[JIYEON’S POV]

I woke up early than usual. Took a bath, had done my hair and lastly took on my school uniform. I looked around as I figured out something was missing – the other brunette had gone this time, but I don’t know how long it was. I went downstairs and saw my mom and dad prepared our breakfast; giggling happily with their aprons, with such lovable and cute smiles. I can clearly see that, though they don’t want me to interrupt them doing so, but I cleared my throat since I got one question from them which they could answer.

“Ehem!” and so, they turned their heads on me, “did you saw Hyomin, mom?”

“Oh you’re here..” she responded, “I think she went at the backyard? She wanted to get some fresh air.”

Backyard?

I looked on the window and found her standing there, as if she was all alone reminiscing something.  The brunette was actually watching the flowers from our backyard, ah - what would she do in the first place then?

I walked towards her closer and closer, though I could only see her back portion but I can tell she was thinking things alone. Like why would she do that? Why all of a sudden, looking for a rental house, and do these things after telling me something that bothered me so much. I’m skeptical about her alibis though which my mom told me to. For some certain reason, I am feeling the worries in me about her, I don’t know if I should and have a right to but she is the only kind friend I have and I don’t want her to suffer something painful or sort of. But should I ask what her problem is?

“Hey!” I called, intruding her attention.

It wasn’t the expression I expected to see on her – her face was gloomy, her lips furrowed downwards a bit and her eyes were like just too deep; too deep that I can’t tell. That I can’t understand by just looking at it, and that I should need to figure that out. From her at least.

“You woke up early than me huh?”

“I usually would, early.”

“Too early,” I giggled, “So shall we talk about things?” then I started before the awkwardness comes first.

“Things? About what?” she looked on me, but that was just a split of milliseconds. Way too fast.

“Uhhm, about why you’re looking for a rental house? There must be something behind on it, yeah – things like that.” now I showed a sheepish smile because she was looking at me, with that straight face of hers. But I was wrong saying she’s an expressionless one, I wanted her to smile.

I wanted to hear something reasonable answer. But was all close as if she doesn’t want to talk about it. Am I wrong asking why?

“Let’s get in.” she retorted, looking down as she heave a deep sigh.

I didn’t give any response. I did the same thing, looked down and glimpse at her. I think she just said that we should go in? Why is she standing there like nothing happened?

“You should start your morning with a smile,” I picked up the flower that was on the ground, bet it fell down. Poor little beautiful being, I don’t really want to see flowers died just like that. Reality is just as painful as you thought it would be, roses wither. Things just don’t last.

I took away the dirt on its petals – it was still beautiful though, flowers are all beautiful. I checked on the brunette who’s silent all the way, and so I intrude again her deep thinking by tucking her long browned-hair behind her ear. With such destruction, I guess, she turned her head on me but not until I put the flower on her.

“You’re pretty.”

“What’s with that sudden confession?” she reciprocates, but rather asking.

“It wasn’t a confession. It’s a fact, so please smile. I don’t want to see my friend so gloomy like that.”

Hyomin went to look on the flowers; she must be having a hard time. I’m not really good at giving encouragements, but that’s the only least I can do.

“Hmm? I should take a photo of you,” I took my phone out from my skirt’s pocket, “should I need to ask some permission?”

Again the beautiful being looked on me; at least she should say something. I feel like talking to myself all alone.

“I’ll take now, so be ready~” I stated, curving my lips upwards. Clicking that camera icon and ready to take a shot.

But I couldn’t take some if Hyomin’s like this. She’s sad, my friend is sad.

“Yeah, maybe I should.” she resounded, “so please take a good shot on me, I don’t usually smile.”

“Really?”

Hyomin nodded, enough for me to take a photo.

And then there she was, smiling.

She did smiled, yes she did. Hyomin smiled and I’m here looking at it feeling fascinated – or I don’t know, I don’t know how to describe this sudden weird-feeling I currently have. I stared too much on her picture on my phone which was a rare thing since she had just said she won’t usually smile. Giggle. Why am I acting this way?  I was the one who said I wanted her to smile, right?

“Your mom called, let’s get in.”

The brunette pinched my cheeks, with her soft hand, and that scent lingers on me. Startled, I lifted up my face only to find out that the girl in front smiled again, doing so, I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t say why I am like this.

“Thanks, you made me smile.” Hyomin then starts to leave and stop when I didn’t follow, “come on.”

“Ah, yeah. Go ahead, I’ll just gonna pick those flowers that fell down.”

“I’ll help you then,”

“No just go on. I’ll be fine by myself.” I smiled, doing gestures for her to leave.

“Okay.”

I looked on her strolling away, now my hand slowly touches on my cheeks – that warm, it was a comfortable feeling. I feel like I wanted this warm to be felt forever. With my messy thoughts right now, I shook my head lightly and a sudden wonder felt on me –

Why is my heart beating so fast like this?

--

“Attention everyone,” the president of the class, standing in front hovering that piece of sheet on hers, “our P.E teacher is absent today and will be for a week.”

Loud cheers could be heard, everyone was so happy about that news. Who wouldn’t? She was a fat ‘meanie’ teacher, a bossy and so arrogant one – that of course, everyone’s hate. Everyone was babbling about things and planned something fun on weekends since our P.E teacher is the only one who would ruined everything by giving us a lot of school works and assignments with her lessons which she won’t tackle that well.

“But I got a list of partners who would do a presentation.  And it’s all about music and arts, a bad news.”

“WHAT??!” everyone complained.

I was in my mind, as if I would be exceptional, duh.

“Please do see your partners here, everything was planned by that bossy teacher. I’ll just going to paste it on the black board, ” the president pasted it on, right then came back and look on us, “please don’t make some irrelevant noise and most of all complains. I wanted to complain about this but we can’t do anything, so just bear it.” then shrugged.

My classmates went and check on that list, the others did complaint, it was expected. Some smiled and got lucky since their partners were their friends or their crush or something like that, and I was still sitting here waiting for them to sit down since it’s crowded over there in front.

“I guess we’re not meant to be.” the midget went back to her seat, talking to sleepyhead Eunjung.

“Yah!” then she shouted, waking her up.

“What?!”

“We’re not partners, and it saddens me.” Boram made that cutie expression, pouting her lips.

“Then who’s your partner?”

Boram gave me that awful look, and I did raise my brows since I don’t get it. Oh wait, does that mean…

“Argh! That witch! Why is she deciding things on her own without a notice? This is bad..” she ruffles her hair, turn it to messy.

“Don’t worry. Your partner’s Hyomin, it would be fine then.”

“Really? That’s cool then.” Eunjung nodded.

“Feeling great huh?” the smaller one rolled her eyes, seeing Eunjung getting happy knowing her partner’s a good one?

The two kept bickering about something they shouldn’t, but its fun listening to them though.

I looked around and saw no Hyomin, so I decided to message her up but then I found her at the lobby, talking through her phone. So then I refuse to give her one, she would be back here anyway. I just gotta tell her about the listing thingy or she did know already?

I waited for her to come but she went straight to somewhere I don’t know – there must be something bad up. I doubt about this in the first place, I’m way too curious that I went and follow her.

Hyomin went upstairs and is few meters away from me. I stop when I saw Soyeon and Qri holding hands as they went to the studio room; giggles could be heard and Soyeon’s lovely smiles could be seen. For what I had witnessed, my body just then suddenly moves backwards, two steps away. I closed my eyes and hope it was a dream, but then I lifted my face again only to find out that the cuter kissed that elf-eared like girl’s cheeks.

I..

I don’t really want to conclude things just like that. Especially I saw that light pink rose I gave to her, on her other hand, looking at it prettily.

I don’t want to think about it so I went back and follow Hyomin instead, letting out a depressing sigh.

“Hyomin!”

She turned her head on me, with that blank expression. I wonder what came up, is it about her leaving her house?

“What are you doing here?” I secondly asked.

“Just wanted to get some air?”

“Did something bad happen?”

Now silence was her respond. It was always like that, she wouldn’t brag out things.

“I am worried.” I meekly said.

“Why?”

“Because my friend won’t say a thing that bothers her,” I bluntly said, “and that bothers me a lot.”

“You shouldn’t be, don’t worry about me.”

“Is that why I called you friend?”

“What?”

I sigh, it’s hard for me to help her if she herself won’t share it with me. I know Hyomin has a problem, but I am her friend, I am here to help why won’t she let me?

“You know you seem so cheerful and optimistic when you smile. I love it when you smile, like you did earlier.”

“Hmm?”

“But I think you’re the saddest and very broken person when you give me that blank expression.” I looked on the cities view, it was visible when you’re on a rooftop of the school, “and I don’t want that.”

“So you want me to smile?”

Hyomin looked down, I am still here observing her.

“No. I want you to be happy.”

Those sparkling yet lonely eyes laid on me. I can’t read her mind; I don’t know her that well. But I looked away; getting these blushed cheeks whenever she would with that look. I played with my fingers as if I wanted to get this moment passed by and I don’t want to say a thing looking at her knowing she looked back at me.

“I’m okay Jiyeon. Your friend is okay so don’t worry, okay?”

I went back to reality and witness that beautiful thing again from her..

“Okay?” she asked me back, and went smile again as to show off she was okay. And is okay.

But I don’t know whether to believe her or not. I don’t know whether those words and smiles were true, and that she was alright.

And again I couldn’t say anything. She smiled, the way I wanted her to.

And I don’t know how to calm this beating heart of mine.

~~~

Author's note: So I'm back with this warm and lovely chapter, I guess. Giggles. Thank you so much for the understanding, it's been a while since I last updated. (I miss updating my story so much T^T) and now yeah, please enjoy and thank you for loving this fic~ ^0^v