Special Ep B 『Our Love is 10cm Apart』

🎵🎸 When was it that we met? 🎸🎵

🎵🎸 It was in the spring...how many years ago? 🎸🎵

🎵🎸 You were that angry guy messing around in the hallway... 🎸🎵

🎵🎸 Though we were in different classes, 🎸🎵

🎵🎸 You stood out to me somehow 🎸🎵

If you ask Chorong when she first met Eunji, she doesn’t have an answer.

Technically, it was a hard question. She can’t even remember how they became friends. Even if she tried to look back, recall, and recount events, it was a futile effort. The answer just wasn’t there. It was like a friendship that blossomed between tiny kids. You meet, ask to play, and then boom, you’re best buddies for life. And when you got older and people ask, “How did you become friends?”, no words would leave your lips. One can never look that far behind.

But three years is a short time, so even Chorong wondered how meaningless their first day is.

At least, Chorong knows it happened in their first year in Velvet High. Just when spring blooms its cherry blossoms, dotting the streets with beauty. They were in different classes, and Eunji is this young, mischievous kid at class 1-C who always goofs around and pulls pranks with Seungwan and Seulgi being the usual victims.

It was a surprise, really. Seungwan and Seulgi is quite infamous to the whole school then. They were that duo who were crazy rich and is known throughout their middle school days to keep among themselves. Cold and reserved, as how some students describe them. Chorong saw them once, when their professor asked to hand the duo some worksheets. The two is too reserved and standoffish that she was intimidated. Very intimidated that she unknowingly stepped onto a banana peel when she tried to run away at the sight of them.

“Hey, you’re going to slip!”

Then here comes the savior of the day, Eunji, with her shimmering skirt and grin that keeps you off of your feet. Ok, not exactly. Eunji didn't exactly catch her anyway.

“I told you, you’ll slip. Chorong from class 1-B, right?” Eunji offered a hand for her to stand up. “I apologize, I was hoping one of this two girls will step on it but you got caught instead. Still, you should look on where you’re going though.”

“T-thank you—“ Chorong was cut off when Seungwan stood up, pointing at Eunji with a glare.

“Yah, what do you mean? Did you set up that banana peel so we’ll slip instead?!”

Eunji nodded. “You’re too stiff in class. So I thought having you two do slapstick comedy will make our classmates like you!”

“Aish, that’s none of your business.” Seungwan huffed, going back to sleep on her desk. Seulgi sat next to her best friend with folded arms and a glare (but it looks like a cute bear frowning). “You made Wannie mad, Eunji! Say sorry.”

“I won’t!” Eunji rolled her eyes. “Hey, how about you befriend Chorong here?”

…?

“Ehhhh?!?!” Both Chorong and Seulgi yelled in surprise.

“She’s too scary!” They both screamed at the same time, “Stop copying me! I’m not!”

Eunji laughed at them. “Seems like you two are off to a good start.”

Chorong rolled her eyes, slamming the worksheets on Seulgi’s desk and glaring at the young, rude girl. “Mr. Kang says that you two should answer this and give this back to him before dismissal. You two should study well.”

“Ah, but this is Math! I hate Math!” Seulgi complained, glancing at her best friend who is now fast asleep. “Wannie, wake up and help me! It’s Math! MAAAAAATH! It’s my greatest enemy!!! WANNIEEEEEE!!!”

“Shut up, bear? I’m dreaming!”

“Nooooooo, help me, Wannieeeeeee!”

Chorong couldn’t get the perfect timing to leave. Just when she decided to inch away and disappear, she felt a poke on her shoulder. Eunji greeted her with a smile.

“Thanks, although it may not seem much but it’s the first time Seulgi and Seungwan talked to someone else other than our circle of friends in this school. I hope we could be friends.”

Perhaps that was how Eunji roped Chorong’s attention. Eunji has that face whenever she did something great (that would be anything against school rules and banana peels) and not get caught. Well, it is strangely endearing.

Chorong admits she likes the bad guys. But Eunji isn’t the type that leaves your heart broken.

🎵🎸 When did we first talk? 🎸🎵

🎵🎸 When did you first call out to me? 🎸🎵

🎵🎸 Before we knew it, those pointless rumors started, 🎸🎵

“Oi! You! Little girl with pigtails! Yeah, you with that canvass on your hands! Wait up!”

Seventeen-year-old Chorong paused her steps as she heard a familiar voice of a girl that seems to get nearer. Just when she turned around, the sight of Jung Eunji surprised her. The girl immediately stopped her tracks and caught her breath.

Did she run all the way here…? Chorong wondered, noting the girl’s sweaty uniform, ragged breaths, and tired eyes. But why…?

“You walk too fast! I saw you in the subway and called you but you just walked ahead and I had a hard time catching up on you.” Eunji explained as her breathing steadied. She stood up and slumped her bag on her shoulders and gave a V-sign. “Hello~!”

Wait, what?

“Why are you following me…?”

Eunji’s grin got wider. “Because you’re wearing the same uniform!”

It made little sense. Chorong was just an inch close in turning her heels and walk away but Eunji added.

“Let’s go home together!”

“Go… home? Together???”

This girl is definitely crazy.

Eunji’s hair was a medium length back then, just enough to reach her shoulders. She was also sporting bangs, which was cute on her. Chorong will not admit that though.

“Yeah! You’re going home this way, right? I just moved to this village, well I’m moving to my cousin’s place although I keep coming over to Wendy’s house, but yeah! I saw you this morning. Since we’re going on the same route, why don’t we go home together? It’s safer!”

Chorong shook her head and turned around. She didn’t have time to deal with that small delinquent, anyway.

“Hey, where are you going?!”

“Home.”

“Let’s go together!”

“No!”

“But!”

“No!”

“Is that a painting? It looks great!”

That made Chorong turn around. “You think so?”

Eunji nodded quickly. “I may not seem like it, but I know a good painting when I see one! I’m inclined to the arts as well! Although, I prioritize music. Anyway, it’s pretty! Can I get a closer look?”

“Your hands are dirty.” Chorong pointed out the girl’s hands, which have black smudges. “You will ruin it.”