Well, now stuck together, both of them awkwardly stood in front of each other. Minjoo had the phone in hand and kept fumbling with it not knowing what to do. The seconds were passing extremely slowly it was almost torturing at this point.

Ding !

The sudden noise broke the awkward silence, Minjoo immediately opened the text only to smile when she saw what it was about.

Joy : When Minjoo was in class, Chaewon was so scared sitting next to her that she faked being sick. 

"You did that..." said Minjoo after reading the text out loud.... Chaewon’s eyes widened at the embarrassing memory and avoided looking at Minjoo. ‘It’s not the worst’ she thought remembering exactly what happened that day.

Ding !

Joy: At the infirmary, Chaewon was so red and had her heart beating so fast that the nurse thought she was really sick and made her go home. In reality she was just too shock because Minjoo looked too hot. 

Minjoo read it out loud again and saw how Chaewon’s face morphed into panick in a matter of seconds. "Well... care to tell me the entire story." She said to the embarrassed Chaewon... might as well learn few things from their past while they are stuck here with embarrassing stories to tell.

———- (flashback)

Being barely 16 years old with a big big crush on the new student sure didn’t help Chaewon. It was only the second week of school, second week of sharing classes with Minjoo but today was a very very tormenting day for Chaewon’s poor little heart. 

It was still summer and the heat wave sure affected everyone here. Chaewon was just entering class but she made a big U-turn back outside with flaming red cheeks and her heart threatening to burst out her chest. On her way out of the classroom she bumped into her best friend who threw her a confused look. "What the hell Chae-" started Chaeyeon, but Chaewon quickly covered hoping that Minjoo didn’t hear them. 

Minjoo was wearing a short shirt that was exposing her white neck and collarbones... she was also in shorts showing her long and gracious legs. Not only that but her hair was tied up in a high ponytail emphasizing her milky neck and face that were almost glowing with the sunshine coming from the window next to her.  She was 90% that her outfit was breaking many rules as their school was pretty strict on their dress code but she was sure that her outfit was 100% illegal for her own raging heart that didn’t seem to know how to stop. 

At the time Chaewon was still in deny of her own feelings for the new student that she met during her shift at the convenience store a little before and her future self would know that she was just being totally whipped for Minjoo even at that time. (By the way she would also say that 16 years old Chaewon wasn’t better than older Chaewon as they were both chickens when it comes to feelings)

But of course being only 16 years old means being oblivious and dumb. 

"Hey, are you okay ?" Asked Chaeyeon worried for her friend. Not hearing an answer she put an hand on the unmoving fairy’s forehead and quickly retracted it when she felt how hot it was. Yup, if you asked, Chaewon brain was totally malfunctioning at the sight of Minjoo and we could almost see smoke coming out of her head. "I- uh... She- ... wow." Was all Chaewon could process, her brain was too busy flashing the image of how ethereal Minjoo looked 2 minutes ago to be able to form a proper sentence. 

"You’re definitely not well. Let me call Joy unnie... " said Chaeyeon making a quick call of the student council girl who was also their friend. 

She arrived in a matter of minutes. "Hey there, what’s the matter..." asked Joy, she was a senior here and Seulgi’s best friend, however being slightly younger than her friend, she was stuck in high school while Seulgi already graduated... it wasn’t that bad as she still had her juniors here to keep her company. Not only that but she sure goes along pretty well with them and became part of their group. "Well you see, I think Chaewon is sick, you know heat wave stuff, class are about to start so could you bring her to the infirmary while I go tell the teachers she’s sick." Said Chaeyeon. 

After agreeing, Chaeyeon quickly ran to the teachers office leaving the two girls behind. "Let’s go Chaewon." Said Joy pulling the girls arm. Barely registering what was happening Chaewon looked pass the class window on the door and her eyes locked themselves on Minjoo still looking as gorgeous as before. It didn’t go unnoticed by Joy who was already smirking. 

Once they reached the infirmary the nurse was all panicking, it wasn’t often that a student get sick so seeing a student looking like she was about to pass out sure was out of the ordinary. While the nurse was fumbling around Joy took the opportunity to tease the still red faced Chaewon. "I’m sure the heat got you. I mean, your friend was hot." She whispered in Chaewon’s ear who just got redder.

But of course being 16 and dumb. "No, I think I just got hit by the sun..." she replied convincing herself that it wasn’t Minjoo who got her so bad. 

That’s when that little game of delusional denying and stupid crushes started, being herself a stupid 16 years old totally whipped for her classmate. If only they knew that they still would be this way 3 years after.

Three years was the time needed for them to just only acknowledge their own crushes... who said they’d confess. So even later they still were uselessly in love with each other and didn’t knew how to deal with it. (5 years later they’re stuck in a bathroom together telling stories... if Chaewon knew she wouldn’t believe it)

The nurse came back and told Chaewon that they called her parents about how she was sick and all and told her to wait here while her cousin come to fetch her. 

Hearing the word cousin made her eyes widen in realization... ‘oh no’.

Joy had left her after making sure she was okay and after telling her to call her when she was back home. Her mind was still replaying the image of Minjoo looking so good in that shirt and those shorts... realizing what she was thinking about her face went back to it’s furious red shade and her brain seemed to burn inside her skull. ‘It’s definitely the heat wave ‘ she convinced herself not wanting to admit other things.

Her trail of thoughts were cut short when the door opened in loud sound and the distinctive low voice of her cousin broke the impending silence floating in the oh so empty infirmary. "Hey yo couz !" Said her cousin... many thought of them as twins when in fact he’s just her cousin from her mom side. He came here from Australia a little less than 2 years ago. "Hey Felix." She replied monotonously.

She doesn’t hate her cousin in fact she liked him a lot... what she didn’t like was how everyone seemed to view them as celebrities anytime they’re together. When she liked to play it ice princess to shoo everyone away, her cousin was more of the social butterfly and of course one of the heartthrob of their school. He was the oh so charismatic and y low voiced Aussi of their school year and also one of the famous dance group of the school. Yup... a real heartthrob.

So here she was in the spotlight when they were passing in the hallways trying ,and emphasize it on the trying, to get out the high school. Every girls seemed to be attracted to them like magnets, and when she was supposed to be on her way home because she was sick, here she was circled by at least 30 girls squealing at the sound of her cousin’s low voice. "Sorry darlings, but my cousin here needs to go home." He said politely with, again, his low voice which didn’t help the situation. 

Now being surrounded by a dozens of girls during heatwave and currently ‘sick’ she couldn’t think of a worse situation. Yet here she saw Minjoo by their class window looking bothered and with an unreadable expression on her face worrying her. 'Are you okay Minjoo' she asked even though she knew the girl wouldn't hear her. She also noticed how Chaeyeon stole her sit next to Minjoo. This being too much for her already mushed brain she forced her way out and dragged herself home leaving her cousin alone to deal with all the girls. 

———

"So... you skipped class because I wasn’t respecting the school's dress code... wow." Said Minjoo after listening to Chaewon’s story. "I was only wearing this because Eunbi unnie spilled her coffee on me so she gave me some spare clothes..." she continued feeling like she had to justify why she was wearing such 'outrageous' clothes... 

Embarrassed the older girl quickly added. "I mean, look at you MinMin you’re gorgeous... my poor heart wasn’t ready at that time." Chaewon’s voice was getting quieter as she talks... while Minjoo’s face got redder, being the shy girl, the compliment was obviously getting to her plus it’s her long time crush saying it. Then it hit them both.... they both turned their head avoiding each other

Minjoo was still very much shirtless under that towel and the story that Chaewon just told her made her suddenly self conscious about it. Especially after Chaewon just complimented her body and beauty that literally made her pay a visit to the infirmary. 

"Also if I remember... I’m still the winner in the end." Said Chaewon breaking the silence.

"Hmm?" Minjoo was utterly confused this time.

"Well you did visit me that day..." said Chaewon hoping to refresh Minjoo’s memories. 

——- (flashback)

Minjoo was sure she saw familiar red hair from her peripheral vision but shrugged thinking her mind was playing tricks on her as when she turned her head to the door no one was there. She felt the judging eyes of her classmates and couldn’t help but to try cover her body from