The morning sun darted with a splash of dust into the room. She tried to tuck herself back in but failed. Noises from kitchen were already loud enough not to  ignore. 

Another year of school. But a bit different this time. 12 years in the same school, she had had enough. Finally time to leave the trash behind and move on. The only thing that woke her up that morning.

Even though she thought so, something was up there still confusing her.

'What if I don't get accepted here as well? I don't have my best friend with me now. She moved to the states. And now what?' a blank note. The optimist she was, erased all those and got up.

Getting ready in a new school uniform. Half blue and half white. A skirt that covered her black knee caps. And a white shirt purposely made loose. Yes she had all the common insecurities at once. Staring into the mirror, she couldn't admire her beauty, she believed that is non existent.

Grabbing a cup of coffee and breakfast she took the bus to school. First day of high school. Ain't gon be that cool she was aware of that. But was not yet ready to accept that.

She sat down quite on the fourth desk from the front. Looking around, there were indeed some familiar faces. Teachers came and left. Some took classes. Some just talked. A very unpleasant first day went past. She could already picture a very long and boring high school period.

 

Next day,

The home room teacher came in started calling names.

"Aera"

"Aera?"

Someone came barging into the door. "Yes sir. Sorry couldn't catch the bus" teacher frowned a little but let her in. She let out deep sigh and sat down but there was someone new beside her today.

"Hi." she said. The girl looked lonely.

"Hi." the girl smiled back. "I'm Aera. You're new?"

"yep. I'm nayeon. I don't know anyone here"

"Oh don't worry neither do I." both of them giggled. They slowly grew on each other, being the best friends they are, always together.

Two weeks later,

They were coming back from lunch, someone blocked them in the hallway.

It was him. Lee Teayong. Senior by a year. Standing with his squad. Aera was confused but then realized what he was looking at. Of course nayeon was pretty. There's no way no body hit on her till now. The coward she was, nayeon trembled and looked at her.

"You can leave." Taeyong pointed at Aera smirking beneath his braces. '' why should I leave?'' the first thing that came in her mind, and she blurted it out. 'wtf idiot' she slapped herself in her head.

"what???" the whole squad was confused.

"He asked you to leave." someone else said, with a tone that was quietly threatening.

"NO" what the hell Aera........

She didn't even know what she was doing but this certainly was not the right thing to do .

"I'm not leaving her behind. If you wanna say something say it when I'm here" she was already doomed. Then why bother now. Aera shot her shot. One could clearly see the blood boiling in him. "Leave while I'm being nice" a very boldly threatening statement but with a deadly smile.

"Ok." she left but dragged nayeon along with her, climbed the stairs all the way to their class. The boys were left shook in her action. He clenched his fist. Who the hell does she think she is.

 

That evening, at the bus stop, nayeon and Aera was waiting along with 2 other friends. They dint talk about the horrible event the whole day. And was just trying to go home. But it was too late before the bus came, taeyong stood right infront of them. He wanted to talk to Aera this time, he Pointed at Nayeon and asked her to leave. Without a word she left. Aera felt so betrayed after just a week of being best friends. I mean, it usually takes at least a month. But okay, may be she's just scared. She thought. But she herself wasn't that of bravado. What the hell was she even thinking, should've just left.

"You,  look at me in the eyes,  who tf do you think you are? What was that show about?" He asked. But a li'l calm this time, which clearly wasn't what she was expecting.

" I-

Whatever. I just dint wanna leave her aside with a bunch of boys. What do you take a friend for? And I know that you were just bout to propose her, it's no big deal. Man up and tell it infront of me." both parties were taken aback by that. She dint expect all those to come from . Neithet did he." you consider yourself too brave. Don't you? " he smirked.

" May be. "

" Fine. I like the fire. Anyways tell her that I like her. I'll  wait for the reply. Meet me after the senior day camps." 

She just shrugged and walked away as her bus came.

 

Next morning after the senior camps, Taeyong with two of his friends waited at the same hallway. But couldn't see anyone coming. As expected it's after 3 weeks and Aera definitely forgot to tell nayeon. He tried his best not burn. After class hours, he was still waiting. Until Aera showed up before nayeon did. Unfortunately.

"What did I tell you last time?? Where's she?"

"uhm, how am I supposed to know?" she shouted back. "I asked you to bring her here."

He was completely loosing it.

"I'm not your slave. Go ask her your self. I don't want to meddle with your business. Also, she's definitely going to reject you. Good luck with that" she just said that to the most popular boy in high school. The one with the sharpest jawline and even more sharper moves when he dances that cut through every girl's heart.

"What the-"

He grabbed her hand before she could walk past.

"don't you think what you're doing right now is wrong? That's not how you treat a lady." she snapped and let loose herself.

"See I'm not that of a rough person. It just depends upon your attitude. If you want me to be nice and ask her to come; behave. I'm definitely not letting her hang out with you if you're planning to be this toxic masculine stereotype." I already told you she was a nerd and quite bold when it comes to these topics.

He was left speechless.

 

 

Days passed. 

 

'Can we talk?'

Her phone chimed with a new message request.

She soon accepted it. Username TaeyongLee wanted to talk?

Haha. What now. She was clearly annoyed but texted back.

'Yes. What?'

'Uhm, first of all-

Sorry for yesterday I was just, Whatever forget that'

'Okay.'

'So, can we be uhm, uk, friends?'

Ha! Nice! Why would she wanna be friends with him????

'Sure'

C'mon not again. What the hell is wrong with you aera,   she thought.

The convo lasted till midnight. Not just one day. But through out.

 

Taeyong's feelings for Nayeon melted away. That wasn't really there to begin with. His heart fluttered everytime he texted aera. She wasn't really his type. But this feeling was not just going away. They've never talked properly from school. Everyone thought they were born rivals. So  they just acted the same. They spat at each other whenever they met but apologized and shared sweet times through text.

Teayong was always excited whenever his phone chimed. Little did he knew, Aera was a huge wall to be broken. She buried her feelings somewhere even she doesn't know the address to. She was blank all while. Never bothered about his side. She was happy she had a friend. And enjoyed their little acts at school.

She now had a lot of friends. Most of them, boys. The one who never talked to boys, is now always with boys. Taeyong was a little concerned. But what can he do? She was far out of his reach. 

 

Being with sean and her pretty self, changed Aera a lot, she learned a lot. Being hurt by a boy, sean turned down everyone. But Aera became more open and tried to understand people. May be if  she tried talking to yangyang and knew him before, she could've stopped a whole disaster. 

Aera flew from gardens to gardens, being in a lot of friend groups. 

Taeyong always secretly looked out for her. Even though she knew it very well, she failed to notice his insides. She always called him and his friends as her big brothers and was proud to have them around. 

He was a coward, never dared to admit his feelings and ask her out. He kept it for so long till his senior year came to an end. He was leaving soon.

Nobody other that himself knew about his situation. The same thing Aera did last year. They were kinda same when it comes to first crushes. Anyways first loves are meant to be broken. She was the winter he could only feel the coldness of. Too close to be apart but yet far away from each other,

His farewell day came.

The boys asked Aera for help. To decorate their class. Being a proud little sister, she did all the work for their class. Decorated their class with yellow emojis, they reflected all the emotions they went through in less than  a year.

Taeyong leaned on a desk behind  her, watching her stick up all those decorations she made, smiling.

That was the last day he was going to see her. Ever. Unless destiny brings them back together, there's no way they can meet again. He was leaving for colleges. She had one more year back here.

Moreover, she never considered him more than a friend.

 

"Hey, I heard you're leaving the city. Why dint you tell me earlier?" one of those rarest moments they talked at school.

"I don't know. It was all decided in a rush. You're happy right? You'll never have to see me again?"

"of course I'm happy, won't have to put up with your stubborn anymore." she laughed. She is never gonna see one of her best friends ever again.

"will you still keep contact?" he asked.

"sure, idiot. You're not getting rid of me easily." she laughed it off and went back to sticking the paper emojis.

 

He looked at the walls. All decorated with emotions, faces that cried, smiled, laughed, kissed......

This wasn't meant to begin.

He thought, smiling at that butterfly flying across his class looking so proud of those farewell emojis.

"You like it?" she asked.

He looked down, she was just.... as high as his chest.

"I like you." he whispered.

And again, nobody heard.