"Finally!" Hyejoo cheered as they walked down the streeet, trees lining each side as the breeze loosened leaves from their branches. Chaewon laughed at her best friend as they welcomed the freedom they had gained from class, Hyejoo chuckling. Chaewon spun around with a bright smile on her face as Hyejoo paused her celebration and waited for her a few metres away. She loved these small moments between them, cherishing them even more now that she knew Chaewon wouldn't be around next year. She'd be left alone at school, alone on her walks home, alone playing Mario Kart. Hyejoo didn't really mind being alone and she still had Yerim who she could talk to at school but knowing Chaewon was leaving left a bitter taste in . She didn't like the sinking feeling that had been growing in her stomach the past few weeks, or the fact she had been spending more and more time with the older girl. Her desperation was evident yet no one had bothered to mention it, her mom only pointing out how dejected she had looked recently.

It was then that she realised Chaewon didn't know. She didn't know how much Hyejoo really appreciated her company. How thankful she was to Chaewon for helping her open up, despite the older girl being shy as well. She'd never told her how much she actually loved her lame jokes, her smile, her weird dancing, the way her eyes sparkled when she was happy, her little "assa~" whenever she won at Mario Kart after refusing to give in to Hyejoo. Hyejoo had never told the older girl any of it.

"Hyejoo-yah~, snap out of it!" Chaewon waved her hands daintily in front of the taller girl, her voice soft as she beamed up at Hyejoo.

"Did I ever tell you how much you mean to me?" The words left Hyejoo's mouth before she could catch herself, Chaewon straightening up in surprise at the warmth that instantly spread through her to her cheeks, the sincerity and worry in Hyejoo's eyes catching her off guard. Immediately Chaewon tried to play off how startled she was and looked at Hyejoo with an eyebrow raised, her eyes searching Hyejoo's face for any sign of sarcasm from the younger girl. She was met with a carefully controlled expression but Hyejoo's shaking eyes revealed just how vulnerable the girl felt right now.

"What do you mean?" Chaewon asked, head tilted slightly, a playful, lopsided smile tugging at her lips. They'd stopped playing around, the older girl giving her full attention to Hyejoo while she waited for a sly comment or a smirk fro