Chaewon… is tired. She is completely tired, not just from her multiple obligations and chores throughout the day, but emotionally tired as well.

Since her father insists on having her have an inmaculate school record, she has had the same schedule for the past 3 years, no opportunity for variations or deviation from the norm. First, she had part as the student council president, a title that was often overlooked by the majority of the student population, but entirely necessary to organize events and the money destined to projects for them. Then, she was in a soccer team outside school. Why wasn't she in the school team, you ask? Because her father didn't want her befriending anyone, distracting her from her other obligations. After that, she has to return home, and help her father with chores around the house. Lastly, she has time alloted to studying her notes from every class, just to be ready for the day of the tests, so she doesn't end up cramming (she ends up cramming anyway, just to be sure).

All those activities left her just as her father wanted, completely isolated from the rest of her classmates. Now, she knew perfectly about her reputation at school (it wasn't like kids were conspicuous about it). She knew it so easily when she would sense people's gazes on her at all times. No matter where she went or what she did, everyone always observed her like she wasn't even human. Sometimes she would see a group of guys pretending to approach, only to cower at the last second. Other times, she would just see girls gossipping about her not-so-quietly, forcing her to act none the wiser. She knew all those things, and she knew it was terrible.

School was terrible.

The student council room had become her solace, thanks to the members of it interacting with her occasionally, coming to see her as the normal student she was, and it was there when she first had the idea spring like a small sprout.

Rebel. Disobey her father.

At first the idea seemed ludicrous. Rebel? Was she going to start spray-painting walls with expletives? Or was she going to flunk her next test?

But then it made sense.

She didn't have to burn the world to rebel against her dad. She just needed one thing that could assert her individuality as a person and the freedom of choice that she should have.

And the opportunity presented itself in one chubby-cheeked girl.

Honda Hitomi. The girl wasn't really someone she knew that well (but who did she really know in this school, really?), only having shared classes with her sophomore year, their only interaction being her asking for an eraser and Hitomi giving it to her wordlessly, but when she was faced with the grand confession and a huge bouquet of roses, that's when a realization came to her.

Why not have Hitomi help her have liberty by dating her?

She didn't particularly like Hitomi, but she seemed to be sincere and pretty nice (she let her borrow an eraser, so she was nice), and that was enough for Chaewon to say (to lie),

"I… I feel the same."

She felt her face burn at her words, embarrassed beyond belief that she was having what should be an intimate moment in front of so many people, people that would often unintentionally ostracize her with their strange notions of her.

Hitomi gaped in shock, as if she didn't expect Chaewon's reaction (why would she do this if she was expecting to be rejected? Maybe Hitomi was really brave), and it was honestly a bit cute. It made Chaewon smile inwardly.

"I like you, too, Hitomi."

The girl opened and closed a few times, as if her brain was trying to process what was happening, but after a moment she advanced towards her tentatively, extending the bouquet. Taking it in her hands, Chaewon thanked Hitomi, smiling at the bouquet. Even if she didn't like Hitomi in that way, it was quite flattering to receive something like this. Smelling the roses for a bit, she waited for the girl to say something, but it seemed like the bravado she had sported when she had confessed had disappeared, as the girl was now hemming and hawing.

"Uhm, oh, well. Thank you."

Chaewon laughed, finding Hitomi's awkwardness hilarious.

"Thank YOU," she said, certain that Hitomi would help her. "Well, aren't you going to ask me out?"