She was going around the class and asking the students individually if they had decided yet or not. Not that it was compulsory to tell her by then, but she was just asking. 

 

"Not yet, Mrs Lee," You gave her a small smile before taking a glance at the boy on your left. "I'm going solo, though. I just haven't decided the song yet." 

 

Mrs Lee smiled. "That's great! I'm sure you'll sound amazing with whatever song you pick." 

 

When she left, Chen turned to you. "Are you really going solo?" 

 

"Yeah. Why not?" 

 

Because I wanted to perform with you, Chen though. "Was there..anyone that you wanted to sing with at first?" 

 

"Hm, yeah." You said. You. 

 

"Really? Who was it?" Chen asked. Full of hope that you would say him. 

 

But then, you shrugged. "Just someone." 

 

At your response, Chen frowned a little and decided to just go back to concentrating on what he was doing in the first place. 

 

Minyoung looked over to her two friends and sighed. She shook her head with a smile. Oh Haerin, when will you ever admit your own feelings? It was then that Minyoung decided that she was going to have a talk with you. 

 

After school that day, you were by the lockers again but this time, only with Chen. The other guys still hadn't come out of their classes and Minyoung went to the washroom. 

 

"Hey, Haerin." Chen said. "Are you free after school?" 

 

"Yeah, why?" You asked, while you put your books into your locker. 

 

"Do you wanna go grab some lunch?" Chen smiled. "We can go get some pizza~" 

 

You turned to look at him and you smiled. "Sure, I-" 

 

"Chen oppa!" 

 

You heard that voice again from behind you and scowled. 

 

"Chen oppa, come on! We have to go practice our song!" She said and started to drag him away from you. 

 

"What? Wait, no! I have a lunch date with Haerin!" Chen said as he tried to make her let go of him. 

 

"You know what? It's okay. Go have fun with her." You slammed your locker door and left, leaving Chen dumbfounded. 

 

He sighed. And wanted to run after you but Krystal held on tight. "Let go of me!" 

 

"No, oppa! She said we could go practice so let's go!" Krystal smiled at him and pulled him along with her to the studio. 

 

By the time the other guys reached the lockers, Minyoung was already there. And she was the only one there. 

 

"Oh hey, oppas. Have you seen Chen oppa and Haerin?" She asked. 

 

"No. Aren't they supposed to be with you?" Kai said. 

 

"Yeah, you had last period with them, didn't you?" Xiumin said. 

 

"Yeah, but I went to the wasroom just now and when I came back, the two of them weren't here." She furrowed her eyebrows in worry. 

 

"Leave them be, they're probably just on another date." Kai smirked and casually waved the matter away. 

 

I thought about that, but somehow, I don't think so. Minyoung thought. "I'll be going home first. I'll just see you guys tomorrow, bye oppas!" 

 

"Alright, bye Minyoung!"

 

 

 

"Hey, where did you disappear to?" Minyoung practically screamed into the phone when you picked it up. 

 

"Sorry, I went to the park," you said. "Why, is Baek oppa worried?" 

 

"No, they thought you went on a date with Chen oppa so they didn't mind much."

 

"We were supposed to," you sighed and Minyoung could hear the sadness in your voice.

 

"What do you mean, 'supposed to'?" Minyoung asked. Just then, Minyoung turned her head and saw Chen She was about to call his name when she saw Krystal with him. Her eyes widened as she had a guess of what had happened. Before you could give her a reply, she cut you off. "Okay, you know what? Just stay wherever you are. I'm on the way. I'll be there in 10." 

 

Just like she promised, Minyoung reached the park in 10 minutes and found you on your favourite bench. 

 

"Haerin," she softly called as she approached you. 

 

When she sat down next to you, she immediately pulled you into a hug. "Tell me what's wrong," she said. 

 

"Nothing's wrong," you softly replied. 

 

"Oh come on, I know you, Haerin. Just tell me."

 

You sighed. "It's just that...Chen was asking me out to lunch just now. But Krystal showed up." 

 

Minyoung softened, but said nothing. 

 

"I really hate that girl. First she makes fun of me that Kris dated me only for the popularity, and then she was in that plan to get Suho to humiliate me and now she's keeps taking Chen oppa away from me!" You practically screamed. "I don't even know why keeps trying to make me feel miserable. I don't remember ever doing anything to her!" 

 

Minyoung smiled knowingly. "But you wouldn't be feeling this way if you didn't feel anything for Chen oppa, would you?" She said. "I mean, if you thought of Chen as just a friend, you wouldn't feel as if she's stealing him away from you. Besides, Chen oppa isn't really /yours/ you know?" 

You stayed silent. *That's right...I shouldn't be feeling so defensive about this if ai don't feel anything for Chen oppa.* You thought. *I /don't/ feel anything for him, right?* 

Minyoung noticed your silence and smirked inwardly. *She doesn't even realize that she's in love with him, does she?* 

"You're jealous, aren't you?" Minyoung said it more like a statement than a question. 

"N-no! Why would I be jealous? I've told you, Chen oppa is just a friend to me, that's all." 

"Really? Are you sure that he's just a friend to you?" your best friend pressed on. "So tell me, what do you think about him?" 

"What do I think about Chen oppa?" 

"Mm," Minyoung nodded. 

You kept quiet for a while before a small smile unconsciously formed on your face. "Chen oppa's amazing," you said. 

"I like how the corners of his lips always make him look like he's smiling. I like how his ears are a little bit pointed outwards. Like Chanyeol oppa's but his are more bigger." You giggled. "I prefer him with his hair styled up than flat on his forehead. I mean, not that both hairstyles doesn't look good on him but I'm just saying that he looks more handsome with his hair styled up." 

"And his cheekbones, oh man, his defined cheekbones and jawline is just beautiful," you dreamily smiled. "And he's personality is perfect." 

"He always makes me smile. He's always there for me. He's thoughtful and he's just...amazing. You know what I'm saying?" 

Minyoung smiled. "No, I don't know what you're trying to say because I don't feel that way about him," she said. "But what I do know is that you're in love with him, Haerin. And you're the only one who hasn't realized that yet." 

This time, you didn't even try to deny it. "I do, huh?" you smiled. 

"Wait. What did you mean by im the only one who hasn't realized it?" You narrowed your eyes at your best friend. 

Minyoung giggled. "Oh silly. Everyone around you already knows that you and Chen are in love with each other! It's just the two of you who don't," she said. "Baek oppa and the other guys know about it too."

"How do you guys even know this?" 

She laughed. "Haerin, you're really clueless, huh? It's pretty obvious especially since the way the two of you look at each other says it all." 

"Hm, so Chen oppa really does like me, huh?" 

"Yes, he does!" Minyoung said. "And I bet it's killing me that you haven't given him an answer yet." 

Your shoulders deflated. "But I'm not ready to be in a relationship yet." 

Minyoung softened and placed her hand on your shoulder. "But you love him, Haerin. And he loves you. You know he's sincere about it, so what are you worrying about?" 

"I don't know," you said. And you honestly didn't. 

"Give him a chance, okay? Chen cares a lot about you. Too much to even think about hurting you." 

You smiled at your friend. "Alright, I will," you said. "Thank you."