Minju. The first word, name rather, that Hyewon thought of when she woke up. After the unexpected encounter at the library, Ms. Girl – no, no, Minju could not leave her mind. Just the name. Who was she kidding, the girl could not leave her mind for the past weeks.

And so, typical of an art student. As soon as she got back to her apartment, Hyewon immediately whipped out her sketchpad and art supplies. Sketching the girl – Minju. Hyewon could not help but to smile, finally a name.

She could not get enough of the girl; her face is so addicting. During the past weeks, all she did was small sketches of the girl reading, thinking, rough sketches if you say. But right now, she wants to draw the girl properly. Capturing all those delicate features, all her beauty. After that meeting at the library earlier, Hyewon standing two to three steps away from Minju. It was enough to see that the girl is absolutely ethereal.

She wants to capture her beauty with her drawing, but she knows it would still not do Minju justice. With her few light sketches pinned on her corkboard hanging on her wall, she shook her head. Observing the Minju from afar, Hyewon noticed the little things she does.

Every time she reads, she would be biting her lips totally absorbed with the book. When she’s confused, she would furrow her eyebrows slight and scrunch her nose. When she’s thinking, she would slouch ever so slight and stare at the book. All the small things, Hyewon noticed. I sound like a stalker.

And now, waking up on a Wednesday she looked at her easel. An unfinished drawing of Minju staring at her. She stood up and grabbed the sketchpad, putting it under her bed. She would finish it when the time comes, she still needs to do justice for the girl’s beauty. In the midst of putting her art supplies in her bag, she heard her phone chime.

Wear pink.

• Yujinnie

Why?

• Kwangbae

On Wednesdays, we wear pink.

• Yujinnie

I don’t follow????

• Kwnagbae

Uncultured swine

• Yujinnie

Rolling her eyes, Hyewon is used to the younger girl being random at times. Always quoting movies she does not know. Most likely, Yujin is quoting another movie she loves. Checking the time, Hyewon decided to take a bath, hoping that her instructor would be present unlike yesterday.

 

///

 

“I told you to wear pink!” Yujin said as she approached Hyewon, who was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans. Her jacket wrapped around her waist.

“I told you I don’t follow.”

“I told you you’re an uncultured swine.”

Rolling her eyes, Hyewon ignored the taller girl who was wearing a light pink tie-dye shirt. It looks good on her, but she does not want to feed the ego of the girl. Pouting, Yujin started to whine to Hyewon who was blatantly ignoring her, and the stares they are getting.

“Can you stop?” She said quietly.

“But you didn’t wear pink!”

“Next time then.” Hyewon negotiated, hoping that would stop Yujin.

“Deal.” Yujin grinned, and grabbed the older girl by the neck making the latter grunt.

“So, how’s life?” Yujin asked, as if Hyewon was not having a difficult time supporting all her weight.

“Better if you would get off me.” Hyewon deadpanned, shrugging Yujin’s arms off her. Making the taller girl laugh. They continued walking when Yujin could not help but to talk again.

“So where do you always go?”

“What?”

“I mean you would always go off somewhere.” Yujin shrugged her shoulders, remembering all the times Hyewon would go off to somewhere only she knows.

“Just there.”

Yujin rolled her eyes, looking at the older girl beside her. She smirked to herself and walked ahead. I’ll definitely know where you disappear to.

 

///

 

Hyewon did not go to the library that day. One of her classes, history a dreadful 3-hour long class made her daydream about Minju. As usual, she mindlessly started sketching some features of the girl on her notebook. Not bothering to listen to the discussion.

Yujin on the other hand was dozing off, which is understandable. Half of the class is already sleeping, while Yujin is fighting her sleep. Brave. Idiotic. Hyewon thought that Yujin should just sleep on her desk, she wouldn’t miss much anyway. But to each their own.

Hyewon tried to take notes during the first few minutes, but when the instructor started ranting on why the arts before are made the way they are and the errors of it, she just shut her off. This instructor is too much on his own world, that she didn’t even notice Jennie – one of her classmates, sneaked out. Rolling her eyes, Hyewon started to put some details on her mini sketch.

“What’s that?” Yujin whispered.

Surprising Hyewon, she immediately stopped and turned to the younger girl, blocking her view on her drawing.

“A doodle.”

“Too much details for a doodle.”

“I’m passionate.”

This made the taller girl smirk, observing the nonchalant girl looking at the instructor, pretending to listen.

“Whatever you say.”

She took a glance again on Hyewon who was busily ‘doodling’ on her notebook, some nose, eyes, lips, hair. It was scattered, but Yujin could tell that it could be combined together to create a face. Hyewon is a talented artist, it’s not that hard for her to draw something normal and make it look amazing. But the older girl is quiet, too quiet that people could not see how amazing she is.

Yujin smiled and decided to bury her head in her arms on her desk. She could not bear to listen anymore to their instructor. Seeing this, Hyewon smiled and looked at the younger girl beside her.

“I’ll wake you up.” She assured the younger girl, who smiled gratefully and, in a few seconds, already fell asleep.

“I just don’t get why Da Vinci didn’t finish his artworks!” Her instructor ranted, “He is an idiot for it.”

Groaning internally, Hyewon silenced him off and focused on her sketch. An hour and a half to go.

 

///

 

Walking with Yujin to the cafeteria is such a pain. Not because of the taller girl, well maybe at some point. But mainly because of the people not looking where they are walking, bumping shoulders to shoulders, halfhearted apologies and all that. Hyewon just hates it, but she’s hungry. She’ll just endure it for her stomach.

Entering the cafeteria, it was already bustling with students. Gossips everywhere, walking around to look for their friends, a food fight happening on the far-right corner. Hyewon and Yujin looked for their table, fortunately, some of their friends are already there. Sakura and Yena, waving at them.

The two of them approach the table, while Yujin volunteered to get them both lunches. Thanking the younger girl in the process, Hyewon sat beside Sakura. This girl’s visual is no joke, a computer science student. With all those coding, Hyewon could only wonder how she could stay that fresh still.

“Will you ditch us again?”

Yena asked Hyewon, business major. Oddly looks like a duck in Hyewon’s opinion.

“What?”

Scoffing, Sakura answered the confused girl. “You’ve been disappearing every lunch for the past weeks.”

“It’s too crowded here.” Hyewon reasoned out.

“Whatever you say Kwangbae.” Yena said, obviously not believing her.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find out soon.” Sakura shrugged smiling at her mischievously.

Ahn Yujin, I will kill you. Hyewon thought. No wonder why the younger girl volunteered to get their lunch, she conspired with these two to look for her or . Rolling her eyes, she started to look around the place. Still boisterous as always. Tiring to look at.

Not until her eyes saw her. Minju. Perhaps, the heavens are smiling right at her knowing that she’s stress, they decided to bless her with this view. Adjacent to their table, is Minju. Eating with her friends. not she is entirely sure they are the popular group. Or is a part of it.

Weird how Hyewon did not notice them before, but she is so in her bubble that she does not care about the social hierarchy of this college. Seeing that all guys looking at their table, trying to get their attention. Hyewon raised her eyebrows when one guy approached the said table and gave something – a chocolate? But was rejected. Embarrassing.

Hyewon did not notice that she was staring until she heard Yujin arriving.

“Here’s your lunch.” She smiled innocently.

Grabbing the tray rather harshly, she glared at the younger girl who only smiled.

“Who are you staring at unnie?” Yujin asked, turning her head.

“Spacing out.” Hyewon shrugged, proceeding to eat her lunch.

“You’re obviously staring.” Sakura pointed out, while Yena nodded.

“Whatever you guys say.” Hyewon did not fight them, and as expected they dropped the subject.

It was peaceful for a minute on their table, when Yujin decided to talk again.

“So, you won’t go?”

“Where?”

“Off to God knows where.”

“No, but please let me eat peacefully.”

Hyewon groaned and continued to eat her lunch, glancing from time to time at Minju’s table. The girl was laughing with her friends, only Fel – the girl before she’s familiar with. The other girls, she did not know. And Hyewon does not plan to know. Maybe she does sound like stalker, she thought.

 

///

 

Hyewon is forcing herself not to think about Minju. She’s trying her best, but how could she when it’s Thursday today, which means chances that she could see the girl again at the library are exceptionally high. Though, she might admit to herself that she really does sound like a stalker. She can’t get Minju out of her mind, God knows how much she could not sleep thinking about her.

Which caused her to pull out her sketchpad, not the one with the unfinished portrait of the girl, just her everyday sketchpad. Hyewon started drawing her, the images she can’t get out of her mind, the things Minju always does in the library. That’s how she spent her night before until she fell asleep.

“You look – “

“I know, shut up.” Hyewon groaned out, cutting off Yujin.

“I’m not saying anything!” Yujin put her arms up, smiling as she saw Hyewon rolling her eyes.

“But seriously unnie, no offense you look like .”

“Offense taken.” Hyewon muttered.

“What happened anyway?” Yujin asked, curious why the older girl looks like she had no sleep, maybe she really did not have any. But she’s curious. So, who cares?

“Can’t sleep.” Hyewon yawned.

“And why is that?” Yujin wiggled her eyebrows at the older girl, making the latter chuckle.

“None of the things you are thinking,” Hyewon answered.

 

///

 

“Ditching us?” Sakura asked, not looking up from her phone.

Hyewon stopped herself and looked at her friends who were smirking at her. Rolling her eyes, she put the straps on her bag to her shoulders.

“I’m going to sleep.”

“Where to?”

“Any place available and peaceful.”

Series of snickers were heard from her vague answer.

“Go and sleep Kwangbae,” Yena said shooing her, and turned to Yujin. “Is that what they’re calling it now?”

“I think so.” Yujin teased.

“Whatever guys, bye.”

 

///

 

Hyewon found herself in the library, greeting Irene with a slight bow. She noticed that there are much people than before, but not too much that she would back out. Walking to the tables, she looked at her usual spot to see it empty. She walked over to her table and glanced at Minju’s.

The latter is currently reading a book, and it seems like she’s too absorbed in it. Pulling a chair, Hyewon flopped down on it. She is about to pull out her sketchpad when she decided against it, she’s not in the mood to draw. Too tired, she thought. But in all honesty, Hyewon knows it’s just an excuse to stare and bask at the beauty of Minju.

And bask and stare she did. But not before she got a book from a random shelf as a prop. No student would just stay at the library to stare at another student. That’s creepy. So, Hyewon used it, for some light readings.

Just like before, she started to notice the little things that Minju always do. But unlike before, this time she could notice all of it, to the way the girl would tuck her hair behind her ear, the way she would brush it as if it’s second nature. How Minju purse her lips every time she would turn a page.

Maybe God is really unfair, but Hyewon is not complaining. Minju deserves it. She never understood how people would sometimes gush about someone being so beautiful and perfect, until Minju happened. But Hyewon convinces herself that she would not gush out like those people, but rather would appreciate her beauty from afar.

Time passed until it was time for Hyewon to go. Sighing out of disappointment, she stood up and turned around but was greeted by a grinning girl. For God’s sake.

“How was sleep?” Yujin asked, grinning at Hyewon.

“Fine.” Hyewon answered simply.

“The library, seriously?”

“It’s quiet.”

“You hate it here.”

“Perfect place to sleep.”

“Oh, is that what they call it now?” Yujin teased the older girl, smirking. No one would have noticed it, the millisecond halting movement of Hyewon, but she knows the latter well enough that she hits the bullseye.

“Whatever you say.” Hyewon said shrugging her shoulders.

“She looks beautiful.”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

Hyewon immediately brushed pass the girl to return the book where it belongs, followed by a grinning Yujin.

“So, this is where you always disappear to.” Yujin wondered out loud, “No wonder I never found you.”

“It just so happens that I’m here to sleep.” Hyewon muttered, returning the book and going back to the table to get her belongings.

“Unnie, if you’re going to lie please be good at it.” Yujin stated.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Is she your muse?”

A loud screech was heard coming from Hyewon’s chair as she tried to put it back in its proper place. And of course, it would be heard all over the library.

“Yujin!” Hyewon harshly whispered. “Don’t spit out some s!”

Not bothered by the annoyed look, the taller girl grinned. “So she is.”

Hyewon groaned and quickly gathered her things, glancing at Minju’s table. As if the heavens are playing with her, the girl is looking at their direction. Surprising Hyewon, she felt that her heart went down to her stomach. Noticing that the girl is looking, Yujin got excited.

“Unnie she’s looking, she’s looking.” Yujin excitedly said, jumping slightly and slapping Hyewon’s arm.

Knowing that they are being obvious, so much for being discreet, Hyewon pulled Yujin away and went to their next class. Not before apologizing to Irene with the ruckus.

She did all of those without knowing that a pair of eyes were following her, looking at her amusedly. Odd girl.