3

 

“Kim Dahyun, wake up!” Her mother shouted as she pulls the blanket covering her face. “You’ll be late for your classes. That’s why I told you to never stay so late!”

 

Dahyun groggily got out of bed as her mother continue to shout at her. It was not her fault that the underground stage operates late at night though, but she guessed she’s the one who chose it so she can only blame herself. She groans as her mother threw her a hoodie at the door when she finished dressing up. 

 

It’s been a week since she became a part of the band Twice a Day and it felt like nothing much change, except when she’s performing on stage. Because on stage, she’s the opposite of her demeanors in an everyday setting though she’s still anxious. Upon entering the university, she put on her hoodie and heads to her class. It’s her second period, music class and she was not excited after all, her professor only likes classical music. She gets to the seat next to the window and decided to pull the magazine in her bag.

 

“Is that the latest release?” 

 

“Pretty much…” She yawned. “I don’t have time to buy the recent one on the way here.”

 

It was Mina, now also in her own world beside her. To be honest, she was still uncomfortable at the latter as she’s not sure why but she's acting like nothing happened and they didn’t saw each other that one time. But Dahyun can’t help but worry that Mina will slip one of these days and she hopes it will not be with Tzuyu. Amidst being friends with Tzuyu, she was too embarrassed to open to the latter not because she will be bashed, more like the opposite. She remembered one time in high school when she joined the music club and played the piano, she played a melancholic piece on performance and Tzuyu was there shouting her name and cheering her. She did end up crying in the middle of her performance like some of the audience did. 

 

Dahyun unknowingly smiled reminiscing the past which Mina noticed. She looks at the magazine to find the source of Dahyun’s grin but chuckles when she saw that the magazine is flipped. 

 

“You’re enjoying yourself. I see,” Mina teased which made Dahyun flinched upon realizing that she’s grinning.

 

She covered her face with the flipped magazine which made Mina laugh. Feeling her face heat up, she instinctively put on her hoodie that she didn’t notice slid off before. She’s biting her lips when she removed the magazine away from her face and decided to slump her head to the table. She heard other students fill the room and chattering ensues. She still doesn’t like this scene even if she’s been studying half of her life, but she hates it when she’s the one being stared at when she enters the room and there are already students in class.

 

“Dahyun!” She flinched as she heard Tzuyu. “Why didn’t you attended the first period? I was worried,”

 

Dahyun gulped and clenched her jaw as she decided to lift her head. The thing she hates is happening to her and she can’t do anything about it because she’s friends with a famous chick. Now her thought also offended her when she describes Tzuyu as a chick, for her, it was dehumanizing her friend and she thinks highly of Tzuyu that’s why she doesn’t describe her like that.

 

“H-hey…” Dahyun’s lack of energy didn’t bother Tzuyu one bit. “I overslept...”

 

Tzuyu sat in the front chair and turn to her, greeting Mina which the latter nodded. Dahyun can’t still believe Mina was in for a loud ride with her now, it makes her relax in some way.

 

“That’s fine, we oversleep sometimes,” Tzuyu pulled her phone out from her bag. “Just don’t make it a habit to sleep late… Look at this.”

 

Tzuyu shoved the phone on her face, her eyes squinting as she tried to read the text. Eyebrows furrowing as she tries to comprehend what’s Tzuyu’s trying to say. The latter giggling when she removed the phone from her face. She looks like she can’t hold her pee, Dahyun thought.

 

“Who?” Dahyun asked, pretending to be interested.

 

“It’s my cheerleader.” It looks like Tzuyu will burst some hearts with her eyes. “I got her number from Momo. I gave her yours in exchange.”

 

Dahyun processed what Tzuyu just said and stop for a minute. Her thought refused to acknowledge the fact that her childhood friend just gave her number to a stranger. 

 

“Why would you do that?” Dahyun asked as she finds her phone in her pocket. “Just why…?”

 

She did feel betrayed by her friend but when she saw that Tzuyu probably already realized what she had done as she looked guilty now. She saw Tzuyu clenching her jaw and looks like she was about to cry that’s why she sighs and put her hands to her shoulders.

 

“Don’t cry. That’s fine,” Dahyun consoled. “Just don’t make it a habit to give my number to strangers.”

 

Dahyun did copy Tzuyu’s remarks which the latter snort. She felt a little better but mostly guilty about what she had done. Dahyun was not the type to get angry with something like that but she doesn’t like it. Tzuyu knows and she won’t do it again, she doesn’t want to lose Dahyun for that kind of petty reason. 

 

“Sorry…” Tzuyu said pulling Dahyun to an embrace. “Please, don’t get mad.”

 

Dahyun sighs, her eyes found Mina peering on them, the same as the other people inside the class. She doesn’t want to be the center of attention in class. She decided to push Tzuyu away and just pat the latter’s head to calm her down. Now, her attention is on her phone. She hopes she doesn’t receive a text but that will be mere wishing as she saw a text from an unknown number. She opened the text inhale sharply, eyes closed, and shaking her head. 

 

“’ Hey, cutie’?” Tzuyu voiced out which made Dahyun more embarrassed. “Well, that’s not a new greeting. She sounds… playful…”

 

She leered at Tzuyu which made her shut . A clatter from Mina’s side was heard which made them both turned to the woman. She was trembling, trying to surpass her laugh at their conversation. Dahyun gave her a bored look and roll her eyes as she realized that Mina’s headphones are off, and she was listening to them. Dahyun decided to put her phone away but it suddenly vibrated, it made her wince. Her phone vibrating means someone is calling her. She got anxious as she decided to view who was calling her at this time because certainly her mother, father, and Tzuyu wouldn’t. This is the hardest part of owning a phone. When she looked, it was the same number that texted her. She gulped as she musters the courage to answer.

 

“He—”

 

“Oh, thank god it went through. I thought you’re didn’t receive my text.” She heard the woman giggled from the other line. “You just ignored me. That’s mean.”

 

Dahyun was certainly uncomfortable but she knew who's at fault here. She glances at Tzuyu and quickly pulled her, placing the phone in her hand for her to answer. Dahyun continues to stare at Tzuyu as she answers the call.

 

“Sorry, Momo. Dahyun is not much of a talker.” Tzuyu awkwardly laughs as she saw Dahyun’s not liking any of this. “Yeah, I’m sure she will answer your messages, don’t worry.”

 

After that Tzuyu did drop the call and give Dahyun her phone back, while Mina is on the sideline trying to surpass her amusement but failing. 

 

“There’s nothing funny about it,” Dahyun pouts as she turns to Mina. “If you only know how hard it is for me.”

 

“I do know,” Mina said, genuinely understanding what Dahyun’s been going through.

 

Dahyun was not convinced thus arranging her hoodie to cover her eyes before dropping her head to her desk and groans. She heard a couple of clattering near her but neither Mina nor Tzuyu speaks. She was listening closely, eyes closed as she tries to think of thoughts that will take her to other places away from the room.

 

*******

 

It was already afternoon when her classes finished. She decided to spend some time under a tree in the open park where not many students gather given the time. Dahyun pulled a notebook where she writes her self-composed raps and decided to continue on the lyrics she’d been working on. She likes to consult it with the band and request it to be performed. 

 

While she was having fun humming and thinking of the lyrics, she saw a figure slowly approaching her. That intimidating aura, she’s too familiar which made her stiffen. She decided to put her notebook and pen inside her bag and run for it but that will be rude. She’s still concerned about manners but she’s hoping that she’s not the one she will approach. 

 

“Momo,” The intimidating woman spoke in front of Dahyun. “She already looked spooked. Don’t scare her more.”

 

“Certainly not my fault,” Momo brushed off and decided to sit beside Dahyun. “Hello, cutie.”

 

She was frozen at this point, brain refusing to process what’s happening and why to her because she was pretty sure she’s just keeping it low. And Momo? She looked at the woman beside her. She was the one Tzuyu was talking to that day. She was too shy to look at her that time but now that she stares at her. She doesn’t look bad, she's pretty. 

 

Dahyun saw Momo giggling.

 

“Like what you're seeing?” Momo asked as she leaned closer. “Feel free to look more.”

 

Dahyun can already feel herself passing out because of too much closure and she still doesn’t know why even Tzuyu’s interest is in here while she doesn’t see her childhood friend around. She was vulnerable to surprise attacks like this and she doesn’t like that. She can’t even say anything to them to leave her alone.

 

“Momo.” This time, the intimidating woman’s tone was hard. She was forcefully intimidating Momo, but the latter only did was roll her eyes. On the other hand, it was Dahyun who flinched. “Let’s go. The practice’s already starting.”

 

“Whatever, President Sana,” Momo mockingly exclaimed which annoyed the person.

 

Momo got up and took a glance at Dahyun, giving her a flying kiss. She gets going which left Dahyun and Sana alone. Dahyun noticed that Sana’s staring at her which made her look. Her heart beating faster than usual because Sana—the person she found intimidating the most—is too close to her. 

 

“I’m sorry about that,” Sana apologized, which made Dahyun taken aback by her words. “I hope you have a good afternoon ahead.”

 

Dahyun’s eyes dilated as Sana waved her goodbye and leave. She followed Sana with her eyes as she gracefully walked on the grass field park towards the soccer field the school owned. Her eyes only stopped following Sana when she saw another familiar figure along the way. It was Mina with her usual blue headphones going towards her. She moves aside, assuming Mina will sit next to her and the latter did. Mina slumping herself to the grass and decided to lay on her back. 

 

“You look tired…” Dahyun initiated. She might not be a talker, but she can do a good number of sentences with Mina.

 

“That shorty kept bugging me,” Mina annoyingly exclaimed and turn her back to Dahyun who was confused about who she’s talking about. 

 

“Mina!”

 

Dahyun looked in the direction of the person who called and sees Chaeyoung, the star player of the soccer team. This little information is known to Dahyun at least. She heard Mina clicked her tongue, but she didn’t bother to look thus just wait for Chaeyoung to move closer, her brows furrowed when she noticed the latter stop and decided to turn around and leave. Once again, she was left confused. She saw Mina moved a little and turned to her soon after. 

 

“What did you do?” Mina asked which made her panic because she didn’t do anything and was certainly much confused than her.

 

“I didn’t do anything…?” Dahyun’s not sure herself. “I just looked at her…”

 

Mina stared at her for a minute, checking her out, and decided to turn her back again to her. Dahyun—at this time—is too done for these occurrences happening in her life. She hopes her college life can’t be weirder than this.

 

---------------

A/N:

Last update because of academic reasons. I'll be back for more! Thank you for reading so far!