“Good job,” Suyeon smiles, high-fiving Mirae. The two emerge from Caffe Benne an hour later, each of them carrying $6. The boy was struggling in Algebra, Mirae’s favorite subject, so it was a piece of cake helping him out.

“He needed help on Algebra, which is my favorite subject of all time,” Mirae grins. “It’s so fun! All those numbers and systems and inequalities and whee!” She whirls around, arms outstretched. Suyeon watches her affectionately, a small smile on her face. Her best friend is known to be quite the character around their school.

Hwang Mirae may seem like a ditzy, happy-go-lucky girl. She’s goofy and loud, especially when it’s Wednesday (“My favorite favorite favorite favorite day of the week!” Mirae cheers). And she loves the color blue: nearly everything she owns is some shade of it.

However, Mirae has a knack for every single subject in existence. She’s one of the brightest girls in the school.

Suyeon supposes this is why Mirae is so well-liked. She’s funny and cute and relatable, a girl’s best friend and a guy’s ideal chick. And Mirae has these strange nerdy moments when she fangirls over something like war policy during World War I, or a perfect return loop in Java programming. It’s adorable.

It is a little funny how Mirae and Suyeon are best friends, despite being polar opposites.

Mirae suddenly stops. “Hey, Yeonnie bunnie?”     

“Don’t call me that.”

“Yeonnie poo, can we go buy some cake with our money?”

Suyeon sighs, flicking her friend’s ear. “Your nicknames get even weirder. And you know we can’t spend this money. We have to put it in our college fund. That’s the whole reason we’re tutoring in the first place.”

Mirae pouts. “Yeah, I know. But come on! Let’s treat ourselves! We reached our $500 mark today! Pleeeeaase?”

“No means no,” Suyeon says firmly. “Besides, we have a more important issue to worry about other than cake. Have you noticed that our business has been plummeting lately?”

“Hmm..,” Mirae scratches her head. “Well, now that you mention it, you’re right.”

“Usually, we tutor 50 kids a week,” Suyeon continues. “But last week, we only tutored 13 kids. And this kid-,” she gestures back to Caffe Benne, “was our 8th kid this week. And it’s Thursday.”

Mirae crinkles her nose. “Wow, you’re right. That’s really strange.”

“We’d better find out what’s going on. Otherwise our college funds could be in big trouble.” Suyeon sighs. “Well, I’m going to go, okay? Your mom’s picking you up, right?”

“Mhm!” Mirae grins. “She just texted me saying she’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“Alright.” Suyeon ruffles Mirae’s hair. “See ya tomorrow, kay?”

And she walks away, heading for the bus stop.

“Hi, sweetheart!” Mihae’s mother gushes as she gives her daughter a huge hug. “How was tutoring today?”

Mihae giggles. “Fun! The kid needed algebra help. It was no big deal.”

“Good to hear,” Mrs. Hwang smiles. Mirae continues rambling on about her day, from the 98 she got on her Chemistry test to Suyeon’s hilarious expression after Park Chosun ate her cookies to her teacher’s weird tie. Mrs. Hwang waits, biting her lip. She knows what her daughter is trying to prolong. But it is inevitable.

“Mirae,” Mrs. Hwang coughs, interrupting her daughter. “I... just want to remind you. You have your appointment tomorrow afternoon.”

Mirae’s talking ceases. Mrs. Hwang sneaks a nervous glance at her daughter.

“Mom,” Mirae says in a hushed voice. “I think I’m getting better now. I don’t need another session, really. Please.”

“Are you sure, honey?

"I know you don’t like it, sweetie,” Mrs. Hwang whispers. “But you have to. Don’t you want to get better?”

Mirae is silent, but Mrs. Hwang presses on.

“You’re taking your medicine, right?”

“Of course,” Mirae mutters.

“Hey, Suyeon,” a voice calls from the lunch line. Suyeon whirls around. Jung Hoseok is giving her a lazy one-handed wave. Suyeon’s cheeks turn red.

“Hello, Hoseok” she says, striding up to him. “How did you do on your history test? I was just going to contact you to ask you about that.”

“91, baby.” Hoseok playfully kisses his biceps. “It’s just enough to bring my average up to passing. Looks like I won’t be on the bench this season.”

“Awesome!” Suyeon grins. When a rumor reached her ears that Hoseok was about to be kicked off the basketball team due to her grades, Suyeon immediately approached him, offering her tutoring services.

And boy, was it fun to tutor Hoseok. He was so funny and cute and handsome... oh, the way his dark hair fell perfectly in his eyes.... his playful gaze... and that wonderful smile-

“Hello?” Hoseok waves his hand in front of Suyeon’s face. She starts, her face turning a bright shade of plum. “Can you come?”

“Wait, what?” Suyeon asks, blinking. “Sorry, I- I didn’t catch what you said.”

Hoseok laughs. “I said, we’re having our first basketball game of the season this Saturday. Can you make it? I’ll pay for your tickets. It’s thanks for tutoring me for that test.”

“Yes!” Suyeon exclaims so loudly half the lunch line turns to stare at her. “I mean, yes,” she says quietly. “I would love to come.”

“Great!” Hoseok smiles. “Oh, I’d better go buy lunch now. See ya around, Suyeon.”

“Bye,” Suyeon says breathily, backing away...

Right into Mirae, who is wearing a superior expression on her face.

“God!” Suyeon gasps, jumping away. “You scared me.”

“Oooh, so Yeonnie has a little crush?” Mirae says, smirking. “Well, well.”

“I do not have a crush,” Suyeon informs Mirae stiffly. “I am merely thanking Hoseok for his kindness.”

“Okay. Well, I’m going to make sure you look extra extra extra nice on Saturday,” Mirae smiles.        

Suyeon rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Anyway, let’s go sit down and eat. I found an empty table over there.” She gestures to the corner of the cafeteria. Mirae’s goofy expression disappears.

“T-there?” she squeaks. Control, Mirae, control, she commands herself. Face it and accept it.

“Yeah.” Suyeon glances at Mirae, concerned. “Are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah!” Mirae exclaims in an overly chipper voice. “Let’s go... sit down.”

As Mirae nears the table, her stomach grows queasier and queasier. Her muscles twitch and Mirae has to force herself to resist the urge to calm herself down. Don’t do it, Mirae tells herself. Her breathing intensifies. Face it and accept it. Face it and accept it. Face it and accept it. Face it and accept it.

But another voice in the back of her head chants, It’s the corner table. In the corner. The corner.

“Why aren’t you sitting down?” Suyeon looks at Mirae again. “Whoa, whoa, are you okay? Mirae, you’re completely pale! Oh my god-,”

“I have to go,” Mirae breathes, and sprints out of the cafeteria. Her lunchbox clatters to the floor as Mirae rushes into the bathroom. She locks herself in a stall and succumbs to the urge. Mirae parts her hair over and over again, right down the middle. Her fingers furious work through her hair, itching and pulsing and throbbing. Mirae has the overwhelming urge to vomit.

Finally, she ceases, panting. Mirae sinks down to the floor. Her breath is ragged.

“No,” she murmurs, tears of anger and desperation sliding down her cheeks. “No. No.”

She has lost again.

A/N: Hoseok is so cuuuuuuuute