*FLASHBACK*

Orion Middle School:

Namjoo: Are you going to eat that?

Hayoung: No. I’m not that hungry.

Namjoo (while chewing): Wst asner yds jdsfnd?

Hayoung: Huh?

Namjoo (swallows): Why aren’t you hungry? You never lose your appetite.

Hayoung: You’re the one who never loses their appetite.

Namjoo: True.

              But you’ve been grumpy all day.

Hayoung: I don’t know what you’re talking about.

              I’m always grumpy.

Namjoo (gasps): YOU HAVE A SECRET! TELL ME!

Namjoo's eyes widen as she jumps excitedly in her seat.

Namjoo: TELL ME!

Hayoung: It’s not a secret.

Namjoo: Ohhh…

              I know what it is.

Hayoung: You do?

Namjoo: You’re about to tell me you like Hyeri, right?

Hayoung (sputters): W-What!? W-Wha-Why? What!?

Namjoo cooes as she tiptoes to pet the top of Hayoung's head.

Namjoo: You two would look so cute together.

Hayoung: Uh, no. Never. I don’t like her. We’re just friends.

              FRIENDS.

Namjoo (laughs): Okay, okay.

              Then what’s been bugging you?

Hayoung: Nothing. But, uh, I heard you got asked out by Minhyuk today.

Namjoo: Yeah, I don’t know what he was thinking.

Hayoung (perks up): What do you mean?

Namjoo: He knows I like being independent.

              Why would I give that up to date him?

Hayoung: Oh.

              … Well… He’s quite the catch.

Namjoo: He is.

              But he knows I don’t fall for people easily.

Hayoung: Have you never liked anybody?

Namjoo: … Nope.

Hayoung: Aye, that’s a lie.

              How can you not have had a crush?

Namjoo (shrugs): I don’t know.

              The closest thing I had to a crush was probably while watching Iron Man. Or Superman.

Hayoung: Doesn’t count.

Namjoo: Does too!

Hayoung: They’re not real people!

Namjoo: Tell that to Robert Downey Jr.

They crack up at their own bickering and spend the rest of lunchtime talking about nonsense.

*SNAPBACK*

Eunji: That was unhelpful.

Hayoung: Well, what did you expect?

Naeun: She probably has had a crush and is too embarrassed to admit it.

Hayoung: Ehh… She’s not like that though.

Eunji: She really isn’t.

Hayoung: And we’re childhood friends.

              I’ve seen everyone come and go.

Naeun: Maybe she hasn’t been “liked” anyone because she assumes she’s straight.

Eunji: There is a high possibility that is true.

Hayoung: But Namjoo does enjoy being independent.

              And she and Minhyuk were good friends. She made that obvious.

Eunji: That they were good friends?

Hayoung: I mean… I thought it was pretty clear from the beginning that she wasn’t interested.

              She always treated him like he was her brother.

Eunji: She treats you like a sister.

Naeun (hisses): Not helping, Eunji.

Eunji's hands shoot up in surrender.

Eunji: Just saying! I technically don’t really know anything!

Hayoung: No, Eunji unnie makes sense. It’s just… things feel a little different now.

Eunji: What do you mean?

Hayoung: We changed a lot from middle school and it’s been driving me crazy.

Naeun: Elaborate.

*FLASHBACK*

M High School:

Hayoung: Do you need to stop by your locker?

Namjoo: Probably not.

Hayoung: Thank god.

Namjoo: You’re so lazy sometimes.

Hayoung: Am not!

Namjoo just laughs.

Hayoung: So where were you last night?

              The new episode of that music show came out and I wanted to watch it together.

Namjoo: Sungjae and I went to see the new horror flick that came out.

Hayoung: Sungjae?

Namjoo: Yeah. He just got a little bored at home.

Hayoung: Oh… 

              Was it fun?

Namjoo: Yeah!

Namjoo steps into the classroom first, with Hayoung trailing behind.

They’re on opposite sides of the room but Hayoung ends up watching Namjoo intently. Sungjae approaches Namjoo suddenly.

Joy: What do you think that’s about?

Hayoung: I have no idea.

Yerin: Shouldn’t you go there?

Hayoung (scoffs): Why should I?

Joy: Stop pretending like you don’t like her.

Yerin: I real