“Your Chewy..” still clutching her phone. Dahyun drops her hands down on her ankles. “.. is out with our Chaeyoung.”

 

“Huh.” Sana’s shoulder jerks up a bit. They both descended into silence, with the dialogue from the TV filling in the space between them. It would’ve been a perfect time to finally figure out what they’re watching but when they’re thinking about how these two seemingly unfriendly lab partners are somehow spending the afternoon together, other thoughts are difficult to accommodate.

 

“Oh, damn.” Sana mumbles.

 

“Oh, damn.” Dahyun follows up, with Sana smiling on how she got the reference. “Oh, damn! Oh! Damn!”

 

///

 

[Dubudahyun]:

Harvard Jo messaged me.

 

[Chaechae]:

I CAN EXPLAIN!

 

[Jeonggay]:

Explain what?

 

[Dubudahyun]:

Tell her who you’re with Chae.

 

[Chaechae]:

I will kill Harvard Jo!

 

[Dubudahyun]:

She has immunity. Car Repairs Immunity.

Tell Jeongyeon.

 

[Jeonggay]:

SPIT IT OUT!

 

[Chaechae]:

I was with Tzuyu but that’s nothing.

Jeonggay is starting a group call.

 

[Chaechae]:

CHAEYOUNG IS DEAD! STOP CALLING!

 

Dubudahyun joined the group call.

 

[Chaechae]:

ing peer pressure. FINE!

 

Chaechae joined the group call.

 

///

 

“I told you guys, it’s not a big deal.” Chaeyoung says for the umpteenth time in a phone call that’s currently running for 75 minutes and counting. Her ear was already burning. Her second one, actually. The first ear was fried half an hour ago. “Besides, it’s not like it’s gonna change things between us.”

 

“But that’s the thing! Something changed!” Jeongyeon practically screams. Chaeyoung had to pull her phone away for a quick second before pressing it back to her ear. “You would not have ended up taking her home if things were the same!”

 

“Jeong, please.” Chaeyoung says in a cross between a growl and a groan. “Leaving someone for the bears is something that can really change someone’s five year plan! Besides, I just thought of what Dahyun would do.”

 

“And look how that worked out for Dahyun!” Jeongyeon laughed harder.

 

“Oh, shut up!” Dahyun’s voice cuts through but was drowned out by the annoying cackling. “Sana and I are friends. Why can’t Chaeyoung and Tzuyu?”

 

“You are friends now, Dahyun.” Jeongyeon tried to catch her breath. Apparently, too much laughing can tire you out. “What about in the next couple of months. I’m just saying, why can’t Chae consider dating Chewy?”

 

“Why do you keep pushing this?” Chaeyoung could only mumble, very much on the brink of being fed up. “Do you have some bet to win?”

 

“No! Of course not!” Jeongyeon quickly defends. “I just don’t like you to dismiss the idea entirely. I mean, this can be good for you.”

 

“Good for me, how?” Chaeyoung surrendered, pressing the sole of her palms deep against her eye.

 

“I want you to dig deep. Why did you even drag her out with you? You could’ve left her in the garage.” Jeongyeon said. Chaeyoung doesn’t have to see it but she knew Jeongyeon shrugged smugly.

 

“It’s not a big deal.” Chaeyoung says once more, a bit slowly and with more stress. Maybe it would punch through her friends’ thick heads for a change. But in the midst of convincing them and thinking about the answer to Jeongyeon’s question, Chaeyoung got lost into whether she’s convincing her friends or convincing herself.

 

“Anyways,” Dahyun cleared, , making her friends anticipate whatever she’s about to say. “Sana asked me if it’s okay to share your contact details with Chewy.”

 

“No.” Chaeyoung’s denial was quick.

 

“Your call, Chae.” Dahyun said in a sing-song voice, and Chaeyoung knew that she’s about to be pushed. “By the way, Chewy says, and I’m quoting this from Sana, ‘Chae is the cutest thing.’”

 

“Ooooh! Snap!” Jeongyeon practically screamed, beginning the end of Chaeyoung’s defeat. “Look at that first impression! That’s tens across the broad form our judges!”

 

“I’m just saying, dude.” Now it was Dahyun’s turn to insist. “This shouldn’t stop you from making friends.”

 

“Fine.” Chaeyoung mumbled.

 

“Fine what?” Dahyun asked with Chaeyoung knowing too well that she’s smiling.

 

“Fine,” Chaeyoung forced out a groan. “You guys win.”

 

“So, I’ll give your number to Tzuyu?”

 

“What will I do to you if this is just some prank?” Chaeyoung demanded, well aware of her position in the high school jungle. Stupid prank calls are not new. Mostly her reason that she never kept any SNS accounts.

 

“Whatever it is that you deem worthy.” Dahyun agreed confidently, much to Jeongyeon’s amusement, until Dahyun added a caveat. “Jeongyeon included.”

 

“Hey! What the ?” Jeongyeon protests.

 

“Deal!” But Chaeyoung accepts.

 

///

 

Tzuyu Chou has added you.

 

Chaeyoung’s phone chimes in with a notification. It was Tzuyu, and three dots jumping in alternate timing. Chaeyoung wasn’t necessarily excited, but she wasn’t too indifferent about it either. The feeling surprised her, too, although it wasn’t enough to make her message Tzuyu first.

 

As the dots continued to bounce, Chaeyoung’s eyes wandered off to Tzuyu’s picture. She has a small dog. A Pomeranian. Probabl — if Chaeyoung was to base her guess on her extensive experience in weekend dog-walking. Tzuyu’s holding her close. She must love her dog so much. She even wore glasses in her picture. A bedtime photo maybe? So Tzuyu was just wearing contacts all along?

 

[Chou Tzuyu]:

Hi, Chaeyoung~ :) I had to pull mad strings just to get to you.

 

Tzuyu, already lying on her bed, finally sends her message. She smiled a bit when she saw three dots bouncing beside Chaeyoung’s picture. It was too small for Chaeyoung’s face to be recognizable, but Tzuyu’s kind of sure that she’s talking to the right person. The large mural behind the girl gave it away.

 

[Chou Tzuyu]:

Thanks again for today!~

 

[Son Chaeyoung]:

No problem. You look different in your glasses.

 

Chaeyoung replied. There were no emojis, but there’s something more than a ‘No problem.’ so Tzuyu’s good with that.

 

[Chou Tzuyu]:

Yikes. :/ Is that the good kind or the bad kind?

 

Tzuyu chuckles as she replied.

 

[Son Chaeyoung]:

Which one would you like?

 

Chaeyoung sends in her reply in one hand, brushing her teeth with another.

 

[Chou Tzuyu]:

Come on. :( You never let me have anything.

 

Tzuyu’s eyes slowly blinks. The sleepy daze was catching up to her but she doesn’t want to doze off just yet. At least not until it was Chaeyoung who drops the conversation, which proved to be a challenge when Chaeyoung was taking around five minutes or so to reply back.

 

[Son Chaeyoung]:

You’ll just have to get used to it. Like your fabulous life. Haha!

 

 

Chaeyoung finally replied, which made Tzuyu laugh a bit louder than she should. In the middle of thinking of a way to banter, she saw another message being typed by Chaeyoung.

 

[Son Chaeyoung]:

Anyway, you should go to sleep. School night.

Catch you tomorrow.

 

Okay, the dropping the conversation part seemed to come in quicker than Tzuyu would’ve hoped. But they talked, and compared to how they were in chem lab, she’d still take this as a good sign of things getting better.

 

[Chou Tzuyu]:

Aww, yeah. Almost forgot about Monday.

 

Tzuyu messaged back, smiling a bit to herself.

 

[Chou Tzuyu]:

Anyway, thanks again! :) See you tomorrow!~

 

[Son Chaeyoung]:

Good night!

 

Chaeyoung replied. Tzuyu thought that it’s nothing spectacular. Bordering anti-climactic, almost certainly mundane. But it’s late, and maybe Chaeyoung is as sleepy as her so she tosses her phone beside her pillow and fixed herself in a more comfortable position.

 

It didn’t take too long for her phone to bleep again, though, and if it was Nayeon, Tzuyu would definitely leave her on seen. Maybe another reminder for tomorrow’s practice.

 

Tzuyu tilts her phone, not really lifting it off the bed. She smiles. It wasn’t Nayeon.

 

[Son Chaeyoung]:

It’s the good kind.

 

Chaeyoung said, and Tzuyu, with her last minutes of consciousness, puts her phone up over her face.

 

[Chou Tzuyu]:

What? :)

[Son Chaeyoung]:

You look different in your glasses. It’s the good kind

 

Even through her sleep glazed eyes, Tzuyu managed to beam at the last message. Her cheeks sinking into dimples. Maybe this isn’t as anti-climactic as she thought it was. Until her grip dozed off and her phone falls flat on her face.

 

“Ow! !”

 

And they said staying up for someone wouldn’t hurt.

 

///

 

“Sana.” Dahyun crawls to her window, phone pressed against her ear. “Can you go to your window?”

c

“You want to see me?” Sana laughed on the other line, but she crawled to her window too, nonetheless. “We just saw each other. Stop being so clingy.”

 

“You’re so full of yourself.” Dahyun chuckled when she saw Sana’s curtains part. “Yeah. I wanna see you.” Dahyun added, being a bit more honest.

 

“Okay, babe.” Sana opened her lamp, giving just enough light to let Dahyun discern her face. Dahyun smiled at this, especially when Sana waved her hand a bit. “Hi.”

 

“Hi.” Dahyun waved back. It was so strange having to live with Sana like this. A ridge between them and a neighborhood down hill. They are so near yet so obviously apart. A somber reminder that they are living in two different worlds but somehow finding a way to see each other despite the circumstance. And while they found a way to make it work somehow, Dahyun can’t help but be bothered on how this will fare with their friends. “You think this is good? Chaeyoung and Chewy?”

 

“I don’t see anything bad in it.” Sana shrugs, staring back at Dahyun, living uphill with two-three houses between, and a ridge apart. There’s a cloud of distress. Sana can’t see it from here but she can definitely hear the traces on Dahyun’s voice.

 

“I mean, them being tangled in our mess.” Dahyun sighed, “Chaeyoung might be exposed. Especially when people see her starting to hang out with you guys.”

 

“And?”

 

“Sana,” Dahyun drops her shoulders and paints her face unamused. “They might come for her. Do you understand? She can’t take any more of this.”

 

“Then I’ll deal with it.” Sana reassures quickly.

 

“Deal with what?”

 

“Anyone who goes after her.” Sana shrugs as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Or the most obvious. And for Dahyun, it sounded like Sana doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Dahyun and her friends aren’t the coolest and it’s the kind of life that a campus hearthrob (slash star quarterback slash team captain) never lived.

 

“Sana.” Dahyun warned with a hint of skepticism that Sana caught quite easily.

 

“I got this. Okay?” the quarterback reassured for the second time. Dahyun had every reason to be cautious. She, afterall, is the one who gave Chaeyoung’s number to Tzuyu.

 

But in the middle of all the doubts, it also boils down to one thing: Sana isn’t mean. She’s cool, yes. She knows people in the athletics, yes. But she doesn’t make people’s lives miserable just because she feels like it. The only bad thing she did was to date the head cheerleader and with how things are going, Sana seemed to still have her head in the right place.

 

“Make sure, okay?” Dahyun asked, then pleaded. “Please?”

 

“I got this, Baby. Alright? Don’t worry about it.” Sana smiled, and Dahyun knew she did. Heard she did. And found it hard to hate how comforting it was to get this little assurance from her pretend girlfriend. Someone new to trust. Someone new to handle her thoughts.

 

Dahyun sighed, but this time, out of surrendered content. Sana was good with that, smiling as much as she can in hopes that Dahyun can somehow make it out through the distance between them. The silence that followed told them to hang up but none of them seemed too interested to do so. At least not yet.

 

“So,” Sana was the first to break. “Our first game is this weekend. You’re coming right?”

 

“Do I have an option to pass up?” Dahyun smirked.

 

“No! You’re my girlfriend, remember?” Sana reasoned a bit loudly. “Girlfriends watch their girlfriends play! It’s in our agreement. Technically. Well within my —.”

 

“Rights. I know, okay?” Dahyun groaned. “I’ll watch. Besides, it’s part of the job as the president. Symbol of scholastic unity.” she said like it was most bull thing.

 

“There you go!” Sana celebrated. “Hey, and don’t forget.”

 

“What?”

 

“You better come in as the best supportive girlfriend.”

 

“For someone who got us into this mess, you’re pretty demanding.” Dahyun perked her brow and squinted her eyes. Bit by bit, these nightly phone calls feels like talking face to face where habits and expressions gets thrown around quite instinctively.

 

“Hey, it wasn’t me who stole my jacket.” Sana goes in for the checkmate. Something she’s been doing quite frequently much to Dahyun’s annoyance. But still, Dahyun just scoffs and rolls her eyes. It’s a school night and she can’t give Sana the satisfaction.

 

“You know what? You .” Dahyun could only give a laugh at her rather pathetic comeback. “Good night, Sana.”

 

“See you tomorrow. Good night, Dahyun.” Sana giggled in triumph. But then again, it’s never a bad idea to poke the bear some more. “I luf you.”

 

“Pfft.” Dahyun shakes her head.

 

“Say it.” Sana teased.

 

“We’re not in public. I don’t have to.”

 

“So you want it in public? Okay then!”

 

“Sana, wait! That’s not —.” Then a click. “ — what I meant..”

 

Dahyun felt her heart skip a bit as she pulled her phone away from her ear. Her phone just showed the call’s elapsed time before going back to her wallpaper. Her eyes dart back and forth from her screen and to Sana’s window. The lights on the other room goes off, the curtain closes, and now Dahyun is left with the impression that Sana will put her in another position that she’ll regret.

 

“Oh come on!” Dahyun groaned at the thought of it. She drops into bed and covers her annoyed face with a fluffy pillow. “Dahyun! You just had to choose the stupidest girlfriend!”

 

///

 

(song cue)

 

New school week. Monday crashes in just like how it has always did — sudden and unwelcomed. And while most of the students of Atteridge are bargaining for five more minutes of sleep, there are a bunch of people who are quite stoked to start the week.

 

Mina leans closer to the mirror, dabbing some light lip gloss while still looking tight in her fitted long-sleeved maroon turtleneck, dark jeans, and some classic canvas sneakers. Her phone lights up when a message comes in and Mina allows herself to be distracted for a moment. It was Momo promising her that she’s on her way. Mina just chuckled at the message as she went back on doing her eyeliner. She has time. If Momo said she’s on her way, Mina knows that she’s just getting ready.

 

The natural sequence would’ve been bath, brush, underwear, shirt, then shorts, then jacket, then socks, but Momo has always been panicky if she thinks she’s gonna get in trouble with Mina. With her toothbrush jammed in , Momo hops around in front of the mirror in her underwear as she was trying to put on her left sock. At this pace, breakfast would be eaten in the car. But at least she’ll make it to Mina’s on time.

 

Jihyo ties her hair in a ponytail then tugs down on her cropped denim jacket to fix it in place. Like Sana, she’ll be going to school in yoga pants again. They’ll have football practice this afternoon since their first game is just around the corner. She checks her reflection once more before blasting a message in the team chat. Somewhere in the city, a member of the Atteridge Football Team jumps off the bed because anyone who comes in late today will be running extra laps — as per Jihyo’s ‘friendly reminder’.

 

Nayeon turns her left shoulder and checks on how she looked in the mirror. Quite satisfied on how her tennis dress hugged her figure, she turns to her right shoulder and checks if she looks good on that angle as well. Her long wavy hair framed her face beautifully, making her face look like it’s practically glowing. She doesn’t care if she takes forever dressing up every morning. Art takes time and she’s no exception, especially now that looking good doesn’t only bolster her reputation as the role model for the cheer team, but also because she wants her girlfriend to swoon. Even if nobody believes that she has one.

 

Standing in front of the mirror with The and Famous blasting out, Jeongyeon rams her shirt into the waist of her ankle cut acid wash jeans. It was an old shirt that would pass as a home-wear but Jeongyeon’s style breathed life into her oversized ‘Camp Grizzly’ shirt she got from sixth grade. Jeongyeon was quite proud on how she still looked stylishly decent, so much so that she takes a snap of it and sends it to her friends. On the background, her sister was screaming for her to turn the music down.

 

Chaeyoung was fixing her hair in front of the mirror when she saw her phone light up. She glances down and sees the expected people on her notifications. Jeongyeon sends a picture to the group, and Dahyun greets the both of them ‘Good morning!’ — usual things, until another person chimed in another window. She greets Chaeyoung good morning too but the girl just went back to fixing her hair, a small smile forming on her face.

 

Tzuyu tucks her shirt inside her denim shorts, and checks if she’s ready to go. Cheer practice will kill her off later but at least she has to look good for the first part of her day. She ties her hair in a neat ponytail before heading out of the bathroom. There is something exciting about going to school today for some reason, so much so that she forgot that her vision is kinda blurry without the right things. She rushes back to the bathroom, sees her contacts, but grabs her glasses instead. She’s in the mood to look different today. The good kind.

 

Sana looks at herself in the mirror, quite satisfied on how she could still rock her usual training get up of a hoodie and yoga pants. Snug fabric hugging her in all the right places, and it just goes to show that she’s physically worthy of being a team captain. Practice season is in full swing and it became surprisingly bearable with the help of her friends and a specific person who she frequently spends her time with. It’s Monday, which means she’s gonna see Dahyun today. Which also means she’ll have more moments to tease the out of the president.

 

No one ever told her that getting revenge for an ex would be this interesting.

 

Dahyun looks at herself in the mirror as she pressed her hands down her lightly patterned sundress. She donned her long peach cardigan, making sure that she looked neat in all angles. There is an obligation in looking sharp (not necessarily pretty). Unlike Nayeon whose only sole purpose is to turn heads, Dahyun has to make sure that she’d always look professional. Or at least that’s how Dahyun convinces herself nowadays, because as much as she tried to deny, she wants to look cute for Sana.

 

Not for Sana, specifically, but because being with Sana warrants a new level of attention that even she is not used to. It’s a different feeling — being a girlfriend of someone.

 

She wears her hair down, combed and untousled, then she reaches for her phone when she saw it light up.

 

“Hi, Sana!” she runs out of the bathroom and grabs her things. “Yeah! I’ll be out in five minutes! I made you breakfast.”

 

///

 

Dahyun gets off Sana’s jeep, only to be welcomed by the scrutinizing eyes of the parking lot populace. She really thought that she’d get used to this by now, but the variety of stares are just too much to shrug off. She felt small, and the enormous parking space felt a bit more claustrophobic with nowhere to sneak or hide.

 

She almost had to run but she felt herself being pulled closer and inside someone.

 

“Don’t worry about it, okay?” Sana whispers in her ear as she threw her arm around Dahyun’s shoulder, pulling her close enough that they are rib to rib. “I thought you’d be used to it by now. You know, being the president and all?”

 

“I’m not that kind of popular, Sana.” Dahyun shakes her head and hugs her laptop closer to her chest. Being wrapped by Sana felt surprisingly comfortable. That even when people are looking, Sana’s arms felt strangely safe.

 

“I find that hard to believe.” Sana chuckles, as they made their way inside. “Don’t you have like secret admirers or anything?”

 

“No! What the hell?” Dahyun laughed like Sana said the stupidest thing.

 

“I dunno.” Sana shrugs. “You’re pretty cute.”

 

“Sana, it’s too early for this. Stop.” Dahyun whined. Sana says the stupidest things and these blatant compliments are not an exception. But still, she allows herself to walk all the way to the DMZ (aka The Council Room) into what has come to be a side hug.

 

“What? No one’s ever told you that?” Sana laughed at Dahyun’s reaction. “Must be super lucky of you to have me as your first girlfriend then.” She pulls Dahyun closer, to which the president didn’t do too much to protest except to roll her eyes and let out an ‘Ew’. All the while, Sana’s eyes locked on to the two girls that were staring at her from the end of the hallway. “Here we are.” she says when they finally reached their destination.

 

Dahyun breaks off from Sana’s arms and walked towards the door. But before she could even open it, Sana plants her hand against the door with a slam and leans closer to the president.

 

“Hey.” Dahyun’s voice shakes. Sana was close. Way too close. Way too close for that overly charming smirk, and her raven locks falling beautifully on the side of her face. “Wait, Sana.” she hated how her voice sounded so weak but it’s early, and she can taste Sana’s minty breath against her lips. “Wha —.”

 

“The ex,” Sana’s nose grazed up against Dahyun’s smooth cheek. “Is watching.”

 

Dahyun unclenches her lungs a bit when the suddenness of Sana’s actions made sense. She turns her head away a bit because a little more than that and their lips would meet.

 

“Can you warn me next time?” Dahyun whispered much into corner of Sana’s lips rather than to Sana herself.

 

Before she could even figure out what’s happening, she could feel Sana soft lips plant a gentle searing kiss on her cheek. It was enough to wash of every lingering sleep left in her person, and more than enough to make her heart pound like sledgehammer.

 

“You’re really cute, you know that?” Sana practically moans inside Dahyun’s ear. The moment was quick, but Dahyun’s thoughts seemed to run it in loops much to her annoyance. Sana was just teasing, right? It must be. And as soon as Sana pulls away, Dahyun felt a quick pinch on her cheek. “I’ll see you at practice!”

 

The voice seemed distant now. Maybe two, three steps away from her and counting. Dahyun finally looks at Sana, and the quarterback just gave her a wink and a smug smile as she walked backwards. Dahyun could only watch as Momo and Jihyo throw their arms over the captain, and when they greeted Dahyun, the president could only muster a small wave.

 

That would definitely give Nancy a run for her money, Sana thought, and Dahyun was playing her part pretty damn well.

 

Dahyun doesn’t notice how long she has been standing there, watching, until she felt someone slap her shoulder with the back of the hand. Dahyun wakes up from whatever thoughts that were running in her head and the first thing she sees is Jeongyeon looking at her weird.

 

“Hey, what’s up with you?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“What?” Dahyun hid her clouded thoughts with a defensive frown. Dahyun just waved her hand in front of her lips and took in a deep breath. “It’s nothing. Let’s begin the scrum.”

 

“Attention, Comrades of the Soviet Union!” Jeongyeon flaunted her good marks in History as she opened the door for Dahyun. “Captain on the bridge!”

 

 

///

 

Sana and Dahyun have been at it for weeks but until now they never got around their unbound rules on lunch tables. At this point, one would’ve assumed that they’d sit together but Dahyun is still seated with her clique, and Sana is still hanging out with her team. It didn’t bother them as much since they don’t come in at the same time — Dahyun having short meetings before lunch and would only come in 10 minutes in to lunch. Then there’s the high school jungle where people are seated to where they’re supposed to be.

 

“Not sitting with Sana again today?” Jeongyeon leaned and whispered to Dahyun as they both approached their table.

 

“We’re still figuring out that part but come on, Jeong. I’m not gonna let Chaeyoung sit with the athletes.” Dahyun leaned towards Jeongyeon too but she kept her head down when she glanced at Sana’s group. “It’s either we eat together, or Chaeyoung doesn’t eat at all.”

 

“Fair point.” Jeongyeon carefully placed her tray down. “But if you’re gonna keep up with appearances, you might wanna consider. And maybe slip Chaeyoung through the backdoor to get her to Chewy.”

 

Dahyun sighs, then takes a seat in front of Chaeyoung and Jieun. Jeongyeon’s band mate has always been the perfect candidate as the fourth lunch person considering the merits that: One, Lee Jieun is Jeongyeon’s bandmate and is a senior. And two, she never really speaks much. She’s there and not there at the same time, with random soft grunts and questions to let people know that she’s still alive.

 

At the same time, Nayeon, Mina, and Tzuyu walk across the cafeteria, turning heads as they go. It was a pretty normal thing considering that the three of them are cheerleaders. If it’s just based on looks alone, the three of them walking together is like watching a girl group on TV. Ask anyone from Atteridge and they’ll say the same thing.

 

Jieun, of course, is almost immune to their charms since she never really cared much. Much like Chaeyoung, who apparently has her hand raised a bit, making a small wave like a lover in secret names. Chaeyoung is not one to interact too much, so in the rare time that she did, Jieun can’t help but give in to her curiosity.

 

“Huh.” Jieun mumbles when she finally finds whoever Chaeyoung was looking at. Tzuyu was smiling and waving at their table. Unlike Chaeyoung’s shy and almost unnoticeable greeting, Tzuyu’s was more obvious and expressive, making Jieun think that they’re not some two different people merely existing together.

 

She followed Tzuyu with her eyes. Watched how her grin faded into a small content smile. How she linked arms with Mina. And how the other cheerleaders seemed to look at her like she did something wrong.

 

“What was that about?” Jieun plucked seemingly random notes from her guitar, her eyes still watching how the other cheerleaders being too overly friendly to Tzuyu as if they never looked at her funny just moments ago.

 

“Hm?” Chaeyoung perked up, caught unguarded by Jieun’s sudden interest.

 

“You friends with Chewy or something?” Jieun said without any form of pointing. Chaeyoung just followed where Jieun was looking at and saw Tzuyu hanging out with Mina, Nayeon, and some cheerleaders.

 

“We..” Chaeyoung bowed her head low, glancing a bit at Jieun’s direction. There was a conflict in her head to whether or not Tzuyu is not just so mere stranger anymore. “We are okay.” Chaeyoung answered, settling with the safest description that she could think of. “I think?”

 

“Huh.” Jieun grunted. Figuring that that’s enough talking for the day, Jieun went back to just strumming some chords on her guitar. And in the silence of her thoughts, she can’t help but notice more interesting things. As she looked at the congregation of cheerleaders once more, she noticed that Nayeon kept stealing glances at their table. Was she looking at Dahyun? Or Jeongyeon? Because it’s obviously not her and Chaeyoung — they’re not in her vantage point.

 

“Hey, IU.” Jeongyeon drums the table to get the guitarist’s attention. Jieun, finding it too tedious to speak, just raised her brows to acknowledge her bandmate. “You’re not touching your soda, are you?” Jeongyeon points at the unopened Sprite.

 

Jieun just shoos her hand towards Jeongyeon, telling her that she can have it. She looks at the cheerleaders once more, only to find Nayeon’s annoyed frown glaring right back at her. It didn’t last long, though, because as soon as Nayeon realized that Jieun caught her looking, Nayeon looked back at her friends and laughed at whatever they’re laughing about.

 

“But dogs, holy .” Jisoo laughed with the cheer team, Nayeon finally joining in. “I wanted to have a dog that I can train to run with the leash on and then bump into some girl and I’ll be like ‘Oh, my god. I am so sorry. Oh wait, they’re humping. Oh, okay? Hey you wanna?’” everyone laughs as Jisoo continued her story. “Like, I you not, my sister had her dog loose and she came back with hickies and without underwear. I swear to god! Dogs. Nayeon, you should get one.”

 

Nayeon laughed, bunny teeth and all, and slaps Jisoo’s shoulder. Thinking about what Nayeon said to them back at the diner, Mina and Tzuyu waited for the vice-captain to say that she didn’t need a dog to get a girl because she already has one. But instead, Nayeon just shook her head and turned her attention to Tzuyu instead.

 

“So,” Nayeon opened her bottle of water and smiled like she was getting into some kind of secret, “How’s it going with Little Miss Artsy?”

 

“Yeah, you guys already talked?” Mina leaned close and low towards Tzuyu. At first, Tzuyu was silent about it, trying her best to avert her shy gaze away from her friends. She felt Nayeon kick her leg from under the table and Mina leaned against her shoulder so hard just to force her to talk. “You did, didn’t you?”

 

Tzuyu’s poker face slowly turned into upside down crescent eyes and a sweet small smile. The girls giggled a bit then it was Tzuyu’s turn to clarify things.

 

“We talked.” Tzuyu says, pausing a bit before chasing her words with a clarification “A bit. Okay?”

 

“So you’re friends now?” Mina nudged Tzuyu by the shoulder once more.

 

“I don’t know.” Tzuyu sighed. “I mean, I hope? She’s my lab partner and we spent the weekend together.”

 

“Who did you spend your weekend with, Chewy?”

 

The three cheerleaders froze up for a quick second when another voice came in from behind Tzuyu. The kind of voice that would reduce everyone else’s into murmurs and quiet whispers. In this side of the cafeteria, and in this crowd, only one person could do that.

 

Nancy takes a seat right beside Tzuyu, giving her an expectant look. She asked a question, so surely, Tzuyu must answer.

 

“Uhh.” Tzuyu manages to keep up a smile as she reasoned. “No one important.”

 

Tzuyu looks down on lunch and tried to focus as much on dismissing the conversation. But in her head, visions of her fears began to materialize. Pictures of Haseul’s scooter banged up against a tree, soda bombed lockers, forced march into bathrooms with five different substances in their hair. Things that Chaeyoung had to dodge on the daily.

 

“You seemed pretty excited.” Nancy leans in closer, making Tzuyu very uncomfortable with how the head cheerleader dove into her eyes. “So, lab partner huh.”

 

Tzuyu swallows the lump in when she realized that these breadcrumbs are enough to lead back to Chaeyoung. She doesn’t know what’s in Nancy’s head but Tzuyu just knew she had to keep her away from people.

 

Sensing this, Nancy taps Tzuyu’s nose and smiles warmly.

 

“I saw you say hi to her on your way here. I mean, hey!” the head cheerleader loosens up. “You can hang out with whoever you want. None of my business. I’m just glad you’re making more friends”

 

“Okay.” Tzuyu managed to give a small smile, before looking down on her food. This conversation does not need to continue as far as she’s concerned.

 

“Don’t worry, I don’t play with other people’s charity cases. And drop the glasses, Chewy. You look like a damn nerd.” Nancy whispered to Tzuyu, making sure that the conversation is kept between them. Like a cold shower, a realization came over her — there’s a reason why Chaeyoung hated their guts so much. Nancy only chuckled at Tzuyu’s reaction before leaving their small group.

 

“We have practice this afternoon, ladies. Don’t forget.” she flashes her most endearing smile, flexing the badge that made her the head cheerleader in the first place.

 

Charity case. Whatever the hell did she mean by that? It was only when she felt a hand over hers that Tzuyu realized how tightly her fists were clenched.

 

///

 

The school field was alive up until late afternoon as a combination of the cheer team and the football team practiced for the upcoming first game. Dahyun was there to see it, of course, as it was her new responsibility as a “girlfriend”.

 

One would find it hard to believe that Dahyun and her friends were actually hanging out on this side of the school, especially in this big of an athletic congregation. But here’s Jeongyeon resting her back against the next level of bleachers behind her. Then Chaeyoung, elbows on her knees and chin perched on her balled fists. She has been looking at the other side of the field from time to time, but not at the same direction as Dahyun was looking at.

 

As much as she refused to admit, Dahyun was beginning to enjoy watching Sana lead her team, especially when she shows off her fancy moves whenever they run plays. She finds it difficult to convince herself that Sana wasn’t doing this because she knew Dahyun would be watching, because all things considered, Sana has no reason to do that. This, afterall, is just a big charade.

 

A quick dodge and a quick throw, Sana gets tackled but the ball was already long gone from her hands. The scream of a whistle pierces the air signalling a complete play, then it was time for Sana to wave towards where Dahyun usually sits.

 

Or maybe Dahyun was right. Maybe Sana was there to impress her, even if the thought seemed impossible. Or maybe, she’s just looking too much into it.

 

“Hey,” Jeongyeon spoke up, breaking Dahyun’s thoughts (or lack thereof), “Minjoo is here.”

 

The three of them turned to where the vice-president was sitting. Far in front, almost at the exit. If Dahyun didn’t see her and Yujin at Five Points, Minjoo would’ve looked like she’s just passing by. But now, Dahyun knew somehow why her vice president is here.

 

Jeongyeon waved frantically at Minjoo’s direction like a mascot air dancer in front of a local car dealership. She didn’t stop embarrassing the group because, apparently, getting Minjoo’s attention was of utmost importance. Or at least that’s what Jeongyeon liked to believe.

 

It didn’t take long before Minjoo noticed them, finally stopping Dahyun and Chaeyoung’s thoughts of killing Jeongyeon.

 

“What were you doing there alone?” Dahyun asked. Chaeyoung looked up to her friend, and thank god, Jeongyeon finally stopped dancing.

 

“Err.” Minjoo gave out a shy smile as she walked closer to them. “Waiting. For Yujin.” she admitted anyway since Yujin picks her up post council meetings.

 

“I figured.” Dahyun smiled and patted the spot beside her, “Come. Sit with us.”

 

Minjoo preferred not to, but as Dahyun’s vice president, she complied anyway. It’s not that she doesn’t like Dahyun, but this part of Minjoo’s scholastic life is something that she liked to be kept as discreet as humanly possible.

 

“Who’s that for?” Minjoo points at the small cooler by Dahyun’s feet.

 

“That’s for her girlfriend, so don’t even think of getting some free snacks.” Jeongyeon scoffed, coming from someone who tried to loot the box first.

 

“Shush.” Dahyun shooed her hand towards Jeongyeon. Minjoo chuckled at the banter and accepted Jeongyeon’s answer. Minjoo’s lack of reaction told Dahyun that she might have brought a cooler too at some point in her high school life.

 

“You always eat my breakfast so you don’t have the rights to this conversation.” Dahyun continued.

 

“Seconding the motion.” Chaeyoung piped in, chin nestled on her folded knuckles with her head kind of bouncing when she spoke.

 

“There is no motion to be seconded, and you don’t have seconding powers.” Jeongyeon complained.

 

“She kinda does.” Minjoo winced at her interjection, “Chaeyoung is the president of the AV Club. Thus, a member of the student council, as per our adopted resolution.”

 

“Why are you such a nerd, Minjoo?” Jeongyeon turns to the junior, flashing a frown and a kind of tone

 

“Why are you so in denial that you aren’t?” Minjoo just smirked and shrugged.

 

“Hot damn! Snap!” Chaeyoung laughed with Dahyun, chin still nestled on her knuckles. It was fun seeing Jeongyeon getting slapped by a junior and Dahyun is living for it.

 

“God, you are so like Dahyun.” Jeongyeon conceded before looking to what Chaeyoung was watching. Meanwhile Dahyun chuckled proudly, then turned to Minjoo for a wink. She leaned towards the vice president and in a hushed tone, she made the junior tense up.

 

“Very. Very. Very much alike.” Dahyun whispered. “Quarterbacks, am I right?”

 

“Dahyun.” Minjoo said nervously.

 

“Don’t worry,” Dahyun leaned back and folded her arms loosely below her chest. “I’ll keep my lips shut.”

 

“Thanks.” Minjoo unclenched her chest with a sigh. “It’s just something that we don’t want people intruding in. Personal thing. I mean we’re just friends but..”

 

“I understand.” Dahyun winks and smiles warmly, then Minjoo was reminded on why she admired the president so much. “I just needed someone to exchange notes with.”

 

They both giggled at their shared “pain” — the very reason why they are sitting on the bleachers when the sun is almost disappearing behind the horizon.

 

Practice finally ends for both teams, and Sana quickly jogs up to where Dahyun is. A quick glance to the field, Sana checked if the cheer team is done for the day as well. If that’s the case, her ex is surely watching. If this was Sana’s reason for asking Dahyun to be here today, she’ll never tell. The important thing is she’d have to get whatever this deal with Dahyun could give her.

 

“Hi, babe!” she leans down when Dahyun looks up to her, only to find herself freezing when she felt soft lips pressing against the corner of her lips. Her brain goes to static, which annoys her because these blackouts have been happening far too often. They’ve done this kind of kissing before, but not up close with friends who were watching.

 

“Oh, cool! Post practice snacks!” Jihyo’s eyes lit up, breaking the almost suffocating silence that was filling gaps. “Not even your ex could do this!” then was replaced with a new level of awkward energy.

 

“Really, Jihyo? Really?” Sana squeezed Dahyun’s shoulder.

 

“Oh, ! I mean, you are way better than her ex.” Jihyo pointed at the captain. “Hi, Miss President!”

 

“Hi, Jihyo.” Dahyun laughs just the same and finally allows the other girl to rummage the cooler. Minjoo excuses herself quietly when she saw the group get a bit distracted by Jihyo’s words. Sana gave Dahyun that look, but the president only pressed her finger over her lips to tell Sana to be quiet.

 

“You do realize that those snacks are prepared for me, right?.” Sana smirked at Jihyo while she struggled on taking off the tape around her finger. Seeing this, Dahyun takes Sana’s hand and carefully did it for her.

 

“What’s up, Jeong? Chae?” Sana nodded to one after the other as Dahyun did her thing.

 

“Hey!” Jeongyeon takes Sana’s high five.

 

“Hey.” while Chaeyoung greeted with a rather small smile but Sana took it anyway. Chaeyoung isn’t rude. She just doesn’t want to extend herself out that much. Sana knows that by now.

 

“Dahyun gave you a hard time today?” Sana teased, her attention directed to Jeongyeon for a brief moment. Dahyun just raised a brow as she balled the finger tape to a size of a pea, then pasted the sticky thing on the hem of Sana’s jersey. A prize for the bull that she says.

 

“She almost did,” Jeongyeon shrugged. “But she remembered you guys have practice.”

 

“Did she now?” Sana pinched Dahyun’s chin and it was the president’s turn to flash a very smug smile.

 

“Adjourned the meeting right then and there.” Jeongyeon wiggled her eyebrows as if she’s not upselling Dahyun too much.

 

“Am I not a supportive girlfriend?” Dahyun boasted, finally swatting Sana’s hand off her chin. Sana wanted to bite back, but everyone’s attention turns to the two people who just joined them.

 

It was the cheerleaders. Tzuyu and Nayeon, specifically.

 

“Hi, guys.” Tzuyu was the first one to greet in a sprightly tune, then she turns to the person who has been watching her since practice started. “Hi, Chae.” she smiled, a bit quieter and shy, but immensely relieved that it wasn’t hostile. Finally.

 

“Heya.” Chaeyoung greets back, and there it was again. Squinting eyes and sinking dimples. Sana glanced at Dahyun, having a very short conversation with their eyes.

 

She’s not welcoming to me, Sana wiggled her eyebrows at Dahyun. But she’s very warm to Chewy.

 

Well, better you than your friend. Dahyun raised her brow and smirked.

 

You’re liking this, aren’t you? Sana squints her eyes and turns her head slightly away from the president. Dahyun just rolled her eyes playfully, not giving Sana the answer she wanted.

 

Then there’s Nayeon, making her presence known just by her looks alone.

 

“Hi, Dahyun! Chae.” she smiled and waved at the two then totally changed her expression into an annoyed frown once her eyes met with the person she specifically singled out. “You make stupid dancing look stupid. I’m actually impressed.”

 

“Well, hello to you, too.” Jeongyeon slouched back on the bleacher and grinned. “You went all the way up here just to tell me that? I must be someone special.”

 

“You fantasize about me that often? Damn.” Nayeon clicked her tongue.

 

“I don’t know, you watch me that often?” Jeongyeon was quick to snap back, and everyone’s eyes were now on the both of them.

 

“Oh, you would be so pleased with that. Won’t you, ?” Nayeon raised a brow and smirked.

 

“Not as much as you’d enjoy it.” Jeongyeon wiggled her eyebrows.

 

“Damn, holy ! You two!” Jihyo, after being left alone with the cooler, finally snapped at them. “Just make out already!”

 

“Eww!” Nayeon and Jeongyeon turned to Jihyo, scoffed at her, then looked at each other, then groaned in what one can only guess as disgust.

 

“Who’s making out?” Momo piped up, from behind the cheerleaders with Mina’s arm wrapped around hers. Mina gave a quiet yet enthusiastic smile to Dahyun, to which the president returned with an equal gesture. Dahyun on the bleachers every practice day isn’t a foreign idea now, and Mina found that very amusing.

 

“Momo, heads!” Jihyo called out as she tossed a small bottle of chocolate milk to Momo. Most probably from the cooler.

 

“Nice!” Momo shook the small bottle then showed it to Mina.

 

“Hey! That’s mine!” Sana protested. Mina threatened to open the bottle, while Jihyo was reading the label on the sports drink. It was apparent that they’re not listening, so Sana turns to the embodiment of scholastic justice. “Dahyun, they’re taking my snacks!”

 

“You are their captain, Sana. Not me.” Dahyun shrugged, much to Momo and Jihyo’s approval.

 

“You are the president!” Sana threw her hands in the air. “Which make you team captain of the whole student body!”

 

“I’m not sure if I’m gonna be flattered but I’m pretty sure you are over exaggerating the extent of my power.” Dahyun winced at the rather unpopular statement. To how Sana even thought of that was beyond Dahyun’s understanding.

 

“Give me that! Get a girlfriend!” Sana snatched her treat from Momo’s hand, Nayeon and Tzuyu exchanging weird glances on Sana’s words. “That goes for you, too!” Sana turned to Jihyo and stuffed her snacks back into the cooler. “Touching stuff that my girlfriend painstakingly prepared.”

 

“It actually says Walmart on the receipt so.” Jeongyeon pointed her lips towards the pricetag.

 

“Painstakingly prepared and bought!” Sana corrected then turned at the band girl. “You know what, Jeong?” Sana exhaled calmly with her hand over her heart. “I am not your enemy here. It’s only Nayeon.”

 

“Hey!” Nayeon slapped Sana’s shoulders, and she slapped it hard.

 

The entire group, all nine of them, were reduced to laughters thanks to the bickering band girl and the cheer team vice captain. Soon enough, the football girls needed to go back to the pitch. Sana pinched Dahyun’s chin again and tilts her girlfriend’s head up so that their eyes would meet.

 

“I’ll just finish up and shower, then we can go home.” Sana said, finding a bit strange that it felt nice using the word ‘we’ for some reason.

 

“You’re still good to drive?” Dahyun said, her question with a hint of worry. “I can drive us if you want to rest.”

 

“You sure?” Sana asked in return, not quite used to being this pampered.

 

“Yeah.” Dahyun nodded with a smile.

 

“One thing I hate about Dahyun having a girlfriend is that we don’t have a designated driver anymore.” Jeongyeon whined, making sure to let their presence be known. And at that point, everyone just knew that Nayeon just rolled her eyes.

 

“Weird way to brag about how useless you are, but go ahead. It’s a free country.” Nayeon winked at Jeongyeon, and the band girl just made face in return.

 

“Hey, Chae.” Jeongyeon turns her head lazily towards the youngest in the bunch. “Gonna run some things with the Gazette, then we can go home. You good with waiting?”

 

“Will you take long?” Chaeyoung winced, and thank the universe Tzuyu has always been the one to read the room. Receptive. Especially to Chaeyoung.

 

“I’ll drive you home!” Tzuyu coaxed. Too quick. Maybe too eager. “I mean, I can drive you home if Jeongyeon can’t.”

 

“Yeah, Chae! Why don’t you let Chewy drive you home?” Jeongyeon’s eyes lit up to the highly appreciated offer. Chaeyoung shrinked when she felt eyes staring down at her, anticipating an answer that she’s too pressured to give.

 

“It’s not really —. I mean, I don’t want to trouble Chewy.” she refused, but this time, she made sure that it’s as polite and as friendly as it could sound.

 

“It’s totally fine!” Tzuyu insisted, even sounding a bit more pushy. “Please? We won’t break down in the middle of the road. I promise!” and they both laughed at the shared experience.

 

“Dude. She just advertised how bad her car is. In front of all of us. If that ain’t showing how okay she is with this, I don’t know what is.” Jeongyeon quipped. But only because she knew how Chaeyoung would fold if everyone’s expectant silence becomes too much for Chaeyoung to bear. “Come on, Chae.”

 

“Fine.” Chaeyoung conceded, and Tzuyu doesn’t know why she’s suddenly excited. “As soon as you’re ready, then.” she smiled much to everyone’s relief.

 

A relief that is, unfortunately, short lived. Because as Sana steps down on the bleachers, she turns to Dahyun at the last minute. Sana has looked at Dahyun in different ways and every time the quarterback does, Dahyun knew exactly when Sana is in the mood to be ‘up to no good’. Smirk, daring eyes, and perked brows.

 

“What the is she thinking now..” Dahyun mumbled inaudibly. And right on cue, Sana beams. Dahyun saw it in the pep muster. She saw it whenever Sana kisses her in public. She saw it whenever Sana is up to no good.

 

“I luf you!”

 

Three words. Spoken as clear as day. Three words that were more than enough to make Dahyun’s body tense up in the weirdest ways. Three words that all nine of them understood.

 

Eyes quickly turned to Dahyun. The range of reactions from people were hard to miss even if she’s only seeing them in her peripheral. There should be a way out of this but her thoughts fizzle out into uselessness. Those three words were substitutes for the real thing, and saying such doesn’t make this relationship to be true. But Sana’s friends don’t know that. They only know that Dahyun has to say these three words back because anything less than that is suspiciously hostile.

 

Say it back. Sana’s eyes dared her. Dahyun’s eyes narrowed. Very subtly that only Sana noticed. Say it back, baby. In front of all of them.

 

Any second more of this silence risks this whole charade.

 

“Don’t take too long, baby.” Dahyun’s finally smiled warmly. If she’s gonna be a pretend girlfriend, she’ll make sure that she’s the best one there is. “I luf you, too.”

 

Jeongyeon flicked her wrist and made a whip cracking sound which made Nayeon laugh out loud, bunny teeth showing. This was the first time that the two agreed on something and Dahyun hated the fact that she’s on the receiving end of it. She lets it pass, much like everyone else’s reaction to this short exchange, and in between the giggles, Dahyun found Sana’s brown eyes.

 

The smile that Dahyun gave was sweet, but Sana knew it meant something else. Dahyun won’t let this go unanswered.

 

And that’s fine. Sana thinks Dahyun is adorable like that.

 

(Later, while they’re both in the car on their way home, Sana just kept on laughing when Dahyun kept pounding her fist on Sana’a shoulders.)

 

From the other end of the pitch, a girl watches as this scene unfolded. It didn’t take too long before another girl joins her, also carefully scrutinizing Dahyun and Sana’s group.

 

“Would you look at that.” Nancy smirked. “Does Sana really think she could just go prance around and replace me? Funny.”

 

///

 

Waiting for Nayeon has never been a problem to Mina and Momo. Not when waiting for the vice captain consisted of both of them sitting in the backseat of Momo’s car, both their legs extended and tangled over the center console. Mina would usually play games on her phone while she snuggled herself against Momo’s ribs. Momo, meanwhile, would be busy reading on tweets and Reddit subs. Mina has always been up to discuss whatever Momo brings up, and this has been a habit they formed whenever Nayeon asks to be driven home.

 

“Huh.” Momo mumbled.

 

“Why? What are you reading?” Mina said, eyes still glued on whatever game she was playing. The silence that followed piques Mina’s curiosity. She glances up to Momo, only to find her best friend staring out into the front of the car. Or whatever’s in front of the car.

 

“Isn’t that Yujin?” Momo squinted her eyes and honed her sights on the couple talking in hushed tones by the far end of the parking lot. Mina turned to where Momo is looking at and confirmed the white baseball cap and the junior who looks a lot like their Chewy.

 

“Yeah. Why?” Mina responded nonchalantly, then she went back to her game.

 

“Hold up. Who is she talking — oh. Oh! That’s the vicey! Chewy Jr.!” There was an unmistakable giddiness in Momo’s tone. Like someone who’s about to use a secret information to bargain. “Holy !” Momo aimed her phone up and discreetly took a photo of the two.

 

“Momo,” Mina puts her hand over Momo’s phone and pushes it down gently. “I think that’s a bad idea. Leave her alone.” she further warns.

 

“It’s not like I’m gonna parade it around.” Momo reasone