CHAPTER FORTY: Unprepared

{ There was no response. } * Click for BGM!

With a nod of permission from Yuni, Mr. Gong blew on his shrilly whistle.  At the sudden sound, everyone stopped practicing their different routines and stretches.

"Okay class, that's enough for today. You did well. Continue to practice hard!" Yuni announced, concluding dance class for the day. 

All the splotchy, fatigued students scattered about, chatting with their close friends and preparing to make their leave. 

Hyejung tiredly wiped the sweat off her brows, nodding to a couple other peers who greeted her good luck on the upcoming dance competition. It was going to start in only a few days, and the tomboy was growing anxious. 

But that event wasn't the only thing coming up.

In the locker room, a couple of girls passed by as Hyejung rummaged through her duffle bag. "So, what are you going to get for Woohyun-oppa for Valentine's Day?" 

"Hmm," a sophomore girl tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully. "I'm probably going to give him a pretty box of candies! Ooh, and a humongous teddy bear too!"

"Ah, I'm so excited!" the girls giggled ecstatically, exiting the room. 

Hyejung shook her head at the thought of the romantic holiday. "Valentine's Day?" she snorted, muttering to herself. "Ugh, that's for sissy-babies."

With that being said, Hyejung zipped up her bag and lazily slung it over her shoulder. She trudged back into the dance studio only to see Heejin chatting away with Kai, standing in the middle of the room. 

Hyejung silently speculated at the pair, but she surprisingly found herself studying Kai in particular. Every sound, thought, or person fell from the tomboy's senses as she gazed at tall, sun-kissed boy with knitted brows. As her eyes remained fixated on him longer necessary, Hyejung slowly found herself growing vulnerable and weak. It was strange. 

"I wanted to know how you were doing. You were on my mind all day."

How was she supposed to respond to that? Bewilderment filled Hyejung's entire system beyond doubt. She was clueless, her eyes downcast as her fringe covered her clear line of vision. 

The tomboy harshly bit her bottom lip, hating how stupid she was for acting so awkwardly and flustered in reaction to Kai's sweetened words. Sure Hyejung was used to Kai's playful antics, but the way he uttered those two statements had a different, meaningful impact. Shouldn't it mean absolutely nothing to her? 

Hyejung shook the startling thoughts away with a stubborn huff, sweeping her bangs to the side. She tightened the strap of her duffle bag, trudging right up to the queenka and kingka. 

But right before Hyejung could make it, Heejin bade Kai a sugary farewell. She strolled away with her friends, waving goodbye to Kai with a blissful, pearly grin. Kai nodded in response, raising his hand with a petite smile. 

Now standing by Kai's side, Hyejung cleared to capture his attention. "Hey." she nonchalantly greeted, trying to sound as casual as possible. "What's up with you and Miss-you-know-who?" she jerked her head in the direction Heejin left

Kai focused his gaze intently on her, crossing his arms with a slight, innocent smirk. "I just asked her out on a date." 

"What? A date?" Hyejung randomly blurted, taken aback by Kai's blunt words. 

"Yup. Why, you jealous?" Kai grinned, nudging Hyejung playfully.

Hyejung snorted, punching Kai in the arm rashly in return. "Please. Don't give me bullcrap, Kai. You're obviously lying."

"Well by your blushing expression, it looked like you believed me for a second." Kai coyly poked Hyejung's cheeks.

"Yah, I was not blushing. And get your hands off of me!" the tomboy slapped Kai's hand away with her cheeks petal-tinted. 

Kai chuckled, snatching his backpack off the floor, "Now you are." 

Hyejung scowled. "Aish! Stupid face." she slapped her cheeks in annoyance, only making her cheeks redder.

"Geez, stop murdering yourself." Kai ordered, wrapping his tender hand on Hyejung's wrist. With the tomboy firmly in his grasp, he started pulling her out of the dance studio.  

Once in the halls cutely decorated in red, pink, and white, Hyejung harshly whipped her wrist out of Kai's grasp. She grumbled a string incoherent things, trudging beside the handsome boy.

Kai playfully rolled his eyes. "It's not like I don't mind, but why are you following me? You look like a little lost puppy." he side-glanced at Hyejung, coolly sliding his hands into his slack pockets.

"Because you were talking about something with Heejin, and I want to know what it is." Hyejung deadpanned.

"Someone's curious." Kai mused. 

Hyejung groaned impatiently, "God, just tell me Kai! What is it?" she fought the urge to kick the cocky boy in the balls. 

Kai grinned, loving how he was successfully pushing her buttons. "Heejin's in the competition too."

"What?" Hyejung questioned, her eyes glazed in irritation "What the he-- how did she freakin' enter??"

"Well by what she told me, she wanted to join ever since she found out we were entering." Kai nonchalantly explained.

"And when did she find out?" 

"The day after we entered. "

Hyejung scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's ridiculous. How the heck did she find out? We only told the guys, and Miss Lee told the whole dance class we were entering just a couple of days ago!" she snapped. 

Kai shrugged, turning a corner. "Don't ask me. Heejin's a mystery." 

Hyejung puffed her cheeks up into balls, slowly exhaling in pondering. "What else did she tell you?"

"Not much. All she said after that was 'good luck'." Kai let out an airy chuckle. "She seems really determined to beat us."

Hyejung sneered, striding out of the school building. "Good luck, my . She has nothing on us."

"Don't underestimate her, Hyejung. I've known Heejin for long time." Kai murmured. "Anyway, you never know what can happen, oo." he teased, earning a daggering glare from the tomboy. "Come on, I'll treat you to dukkbokki." he rescued himself from murder. 

Hyejung sighed, blowing a stray hair out of her face. "Good. You still owe me for that thumb-war bet anyway." 

In the meantime, Heejin stood a good distance away from the duo, discreetly watching them with a scrutinizing eye.

"You have no chance against me, Seo Hyejung." Heejin grumbled, smoothing her fingers over the screen of her large white phone. "Kai is meant to be with me, just like how it was before." 

Heejin twisted her glossy lips, plopping onto the bench behind her. Thoughts of the not-so-distant pass came to mind.

---

Flashback:

"Kai-oppa, I want to fly in the sky! Higher, higher!" Ten-year-old Heejin beamed, swinging back and forth in the swings.

Young Kai laughed heartily, "Arasso! Hold on tight!" he stuck his tongue out, pushing on the swing with all the might in his little, flimsy arms.

Heejin broke into numerous squeals and giggles, closing her eyes tight as she felt the wind fly through her soft, black hair. She grew careless however, and she unknowingly lost her grasp on the right chain of the swing.

The young girl shrieked in utter fright when she felt herself out of the swing, plummeting into the sandy ground knees first. Luckily, she didn't fall from too high of a height. 

"Omo, omo! Heejin!" Kai ran up to his dear friend's side, helping her to get into a sitting position. "Are you all right?!"

Sobbing, Heejin's bright brown eyes glistened with a stream tears. "I-I think I broke my leg, Kai-oppa! I-It hurts s-so bad." she whimpered, propping her knee up which had a light gash of blood right on the top. 

Kai felt a surge of guilt as he observed the red-stained bruise. "Oww...that looks painful."

"Because it is!" Heejin exclaimed, making Kai flinch in surprise.

With Heejin continuing to cry in pain, the young boy twisted his lips in thought. "Ah, wait!" he speedily whipped out a bandaid from the back cargo shorts. "You're in luck, Kim Heejin! I brought a band-aid!" he beamed.

"B-Band-aid?" Heejin croaked, her nose all stuffy from the crying. 

"Of course! What else would this be?" Kai obviously waved the band-aid at his fingers. "Are you stupid or something?"

"YAH! You're not making me feel any better, Kai-oppa!" Heejin whined, pouting bitterly.

Kai chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Ah, sorry~ Now, stay still and let me put this on!" 

As the boy peeled the Band-Aid, Heejin stammered, "Y-You're n-not going to hurt me, are you Kai-oppa?"

"Of course not, Heejin. I'll never hurt you!" Kai reassured, deftly placing the Pororo band-aid right on the gash. 

"R-Really?" Heejin rapidly blinked the tears away, staring at Kai through her bangs.

Kai glanced up at locked gazes with the young girl. "Yup! Never ever!" 

Heejin tilted her head in thought, but then randomly stuck out her pinky. "Pinky promise?"

"Promise." Kai laughed, linking their pinks together. He shook it and the two of them giggled cheekily, Heejin's pure face in a light pink shade.

Kai stood up to his feet. "Well you're all fixed up, Heejin! Let's go and keep on playing!" he grinned boyishly, extending his hand out to his childhood friend.

Heejin grinned brightly from ear to ear, taking Kai's hand and popping up to her feet. The two of them ran away with their little hands tightly locked, and young Heejin couldn't help but forget the painful thoughts of her knee. All she can think of right now is the boy right beside her; the boy she loved for so long. 

---

Heejin sniffled absurdly, wiping the stray tears away from her face. Her unforgettable memories from childhood to teens with Kai meant everything to her. He was her first friend, her first crush, and her first love. To a girl, that obviously means a lot.

But as the years went by, Kai and Heejin gradually drifted apart. They grew up and it slowly caused their relationship to alter. The