RIIIIING.

 

It was Friday afternoon and school had just finished at Enozi Middle School.

 

Friday afternoon, the dismissal of chaos. 

 

One girl had her injured best friend on her back as she rushed to piggyback her to their favourite karaoke place. To the left there were a group of girls scurrying after the tallest (and therefore most handsomest) boy in school, giggling to each other. They were instantly halted by some other students obnoxiously zooming past them on their bikes, excited to go to the PC bang. Others were simply rushing to get a good spot on the bus.

 

Basically, all of the middle schoolers of Enozi Middle School were bustling out of the building, excited to have the weekend off. 

 

All of the middle schoolers except for one. 

 

Fifth-grader Jo Yuri watched sulkily from the windows as her classmates vacated the premises. One by one she watched them skip out of the gates, the amount of students trickling down until no more were left behind. 

 

Behind her, she heard her teacher sigh. 

 

‘This is what happens when you sleep through my class, Jo Yuri. I let it slide but seeing how it’s affecting your grades, you leave me no choice.’ 

 

Yuri bowed her head down. ‘Sorry, teacher. I’ll try harder.’ 

 

Truthfully, even if she was awake, Yuri’s grades probably wouldn’t even change. Maths was her worst subject and Yuri wasn’t even that good at studying to top it all off. 

 

Her teacher only nodded and pointed to the cleaning supplies. ‘Well, you better get to work. The sooner you finish, the sooner we can leave.’

 

‘Yes, Miss.’ Yuri said. 

 

She dejectedly picked up a broom and began to sweep. 

 

It was weird, hearing the classroom so quiet. Without any students there it was so peaceful. Even during study period you could hear the rustling of pencils and paper, sometimes the occasional giggles from people passing notes.

 

Right now, all she could hear was the broom scraping along the surface of the floor. 

 

She also started to hear the sound of faint footsteps from down the hall. There were quite a few people from the sounds of it as their whispers were echoing and overlapping over each other.

 

Now that Yuri thought about it, the footsteps were pretty loud, like elephants banging their way through the open field.

 

Then the door to her classroom swung open.

 

‘T-teacher!’ A girl came into the classroom, huffing and puffing. 

 

But not just any girl. It was Choi Yena, Yuri’s best friend. Even though the girl was one year older than her, they’ve been close since forever as they’ve been neighbours ever since they were born. 

 

‘You have to put me in detention, too!’ Yena said once she caught her breath. Then she gestured to the people behind her, remembering their presence. ‘All of us, I mean.’ 

 

‘Choi Yena, I can’t just give out detentions.’ The teacher shook her head. 

 

‘Yujin! Stand here.’ Yena pointed to a spot in front of her. ‘You too,Chaeyeon! You know what? Hyewon and Hitomi, too! All of you stand in front of me.’ 

 

‘Choi Yena ssi, what are you—‘

 

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! 

 

‘Hey!’

 

‘Ow!’

 

‘Yah!!’

 

Yujin, Chaeyeon and Hyewon all held their cheeks in pain as Yena stayed with her hand lifted in front of an already prepared Hitomi. 

 

‘Wait, there’s no way I can hit you, Hitomi.’ Yena said, lowering her hand down. 

 

Then she turned to the other three. 

 

‘Now, hit me back.’ Yena said. 

 

The three looked at each other. Nobody was against that idea. 

 

SMACK!

 

The slaps all came at once. Including, from Hitomi. 

 

‘Ow, Hitomi! Why did you hit me, too?’ Yena rubbed her everything in pain. 

 

Hitomi shrugged. ‘Seemed fun.’ 

 

Yena turned her attention back to the teacher who just looked incredibly confused. 

 

‘We hit each other! Now you have to give us detention, teacher.’ 

 

She looked between Yena and Yuri who was standing frozen with a broom in her hand.

 

The teacher sighed. ‘Whatever. You can have detention, too.’

 

The way the teacher saw it was that if those four helped Yuri clean, they’d all be able to leave way earlier. Besides, giving Yuri detention probably wouldn’t change her sleeping habits.

 

‘Yes!’ Yena pumped her fist in the air. 

 

She skipped over to Yuri and took her broom. 

 

‘Give me that.’ Yena said. ‘We’re gonna get tteokbokki after this.’ 

 

Yuri lit up and felt a sudden motivation to start cleaning the windows. 

 

(Later on at the tteokbokki restaurant, Yuri would thank Yena for doing all that for her. Then she will say ‘you’re kind of like my girlfriend’ and laugh as she’d sip her milkis.

 

She will definitely laugh at the way Yena started to panic and ended up choking on her tteokbokki.)

 

……..

 

It happened again on the bus to school on Monday. 

 

Yena was just minding her own business, half asleep because she had stayed up late the night before (mind you for a sixth grader, late was 10:30pm) and her brain was not functioning properly. 

 

To make matters worse, there were girls, or more specifically fifth graders, giggling in the seat behind her. 

 

‘Aiden’s been my boyfriend for a week, now!’ One of them gushed to her friends. 

 

Their squeals filled the back seat of the bus.

 

‘Really? You’re so lucky! I want a boyfriend.’

 

‘You’d have to be really pretty to be able to get to go out with someone for that long.’

 

If Yena wasn’t half asleep, she’d simply laugh at the fifth grader gossip. Fifth grade relationships lasted two weeks at most. Sixth graders were much more mature. Their relationships would last a whole month! 

 

‘I’m dating someone!’ Yuri said from next to Yena. She had popped her head over the seat to beam at the girls behind her. 

 

Yena opened one eye. What did she just say?’

 

‘Did you know that Yena is my girlfriend?’ 

 

Suddenly, Yena was wide awake. 

 

‘What?’ Yena yelled a bit too loudly. Now everyone was staring at her as she had jumped out of her seat, banging her arm elbow against the window.

 

Her face went bright red. 

 

‘No, we’re n-not. I promise we’re not.’ Yena clarified for the girls in the back seat. She sat back down in her seat and glared at Yuri. ‘What are you talking about? Just sit down.’ 

 

Yuri only laughed at Yena tugging at her shirt pleadingly and munched on her mochi ice cream that Yena had bought for her on the way to the bus stop. 

 

Yena took a deep breath to still her irregular heartbeat. She snuck a glance at Yuri who seemed unfazed by everything that just happened before. 

 

Truthfully, Choi Yena had the biggest crush on Jo Yuri. 

 

She didn’t know how it happened or when it started, all she knew was that Yuri was definitely different to her other friends. Chaeyeon seemed more like a best friend to Yena. Yuri was… her Yuri.

 

And hearing Yuri say she was her girlfriend? Sent Yena’s entire soul into overdrive. It’s like her entire body just left the earth. 

 

This was dangerous for poor little Yena’s heart. 

 

………...

 

So, of course it had to happen many times after that.

 

………

 

One time, Yuri had said it while running to Yena after school, jumping on her back and telling Heejin that they should have a piggy back race to the karaoke. 

 

‘Yah, Jo Yuri.’ Yena whined. ‘What are you doing? You’re so heavy.’ 

 

‘Carry me like Heejin carries Hyunjin!’ Yuri said. 

 

Yena groaned. ‘But Heejin has good reason! Hyunjin has a broken ankle.’ 

 

‘Shhhh.’ Yuri squished Yena’s lips together. ‘Be a good girlfriend and let’s race Heejin and Hyunjin.’

 

Then she turned to her friends. 

 

‘Yena is my girlfriend.’ 

 

Yena had almost toppled over. 

 

Heejin and Hyunjin had only giggled along with Yuri. Heejin claiming that Hyunjin was also her girlfriend in the same teasing tone.

 

‘Let’s go! Girlfriends vs girlfriends!’ 

 

Heejin took off and Yena had to shake herself out of her daze to catch up. Thankfully, Heejin was kind of terrible at running and Yena was able to catch up easily. 

 

‘I’m not actually Yuri’s g-girlfriend.’ Yena huffed once she was by Heejin and Hyunjin’s side.

 

Hyunjin only laughed. (Heejin would have too but she was way too puffed out to even speak.)

 

………..

 

The most dangerous one of all was during Yuri’s lunch period and it almost killed Yena. 

 

The younger girl was slightly annoyed because she had left her notebook at home and she had study period next for a really important subject. 

 

She was so excited to get milk tea for breakfast (Yena was good at saving up her allowance to treat them both to snacks) and she had left the notebook on the counter of her kitchen. 

 

(Or at least she thought.) 

 

Suddenly, a pair of hands covered Yuri’s eyes and she let out a little yelp in surprise. Kind of like a puppy when you accidentally step on its paw.

 

‘Guess who.’ 

 

Yuri knew that raspy voice anywhere. She liked to say that the voice sounded like an elf with a smoking addiction. 

 

‘Smells like she didn’t shower so it must be my Yena unnie!’

 

The hands suddenly left her eyes and Yuri turned around to an offended looking Yena.

 

‘Ya! Jo Yuri. You only call me unnie when you’re disrespecting me!’ Yena huffed. ‘It defeats the purpose!’

 

Yuri only giggled, already feeling slightly less annoyed over forgetting her notebook. Yena was always good at cheering her up, even without her meaning to. 

 

‘Whatever.’ Yena said. ‘I have something of yours that you might like.’ 

 

The older girl reached into her backpack and pulled out a pink notebook with cute stickers of peaches and hamsters and ducks and puppies on them. Yuri’s eyes widened.

 

‘My notebook!’ 

 

Yena just smiled proudly. ‘You dropped it in the bus when you ran after the person handing out free stickers.’

 

‘Thank you!’ Yuri said, clapping her hands excitedly. 

 

She went to grab her notebook from Yena only for the girl to pull it away out of reach. 

 

‘Not so fast.’ Yena smiled cheekily. 

 

Yuri groaned. 

 

‘Yena ya!’ She whined. She reached again only for Yena to put the notebook up higher. ‘Please.’ 

 

Yena shook her head. ‘You have to call me unnie first. Without disrespecting me.’ 

 

‘No.’ Yuri crossed her arms. 

 

‘Fine then. No notebook.’ 

 

Yuri grabbed her hair in frustration. ‘Okay okay! Fine, I’ll do it.’ 

 

Yuri took a deep breath. 

 

‘Can I have my notebook back? Unnie?’ 

 

Yena remained unfazed, enjoying watching Yuri suffering.

 

‘Not cute enough.’ Yena said even though inside she thought Yuri looked insanely adorable when she was annoyed. 

 

‘What?’ Yuri exclaimed. ‘You never said I had to be cute!’ 

 

‘Well, I did now.’ Yena said. ‘Quickly, Jo Yuri. Show me your best aegyo. And don’t forget the unnie.’ 

 

‘Forget it. I’m not doing it.’ 

 

‘Well, too bad. No notebook then.’ 

 

‘Yena ya! Just give me my notebook.’ 

 

‘That’s definitely not cute. That was scary.’ 

 

‘I’m not acting cute!’ 

 

Yena thought for awhile, one finger tapping against her chin. Suddenly, she had an idea.

 

‘It’s either act cute or you give me a kiss, which one will you choose?’ 

 

There was no way Yuri would choose the latter option. This was the girl that looked away and gagged every time characters would kiss on screen.

 

‘Ugh, fine!’ Yuri gave in, scrunching her nose.

 

Yena fist bumped the air, ready to see Yuri’s aegyo. This was a rare sight, the girl hated doing it. 

 

‘I’m so exci—‘ 

 

Yena froze when she felt Yuri’s lips on her cheek. 

 

The younger girl had placed her hands on Yena’s shoulders and pushed herself onto her tippy toes just so she could reach Yena’s cheek. 

 

Yena’s mouth fell open. 

 

The older girl had no idea how Yuri could look so unfazed by all of this. Yena’s heart was going into overdrive. 

 

‘Thank you!’ Yuri plucked her notebook out of the malfunctioning duck’s hand. 

 

‘Omo.’ Wonyoung, Yuri’s friend, finally joined in the conversation. She was so entertained by what was going on she had opted to just sit and watch. 

 

‘What?’ Yuri said. 

 

Wonyoung pointed between them. ‘Are you two dating?’ 

 

Yuri laughed. ‘Yena is my girlfriend.’ 

 

That shook Yena out of her daze.

 

‘N-no, I’m not!’ Yena said. ‘She’s lying! I’m not her girlfriend. Ew, why would I be Yuri’s girlfriend? I’d have to be crazy to want to be Yuri’s girlfriend.’

 

As soon as she said the words, she instantly regretted it. 

 

Yuri’s face fell, her eyes shining with hurt. Yena’s heart broke at the sight. One of the things she hated the most was seeing Yuri sad. 

 

Especially if she was the cause of Yuri’s sadness. 

 

‘Wait, Yuri that’s not what I meant—‘ 

 

‘It’s okay.’ Yuri cut her off. She smiled but Yena could see that it was forced. ‘Wonyoung and I have to go get ready for study period now. Thank you for bringing me my notebook.’ 

 

Yuri grabbed Wonyoung’s arm, the smaller girl (which was Wonyoung) grabbed her food hastily before Yuri could drag her away. 

 

‘Yuri…’ Yena watched her helplessly as the girl walked away, dragging poor tiny Wonyoung behind her. 

 

………

 

Yena poked at her notebook with her pencil. She doodled random dots and lines everywhere instead of studying. She didn’t have the energy to study.

 

Yena couldn’t stop thinking of Yuri’s sad face. It was haunting her. 

 

She didn’t mean to hurt her. She was just panicking. But, it still wasn’t an excuse. 

 

And to make matters worse, she couldn’t even apologise to the girl. On the bus home, Yuri made sure to sit between many people so that Yena would have to sit far away from her. Even though they were neighbours, Yena still couldn’t talk to Yuri because she had gotten off at the stop after her actual one. It had been too late, Yena realised Yuri wasn’t anywhere near her but still on the bus that was now driving away. 

 

‘Yena, can you get the door? I’m busy with dinner.’

 

‘Okay, mom!’ Yena called out from her room. She wasn’t studying, anyways. 

 

When she opened the front door, Yena almost fell in shock. 

 

‘Yuri?’

 

Yuri awkwardly rocked on the balls of her feet, an overnight bag in her hand. Yuri’s mom was beside her, her hand on Yuri’s shoulder. 

 

‘Hi, Yena.’ Yuri’s Mom smiled. ‘I hope you didn’t forget about your sleepover.’

 

Yena didn’t forget it. She was just shocked that Yuri still wanted to go through with it. 

 

Once Yuri’s mom left (which to Yena felt like it took forever), Yena threw her arms around Yuri and wrapped her in a tight embrace. 

 

‘I’m sorry, Yuri ah! I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.’ 

 

Yena let out a sigh of relief when she felt Yuri drop her bag and hug her back. 

 

‘It’s okay.’ Yuri said. ‘I was mad at first, but I remembered you’d never be mean to me on purpose.’ 

 

Yena nodded furiously as they pulled away from the hug. 

 

‘I would never ever ever want to hurt you! Ever again! Nopity nope nope nope!’ 

 

Yuri giggled and Yena felt much lighter seeing the younger girl back to her usual self. 

 

‘But, really, am I that bad? Am I really not dateable?’ Yuri pouted. 

 

Yena’s mouth fell open. 

 

‘W-what? Why would you think that? You’re amazing, Jo Yuri! Anyone would be lucky to date you! You’re cute and talented and super sweet and fun to be around and you make people happy and you’re totally dateable! I mean, I know I would totally date you—‘ 

 

Yena cut herself off, almost smacking herself in the forehead. 

 

‘Thanks, unnie.’ Yuri giggled again. 

 

Yena scrunched up her nose. ‘Yeah, you don’t have to call me unnie. It’s weird.’ 

 

‘Unniiiiieeee~’ Yuri put on her best puppy dog eyes and cutely punched at Yena’s shoulder. 

 

Yena tried not to act like she was affected by Yuri’s super adorable pout.

 

‘Gross.’ Yena said, scrunching up her nose. 

 

But when she turned away from Yuri, she couldn’t help the smile from creeping onto her face.

 

‘Admit it. You love me, Choi Yena.’

 

Yena turned around and shook her finger. 

 

‘Nu-uh. In your dreams, Jo Yuri.’ 

 

……….. 

 

A few years later, as Yuri lay curled up into Yena’s side as her ‘for-real-this-time’ girlfriend, Yena couldn’t help but look back onto that moment. She knew that she very much was in love with Jo Yuri. Even back then, in the sixth grade.