“Dani, you gotta help me,” Hanni, who just got out of the classroom and went straight to her friend’s table and terrorized Danielle’s eating.

“Wha- Hanni, I almost spilled my meal, what is up-” Danielle stopped when she noticed the determination on Hanni’s face when she hadn't seen this once in their whole friendship, “What’s happening?”

“Nothing,” said Hanni who just sat down on the opposite side of the table.

Danielle of course knows it’s not “nothing”, with them being friends since they were kids in Australia and coincidentally both of their families moved to Korea for business. Well, Danielle was the first one who moved then a year later Hanni’s family moved as well.

After a few seconds of observing, Danielle instantly knows what’s up, “How are you and your crush?”

Hanni immediately stood up to cover Danielle’s mouth, “Would you shut up?” then looked around the surrounding area making sure that no one heard it.

But with Hanni’s actions, sure did make an attention. She made eye contact with her crush, Kim Minji, who is just staring at them right now. But with Hanni’s panic, she immediately went back to her seat and continued her lunch.

“I wasn’t even that loud!” Danielle hissed at her, “And by the way, it’s been what? A year now and we’re in our junior year! You haven’t told me who she is. Is she one of our classmates? Ah, but you don’t like the same year as you. One year ahead of you? Possibly hmm. Sunoo-nim? Someone is probably older huh? A year younger? TELL ME!!”

Minji just facepalmed because of what Danielle had just asked. Danielle immediately noticed her question too and immediately apologized. Basically, because she hasn’t come out yet and Danielle was the only one who knew about it.

Because the thought of coming out as biual in public frightens her, like what if the people around her would be weirded around her and the fact that she moved to Korea, which is very not welcoming of homouality, made her more scared. She’s just thankful enough for her best friend that she still accepted her.

And Hanni did say that she doesn’t like having a crush on someone in the same year as her, just because for her some reason. It’s kind of an odd reason that no one understands. 

But right now, her crush is in the same year as her, AND also her classmate. And the president of their classroom is the one and only Kim Minji. One of the popular kids in school, alongside her group of friends.

Hanni just shook her head and held Danielle’s hand, “I’ll tell you next time who it is, I just want to know what to do.”

“Wow, you’re really asking someone who’s inexperienced with that? You know I’m not in those types of things!” Well, both of them have not experienced having a crush. Maybe like a puppy silly crush, but like a real crush? No, not really.

“Wow, says the one who had a thing with Haerin,” Hanni crossed her arms, and timing that Haerin and Hyein went by to their table, “Lover girl is here.”

“What’s happening?” Hyein laughed while Haerin silently sat beside Danielle.

“Well our friend here has a crush on someone,” Danielle said and Hanni just eyed her with a “ Can-you-shut-up” look.

They just laughed at her and Hanni just groaned in frustration because she doesn’t know what to do.

Until she remembered this one time while waiting for their teacher to arrive, she heard Minji having a little chat with her friends, she didn’t mean to eavesdrop, it just so happened that she was sitting beside Minji’s friend and they were there and Hanni was just doing her homework.

~

“Now where did you get these?” Minji asked Sullyoon who just put the box of chocolate on Yeeun's desk. Sullyoon just stared at her, “Oh, from that guy again?”

“Just can’t take a no for an answer,” Sullyoon then rolled her eyes.

“I’ll take these then,” Yeeun then grabbed the box of chocolates, “Say, what are you looking for a person? A lot of the guys have been asking you out, but then you reject them all.”

Sullyoon thought about it, and it never crossed her mind what her ideal person is, “I don’t know. I’ve never thought of it, maybe I’m just not into it.”

“For me, I really like handwritten letters. I don’t care if the handwriting is bad. I just think it’s sentimental to receive one.” Minji said with pure admiration in her tone, “I haven’t received one, but the thought about it makes my heart flutter.”

Hanni didn’t listen to what Danielle was saying because she was busy hearing all of it so she raised her head and thought about it. She realized that they might’ve noticed her quick head raising so she pretended that she was just stretching her head until the teacher came into the room. Minji and Yeeun went back to their seat.

~

Minji saw her classmate, Hanni, standing up in her chair and saw her bid goodbye to her friend. She was confused because first of all, she just got there and second, Minji looked at her watch and they still have twenty-five minutes before they go back to their classes.

She shook her head and thought why was she concerned in the first place. Until she realized she wasn’t the only one who was looking.

“Her Korean is improving,” Rei said while eating her rice cake.

Yeeun threw a piece of lettuce to Rei, “Well duh, she’s smart. Also, yours is improving as well.”

“Oh right, I forgot she’s Vietnamese,” Jaehee said then looked in the direction where Danielle was sitting, “Also, why is she so pretty? Why are they so pretty? And why aren’t we friends with them?”

“Probably is shy, also, I heard they’ve been friends since they were in Australia. So they are stuck to the hip.” Yeeun added, which made everyone turn their heads to her, “What? You know I know all the news. Isn’t that right, Danielle?”

Yeeun asked Danielle, which made her shocked and confused because of what was happening. Minji immediately slapped Yeeun on the arm, “Aw? Just nod, Dani!”

Of course, Danielle is still confused but she just nodded. 

Sullyoon then took a bite of her salad, “But Jaehee is right, Hanni and Dani are so pretty I could be part of their group.” Then the rest of the group started questioning Sullyoon on her comments.

But Minji just slightly nodded her head but she does agree with that. Agreed that Hanni is pretty. Actually, she has been curious about her Vietnamese classmate ever since she toured her around the campus a year ago. 

Well, Danielle was supposed to be the one touring her but she got sick on their first day and the principal asked Minji instead so that they can communicate well because Hanni can only speak basic Korean words. And Minji homestayed in Canada so she speaks English very well.

Minji was disappointed in herself because of her actions at that time because all she did was point and direct at buildings and rooms of which is which. And after that, both of them awkwardly went to their classroom and never talked again.

So you can say that Minji is shy to approach Hanni because of their first interaction.

But they do talk in their classroom sometimes, wherein Hanni would ask for her help whenever Dani’s presence is not there and Minji would gladly translate it for her. Or some casual small talk like, “How’s your day?”

Minji excused herself to go to the bathroom. Yeeun offered that she wants to go with her but Minji was fine on her own and said that she should finish her food first because she’ll go straight to their classroom afterward.

After going to the bathroom, she went straight to her locker room to leave some of her books since she doesn’t need them anyway for her next class. When she saw her locker, the first thing she saw was a pink-colored note, stuck in her locker. Letters were carefully written, “Every time I see you, my heart skips a beat. Have a nice day, Minji :) - H”

“H?” Minji thought while raising an eyebrow, she looked around to see if someone was there, but to disappoint her, there was none. She removed the note and opened her locker to put one of her books. She then puts the note inside her special notebook, wherein she writes important stuff.

“Who could it be? There’s a lot of H though,” She said while closing her locker, she then just went ahead to their classroom, only to see Hanni who was peacefully taking a nap in her chair while earphones were on.

Minji made sure she made no noise so she wouldn’t wake up the younger one and took a seat in Yeeun's chair, which is beside Hanni.

But she immediately thought that it was a bad idea so she just stood up and went to her own seat. Which is farther and nearer to the front.

Minji sighed to herself and thought to herself that she should do better just because she knows she was not like this. She usually greets everyone but doesn’t know to herself why she gets shy around Hanni. 

She just pulled out a textbook and waited for everyone to come to class.

The next day came, Minji was already in her seat when she checked her bag to bring out her book to study for their upcoming Music test when she facepalmed herself internally because she forgot that she removed her book yesterday.

She told her friends she’ll be going to her locker and will be back in a few minutes. When she was about to leave their classroom, she almost bumped into someone because Hanni, who was currently looking at her stuff from her bag, was entering the room.

With Minji’s reflexes, she didn’t know why she grabbed Hanni on her shoulder which made Hanni caught off guard, both of them stopped and stared at each other. Minji realizes her actions so she quickly removed her hand, broke eye contact, and bowed her head.