Third-Person POV

     She didn't know where she was but she felt like the place was familiar. She didn't know where she was going but she kept on walking. She somehow found herself in a room and a group of children in their uniforms huddling in one part of the room.

      They were crowding around something, laughing as they did. She stepped closer to figure out what's happeing. As she was getting closer, she heard someone's voice getting louder, someone was crying. Along with her sobs, she heard someone's laugh overshadow everyone else's laughter.

     Suddenly everyone looked at her and stopped laughing. They moved out of the way for her to pass through. When she did, she saw a girl sitting down and another girl facing the crying girl as she said these words with force again and again, "Volume, volume, volume...". She had her hand gesturing for her to cry louder. Then the crying stopped as they both looked at the girl who just arrived.

     She was scared when she saw one of the girls, it was her when she was younger.

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Third-Person POV

     "Pssst. Should we ask her? I think she's mad.", Minjoo whispered as she tugged Nako's uniform, still curious about what happened to her a week ago and observing how Hitomi has looked uneasy lately.

     Nako made sure that the teacher wasn't looking at their direction before speaking, "Do you really think she'd tell us? Why don't you just ask Chaewon?"

     "I haven't been able to contact her. She isn't answering.", Minjoo whispered before pouting.

     "Aishhh, we don't even know what's happening with her anymore.", Nako asked.

     Minjoo was suddenly worried about her friend. Hitomi on the other hand, just kept quiet and looked at her teacher, pretending not to hear the girls around her.

     Suddenly everyone heard footsteps running towards their room, breathing heavily. Aftera few seconds, an unbothered Chaewon entered their room. Their teacher saw her but she knew it would be better not to speak, Chaewon was always like that, looking like she doesn't care about what's happening around her.

     But Chaewon was different today. She suddenly froze when walking to the empty seat when she saw the girl sitting beside it.

      She locked eyes with Hitomi, everyone curiously staring at the two. There was a cold air around the room. After a few seconds though, Chaewon regained her composure and was poker-faced again.

     Minjoo saw that Hitomi was the opposite. She saw her seatmate holding her pen so tightly that she was shivering. Hitomi's eyes showed how uneasy she was as the girl sat beside her.

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     After their class, Chaewon quickly left the room. Minjoo noticed and followed her.

     "Unnie!", Minjoo shouted to catch Chaewon's attention but Chaewon didn't look back.

     "UNNIE!", Minjoo screamed, everyone in the hallway was looking at her now except for Chaewon who was still walking quickly.

     Minjoo ran faster and quickly pulled Chaewon by her wrist. They were unaware of another girl watching them.

     "What was that?", Minjoo asked Chaewon.

     "What was what?", Chaewon said, pretending not to understand Minjoo.

     "What was that with you and Hitomi?", Minjoo asked, still not letting go of Chaewon's wrist.

     "It was nothing.", Chaewon looked away as she said. By the way she avoided eye contact, Minjoo knew she was lying.

     "You know each other? Was she your friend?", Minjoo asked. Chaewon flinched at word 'friend', the word ringing inside her head again and again.

    "Yes. I...I mean no.", Chaewon denied and then tried to free her wrist from Minjoo's grip but Minjoo was stronger.

"I told you it's nothing. Let go of me.", Chaewon said as she used her other hand to free herself from Minjoo.

     "I know I'm dumb, but do you think I don't know when you're lying to me? What? Are you just gonna lie to me again and run away? Am I really your friend? Coz these past few months, you haven't been telling me anything. I don't know if I still have any worth to you.", Minjoo said, her eyes not leaving Chaewon's even once. She slowly let go and turned her back on Chaewon.

     Chaewon felt guilty and called for Minjoo, "Wait!". This time, it was Minjoo who didn't look back.

     Chaewon took a deep breath and posed in a certain manner. She hated doing this but didn't want Minjoo to leave so she said, "Ppirika...P-pprika...", she then cursed under her breath as she said the cringiest words ever.

     Minjoo stopped walking and looked at Chaewon, her face going from sad to amused. Chaewon tried again.

     "Ppirikapupurala Ppyororong!", Chaewon said with a serious face while waving her hands in front of her and then covered her face as she was embarrassed. Minjoo laughed at what Chaewon did.

      Chaewon peeked in between her fingers when she heard Minjoo laughing and smiled when she knew she was successful in gettimg her best friend's attention.

     Minjoo went closer and removed Chaewon's hands from her face.

     "I told you you're cute when you do that.", Minjoo said and chuckled.

     "And I told you I'm cute even when I don't.", Chaewon smiled at Minjoo, still red from the embarrassment. This was the friend Minjoo knew, outside she had this idgaf vibe but inside she was funny, weird and nice.

     "I promise I'll tell you when I'm ready. I'm sorry, okay?", Chaewon said.

     "No, no, no. I'm still mad.", Minjoo then crossed her arms and feigned being mad.

     "Wanna go outside and eat ice cream? I think we still have a few minutes left.", Chaewon said and Minjoo beamed at what she heard.

     "Oh my gosh, this is so delicious.", Minjoo said, her eyes opened widely. Chaewon laughed at her friend's face. She was pretty but damn was she such a meme.

     "I told you not to overreact to these things.", Chaewon said but Minjoo ignored her and continued eating messily. At the edge of her lips, Chaewon saw a bit of ice cream.

     "Minjoo, something's on your face.", Chaewon pointed near her lips.

     "Where?", Minjoo then wiped her right cheek.

     "Here? Or is it here?, Minjoo said, still completely missing the ice cream. She then blushed when she realized this situation is familiar. She remembers a lot of scenes where the other person removes it instead, sometimes even kisses the dirt away.

     "Here.", Chaewon said and moved a bit closer. Minjoo was getting nervous and blushed.

     But then she felt something hit her face. Chaewon threw the tissue to Minjoo's face and laughed loudly while holding her stomach. Minjoo glared at her.

----

     In the room though during lunch, Hitomi stayed in their classroom while everyone else left. When everyone else was gone, she let out whay she's truly been feeling. She was breathing heavily.

     Little did she know, her little friend was waiting for her to come out by the door. Nako waited, worried when she observed how Hitomi was behaving earlier. She was nervous, Nako knew especially since Hitomi's feet was shaking under Nako's chair, she couldn't complain when she saw how afraid Hitomi looked.

     Nako was distracted from her thoughts when she heard some rumbling inside. She hurriedly entered and saw Hitomi crying and a bunch of broken pencils around her. Hitomi continued to try breaking the pencils.

     Nako ran quickly and stopped Hitomi by holding both of her hands. Hitomi still tried to break them into tinier pieces.

     "Hitomi. Hitomi, stop. Hey.",  Nako said and looked at Hitomi to grab her attention.

     "Stop, please.", Nako pleaded and grabbed Hitomi's hands. Nako could stop her from breaking the pencils, but she couldn't stop her from crying.

     Hitomi continued to cry and Nako didn't know what to do. This was her first time hearing Hitomi's voice clearly but she was sad because she could only hear her crying. She didn't know what to say, she barely knew anything about her.

     Nako just hugged Hitomi and awkwardly pat her back.

     "Just cry, Hitomi. Let it out. Whatever it is you're feeling, you have me now, alright? I'm here. I'll listen or whatever. I'll be by your side.", Nako said while hugging Hitomi. Her blouse was getting wet but she didn't mind.

     Hitomi continued to cry and Nako waited until she stopped, not letting go of their hug.

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     Later in the afternoon, Hitomi quickly went out of school. She was embarrassed and felt pathetic when she remembered how she cried loudly even when Nako was with her.

     Thousands of things were going on inside of her head. From Chaewon to Nako's words and probably her snot and tears on Nako's uniform.

     "WAAHHH!", someone yelled and put her hands on top of Hitomi's shoulders as she was passing by their school's gate. Hitomi's eyes widened, went agape and she looked at the person who screamed. She saw Nako laughing.

     "Even when you're shocked, you're quiet. Literally nothing came out of your mouth.", Nako said when she stopped laughing. She stared at Hitomi and started walking to catch up with Hitomi's pace.

     "You walk to home in this direction? Me too. Let's walk together from now on.", Nako said and then smiled at Nako. She then linked her arms with Hitomi. Hitomi was a bit overwhelmed with what Nako said and did. She looked at their linked arms as they walked.

     "You know, Hitomi. I know I'm short but don't look way too down like that, you're hurting my pride.", Nako teased as she felt how Hitomi was staring at their arms.

      Hitomi shook her head, trying to deny and tell her that she didn't mean it that way. Nako laughed at her cute reaction.
"I know, Hitomi. I was just kidding. Just look up a little bit and look at my face instead.", Nako said and held Hitomi's chin. She then held it a bit upwards so that Hitomi is looking at her. She smiled when Hitomi stared at her.

     "See? Just like that.", Nako said. Hitomi's face felt warm so she looked at another direction. Nako laughed at her cute reaction and then they continued to walk.
After a while, Hitomi stopped walking. Nako noticed and stopped too.

     "Is this where you live?", Nako looked at the big old house. Hitomi nodded.

     "Now, I know where you live. I can come by anytime, right?", Nako asked. Hitomi nodded again, not looking at Nako.

     "Bye then.", Nako said and Hitomi turned around to walk to their door but Nako spoke again.

     "Wait.", Nako said and Hitomi turned around. Nako pinched her cheeks and smiled at how soft her cheeks are. Hitomi was a bit surprised with what she did.

     "There. I've been wanting to do that but you seemed sad earlier. Okay then. Bye bye.", Nako laughed and waved. Hitomi awkwardly raised her hand and waved too.

     Nako smiled at that, noticing some improvements.

     When Nako was gone, Hitomi quickly ran inside. She closed the door and then laid her back on it and sat down. She was blushing and put her face in between her knees as she sat.

     ", Hitomi. Now's not a good time to have a crush.", Hitomi said, annoyed with herself.