Next day nothing on my phone

But I could still smell you on my clothes

After bidding each other goodnight when they reached home, Seulgi didn't call her on Sunday. Not even a simple message. Maybe she was busy handling the dingo and her mother.

It didn't bother her that much but she never left the room without her phone, scrolling through the messages while waiting for a particular call.

Her father even gave her that look when she tapped her phone every 5 minutes and sighed in disappointment.

She knew she shouldn't be so distracted by something so trivial but she couldn't help it.

She wanted to knock on Seulgi's door again right now if it wasn't 11 pm in the evening.

She was going to meet Seulgi after 9 hours but still, 9 hours were 540 minutes.

And 540 minutes were 32400 seconds. That meant an eternity to her.

She turned off the desk lamp and climbed onto her bed. No use studying now.

She felt a little comforted by the soft white mattresses but still even her bed couldn't make her feel less empty.

She hugged her kness with her phone still in front of her, refusing to light up.

Sighing again with disappointment, she closed her eyes and inhaled hoping for the familiar lavender scent to seep in but instead, she smelled cherry blossom lotion on her clothes. And that made a huge lump in .

Seulgi used that lotion ever since she bought all of them at the gift shop from the festival.

She told her she always felt comforted whenever she smelled the cherry blossoms because it reminded how happy she felt.

She even gave on of them to her, excitedly saying 'For us to remember this day.', 'I know that sounds corny but this smells really good, right?'.

So the bunny had no choice but to set aside her usual lavender lotion because it would be such a waste.

Wouldn't it?

Unlike the lavender diffuser smell that filled her room, only she herself smelled like cherry blossoms.

As if Seulgi was shielding the loneliness she had been absorbing all these years.

Joohyun opened her eyes. There was that feeling again. And again, she didn't know why she felt so weird whenever she felt that.

It was unfamiliar yet so obvious it drove her crazy.

She wished someone would just dig out what she was feeling deep inside and give her an answer to why she was feeling like this.

Seulgi was good at that.

For heaven's sake. Joohyun vigorously shook her head and groaned. How many times have she thought of Seulgi for one day?

She wanted to call her but everytime she picked up her phone and dialed her number, she couldn't lift up her one finger to press the 'call' button.

So easy yet so difficult.

Waiting was torturing and calling was a challenge.

She should probably call her when she misses her so much she starts to feel that feeling again.

Maybe calling her would help her figure it all out.

.

Turns out, Seulgi didn't contact her on purpose. She was also busy because of the finals and yes, she did receive a lot of curses and a slap from 'the dingo' so she didn't have the heart to let Joohyun know about it.

She didn't want to burden her at least not this month. This month was very important for the 3rd grade students so why bother her with such a little thing?

But that didn't mean she wasn't at all frustrated. Like Joohyun said, her emotions started to pile up like a garbage pile and rotten inside her.

Seulgi became quieter and smiled less. The three juniors assumed she was tired from the finals and had their own problems of preparing their consulting with the homeroom teacher.

So Yerim being the only choice to help the bear(and after a particular bunny asked her to check if the bear was okay), dragged the dumb bear out of the cafeteria toward their empty classroom.

She almost flung Seulgi to her seat which made the girl stumble almost landing head-first on her desk.

"Is this an interrogation?" Seulgi asked sleepily, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Then can we talk this through with some coffee?"

"I'll give you all the coffee you want." The shorter girl snapped. "But first, answer my questions."

Seeing this side of Yerim was rare so Seulgi had to nod even though she was very confused.

"Okay." Yerim said with a pout. "I know you're stressed out lately. But I also know you're not stressed only because of the finals. So spill, you dumb bear."

"This." Seulgi pointed one of the problems on the math workbook she had been working on for hours but Yerim looked at her with a very disappointed expression.

"What? I'm telling the truth!"

"It's because of Joohyun unnie, isn't it?"

The bear's eyes widened for just a second but it was enough for Yerim to notice.

"Don't try to lie to me. I know you have feelings for her. And for the record, I'm definitely, positively okay with that."

Seulgi let out an awkward laugh which made the other girl roll her eyes. "Wha.. What are you saying? You mean a friendly, best friend kind of feelings? Yeah sure I do have feelings for Joohyun. I-"

"Stop lying with your big fat mouth because your face is so easy to read." Yerim snapped again. "Your face is a lie detector so stop lying."

Seulgi lowered her head in defeat, cursing herself for not being a good liar. "I hate that I'm bad at lying." She muttered to herself.

"Then you can be good at spilling." Yerim encouraged. "So spill."

"There's nothing to say." Seulgi complained. "I have feelings for Joohyun. The end."

They way Yerim glared at her made Seulgi wanted to crawl into a hole. She gulped, trying to think of more words that could satisfy her friend. "And I've been trying to hide them ever since I realized I... you know."

Yerim had to stop herself from snorting. If that was hiding, who knows what would happen if she decides to show them? 

"Why are you trying to hide them?"

"Because I'm a girl."

"And?"

"Because Joohyun is... Joohyun."

"Aaaannd?"

"You're saying that to annoy me, aren't you?'

"I'm trying to make you spill it all out."

"Fine." The annoyed bear grunted. "Because I thought she deserves better. Someone handsome and smart, gentle like Bogum sunbaenim."

Before Yerim could ask again, Seulgi started to spill out all the words she kept inside.

"Because I told her about my middle school days. About how I was an outcast. 

So I thought what if someday she thinks that it's all my fault? What if I have the same problem with her because of my ugliest parts?"

Yerim felt her heart ache seeing her friend's crumpled expression, ready to cry a river.

"What should I do? I've been in love with her for months now and I still don't know the answer. And I don't think I ever will."

The girl was nearly in tears and being the eldest daughter who had three younger sisters below her, she almost had the urge to lull the bear.

"Seulgi." Yerim said with a soothing tone she used when she put her youngest sister to sleep. "But love is universal. I don't know what Joohyun sunbaenim would think but I think she would agree."

Seulgi didn't answer. She had her hands covering her face, finding this situation very confusing.

"And she ditched Bogum sunbaenim because she felt something was wrong with you."

And when Seulgi was about to open to argue, Yerim shook her head firmly.

"Stop thinking about your what ifs, Seulgi. Because it never happened so it never will. They're just making you more frustrated."

The bear put down her hands and sniffed. She was tired of heartache, tired of torturing herself with her thoughts.

"I know that." She mumbled softly. "But I couldn't stop."

"Why is that?"

"Because I can't help but hope maybe she feels the same. And if that crumbles I might never be myself again. And if I lose her,"

She tightly shut her eyes as if even thinking about it tormented her.

"It means I'm losing the biggest part in my world that had been once broken. And that'll make me feel I'm wrong all over again."

Yerim wanted to say that she should hope, could hope for her feelings to be returned but seeing her friend so vulnerable, she couldn't stop doubting herself.

Was it really? Was Joohyun really going to return her feelings?

"You're never wrong, Seulgi." She could only say with regret. "How can you be wrong when you're honest?"

Seulgi stayed still and Yerim gently patted the bear's head to give at least little comfort.

"It's not your fault." She emphasized. "You're just in love. Like all people."

.

"What are your plans for college?" Her homeroom teacher asked and yawned, obviously bored from consulting all his students. He even scratched his head with his stick.

"I'm planning on majoring medical school at Seoul National University."

"And the reason is?"

"Because my parents want me to have a stable job. And I don't have anything I want to pursue..So.. I thought it would be reasonable to get a stable job and help people."

The teacher nodded but Joohyun could see by the look of 'Of course you would', he expected her answer.

Then Joohyun wondered what her friends would say.

Seungwan would definitely say she want