Soo Hee glanced at both of them.

They were in the school’s empty soccer field, with the exception of some students from the track team who were running around the wide field. It was the middle of the afternoon and the sun was high up in the cloudless sky. Soo Hee was sitting in one of the lower bleachers just so she can speculate the scene in front of her.

Below the bleachers stood two foreboding figures – one having her arms on her waist while the other had his arms casually crossed against his chest. Ha Ra and Yi Fan were in a glaring contest.

A fatal glaring contest.

Soo Hee felt someone slide on the seat next to her and she glanced to see Jae Hee offering her popcorn from a bucket. Soo Hee shrugged and grabbed a handful before stuffing one corn at a time into . She gave her attention back to the two figures who were still glaring at each other silently.

Some of the runners were staring at the two as they jog by, wondering what was happening or what was about to happen. Behind Yi Fan stood Zi Tao and Baek Hyun who were busy whispering to each other about bets and dares while in Ha Ra’s side, Chan Yeol stood uncomfortably next to a grinning Min Seok who was just waiting for something to happen.

“You’re a jerk.”

A series of ‘oohs’ and laughs erupted from the group of boys around them and Soo Hee found herself hissing and giggling at Ha Ra’s first insult. Beside her, Jae Hee was clutching her stomach while laughing her guts out, her bangs covering her smiling eyes. Soo Hee glanced at Yi Fan’s stoic expression that seemed unfazed from the insult.

“Is that all?” came Yi Fan’s taunting voice.

Soo Hee glanced at Ha Ra’s furrowed brows and irritated expression. She internally giggled at her friends’ immature way of fighting. She found it hilarious to watch two older people than her fight it off with one throwing insults at the other while the latter just accepts it until he insults back. If the latter, in this case Yi Fan, insulted back, it would mean that Ha Ra would have won.

“You’re an irresponsible bastard who doesn’t care about anything!”

“That’s new. What level of insult is that in your book?” Yi Fan was enjoying the taunting.

Soo Hee was so focused on the two that she didn’t notice Joon Myeon arriving and sitting beside her until he spoke right next to her ear.

“What are they doing?”

Soo Hee, shocked, turned to stare at Joon Myeon with wide eyes before exhaling in relief. She told him about the little game they were having and Joon Myeon nodded in understanding.

It’s been a few days after they went clubbing and Joon Myeon was trying his best to be the best best friend he could be. Soo Hee could see that. It made her feel touched and at the same time it harnessed the thorns in her heart. But she knew that she had to ignore the latter feeling.  

It was an essential step in moving on.

They sat so close yet so far. Hearing him laugh made Soo Hee smile and feel all warm inside. It didn’t surprise her anymore when Joon Myeon would suddenly come up behind her and cover her eyes. It was what he liked to do – before and after he came back and Soo Hee forced herself to believe that it was just him being friendly and not because she wanted to hold on, even just a little, to some memories of their past.

“Yah, Soo Hee-ssi.” Joon Myeon whispered beside her and she leaned towards him without taking her eyes off  the now-quarreling figures.

“Yeah?”

“I have tickets to a live stage performance for tomorrow night. I was wondering if you would want to watch it with me…” Joon Myeon shyly said without hiding the evident smile on his face.  

Soo Hee was now facing him with raised brows.

“A play? What kind? Can I bring Jae Hee and Ha Ra?” she excitedly asked as she broke into a small grin.

“Aniya, I was thinking that it would be just the two of us…you know…like hangout. And the play’s an original of the fairy tale The Little Mermaid.” Joon Myeon answered while rubbing the back of his neck in nervousness.

The Little Mermaid. As nostalgic as it sounded, Soo Hee couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh that made Joon Myeon look at her as if he said something wrong.

“What? D-did I say something wrong?”

“Ani, it’s just that don’t you think that’s a bit too childish for us?”

Joon Myeon relaxed and smiled at her and she felt her heart do somersaults before she calmed it down.

“Hm, I don’t think so. For me, fairytales are timeless. I’ll keep reading them until I grow old.” Joon Myeon softly spoke as he gazed far out.

“But some fairytales are just meant to be forgotten, don’t you think?” Soo Hee smiled sadly and Joon Myeon looked at her to say something but before he could let a word out, Soo Hee stood up from her seat.

“Looks like Yi Fan-oppa won…again.”

Soo Hee started to walk away, leaving Joon Myeon sitting with a lonesome expression on his face until she spoke.

“I’m guessing that you’ll pick me up at around seven?”

Joon Myeon looked up, surprised, before his expression melted into his heart-stopping smile as he nodded. Soo Hee laughed softly as he jogged towards her and walked beside her, all the while spouting random topics they can talk about and laugh at.

Unknown to both, a shadow stood beneath the bleachers, eyeing them with jealousy and suspicion.

~mylovewillprotectyou~

“Unnie~! I look horrible in these!”

Soo Hee groaned as she stepped out of her dressing room clad in loose pants and a tight-fitting shirt which hugged her upper torso. Ha Ra stood in front of her, hands crossed on her chest and head tilted to the side as the former eyed her up and down.  

“You. Look. Like. A hooker.”

A pillow hit Jae Hee straight in the face and Soo Hee grinned victoriously. She looked at Ha Ra who was fumbling with some clothes scattered on her bed. She was pushed back into her dressing room with a new set of clothes.

“Go, go, go! It’s almost seven!” Ha Ra excitedly said.

“I don’t get it.” Soo Hee heard Jae Hee say from outside the dressing room.

“You’re just gonna hang out, right? What’s with the fashion crisis? It’s just Suho.”

“Doesn’t mean that she shouldn’t look her best!” Ha Ra exclaimed.

Soo Hee opened the door and stepped out. She was wearing a gray long-sleeve, round-neck, loose shirt and a pair of baby pink skinny jeans matched with white heeled sandals. Ha Ra and Jae Hee were staring at her stoically that she started to get impatient.

“Well?”

“Are you sure that you’re not going on a date?” Jae Hee asked and Soo Hee groaned before turning to walk back to the dressing room until Ha Ra stopped her.

“No! It’s perfect! Suho would be amazed to see you!” Ha Ra commented making Soo Hee blush.

“Why would she need to amaze Suho?”

Ha Ra rolled her eyes at a snickering Jae Hee before handing Soo Hee her rectangular glasses and removing some pins from her hair making it fall freely onto her shoulders in soft curls.

“You look perfect!” Ha Ra clapped her hands.

The clock on her wall started to sing which meant that it was already seven and as if on cue, the doorbell rang. Soo Hee stared at Ha Ra with big eyes as if she didn’t know what to do anymore.

“I’ll get it.” Jae Hee stood up and jogged to the door.

Soo Hee took in a few breaths and walked out of her room followed by a giddy Ha Ra. And as Soo Hee saw Joon Myeon standing in her living room wearing simple clothes – a baby blue button-up collared shirt and white straight pants paired with simple white Adidas shoes – she was at a loss for words. His chestnut brown locks swept across his forehead as he whipped his head to meet her gaze with a small smile.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Both were looking at the ground as they faced each other. Neither one knew what to say next so they just exchanged smiles and small, short laughs.

“So are you just gonna stand there and stare at the floor all night?” Jae Hee commented as she sat on the couch behind them as if watching a drama show.

“You look beau-”

“I like your shi-”

They both looked at each other before bursting into giggles. Joon Myeon smiled before reaching a hand out which Soo Hee took shyly. Joon Myeon escorted her towards the door after a farewell from Ha Ra and a few teases from Jae Hee.

Inside the car, neither of them spoke a word. Soo Hee would glance at Joon Myeon when he wasn’t looking and Joon Myeon would do the same. They would just exchange awkward smiles whenever they meet each other’s eyes. For Soo Hee, this was like they were back to Base One – awkward exchanges.

Soo Hee marveled at the sheer size and structure of the theater. The stage was huge and hidden behind deep red curtains decorated with gold intricate and ts. There was a huge crowd present and Soo Hee unconsciously grabbed Joon Myeon’s sleeve as he led her to their seat in front.

“Are you okay, Soo?” Joon Myeon asked as they settled down.

“Yeah, I’m alright.”

When the lights dimmed down and the curtains were drawn back, Soo Hee found herself mesmerized at the line of actors and actresses on stage. The Little Mermaid was one of her most favorite fairytales ever since she was a child and it was the fairytale that she and Joon Myeon first watched together when they first met.

As the first scene started, Soo Hee felt nostalgic as the familiar scenes palyed in front of her. And as she sneaked a glance at her seatmate, Joon Myeon was so focused on the play that he didn’t even notice how close their hands were or that he was wearing that precious smile of his. The play was in the middle of the story where Arielle realizes that Prince Eric’s platonic feelings for her will never change when Soo Hee felt her phone vibrate in the pocket of her pants. The familiar ringtone made her jump in her seat as she covered as to not attract any more attention. She whipped out her phone and saw the name of the caller.

Moon Ha Ra.

She pressed the decline button and returned her attention to the stage when her phone buzzed again. When she saw that it was the same caller, she immediately answered it.

“Hello?”

“Soo Hee!? Why didn’t you pick up?!” came Ha Ra’s frantic voice making Soo Hee baffled.

“I’m in the thea-” Soo Hee half-whispered when she was cut off.

“Jae Hee’s missing!”

Soo Hee opened to say something but no word left her lips. Beside her, Joon Myeon could feel her rising tension so he did the most helpful way of calming her – holding her hand.

“Soo, is everything okay? Who’s on the phone?” Joon Myeon worriedly asked.

Soo Hee tried to speak as Ha Ra, on the other end, kept calling her name. When she felt Joon Myeon’s hand on hers, she looked at the boy whose face was laced with concern and stammered.

“J-jae Hee is missing…”

Joon Myeon’s eyes widened and the next thing she knew, she was in his car and they were driving in fast speed towards Jae Hee’s house. Soo Hee was too stunned to even think for a second until she crashed into the door of her friend’s house frantically and was smothered by Ha Ra’s worried cries. Baek Hyun, Chan Yeol, and Min Seok were also present.

“D-did you find her?” she asked in her shaking voice and Ha Ra shook her head.

“Yi Fan and Zi Tao are looking for her.”

Soo Hee slumped back on the sofa next to Chan Yeol. She was thinking of any possible ways of where Jae Hee could be. Yes, Jae Hee had a very bad sense with directions but it was rare for her to go missing like this. If ever she did, she would phone either of her friends to pick her up.

Jae Hee missing for so long only meant that there was something really bad happening.

And for something bad to happen to one of Soo Hee’s best friends would seriously drive her to the edge. She cared for Jae Hee a lot, even if she knows that Jae Hee was keeping something away from her. Jae Hee was there when she needed someone to laugh with and cry with.

She felt Joon Myeon sit beside her and place a hand behind her back in comfort. If it were on normal occasions, Soo Hee would feel it inappropriate but right now, she needed his comfort more than anyone else’s.

“It’s okay, Soo. We’ll find her.”

Soo Hee only nodded and moved to lean on Joon Myeon’s shoulder as small tears started to cloud her vision. Soo Hee could feel Joon Myeon’s warmth and smell the scent of his mint cologne. Being in his arms made her feel calm and content as she waited for a call on the news of her dear friend.

Leaning on the wall by the side, Min Seok glared at Joon Myeon’s back as he watched Soo Hee in Joon Myeon’s arms.

Min Seok didn’t like it one bit.