“We’re sorry for taking up your time. Please pass the schedule around.” Wonwoo stopped talking and handed out the stack of papers to the person sitting closest to the rostrum. The small classroom instantly filled with the sound of rustling papers.

Their initial plan to conduct the meeting in indoor gymnasium was retorted due to the crowd from other sports’ committee too. Wonwoo wasn’t even one of the committee members. He was just in charge because apparently, he was good at basketball, according to his formerly famous reputation as captain. And Mingyu blabbed. Words sure travelled fast.

“Make sure to follow the assigned date and time. If you need to use the gym for extra practice, please talk to any P.E. teacher. Don’t forget to fill in the permission form one day prior with teachers’ signature if you need the help from basketball committee for training.” Mingyu added while he helped to pass the paper around.

“Year 3 Class 11, Kim Bona.” Wonwoo called out the name in confusion. He was silently praying there was no another Kim Bona from the same class.

“Yes?” the familiar face appeared from the crowd pouring outside the hallway. Wonwoo started to question of holding a meeting of 73 students inside the small classroom. For some reason, they boys were always over enthusiastic when it came to sports day. All twelve classes of each year just had to send out their male representatives. They didn’t want to lose face to each other. It was a pride thing.

Being surrounded by that that many people didn’t help to ease Bona’s anxiousness. She could feel it in her stomach. Wonwoo couldn’t help but feel bad at the petite body trying to get through the overly crowded space.

“Is that a new kid?” said one of the boys in the classroom. Wonwoo’s ears perked up at the alleged mention of Bona in the conversation.

“I guess so. I have good eyes for pretty face but I’ve never seen her before.” The other one added.

“She’s f’in pretty. Should I ask her out?” the first guy added.

The burning sensation originated beneath his chest spread out to his skins. As much as he knew how unworthy he was, Jeon Wonwoo felt the urge to keep her to himself. When Bona finally stood up before him, Wonwoo stepped in front of her to block the view.

“Let’s talk outside.” He said with his jaw clenched tight as she looked back and stared at the source of menace.

“Okay.” She agreed easily when he guided her away from the crowd.

“You only have three names on your team. What about the rest?” he asked.

“The kids in our class haven’t decided which games to participate in.”

“What about your practice slot tomorrow? Do you want to change around with other class?” Bona just had the chance to go through the schedule.

“Can we do that?” she asked him back. Bona wasn’t the one to take charge. She had always been that way. At the exact moment, she started to contemplate her decision.

“You won’t get to practice with your joint class. Is that okay?” he asked gently when he saw the unsettledness in her eyes. Bona looked at Ye-eun for help. She looked like she knew what to do. Her presence was oozed with confidence just by being stationary.

“We’ll switch with Class 3.” She said, un-budged with her decision.

“Let me see what I can do.” Wonwoo responded and walked back to the classroom, followed by the two girls.

“Why Class 3?” Bona asked.

“Because…” Ye-eun paused and stood opposite of the door where the rostrum was.

Ye-eun wrapped her arms around Bona’s neck and matched the level of Bona’s sight line.

“The hottie is in Class 4.” Ye-eun whispered into Bona’s ear. The sight before her finally registered in her head when she saw Wonwoo talking to Mingyu and the students, which she assumed from Class 3. Her heart sunk when she finally understood the situation.

“Oh.” The only word came out from . The girl she never talked to was so eager to followed her to the basketball meeting. Sure, that wasn’t suspicious. That was what her naïve side chose to believe in.

“Do you think he has a girlfriend?” Ye-eun asked her. And that killed her.

“I’m not too sure.” Bona told her. It was the truth. She suddenly realized that she never seemed to care enough to know a thing or two about him the entire time they spent around each other.

“Whatever, I’ll shoot my shots, anyway. This is just between you and me. I don’t want people to think that I’m desperate.” Ye-eun told her. Bona smiled bitterly.

“Go for it.” She could feel her heart pounded louder in her ears as soon as she said that.

“Do you have cram school after this?” Ye-eun changed the subject swiftly.

“No, but part time job.” Bona answered half-heartedly. Ye-eun still didn’t let her go from her embracement. She started to feel suffocated from the hug and the pain in her chest.

“Really? Where?”

“Starlight Coffee.”

“That’s crazy. I love that place. How come I’ve never seen you there?” Ye-eun squealed excitedly.

“I started not too long before school started.”

“Can I come? I promise I won’t bother you. I’m craving for some Mille Crepe.”

“Sure. But we have to leave in ten minutes.” Bona didn’t know why she agreed to this. The fact that she liked Jeon Wonwoo wasn’t supposed to bother her that much. It wasn’t like she liked him or anything. At least, that was what she thought. In fact, they never really had any closure regarding their relationships. Right now, the closest thing she could assume was that, they were closely acquainted.

“Coach-nim. We have to leave now or she’ll be late for her part time job.” Ye-eun told Wonwoo when she saw him approaching them.

“Girls from Class 3 are fine with the switch.” He told them the news.

“Thank you.” Bona said. Ye-eun was already walking away as soon as she said that.

“Are you working late today?” he asked. Bona glanced at Ye-eun. She definitely didn’t want her to see that. It would break her heart to pieces. The girl seemed sweet and she didn’t need another rumour about her being a circulated in her new school.

“Just until 11.” She answered his question anyway.

“What are you doing tomorrow, after school?”

“Part time job.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then. you know I have to collect points for my freebies.” He lied. It was obvious, she could tell.

“Okay. Get home safe.”

“You too.”

……………………………………………………………

“What did you two talk about?” Ye-eun asked when they were waiting for the bus. She waited patiently as Bona trying to made up answer.

“He was just curious about my job.” She lied.

“He is? Wasn’t his family like… rich?” Ye-eun asked in confusion. To her knowledge, the boy didn’t need part-time job to survive. His annual allowance was more than enough to buy him an apartment in Gangnam.

“I have no idea. I just moved here, remember?”

“Right. I forgot. Sorry about that.” She apologized. Bona felt bad.

“Why did you move to our school, anyway? Wasn’t it a hassle to change school during senior year? You’re not a delinquent, are you? Did you get expelled from your old school?” she asked jokingly.

“You’re not even close.” She chuckled. That was all it took. She liked Shin Ye-eun. The girl was sweet.

“Did your parents split up too?” she asked.

“Well, yes but…” she admitted. Too implying that she was similar to her but she didn’t want to be the one who asked first.

“I knew it. I have a hunch for things like this.” Ye-eun boasted.

“Is that a thing?” It made her chuckled again.

“I’m telling you the truth. Look at this. Here’s my mom and my step dad. My dad passed away when I was four. These are my siblings. They’re cute, huh?” She showed Bona pictures from her phone’s gallery.

“They are.” The mention of family tugged a string to her heart. She was suddenly reminded of Hyungwon. She didn’t know if any of his actions worth a praise. But needless to say, they did share the same blood. Growing up, she always hated him but now that she didn’t see him anymore, it didn’t make her feel any better. She wondered if she fond of him after all or was she just longed for the presence of another family.

“What about you? Any siblings?”

“Just me.” False.

“I heard the student-trainer’s parents split up too. We should put together a club or something.” Ye-eun spoke about Wonwoo again. Bona knew but she didn’t want to take part in other people’s family’s situation.

“I don’t think that’s something to brag about.” Bona knew Ye-eun’s was joking but she decided to disregard her somewhat mindless thought.

“Who do you live with?”

“My grandmother.” Truth.

“I live alone.” Ye-eun said as if it was a normal occurrence for any other high schoolers.

“You can do that?” she asked, confused.

“Honestly, I’m not close to my step dad. He doesn’t seem to like me that much too. Now that he has his own kids, it’s quite obvious. But he’s like rich rich, so, we kind of made a deal. He bought me a house and gives me pocket money every month. In return, he can travel around the world with my mom and his kids without me. It’s like a win-win situation. But honestly, I’m the real winner here.” She told her. Bona knew she lied about not caring.

Regardless, she listened to her story in silence. To her, it was always hurtful to grow up without a father figure. All those ‘brat with no father’ or ‘she grew up with a ’ remarks taunted her and would traumatize her for life. Was it bad that she started to understand Hyungwon’s point of view? Was that one of the reasons he’d always hated her?

“Where’s your house?” she asked.

“Just a few minutes from the café? Do you want to come?” Ye-eun offered.

“Not today, though.”

“Well, if you need a secret place just ask.” Bona nodded at her suggestion. She might need that one day. For now, simply thanking her should be enough.

“Is it normal to have divorced parents?” Bona asked hesitantly.

“Why’d you ask?”

“It’s just, you speak about it like it’s no big deal.”

“Don’t you realize, the kids in our school are mostly rich? Almost all the rich kids received their fortune from their mom’s new husband. I used to join the gathering for the top rich kids. We partied almost every day. Some of us drink and do drugs. It’s kind of normal.” Ye-eun admitted.

“Was it fun?” Bona asked out of nowhere. It made her new friend chuckled.

“Do you want to go to a party?” she asked curiously.

“I’ve never been to one.” Bona admitted.

“It is fun at first but it’s getting kind of old after some time so I quit drinking and going to parties. To tell you the truth, I’m kind of an outcast now that I ditched the group.”

“Doesn’t seem like it.” she mumbled.

“I’ll take you to a club when you become an adult. I don’t want to get you into trouble. And don’t worry, I don’t do drugs.” Bona laughed her words off awkwardly. Technically speaking, she was an adult. For some reason, she was still in high school. Ye-eun didn’t need to know that. Bona had no intention to disclosed her past to people from her new school.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” Ye-eun asked. Bona assumed she was referring to their conversation about broken families and the fact that she used to do illegal things with the high society.

“No but can you not say anything to anyone? I’m just not comfortable with others finding out about my family situation.” She admitted.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m your girl.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s nice talking to you. Why didn’t we become friends sooner?” Once again, Ye-eun wrapped her arms around Bona. And she could confidently say that she didn’t hate the girl after all.