Maybe this was what love felt like.

It was their first interaction of the semester and they were already dreading the sight of each other – well it was a bit more one-sided than not. Wonyoung never understood why their middle school would allow for collaborations with the high school sector when it would only harm their reputation. It wasn’t news that the high school “half” had only gone downhill ever since that one godsend grade graduated. Their grade average plummeted along with enrolment numbers, and acceptance into top universities were almost non-existent. Wonyoung had always had a hard time wrapping her mind around how two parts of one school could be so different. What was worse, was how this midget managed to be voted in as president.

“I don’t think it’s as dramatic as you make it out to be.”

Wonyoung could feel every muscle in her body trying hard not to strangle the girl in front of her, “The Sports’ Carnival is one of the biggest events. How can you show up here without at least one other person on your team?”

There was a hum for thought before a response swung by, “Ah… I mean, our vice president is busy teaching our new secretary how to do stuff. Plus, we’re like flooded in paperwork that we can’t even complete until our treasurer returns from her holiday.”

Every single word was pushing the limits with Wonyoung, and honestly it amazed her how she hadn’t blown up yet. “Sunbae-nim…” Wonyoung took a deep breath in, “If you wouldn’t mind having at least more than half of your side here for the next meeting, I would really appreciate it.”

“Just call me Yena, I’ve known you since you were a baby.”

“You’ve only known me for two years.”

The older girl shrugged, “Yeah and two years ago you were a baby.”

This was not how Wonyoung imagined the meeting to progress but here she was dragged into that annoying senior’s pace again, “Mind you I was and still am taller than you.”

“Okay, fine…” Yena admits defeat, “Our baby wants to be treated like a grown up. I get it, loosen up a bit now, will you?”

Wonyoung tolerated this for two years, and had nothing done efficiently. She never toughened up enough to correct Yena’s whimsical ways, nor did she ever have the guts to confront the older girl. It wasn’t because Yena was intimidating – it was far from that. If she did put an end to the nonsense, it almost felt as if the only fun in her life would be away. The only person that had made her genuinely crack into a smile out of pure joy was Yena, and she didn’t want to give it up – but of course, she would never admit to that.

If tolerating one’s bad habits just to salvage a smile was what love was, then Wonyoung doesn’t want to have anything to do with love. If love were to be so vulnerable and irrational, then it scared her and she doesn’t ever want to fall in love.

***

There had always been one person Minjoo looked up to since entering middle school and she revolved all her motivation around that one person. Everything about them struck Minjoo as perfection, even their flaws, but she knew that graduation was around the corner and, before she could muster the courage to talk to them, they were gone. Minjoo never ended up finding out which high school they enrolled into, but she never thought of it as a lose. Maybe it was for the best that they never got too close – stars always looked better from a far after all. But, fate had other ideas, with everything becoming too clear for Minjoo’s liking. It boggled her how someone so competent would settle for anything but the best.

Curiosity tended to get the better of her. So, here she w