The day could not go by any slower. As the end of the school year arrived, the more unbearable it was for students to attend. All clubs had stopped holding meetings after-school hours, giving the seniors the chance to leave earlier and study for their upcoming exams. The place was boring and quiet, the teachers were harsher than ever and even though students were supposed to be happy and careless around that time, anxiety poured on them copiously, almost drowning them. 

Usually, the only breather seniors would get was the four-day school trip outside of Tokyo; taking the ferry to Okinawa was the school's tradition. Every student looked forward to this trip since the begging of the year, impatient to get some time away from their parents and have fun with their friends. However, this year's trip was cancelled. The principal had given no clear explanation as to why, but word went around that it was because this year's seniors were troublemakers and would most likely get in trouble. And of course, the principle did not want to have to do with angry parents, not now nor ever, leaving students disappointed and overworked. 

One of those students was the brunette sitting by the window of her empty classroom, but her disappointment had nothing to do with the canceled trip to Okinawa. The bell for lunch break had already rang a while ago and since the weather was warm and sunny, all of her classmates opted on spending their break outside, yet she was still there, head resting on her right hand. 

Dahyun, the short brunette by the window, was the typical nerd you would meet in school; the one on the top of her classes, that studied all day long, the one that was a part of a small friend group with two other girls — Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. Usually, the brunette would spend lunch break with them, but the heavy feeling lingering deep inside her stomach all day today took all the fun away from her. So, she sat by the window, looking at the slowly blooming cherry blossoms as she sighed. 

You would expect a girl like Dahyun to be already planning her future, studying  for her university entrance exams — like every other student was doing by now — and not wasting her time, miserably sighing by the window. And she did, her mother and father-in-law had talked about universities and how important getting in was months ago, yet there was this odd, unbearable sense of disappointment that was torturing the young brunette. It was almost like she felt urged to grow up, like society, her parents, and her school all liked to see her childhood, the best years of her life, being stripped away from her before she could even fully experience them. 

“What's on your mind, nerd?” 

Dahyun's thoughts were interrupted by a slightly taller blonde that stood by the door of the classroom, hands threading her long hair. 

“Minatozaki-san...” the brunette greeted, half-heartedly, without turning to look at the girl. 

Minatozaki Sana, the blonde, was the complete opposite of Dahyun. Despite doing good in school and being one of the best in her class — she was Chaeyoung's classmate — she did not seem to be studying nor trying to maintain her scores and prepare for the exams. She was naturally good at it, Dahyun would think every time she would see her outside of school, smoking and drinking carelessly with a group of twenty-year olds until midnight. 

The blonde did not seem to care about school or what she would do after she graduated. Looking at her, you could track no sense of anxiety, like you would do with any other student, despite not having plans whatsoever. And partly, Dahyun was envious. She wished she could be like Sana for a while, not caring about the future. Not being forced to care about the future. 

“What are you doing here, smarty pants? Your friends are looking for you.” she laughed, leaning her back against the door frame. 

Dahyun sighed again, not replying to the blonde who reached down on her knee-high socks, pulling out a hidden cigarette and lighter. Soon, she was by shorter's side, taking a seat on the edge of the open window, lighting her cigarette and putting it between her lips after offering it to Dahyun - who declined by aggressively shaking her head. 

“Nakamura-sensei said that you haven't filled out the report,” Sana paused, in smoke from her lit cigarette “You know, the one for the participation in the entrance exams. Are you not doing it, the exams?” 

The brunette bit her lip, rolling her eyes she turned to look at Sana “Why do you care? Did Nakamura-sensei tell you to come and convince me to sign it?” she spoke angrily “If that's so, know that they found the worst person to convince me.” 

Dahyun sulked, bringing her folded arms in front her chest. She laid her back on the chair, turning to once again look away from Sana. The brunette thought Sana would be the only person to back her up on her decision not to participate in the upcoming exams or at least, the thought of not participating — Dahyun had yet to decide. 

“Look, sugar cookie, I'm just asking,” Sana defended “I don't really care what you'll do. I was simply taken aback, that's all. Since you're a nerd and everything...” 

A chuckle followed Sana's statement and the dark cloud of smoke that spilled from within her lungs and out of clinged onto the brunette's face. Said girl coughed, waving her hands in front of her face to get rid of the smoke and grunted loudly. 

“I just...” Dahyun trailed off “I'm suddenly experiencing this weird feeling, that, you know, everything moves too fast and I'm suddenly being forced to become an adult. By the system, by my parents and it's...I can't stand it.” 

“Well, sorry to break it you, but this is exactly what's happening.” was Sana's reply “I don't know why it's hitting you now. I mean, you've been studying for these exams your whole life, it's not like your parents have suddenly developed this thirst to see you succeed, nor has the system. It's always been there, you're just now realizing it, the fact that your whole life has been all about these exams.” 

Sana was right, there weren't many times that Dahyun could recall where she wasn't studying. Throughout her whole childhood, and especially after her mother re-married, she was always trying to live up to her parents' expectations of the perfect student. Little were the times where she played out with her friends or procrastinated, like all kids do at some point.

"Whatever,” the shorter shrugged “You may be right, but I still wish we weren't forced to act like adults before we even got out of school. Why do I have to make a decision now that will determine the rest of my life when I should be out and about, enjoying my teenage years?” 

The blonde chuckled, putting her cigarette out. 

“The day all nerds stand up to the system, it will finally fall apart.” she mumbled to herself, running her skinny fingers through her bleached hair (somehow she had yet to get in trouble for it) “You'll have to it up, Kim. Whatever need for thrill that has awoken inside of you, should be put back to sleep. You're only going to disappoint yourself further, if you don't. That feeling you have inside of here—” Sana reached to push a finger against Dahyun's chest “Won't ever leave. So, let all these thoughts go and be like everybody else, stop caring. It's not worth it was mourning for a childhood you never had.” 

Once again, Sana was right and Dahyun hated to admit it. She hated that she had just now realized that kids were born into the world just to live an anxious life, with the fear of failing heavy on their shoulders, and when, after burning themselves out, they finally make it, they understand how empty they are. Empty of happy and carefree moments, having spent their precious childhood years over books and under the harsh eyes of teachers and tutors. 

“I wish there was something we could do...” the brunette sighed the loudest she has ever had “But you're just a e's daughter and I—” 

“A burnt-out rich kid that has never felt love in her entire life.” Sana filled in, jumping down from the edge of the window “The system is far stronger than we are. Literally anyone is stronger than us, at this point.” 

She laughed again and moved towards the door of the classroom. Although, the sound of her laughter was nothing like her previous chuckles; it was forced and rough, barely audible as her owner choked up on unspoken words and thoughts that she so much wished she could confess. 

“Maybe this is why people hate you so much, you only speak of the truth.” Kim replied, looking deep into Sana's tired eyes “People hate the truth, no matter how hard they search for it.” 

Both girls fell silent, heads jerking towards the hall when the bell rang, indicating the end of lunch break. 

“You're a hopeless case, Dahyun-san,” it was the first time the blonde had called her something other than a silly nickname “Call me once you beat the system, I'll take you out on a date.” she joked, looking down at her shoes as she was about to exit the classroom. 

“You're making it sound like I can't. I didn't know you were such a pessimist, Minatozaki-san.” 

Sana raised an eyebrow, tongue coming out to wet her chapped lips “I can never tell what's on your mind, nerd. You were just whining about how you can't beat the system that is stealing your childhood years away from you and now...” she paused, itching to pull another cigarette out of her knee-highs “You somehow sound confident?” 

The brunette shrugged, shaking her head as she jumped up from her chair. She smoothed her skirt over her thighs and walked over to the door, smiling. 

“I will most likely not be able to do it, not alone,” she said, facing the blonde “But I can run away.” 

Dahyun's words took Sana aback, who cocked her head to side. Glancing at the shorter in confusion, — but mostly disbelief — she motioned with her hand, asking for Dahyun to elaborate. 

“Since we can't change the system, let's do it,” she repeated, eyes sparkling “Let's run away. Let's run the furthest we can and never look back!” 

The excitement in the brunette's voice caused the blonde's lips to curl into a mischievous smirk. Quickly peeking her head out the door to see if anyone was coming, she laughed and brought her face close to Dahyun's. 

“Just you and me?” she asked, foreheads almost touching. 

Looking at Sana's face, Dahyun could not help but slip into a laughing fit. The warmth that suddenly enveloped her cold and miserably beating heart had taken over any sense of logic as she reached to hold the blonde's hand. 

“Sure!” 

Dahyun had never felt this way before. 

“Just you and me,” 

Neither had Sana. 

“To the unknown.”