Meetings, Feelings, Pining, Moving On pt.1

The first time Hyewon sees Kim Minju, she’s 16 years old.

She’s in her 10th grade time and it was the time where they would welcome all the transferees – to show how inclusive and friendly the community is. It was a boring ceremony to be honest, and she thinks about the time when she was a freshman.

Hyewon felt excited stepping foot in the school, amazed with how big it is and the number of students inside the auditorium is really overwhelming. That’s the other side of it, but now Hyewon knows how the upperclassmen must have felt.

Because she’s bored to death. She could see some students already dozing off, there are some sneaking out. Hyewon looks around and she could see her best friend Yena already playing her phone, she already knows who she’s playing with – because as she looks on the other side where the 11th graders are sitting, Sakura is already doing the same.

Hyewon just rolls her eyes at them, she’s also a gamer like them but she just wants to sleep that time. But since this is a requirement – who would even forcefully require their students to give a warm welcome to the transferees?

But since this is a requirement, here she is stuck inside the auditorium with only the students sitting in front paying attention while the students from the 3rd row to the last are in their own world. With their principal saying a boring speech about new beginnings and new life – new discoveries about themselves.

Hyewon thinks about his speech last time when she was in 9th grade and she think he just copied it, it’s a good speech anyway. But she’s not listening anyway, but when she heard the signal that they should stand up she quickly nudged Yena to keep her phone.

Almost all the students stood up lazily from their seats, some even shaking their friends to wake up. The transferees are about to enter and they need to be presentable as much as possible – all for the show. The school must put up with its high reputation.

In a minute, Hyewon heard the doors behind them opening and she could see the student volunteers guiding the transferees inside.

“They look like babies.”

Hyewon laughs and looks at her best friend beside her, “Yena, we’re literally just a year above them.”

“Still a baby.” Yena shrugs and starts clapping, welcoming the freshmen.

Hyewon shakes her head in her friend’s ridiculousness and followed the claps, facing the aisle where the new students are walking down. She could remember how she was once in their shoes, and now here she is one of the students welcoming them.

It seems like students in the front are not moving faster than expected because the line is beginning to cramped up, the student volunteers ushering the students to walk faster. Hyewon could see some transferees having a hard time, and just like that she noticed some girl who seems to be having a hard time to stop the momentum of the walk.

Hyewon frowns, she feels like the girl would stumble down. Just like that, she saw some boy accidentally pushing forward the girl – not noticing what he did. Hyewon sees the girl about to stumble down near her and she quickly steps forward.

She grabbed the girl’s shoulder, stopping her from falling on her face. Hyewon looks up to glare at the students but of course, they didn’t notice her – too busy to look at the auditorium’s interior. She looks down to look at the girl if she’s okay.

Almond eyes.

Innocent and dark brown.

Enchanting.

That’s the first thing that Hyewon noticed.

“Are you alright?” She managed to ask the girl and helps her stand up. That’s the first time she got a good look on the girl – beautiful.

“Yes, thank you.”

Even her voice is beautiful. Hyewon just blinks, nodding her head. She then frowns when she noticed the crowd of student not growing thin. She then pulls the girl to their row since she’s standing near the aisle – she’s sure she might get pushed again.

“Stand here first, you might get pushed again.” Hyewon said to her pulling her beside her. “I’m Hyewon by the way.” She introduced herself smiling slightly.

“I’m Minju, nice to meet you sunbaenim.” Minju bows and Hyewon winced at the formality, she’s not really into it but that’s the culture. She couldn’t just change it, especially since they just meet today.

“And I’m Yena.” Yena says from behind them, making Hyewon chuckle. “Yeah, she’s Yena.”

Minju smiles and bowed again to the girl, introducing herself like she did to her.

Hyewon then watched the other freshmen to disperse, “Do you have any friends that you lost?” She asked to the new girl.

“Yeah, I was looking for her when I was sudde – “

“Minju!”

The two of them looked to the voice calling the new girl and they found someone with long hair, who seems to be jumping but she’s just walking – Hyewon feels like she’s light as a feather.

“Chaeyeon!”

Hyewon looks at the girl beside her who walks over to the one called Chaeyeon.

“I was looking for you!”

“Sorry, the other students just started pushing and I was already falling – “

“I caught her, don’t worry.” Hyewon cuts her off, gaining the attention of the two. “Kang Hyewon, nice to meet you.”

Yena then pushed herself to the front waving her hand, “Choi Yena, her best friend.”

“Oh, nice to meet you sunbaenim.” Chaeyeon bowed to them making her and Yena chuckle quietly, they are not used to it.

“I’m Chaeyeon.”

Hyewon just nodded, “Nice to meet you guys, but I think you need to go to your fellow students now.” She points out, looking at the front where the other freshmen are.

The two realized that what they need to do and quickly bowed again to them, scrambling quickly off their feet. Hyewon and Yena just smiled at them nodding their head. The former looking at their retreating figure, specifically at one girl.

She smiles to herself and her smile widens when sees Minju looking back at her – she waves to the latter which Minju returns albeit shyly.

“It seems like you’re happy to see the new transferees, huh?” She heard Yena saying and Hyewon knows the teasing tone behind it.

She just scoffs, “I know how it feels like to be intimidated by upperclassmen. It’s great to be friendly.”

Hyewon can see Yena grinning at her and shrugging her shoulders already returning to her seat, “Whatever you say, Kwangbae.”

Hyewon just ignores her and sees that the other students are also sitting again, she’s about to follow them when she chanced a look at the freshmen in front – hoping to find Minju and Chaeyeon. Much to her surprise, she could already see the former already looking at her as she stands in the farthest corner.

Hyewon smiles slightly at her hoping she’s notice it then sitting back to her chair.

Hyewon was 16 in a boring day, when Kim Minju almost fell on her face in front of her.

 

--

 

The second time she met Kim Minju is unexpected, it’s been almost a month since the orientation.

Since that day she could not stop thinking about the younger girl and she has been hoping to see the girl around the hallways, but it seems like none of their schedules match. Hyewon could not go around asking about her since that would be weird.

An upperclassman asking about a new transferee, and on top of that is that all she knows about the girl is her name Minju with a friend named Chaeyeon. If people ask to describe the former, she couldn’t say anything since all she remembers are irrelevant things – her almond eyes, high nose bridge, very enticing lips, and that she is just very beautiful.

But that didn’t stop Hyewon to not think about the girl, for that whole week she keeps looking around hoping to see even just the glimpse of the girl. Hyewon is desperate enough to even hope to see Chaeyeon to ask the girl about Minju.

She thought she’s being discreet about it but she should have known better, especially the fact that Yena is always with her and has the same classes as her. The latter would obviously notice her being restless and fidgety.

“Seriously Kwangbae, what has gotten to you?” Yena said one day during one of their free times. The two of them just hanging around the vending machine – Hyewon eating her favorite snack while Yena eats her chocolate bar.

“What are you talking about?” Hyewon asked back biting into her sandwich.

“You think I didn’t notice?” Yena said while biting into her chocolate, raising her hand as she melts it inside first. “You’ve been looking around us for the past five minutes during the last three days.”

“I’m scared that someone might be stalking us.”

Yena gives her friend an incredulous look, “Are you sure you’re not the stalker?”

Hyewon widens her eyes at the question, quickly looking at Yena. “What are you saying?”

“You started doing that after you met the freshmen.” Yena grins, “Minju is beautiful, isn’t she?” She said while wiggling her eyebrows mischievously.

Hyewon rolls her eyes as she eats the last bite from her sandwich, she then stands up brushing the crumbs that fell over her skirt. Ignoring Yena’s question, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, we’re going to be late to our next class.”

Yena scrunches her nose at the obvious dodge of her question, she just follows her best friend. “Yeah, sure. Deny it all you want, but I know you Kwangbae.”

“Yeah sure, and we’re going to be late.”

After that conversation, Hyewon still did try to look for Minju. She doesn’t know why their schedules never match because when she just transferred there would be number of times that she would see other years having free time as her.

She continued to do that for another two days, but when Friday came and still no sign of the certain freshman, she just lost hope. So when the new week came, she just went back to normal – not constantly looking around and just minding her own business.

Though there would be times that she would think about Minju, she still managed to lessen it. Hyewon actually finds it funny how a simple conversation with the girl progress into this – though they just exchanged maybe less than 20 words, Hyewon is here not seeming to forget any sooner the girl.

“Have you seen her yet?” Yena asked one random time and Hyewon just shrugged.

“No, not even a shadow.”

She then heard a chuckle coming from her right and she looks at her best friend, giving her a questioning look.

“I didn’t even mention a name Kwangbae.” Yena laughs patting Hyewon’s shoulder. The latter just closes her eyes for her slipped up, she just ignores Yena and continued answering the work problem assigned to them.

“Do your part or I’ll – “

“Yes! I’ll be doing it now, you’re unfair.” Yena said and Hyewon does not need to look at the girl to know that she has a pout on her face.

Now it has been a month since their first meeting, Hyewon won’t deny that she would think of Minju sometimes but then she’ll immediately forget it. There’s just too much work for them and she doesn’t have time to slack off.

Though she’s still very much in disbelief that not a single moment or time did she bump into the girl – she thinks if their school is really that big that the chances of that happening is close to zero.

Hyewon is currently walking to the dance room of their school, Yena apparently auditioned secretly for their school’s dance troupe and managed to get in.

“Hey, I’ve auditioned for the school’s dance troupe.” Yena dropped it one day when Hyewon was busy playing her game – she was so surprised by the information that her character managed to die due to the split second of her losing focus.

“What the, since when?” Hyewon asked, sitting up from her laying position looking at her friend.

“Since the audition started, it’s an impulsive decision.”

Hyewon thinks about when the audition started, she remembers seeing the poster in one of their bulletins and her eyes widened. “That’s like two weeks ago!”

Yena just smiles sheepishly and nodded, “Yeah…”

“And the result is?”

“I got in!” Yena shouts hugging her best friend and Hyewon went down with an oof, returning the hug. She’s happy for Yena even though she didn’t know that the latter loves to dance – though sometimes she sees her doing some small moves while they are sitting in class but she just ignored it thinking it is because of boredom.

“Congratulations! I’m happy for you!” Hyewon smiles, “I hope I was there to watch your audition though.”

Yena just grins pulling back from the hug, an idea popping inside her head. “Well, we will have our first practice next week! You can go there!”

“Wha – “

“I’m not asking you; I’m telling you!” Yena cuts her off, the order non-negotiable.

That’s how Hyewon found herself outside the dance room, she could already hear the loud music coming from the said room. She peeks through the window and she could see Yena talking to someone – Hyewon cannot see the person since her back is facing her.

Hyewon contemplates if she should enter but since Yena is expecting her and the latter also said that some people would go – which would mean that she won’t be the only outside there, she just decided to knock three times.

Pushing the door and entering the room, Hyewon bowed to the instructor – she remembers her as one of the cool teachers, Seulgi. The latter returned the bow and then returned her attention back to the one student she’s talking to earlier.

“Kang-chan!” Hyewon frowns, she didn’t expect for Sakura to be there. She then turns her head to see the older girl approaching her.

“Kura-unnie!” Hyewon greeted and walked over the girl, hugging her for a second. “Did Yena told you to come too?”

But Sakura shakes her head and Hyewon tilts her head in confusion.

“I know someone here,” Sakura then looks around and smiles when she sees the person she’s looking for. Hyewon follows the girl and she see the girl that Yena is talking to.

“That’s Chaeyeon!” Sakura smiled, “I didn’t know Yena would also be here, but Chaeyeon is like my childhood friend so I came to support her.”

Hyewon blinks her eyes, letting the familiar name sink in. Sakura then clapped her hands as if remembering something looking behind her, that’s when Hyewon noticed another figure behind the older girl.

“Right, I want to introduce you to someone,” Sakura said pulling the girl closer, already looking at Hyewon with wide eyes. “Hyewon this is – “

“Minju.” Hyewon finished her sentence, looking at the younger girl in front of her.

The moment she completely stopped hoping to see Minju in their school, then here she is in front of her – in the flesh.

Sakura looks at the two girls, frowning slightly. “You guys know each other?”

Minju answered the question by nodding her head, “She’s the one I told you about helping me during the orientation.”

“You guys know each other?” Hyewon returned the question to the Japanese who nodded her head. For all the time she looked around for Minju, Sakura is just one call away from her. But then again, is would be weird asking for the older girl about Minju.

“We met through Chaeyeon,” Sakura said, “But since you guys already know each other, then no need for introductions.”

Hyewon was then pulled by the older girl as she could only stare at Minju – the latter giving her a meek smile before following Sakura. It seems like they already got some seats, basically they can do anything they want.

Watch the dance routine, talk to one another, play with their phones – but they should not make noise that would disturb the dance troupe. So, the three of them started talking since the dance troupe are already practicing some routine.

Hyewon mouthed ‘good luck’ to Yena which the latter returned with a grin, she then turned back her attention to the other two.

“I never saw you around.” Hyewon started talking to Minju, might as well grab this chance. She’s not sure when she could see the girl again.

Minju looks at her with surprise etched on her face, “You were looking for me?”

Hyewon nodded slowly, trying to think of an excuse to say. “Yeah, maybe you need help or what. Just wanting to be a good upperclassman.” Acceptable. Hyewon sees Sakura at the side looking at her with a smirk, nodding her head as if approving what she said.

“Yeah, our Kang-chan is really helpful.” Sakura chimes in, giving Hyewon a look.

“Oh,” Minju says nodding her head, not seeming to catch on – which is Hyewon thankful for. “I just stay inside our room; I don’t really go out unless Chaeyeon-unnie asked for it.”

“Unnie? Why do you call her unnie?” Hyewon asked curiously.

“She skipped grade,” Sakura answered for her, Hyewon nodded her head. That explains everything. “So, she’s two years younger than you Kang-chan.”

Hyewon rolls her eyes, “And three years for you.” She retorts back.

Returning back her attention to Minju, “That explains why you’re clumsy.” She teased the girl.

That’s how Hyewon started to become friends with the younger girl, with her talking and sometimes teasing Minju. She started to know some basic things about her, like how her schedule actually matches up with Hyewon but the younger girl just chose not to go out.

How Minju met Chaeyeon because their parents are really close friends and that it is like expected for them to be close – Minju is just thankful that Chaeyeon and her sister Chaeryeong are really good.

By the end of the day when the practice finished the five of them went out of the room, seemingly closer than before. Hyewon notices how innocent and adorable Minju is, always being the of the joke and teasing of Chaeyeon and Sakura.

When they are about to part with each other, with Hyewon and Yena going walking to the other street while they go the other way, the former called Minju.

“Hey Minju,” Hyewon calls out, making the younger girl look at her with a smile. “Let’s see each other tomorrow okay? Don’t just stay in your room!”

With that Hyewon waves and continued walking while Yena follows her with a smirk, she could feel the girl nudging her. “So, you’re really looking for her, huh?”

“Whatever, you did great by the way.” Hyewon said wanting to change the topic.

Yena just scoffs, “I doubt you even saw you; you were busy talking to Minju – “

Hyewon puts the girl in a headlock to stop her from talking, she knows that the girl would just be teasing her all the way home.

Hyewon was 16 and it has been a month since the orientation, when she first became officially friends with Minju.

 

--

 

It was Monday when Hyewon bumped into Minju again, it was during one of her boring classes which is about to end anyway so she decided to go out and grab some snack in the vending machine. She knows no one would be there at this time.

But as she turned the corner, she could hear some loud banging and a few curses coming from the vending machine’s direction. Hyewon has memorized all the vending machines and she knows that the direction of where the banging sound is coming from is the one that offers some drinks.

Walking over to that vending machine, blame her curiosity, she peeked over to see who’s hurting the poor machine only to be surprised to see Minju. Hyewon could see the pout on the girl’s face and it is very adorable, but she needs to step in before Minju breaks the machine.

“I don’t think it’ll help with you kicking it.” Hyewon said as she reveals herself, chuckling lightly because Minju jumped in surprise.

“Hyewon-sunbae – “

Hyewon quickly waves her hand dismissively, stopping Minju. “Just Hyewon or Hyewon-unnie. We’re friends anyway.”

She then looks over to the vending machine inspecting it, “What happened anyways?”

Hyewon could hear the sigh Minju did and the latter walks over the vending machine pointing at one product, “They didn’t give me my apple juice.”

“And kicking it will help you?” Hyewon asks jokingly turning to look at Minju who only looks down sheepishly. Sliding her hand into her pocket she grabs a few coins and entered it in the slot, she then chooses the apple juice that Minju pointed out earlier.

Then as soon as she pushed the button, a second later the two of them heard something falling inside the machine. Hyewon grins looking at Minju and grabs the apple juice – 2 apple juice, and gave it to the younger girl.

“No, I can’t take two.” Minju declines, “I just paid for one.”

Hyewon shakes her head and pushed the other into the girl’s hand, “Think of it as my treat.”

She smiles when Minju accepted it albeit reluctantly. “Thank you Hyewon-unnie.”

Hyeowon could feel that Minju is still trying it out but she feels happy that they already dropped the formalities. “Don’t have class?”

“It’s our free time.” Minju smiles at her, “How about you?”

“Oh, our class is boring anyway and it about to end. So, I’m here.” Hyewon grinned shrugging her shoulders when she saw the incredulous look Minju is giving her. “We’re going to have some spare after it anyway.”

“Well, want to talk?” Minju asked, surprising Hyewon but she quickly got over it and nodded her head. Pointing at the stairs and Minju smiled walking over it and Hyewon followed.

“What’s your class after this?” Hyewon asked inspecting the stairstep to see if there are any dirt before sitting.

“History.” Minju said and Hyewon could hear the bored tone of the girl.

Hyewon made a funny sound making Minju laugh. “Exciting.” She answered with a very unexcited tone, she then sat down. Hyewon is thankful that no one uses the stairs and always opts for the elevator or the main stairs on the other side.

“Tell me about it.” Minju laughs and grabs one of her apple juices sticking the straw on it, she offers it to Hyewon but the latter rejects it with a smile.

“I’m good.” Hyewon said and continued, “I’m surprised you’re outside alone. Where’s Chaeyeon?”

“Oh, she’s in our room.” Minju answered and took a sip before continuing, “Busy watching some dance routine in her phone.”

“She really loves dancing?” Hyewon sees Minju nodding eagerly with her question.

“Dancing comes to her as easy as breathing.”

Hyewon nods her head in understanding, “Right. In my case, I didn’t know Yena takes dancing seriously. I was just surprised when she suddenly dropped that she auditioned and got in.”

“Oh, where is she by the way?”

Hyewon thinks back the last time she saw Yena when she left the class. She snickers when she remembers that her best friend is busy cramming their homework for their next class – her homework which she is happily copying from Hyewon.

“She’s busy cramming.” Hyewon rolls her eyes, “You know how responsible she is.” She said, sarcasm very much evident making Minju laugh out loud – echoing through the whole place surprising her and quickly shuts .

Then the two of them started talking about their anything, with Hyewon asking Minju with how she’s pulling through with the school and asking her if someone is being an to her. The younger girl reassuring her that she’s fine, then asking some information about their teachers and who to avoid.

It then went on with Hyewon giving advices to Minju. It’s fun to talk to the younger girl, Hyewon already expected it to be fun, but she never expected it to be this fun. Their conversation then changed when Minju asked something.

“How did you and Yena-unnie meet?” Minju asked her, “It just seems like you’re really different from each other.”

Hyewon smiles at the memory of their first meeting, it’s just like how the orientation went but the difference is that she’s a freshman who absolute knows no one in the school. She feels intimidated by everyone which is why she just stayed in her shell.

But then one day Yena just came in walking inside the class – all late and panting, she just bowed to the teacher. The girl then took the seat beside Hyewon making the latter look at her weirdly. Hyewon was about to ignore her when Yena whispered something.

Yena was apparently asking to copy her homework which is ridiculous due to the fact that they haven’t even met each other until that day. But Hyewon doesn’t know why but she just found herself sliding her assignment to the girl for her to copy it.

“Well, you know how she can be really out there,” Hyewon started said gesturing with her hands, “She just asked me one day to copy my homework during our freshman year. Then she just claimed that I’m her best friend.” She laughs.

“She’s a good nut, that duckling.” Hyewon said, not hiding the fondness in her voice. She then looks at Minju who is already looking at her, “How about you and Chaeyeon? You’re a year younger and she has a sister the same age as you?”

Minju already finished with her juice smiles widely that Hyewon feels like the girl would hurt her cheeks. It seems like Minju is fond of Chaeyeon just like how she is fond of Yena.

“Oh, we’re actually much closer. Chaeryeong has other friends and maybe me and Chaeyeon just really clicked.” Minju grinned, “So when I heard she’s going to transfer here I followed her. Chaeryeong stayed in our old school because her friends are still there.”

“And it’s because I skipped a grade which made me really much closer to Chaeyeon.” Minju added and Hyewon nods.

“Well, I’m happy that you already have Chaeyeon when you transferred. It’s really hard being a new student.”

Minju grins remembering their orientation, “Thank you really, for helping me that day. I would have fell on my face if you were not there.”

Hyewon just shakes her head, “It’s cool. I know how intimidating it is to be in front of the seniors. I just wanted to help and I can’t just stand there while you fall.” She jokes.

The two of them then continued their conversation as if there’s nothing to worry about. Minju already finished her second juice while Hyewon forgot her own reason why she went out of class. That is until they saw someone bursting from the corner.

Yena frowns and widens her eyes in surprise to see the two of them together. But she quickly composed herself and walks over Hyewon, dragging the latter.

“We have Maths! Ms. Song is already doing the attendance!”

That’s when Hyewon remembers she should have been in class already; she didn’t notice the time that she spent talking with Minju. The latter also seems to remember her class as she quickly scrambles on her feet, throwing the empty juices in the bin.

The two of them part ways with Yena dragging Hyewon to their room while Minju walks to the other side. But before Hyewon could turn the corner, she looks back the same time Minju does – smiling at the girl she gives a wave and Minju does the same.

 

--

 

After that meeting, they continuously meet each other again at the very same place. It seems like it became a routine for them already – sometimes Hyewon would wait there or the other times she will see Minju already there drinking her juice.

Hyewon thought that the past month of not seeing Minju, not even a shadow or a strand of her, is all worth it. The universe is making up for it because Hyewon is seeing the younger girl for almost everyday and she’s not complaining a little bit.

Every last day of the week Yena would have her dance practice with Chaeyeon and it seems to be a regular thing for them to always hangout. Hyewon, Sakura, and Minju waiting for the two while they just laugh and maybe take some funny videos.

“Yena looks like an idiot,” Hyewon said one practice and quickly fishes out her phone and puts it in video mode, “I need this to blackmail.”

“That’s just so mean Kang-chan.” Sakura said beside her though she is laughing and also likes the idea.

“Kura-unnie you also took a video of Chaeyeon while she’s sleeping with open.” Minju retorts.

“She took a video of me while I had my eyes open!”

Then the three of them were shushed by the instructor, they could only mutter an apology. But the moment the class started again the three of them let out a quiet laugh – replaying the video that Hyewon captured.

A week went by in a blink of an eye and Hyewon’s friendship with Minju just blossomed, she could say that she is now close with the girl. Hyewon doesn’t know what is it with the girl but she just feels drawn to her. There is just something about the younger girl that makes Hyewon want to know more about her, and she’s thankful that they managed to become friends.

Now Hyewon is on her way to Yena’s house for their paired work, she doesn’t need to knock since Yena already told her to just enter and that her parents and brother are not there. That’s just what Hyewon did but she was surprised to see that Yena is not alone – Sakura, Chaeyeon, and Minju are there lounging in the couch and she sees Yena walking out of the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn.

Yena invited her to watch a movie first before they start but judging from the annoying grin coming from her best friend, she knows that the girl is just stalling. Hyewon knows that Yena already planned this beforehand, in the end she just rolls her eyes and agreed.

As the others started the movie Hyewon just sat in one corner with her own paper and the work problem – which is supposed to be by pair, but here she is alone. Hyewon glances up to see the movie – Happy Death Day. She just watches it from time to time, her concentration all in the work problem.

Without noticing it, she felt someone sitting beside her only to see Minju smiling as she fixes her position. Hyewon frowns at the younger girl frowning questioningly.

“Do you need help?” Minju asked quietly not wanting to disturb the others in the movie they are watching.

The question made Hyewon laugh and warm at the same time. Yena didn’t even asked her if she needs help but that’s Yena for you – though she could carry Hyewon with talking in front, she can bull their way in their reports. Amazing really.

“You’re a year below me.” And Hyewon could hear a scoff coming from the younger girl.

“I think I could still help, you know.” Minju answered squinting her eyes toward Hyewon.

The latter just shrugs scooting over to let Minju see the work problem she’s working on. That’s how the both of them huddled in one corner, the movie in the background playing and occasional shrieks coming from their friends. Sometimes either of them would look at the movie and watch for a few minutes before returning back.

It seems like Minju is a great help since she knows some of it, though Hyewon would need to explain some problems but the younger girl always gets the hang of it.

“Yena should be here and not there, stuffing popcorn in .” Hyewon whined and glared at her best friend who didn’t notice it because she was too surprised by the baby mask that suddenly appeared.

Minju laughs quietly patting her shoulder, “It’s alright, I’m still helping you.”

“I’m just bothering you. You should be watching the movie.”

The younger girl shrugs, turning her attention back to the problem. “I’ve watched it anyways.”

Hyewon looks at the younger girl and it seems like everything is a blur. She doesn’t know why but all her focus is on Minju at that moment, with the lights flickering from the movie, and the shouts coming from their friends – despite all of that, all she could see was Minju.

Minju whose hair is falling on the other side of her shoulder giving Hyewon the full view of her side profile, Minju who sometimes bites her lips as she works on a problem. Minju. Minju. Minju.

Hyewon could not focus after that, she sometimes finds herself staring at the younger girl and she would quickly turn to look at her paper. After 2 movies Yena went over to help and Minju smiled, leaving the two of them. Hyewon followed the girl and suddenly she’s aware of how Minju glances at their direction every time Yena would whine and joke.

Until it was time to say goodbye then something weird happen with Hyewon, specifically when Minju hugged her. She felt her heart beating faster, a very unfamiliar feeling for her, she managed to return the hug but she might look stiff returning it.

The weird thing is, she didn’t feel it when Chaeyeon, Sakura, and Yena did the same to her. Only with Minju.

That night as Hyewon is laying on her bed with the ticking of her clock as the only sound she could focus on, she closes her eyes. But every time she does so, all she could see is Minju’s face. Hyewon doesn’t know if she could sleep properly that night.

But she’s pretty certain that she dreamt of the younger girl’s face that night.

 

--

 

Hyewon thought nothing of it but that does not mean she didn’t observe herself after that weird feeling. She noticed that it keeps on happening every time she sees Minju – it was very unfamiliar for her but somehow, she finds it nice. An unfamiliar but not unwelcomed feeling.

She would be giddy every time she sees Minju waiting for her in their usual spot or be excited when she waits for the younger girl. Hyewon does not know if Minju notices it, but she thinks that the latter doesn’t because if she did, Minju should have been weirded out by it already.

Though Hyewon thought she’s being discreet about this weird thing happening to her, she couldn’t stop herself but to be excited when she hears Minju’s voice or her laugh. That maybe the reason why Yena asked her about it one day.

“Seriously Kwangbae,” Yena said as she closes her book – not because she’s finished but because she’s tired already. “What’s with you and Minju?”

“Huh? We’re friends?” Hyewon said hoping to answer the question properly, but seeing how her best friend rolled her eyes – she knows Yena is about to ask more.

“Right, you don’t get excited when you hear my voice, like how you get excited with Minju’s.” Yena pointed out.

“No offense Yena, but your voice is not exciting to hear.”

Thanks to Hyewon’s reflexes and the fact that she knows what will happen after, she quickly dodged the book that Yena is about to throw and ran out of the room. She could hear her best friend running after her, Hyewon didn’t stop.

It was a year-end party for the school and Hyewon’s group decided to just go out early and spend it together – with Yena saying that it would just be boring and it will be just couples doing couple things. She has a point, a shocker really, which is why they found themselves in one park.

It was a Friday that day and they found themselves in a park which Sakura discovered during in one of her walks. The park is secluded with a little to no people present which makes it perfect for them. The others brought some snacks, Hyewon has no idea how but they managed to bring some, and they sat in the middle of the grass.

Talking about how their year went and Hyewon teasing Yena for being dramatic about it even though all she did was dance.

“Don’t be dramatic about it,” Hyewon said after she chewed her food, “All you did was be late, sleep, then dance.”

This earned laughs from the others while her best friend just blushed from embarrassment, “Way to be supportive Kwangbae!”

“I did support you! I let you copy my homework!” Hyewon points out and she was tackled by Yena for blurting such thing with Yena muttering words about it was just supposed to be between them.

Then the conversation went on and on until it became somber, Sakura suddenly remembered her being a senior next year and that just put the mood down. They all know what it means to be a senior, all the paper work and where to go after, it’s a huge stepping stone that no one should overlook.

“I might be spending less time with you guys next year.” Sakura said picking on her candy, “Being a senior .”

The other girls including Hyewon knows what the girl is talking about – she would be busy in the future. This might be the only time that they can be completed like this, next year it would be much different. Because as Sakura goes a level higher, that goes the same with Yena and Hyewon.

They will be in 11th grade next year, and the fact that Sakura only manages to spend time with them during Fridays says a lot with the work load of that grade.

“We can still see each other if we have time.” Chaeyeon said trying to cheer the older girl up.

“That doesn’t guarantee that we would be complete.” Yena pouts, “But that’s better than nothing.”

Sakura smiles at the words chewing her candy and grabbing some juice to sip on – a horrible combination for Hyewon, but this is not the right time.

“Yeah, you and Kang-chan would be in 11th grade and it’s also stressful.” Sakura says giving a pointed look at Yena, “You shouldn’t let Kang-chan do the heavy work.”

Minju laughs at the threat getting the attention of Hyewon, she felt her heart fluttering with just her laugh.

“I think that would be hard for Yena-unnie.” Minju said jokingly, winking at Hyewon.

“Then the year after I’ll be in college and the two of them would be in their last years.”

Now, that statement feels like a cold ice bucket being poured over Yena and Hyewon. It just made them realize how fast time is going, and they don’t think they are even doing enough. The two of them looked at each – their eyes speaking both of their realizations.

“Ah! I think we need ice cream!” Hyewon exclaimed standing up, “Stop making it sad. I’ll go buy ice cream for us.”

She was about to walk away when she heard someone calling her only to see Minju approaching her with a smile. “I’ll go with you.”

Hyewon smiles and nodded her head leading the way. She could hear the laughs from the other three left sitting and it seems like the subject changed.

The two of them walked to the nearest convenience store, choosing ice cream that they think their friends would like. Hyewon is busy thinking what she should choose for herself – already holding one for Yena and Sakura, she can’t seem to choose between cookies and cream or matcha.

“Can we still spend time like this?”

Hyewon didn’t catch the words and she look at Minju who was just waiting for to choose. “What?”

Minju smiles and walks over to Hyewon tilting her head before grabbing the cookies and cream offering it to the older girl. “Next year, can we still spend time like this?”

Hyewon smiled at the help returning the other flavor, “Yeah, me and Yena would find time. I think Kura-unnie will do her best to spend it with us.”

“How about us?” Minju mutters but Hyewon surely heard it and she quickly look at the younger girl. Her heart already beating faster – funny how a three-word question would make her feel like this.

“Our talks? I kind of gotten used to it, and liked it.” Minju admits.

Hyewon just smiles going to the cashier letting the latter scan their items, still not answering the question. When they went out of the store now with their purchased ice cream, Hyewon knows Minju is still waiting for answer.

Grabbing the younger girl’s ice cream, she opened it for her and gave it to Minju. Hyewon wanted to say something to the girl – about the things that Minju makes her feel, how she is always the first thing she thinks about in the morning and the last thing she thinks about at night. About how Hyewon feels light every time she hears Minju calling her name, or how Hyewon is the cause of Minju’s laughter.

She wants to say it to the girl but she doesn’t know how – she can’t explain it, not when she couldn’t understand it herself. Which is why she opted for the second option, something she is very much sure.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”

And the smile that Minju gave her that time is something that never left her mind.

It didn’t leave when she got home and took a shower. Not when she’s about to fall asleep instead it only got much clearer. That’s the only thing she could think about the next day, the first day of their break. Which means no Minju – but that didn’t stop her to not think about the girl.

It didn’t leave her mind when Hyewon was watching some old sappy Hallmark movie, in normal circumstances she would leave and go to her room. But not this time, surprisingly she’s very much into it, trying to analyze everything that it happening in the movie.

She could see her parents on the side watching it too but not as focused as she is, and when the movie ended there’s a question that she wanted to ask.

“Mom,” Hyewon calls after the movie ended and she followed her mother to the kitchen, “What is the difference with love and like?”

Her mother looks at her and laughs, she busies herself washing the dishes but Hyewon just waited for her mother to answer. “Why the sudden curiosity, Hyewonnie?”

“Just curious with the movie.”

Her mother lightly chuckles but she didn’t look at Hyewon, “Did you meet a boy at school?”

Hyewon just groans and walks over to the table to get a banana to munch on, “No boy.” She answers back, “Just with the movie earlier that we watched.”

Hyewon’s mother hums but didn’t answer, the younger girl feeling like she won’t get an answer any time soon and she’s about to finish her banana. She then heard the water stopped running and her mother looking back at her.

“Like and love. That two is very hard to differentiate even I’m this old.” Her mother said.

“Oh,” Hyewon nods, “I see.”

“But I can say that like is a generic term that we use.” Hyewon’s mother smiled walking over to the table and grabbing a banana just like her, “Liking someone or somebody means that we see their best side and we hope to spend time with them.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“It is a good thing,” Her mother agrees taking a bite in the fruit, “But love, love doesn’t easily come and go. When it comes to you, you will not want to let it go.”

Hyewon tilts her head the banana peel in her hand, “Why?”

“Love is seeing the best and worst side of people and yet you chose to stay by their side.” The older woman smiles, “That’s the beauty of it.”

Hyewon frowns, “What if they just like you?”

Finishing the fruit, her mother grabbed the banana peel that Hyewon is holding – throwing it to the bin. “Then you still love them. That’s just how it works.”

“Even if you’re hurt?”

“Hyewonnie,” Her mother coos and walks over to her fixing Hyewon’s messy hair, “Loving someone is a risk, and that risk sometimes causes pain. But that wouldn’t cause your love to waver. That’s the difference of like and love.”

That night Hyewon stayed up late staring at her ceiling, thinking about what her mother just said to her then her mind strayed over to Minju. She thinks about how Minju always have a best smile out of all the person she met, she the younger has the best sound of laugh.

How Hyewon would always choose to spend time with Minju when she has a spare, how she would always look forward to seeing the girl. Minju. Minju. Minju. Her mind is full of Minju and all she could think about is how she wants to always spend her time with the younger girl. Even now.

Hyewon was 17, and in her break before she steps into the next grade, that she realized that she might like Minju more than as a friend.

It’s not love, but it doesn’t make it less scarier.

Hyewon thinks it’ll fade away during the break.

(It didn’t.)

 

--

 

As they expected during the farewell party, Sakura will be swamped with work though Yena and Hyewon are also swamped with one too, but it is not the same as the older one. Though the five of them spend time during the first 3 weeks when the new school year started, it gradually slowed down during the 4th week.

Sakura spending less and less time with them because of her responsibilities as a senior – saying that she couldn’t slack off like before since her college is at stake, which they fully understand. Hyewon and Yena still managed to see the older girl and the latter also makes time with Chaeyeon and Minju.

But they were never completed as five.

Yena is still in the dance troupe which also adds to her responsibility and Hyewon helps her with it – sometimes sparing her time to teach her best friend when she doesn’t get the lesson. Just like that everything changed for them.

But what didn’t change is Hyewon and Minju’s meet ups in the vending machine, the latter is still going there and of course, Hyewon does too. Surprisingly their schedules almost match making it much easier for them.

That’s when Hyewon realized that she doesn’t have it in her to avoid Minju, not when she meant it when she said that she wouldn’t trade their time together for anything else.

“Kura-unnie is really getting busy, don’t you think so?” Minju asked one day during their meet up, Hyewon nods as she leans her back against the wall.

“Yeah we can only see her twice a week and it’s only just for a few minutes.” Hyewon scrunches her nose thinking about how stressed the older girl was when she last saw her.

“Same here.” Minju answered back with a sigh, the younger girl then looks at Hyewon. She then scooted closer to the girl seeing that Hyewon is sitting on a step higher than her, she situates herself in between the older girl’s legs, leaning her back against the older girl.

Hyewon is surprised by the action but she just let the girl, not wanting to look suspicious. She just lets Minju lean against, not knowing what to do with her hand she just puts it on her lap tapping it out of nervousness.

“It’s good that we can still spend time like this.” Minju said looking up to see Hyewon’s face below, the older girl just hopes that Minju couldn’t hear her heart. Because she’s sure that her heart is beating loudly at that moment.

Hyewon released a chuckle, hoping it will make her relax a little. “We’re still not that busy, it’s good.” She answered not daring to look down. She could still feel Minju staring at her.

Then she stilled when she felt the younger girl touching her face softly, and Hyewon couldn’t help but gulp loudly. She’s not sure if Minju is doing it on purpose, or that if the younger girl knows her feelings for her – the thought of Minju feeling the same thing didn’t cross her mind. It’s absurd.

“And if you are?” Hyewon heard Minju ask quietly.

The question tugging her heart, there’s just something with the question and how the younger girl asked it that made Hyewon look down. She smiles and she doesn’t care if Minju is hearing her heart right now, she leans closer to the girl touching their forehead slightly before pulling away.

“I’ll never be too busy when it comes to you.”

That seems to reassure the younger girl because as she leans away, Minju smiles at her – the same smile she did that night of the party at the convenience store.

The same smile that didn’t leave her mind for days.

The same smile and still has the same effect.

Hyewon was 17, a month into her new grade, when she realized that she would drop everything for Minju.

 

--

 

“Kwangbae,” Yena calls her best friend during one of her study sessions in her house, “Do you have a crush?”

The question made Hyewon pause, it was so sudden that it caught her off guard. She looks at Yena thinking that the latter might have catch on her feelings for Minju, but all she could see is genuine curiosity and an unfinished written essay in front of her.

“Why the sudden curiosity?” She asks instead and continued on her own essay, glancing at Yena’s – nodding her head in approval to see that her best friend already wrote 3 paragraphs. She can chat for a while.

“I just realized that you never talked about anyone, not a crush, or someone you find pretty or handsome.” Yena says out loud while clicks her pen continuously.

“Maybe because I don’t have one.”

“Even Minju?”

Hyewon blinks and looks at Yena who is just tilting her head. The latter doesn’t seem to be teasing her at that moment, which is weird because she remembers Yena maybe teasing her about the younger girl a month after the orientation.

But that didn’t stop her to make an excuse.

“We’re just really close, don’t make anything out of it.” Hyewon said and stopped writing before looking again at Yena, “Why are you asking me anyway?”

“I just realized something, just something I’ve overheard from my brother.” Yena stopped clicking her pen and looks at Hyewon seriously, “I’m your best friend and you know you can tell me anything, right?”

Hyewon is stunned by the sudden statement but nodded her head, ignoring the guilt that she’s feeling. The fact that she is not saying that she likes someone – someone who is their mutual friend.

“Of course, why the sudden worry Yena?” Hyewon asked.

The latter shakes her head, “I just realized with their conversation about things.”

“What things?”

“That you and I might be best friends,” Yena frowns and looks at Hyewon, “But I only know things about you because you let me know it.”

Hyewon lets the statement sink in, realizing that Yena is right. That she only tells things to her best friend if she choo