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i.
Joy really hates Yeri sometimes. Not really to the point where she feels like strangling the living daylights out of Yeri but more like “why did I befriend this mean, unsympathetic asshole?” kind of hatred. Which is reasonable, she assures herself. When all Yeri has been doing is laugh at her misery and continuous failure of wooing the pretty freshman she saw on the first day of school. Joy really likes her, dammit, Yeri, quit laughing.
Which, now that Joy thinks for herself, is understandable. The situation is pretty damn funny, noting the fact that usually, she can charm the pants off even the most stoic senior to agree on attending prom with her (if she closes her eyes she still can see the pretty flush that adorned Joohyun's cheeks when she popped the question, ah). She even managed to get Joohyun to sit on her lap later that night, making out lazily in a deserted stairway. Granted, the thing they had didn't last long. But it was good while it lasted. Now though, Joy scowls forlornly, now look at her.
It's been two weeks since she tries to talk to Yves -a name aforementioned freshman had taken since coincidentally, Joy shares the same name with her. Them and approximately two dozen more girls in the school- with all her glorious flirting habits that usually worked on everyone. So far, they only managed to exchange meaningless small talks and the girl has yet to show any sign of interest. Which is outrageous, because Joy usually only takes at least a week to woo someone. Yeri had supplied cheerfully that maybe, maybe Yves isn't into girls. Joy begs to differ, she saw the girl checking out Son Chaeyoung's thighs the other day. Joy came to this conclusion because she had been checking both of them out, and the revelation was a pleasant surprise. Yves definitely likes girls, she's sure of it.
But whatever, Joy thinks blithely. Yeri can laugh all she wants. Joy is going to woo Yves even if it takes months. Joy is patient when she wants to be, and this is one of the rare moments where she can be. She had spent an extra fifteen minutes in front of the mirror before going to school, and Joy is vain, she knows she is pretty. However, she has to be extra pretty today, because Yves needs to see what she's missing on.
Her plan is simple, really. She wrote the step by step the night before bed. It's a pretty short list consisting of five pointers, which are:
1. Look extra good today
2. Find Yves
3. Bats eyelashes at Yves
4. Smile a lot
5. Asks Yves to watch a movie together this week
And okay, maybe it didn't need to be written down. But Joy likes to plan things, no matter how lousy her skill in that department is. Regardless of its ambiguity, Joy now has protocols on what to do. So cut her some slack.
The thing is, finding Yves is not as easy as her mind makes it seems. Joy should probably consider this first before roaming around in the hall where freshmen's classes are located on the lunch period, trying to find Yves cluelessly. But she's already here, odd and sticking out like a sore thumb. Several freshmen loitering the hall glances to her direction and if she strains her ears, she can hear their questions about her presence. She ignores them pointedly, eyes set for a certain tall, dark-haired beauty by the name of Yves. Just when she thinks she sees someone she associates with Yves' massive gang of girls, a small girl bumps into her. Joy is ready to apologize since it's probably her fault for being oblivious to her surroundings in pursuit of Yves, but then she looks down and huh, she looks familiar, Joy muses inwardly. With her pigtails and bright eyes that are currently widened in horror.
“Oh my God, I'm so sorry!” Pigtails with Bright Eyes says, and Joy squints at her again before something clicks. Ah, this is one of Yves' friend, isn't she? What's her name again, Jiwon? Jiwoo? Jisoo? Joy frowns as she tries to think of her name, she's sure she had heard Yves called out her name before and they shared some pleasantries before this, but she couldn't remember what. The girl in question hasn't stop rambling a wide variety of apologies and how “I really am clumsy at times, Sunbaenim. I was looking at my phone and I'm terribly sorry!” Joy huffs a laugh, if she isn't so into Yves she will ask this girl for her number right here and right now. But liking Yves makes other girls, as cute as Pigtails with Bright Eyes, pales in comparison to her magnificent being. So Joy settles a hand on Pigtails with Bright Eyes' shoulder and squeezes it softly.
“It's okay, I was pretty distracted myself. I'm Joy, by the way. What's your name?” Asks Joy, she gives up on trying to recall her name. Which she probably should have, if she wants to look good and caring for Yves. But the hell with it, she couldn't even remember what she had for breakfast. The girl beams at Joy, so she counts it as a win.
“I'm Jiwoo!” She informs Joy cheerfully, Joy can't help the smile that mirrors Jiwoo's. Cute. “Where are you heading, Sunbaenim? Why are you here in the freshmen hall? Are you looking for someone? I can help!” Jiwoo barrels on and Joy blinks. This kid talks very fast.
“Uh,” says Joy unintelligently, Jiwoo looks up at her in anticipation, wow she's really small. Joy swallows and wills away the blush that is threatening to make their way to her cheeks. “I'm actually looking for Ha Sooyoung, Yves?”
Jiwoo had looked innocent and pure before, a perfect human version of sunshine. But as soon as Yves' name left Joy's lips, Jiwoo's face turns wicked.
“Ooooh!” She exclaims, long and dragged out as if she realizes something and Joy doesn't get the memo. Jiwoo smirks and very slowly takes Joy's hand that is still nestled on her shoulder, she laced their fingers together and Joy can feel her eyebrows go up in silent befuddlement. “Come follow me, Sunbaenim,” Jiwoo says sagely, and Joy is suddenly wary. Dammit, where is Yeri or Wendy when you need them?
Jiwoo doesn't seem to sense her internal panic as she dutifully leads them against the throng of students in the hallway to the running tracks outside. Joy is relieved, she had thought Jiwoo would lead her to a secret dungeon or something, judging from her dirty, dirty smirk. That relief is short-lived, though. Because Jiwoo steers them under the bleachers. Joy looks dubiously at the back of Jiwoo's head and ducks so she doesn't bash her head on the steep underside of the seatings. She thinks to herself how damp and shady it is, and there's a faint smell of mold and wet soil that never dries completely. Joy wonders if Jiwoo is out to get her. Before she can confirm her suspicion by asking Jiwoo, the girl chooses that moment to whispers loudly, "Yves!"
Sure enough, there are Yves several feet in front of them. Laying on a tartan blanket (where the hell did she get those?) with her arms draped on her eyes, avoiding tiny beams of sunlight that peeks through the gaps of the seatings. Yves doesn't answer Jiwoo's call for a while, but eventually, she pushes herself up into a sitting position with a low, sleepy groan. “What?” She asks irritably, Joy notes with interest that her voice is delightfully raspy and her hair is a little mussed. How long has she been napping here?
“Yves, Joy Sunbaenim is here to see you,” Jiwoo says evenly when Yves finally looks awake enough to converse. Joy waves her hand dorkily at her, and Yves grins. Still a little sleepy, but genuine. “Oh, hi Sunbaenim!”
God, Yves is so beautiful. Joy can't tear her eyes away, not when Yves is looking at her with a smile like that.
Jiwoo has let go of Joy's hands without the latter noticing. She shoots Joy and Yves a look before retreating silently and slowly, as if not to disturb two animals that are about to mate. Yves' instincts are probably sharper than Joy's because she notices Jiwoo's unsubtle attempt to leave when Joy does not. In Joy's defense, she is busy looking at Yves to pay attention to anything else. She is annoyed that Yves isn't paying attention to her anymore, though, so she follows the other girl's eyes and finds herself looking at Jiwoo as well. Jiwoo looks chagrined for a moment, her grin a little sheepish and similar to a deer in headlights. Jiwoo snaps out of it pretty quickly, after several beats of intense staring between the three of them, Jiwoo resorted to making a kissy face and noise before bolting.
“Huh, that's weird,” Yves says finally. And Joy wants to slap herself on the face because how could she not realize this sooner? Jiwoo is exactly like Yeri, both wrapped in sunny smiles and rainbows, but underneath they're the sneakiest little devils. “So, what brings you here?” Yves continues again. And Joy's mind scrambles. She didn't think this far, did she? What is she supposed to say? I want to ask you out so I stalked you and I ran into Jiwoo and she kinda led me here? Does she just ask her out right here and there? What the hell.
A little Yeri in her head smirks deviously, accompanied by a little Wendy with her supporting nod and vague encouragement to go for it, Park Sooyoung! She erases the mental image. Joy gulps a little because Yves is looking at her expectantly now, still with that stupidly beautiful smile. “Uh, I'm from the choir,” Yves looks a little confused, but before she can ask, Joy continues. “And I wondered if you want to join us? Jiwoo said you sing.”
This is a total lie, because the only conversation she had with Jiwoo happened five minutes prior and Jiwoo didn't say anything about Yves or singing. Nobody did. Joy's mind is just a weird place that likes to make things up to compensate her tendency to falter during important moments, like now.
Apparently, it's a correct thing to say because Yves is now standing up and grinning sunnily at her. She really has a great smile, Joy's mind unhelpfully supplies.
“Oh, yes! I do sing!” Yves nods, and she stands up to collect her tartan blanket (seriously, did she brought this from home?), “So, when and where is this choir meet? I actually haven't signed up for any extracurricular activity.”
Joy's mind snags. Uh, hell, when is the next meeting? She really should've paid more attention to Wendy when she talks about choir meetings.
“Uh,” Joy manages, “I don't actually remember. I can give you Wendy's number? She's the leader.” Says Joy. Yves nods and she whips out her phone while Joy rattles off Wendy's number that she remembers by heart.
“Well, thank you, Sunbaenim. I guess I'll be seeing more of you soon!” Yves chirps one last time with that breathtaking grin of hers, before sauntering away, tartan safely tucked in her arms. Joy stares dopily at her back before snapping out of her reverie.
Why the hell did she give Yves Wendy's number instead of hers?
Joy wants to hit herself, preferably with an anvil.
ii.
Joy meets her friends after school in the boba cafe they frequent in because it's Tuesday and Tuesdays means boba. Yeri and Wendy are already there, so Joy gets her bobas (three cups, all at once) and wastes no time in sitting down and tells them about what will be dubbed as The Bleachers Incident from now on. Yeri, the unfeeling asshole, has taken to cackling manically for five minutes straight by the time she finishes her story and Joy inhales down two and a half of her bobas in throughout the story. Wendy just stares at Yeri and Joy back and forth, unimpressed with their behaviors. She looks like she doesn't know who to chastise first, but finally settles on Yeri when she shows no sign of quieting down. “Really, Kim Yerim?”
Yeri ignores her.
Well, at least Wendy feels her pain, Joy thinks. Wendy is really a gift to mankind and a saint for putting up with Yeri and Joy. Joy sometimes wonders why Wendy bothers with them, but then again Wendy is not as sociable as she thinks she is. So sticking out with them does her more good than bad. Wendy shakes her head at Yeri again, like a disappointed mother that she is. Joy slumps lower in her seat, slurping her boba petulantly. Stress drinking boba is her coping mechanism whenever she did something stupid. It's unhealthy, she knows. But the disgust and nausea after five cups of boba always take her mind off whatever stupid things she did previously, so Joy will continue to digest more bobas until she feels gross.
“Remember,” Yeri wheezes, in between her cackles. “Remember when you used to have a game?”
Wendy looks back at Joy, assessing. Yeri doubles over, almost knocking over her own boba cup in her hysterics and drawing the attention from other patrons in the cafe to them. “She has a point, though. You got Bae Joohyun, a senior, to went on the prom with you. No one has seen her being affectionate with another human being for four years, let alone agreeing to go to prom with someone. But you did, you even got her on your lap to do unholy things and somehow she looks thoroughly wrecked and smug by the time you're finished. This downgrade is upsetting.” Wendy says, Yeri finally calms herself down but there are tears in her eyes now. Joy hates her.
“It's not my fault that Yves is so beautiful my body ceases to function normally when I'm in her vicinity,” Joy says defensively, prompting Wendy to sigh.
“But why,” Wendy begins, tired and a little pained. “Why would you give her my number and not yours?”
Joy sniffs, cradling her half-empty cup of boba closer. “I honestly don't know,” she says after some contemplation, eyes trained on her last cup before she slurps down the rest of its contents aggressively. “Her smile was very distracting.”
“She is very pretty,” Yeri agrees, and Joy waves her hand to gesture at her. Finally, someone gets it, Joy looks at Wendy again pointedly, the latter just stares back. “Bae Joohyun is basically a goddess.” Wendy points out as well. Joy slams her fist on the table in her angst. It doesn't have the dramatic effect she desired, because Yves has made her stupid and tired, so the impact of her weak fist on the table just manages to make her empty boba cup wobbles a little.
“You know what, at least you'll see her for choir later this week, try to step up your game before then.” Says Wendy again, Joy perks up. “Oh, you're right.”
Wendy snorts, she knows she is always right. She pats Joy's hand sympathetically. Yeri finally feels a little for her friend, silently pushes the remaining of her boba to Joy, which she takes gingerly. It's watered down a little and tastes a little gross because it's taro, but Joy doesn't care. They're enjoying the silence when Wendy's phone on the table buzzes alight.
“Is that Yves?” Yeri asks eagerly, Wendy ignores her and examines her screen. She looks at Joy, who is now staring at her a little hope. Wendy's eyebrow raises a little and she types rapidly on her phone, and apparently, she gets an instant reply, so she taps away again while Joy and Yeri watch in suspense. This goes on for a while, after a minute, she finally puts down her phone and continues to sip her own boba primly.
“Yes, that was Yves.” She finally informs Yeri and Joy when the two keeps staring at her with their rounded eyes. “You,” Wendy points her finger to Joy, “You're in charge of picking her up from her Chemistry class on Friday, she apparently doesn't know where the extracurricular activities are held. Step up your game, don't be dumb.”
Joy springs out from her seat and plops herself down beside Wendy, engulfing the girl in a bear hug so tight Wendy gasps breathlessly in her protests. She lets go to kiss Wendy's cheek wetly in her gratitude. Wendy groans, disgusted.
Joy stands in front of Yves' class, like an overeager puppy waiting for their owner to get off from work. She doesn't wait long until there's a gentle tap on her shoulder, it's Yves. “Hi, Sunbaenim. Are we ready to go?”
Be cool, dammit. Joy mentally berates herself.
“Of course, milady.” Joy says in a faux posh accent that sends Yves into a fit of giggles. She offers Yves her arm and the younger girl takes it with a grin. Joy mentally pats herself in the shoulder. “What is this, regency novel?”
Joy hums as she leads them towards the other building where the meeting is held. “Well,” Joy begins, suddenly feeling a lot braver. “You definitely look the part, with that devastating beauty of yours.”
Yves shoots her a close-lipped smile, almost shy and a little bashful? The contrast of her usual bright grin is a startling, but it takes Joy's breath away just the same. “You're very pretty too,” Yves says in a small voice and Joy has to pinch her thigh to stop herself from leaping to the air in delight. She clears her throat demurely instead.
“So, um, I was wondering if you've seen Solo: A Star Wars Story?” Joy prompts again.
“Oh! The-" Yves makes a vague motion with her free hand like she's wielding an invisible lightsaber. It's obnoxiously cute. "that movie, right? With the stormtroopers? I actually haven't seen it. Have you?”
“I haven't, I was wondering if you want to watch it together this Saturday?” Joy bites her lip in anticipation, but Yves' grin is blinding. “Tomorrow? Sure! Can I get your number, then?” Yves says, and Joy is so happy she could cry. She gives Yves her number and by the time they arrive in the choir meeting room, Joy is vibrating with glee.
Turns out Yves is an amazing singer, and Joy maybe falls a little in love.
They arranged to meet at the mall near the school over text, and Joy skips happily all the way there. Yves said she'll be waiting for her in front of the cinema, so there Joy goes. However, she's forced to put her skippings in halt because Yves is already there indeed.
With Jiwoo.
What the hell?
Joy approaches the two of them cautiously. Yves notices her first and waves enthusiastically, Jiwoo also looks at Joy after noticing Yves' waving and visibly pales. “Joy Sunbaenim!” She greets, a little hysterical. Yves frowns at her, “Jiwoo, are you alright?”
Jiwoo looks up at Yves, eyes full of accusations. “You said we're going to watch Star Wars!” Yves cocks her head to the side, confused. “Well, yes, with Joy Sunbaenim.” She says matter of factly. “I told you this, Jiwoo. By the way, I'm so sorry for dragging her with me, Sunbaenim. She's my cousin and she's staying over for the week because her parents aren't around for their honeymoon. And she's basically a child who can't do anything by herself.” She says to Joy apologetically, Joy finds herself nodding.
“Yeah, it's fine,” says Joy, a little strangled. Jiwoo hasn't torn her eyes from Yves, squinting incredulously. Yves doesn't seem bothered by it and just beckons them to go inside.
“Yves, why don't you be a dear and get our tickets? Me and Joy Sunbaenim will get the snacks.” Says Jiwoo while she pushes Yves away to the ticket booth gently. Once Yves is safely waiting in the queue, Jiwoo whips around to Joy, her eyes round in mortification. “Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't know I'm crashing on your date.”
Joy throws her hand up in frustration “You get that this is a date, why didn't she? Is she straight?” Joy asks. She recognizes the panic in her chest. Oh God, what if she's wrong? What if Yves is straight? Chaeyoung's thigh is very magical, and you don't have to be into girls to worship them, right?
To her surprise, Jiwoo lets out a very unladylike snort. “I've known her for my whole life. That girl is a lot of things, but she ain't straight.” Joy exhales, long and relieved. At least she's not crushing on a straight girl, just oblivious. “Now, listen Unnie. Can I call you Unnie? I support both of you, because it's clear how you feel about her and all. But I'm not going home, I came here because I wanted to watch Star Wars. So I'm going to.” Jiwoo continues, her face now the perfect mask of innocence. Joy huffs, amused. “Fine, let's just get those snacks.”
iii.
It's not Valentine, but when Joy sees a packet of little chocolates of wide variety and shapes in the convenient store near her house, she thinks of Yves. Joy hasn't given anyone chocolate since elementary school. She is the one who receives chocolate ever since puberty hits her, and she's content with that, even though she doesn't really like chocolate all that much. It's flattering, in a way. And she intends to keep it that way. Yves is a special case, though. And Joy doesn't mind buying her chocolates as long as she gets to be the one to feed Yves. Joy reaches for her phone to shoot a text to Jiwoo, who gets along with her pretty well after the Star Wars shenanigans since they actually share a lot in common.
Joy: does yves like chocolate?
Jiwoo: ya, she has a sweet tooth. why?
Joy: found some and thought of her, might give it to her tmrw
Jiwoo just sent back a dozen of kissy face emojis, and Joy just chuckles in amusement. She grabs the chocolate unceremoniously and pays for them before going home.
“Yves!” Joy calls when she sees the source or her affection in the cafeteria, Yves perks up when she sees Joy. They also have been texting after that non-date they had, but they mostly just send each other memes and stupid tweets. So there wasn't much progress, and Joy is silently hoping that maybe the chocolate will help.
“Hi, Unnie!” Joy sometimes forgets that Yves has taken to call her "Unnie" instead of "Sunbaenim" these days, stupid as it may seem, Yves makes that sounds like an endearment. Joy may be projecting, but at least she isn't embarrassing enough to tell anyone that Yves calling her "Unnie" makes her stomach all fluttery and funny.
“Hi,” says Joy, when she finally takes a seat beside Yves. There's something tickling her thigh when she sat down, she frowns and tries to look for the source, only to be surprised to find that the thing that has been tickling her is a hair. It's a very blonde, very long, and very shiny hair.
Yves has some girl's head on her lap.
“Oh, I didn't see you there.” Says Joy, a little faintly. The blonde giggles cutely and sits up, and oh wow, this girl is very beautiful. Are Yves' friends all this beautiful? Because it seems like it. “Hi! You must be Joy Sunbaenim, Jiwoo told me a lot about you. My name is Jungeun.” Exclaims the blonde, or, Jungeun.
“Yes, pleasure.” Says Joy with a thin smile, she looks back at Yves, who has her eyes trained on Jungeun. Joy feels a little uneasy on the stomach but she ignores it. She hands Yves the chocolate with the sweetest smile she can muster, she uses this smile to get Bae Joohyun to go on the prom with her. It should work. “So, um. Found this yesterday and thought of you.”
Yves squeals in delight at the sight of the chocolate and she thanks Joy profusely. But there is another noise of delight she tuned out because it wasn't Yves' voice, it's Jungeun's.
“Yves, Yves please tell me you're going to share.” Pleads Jungeun. Joy's eyes twitched in mild irritation. “God, I forgot you have the sweetest tooth ever.” Yves murmurs, she opens the package and feeds Jungeun one of the chocolate. In front of Joy.
It takes a lot of willpower not to cry in public, but Joy manages. She mumbles her goodbye and leaves, Yves doesn't even look at her direction.
iv.
Joy has resigned to her fate that maybe she and Yves are not meant to be. Maybe the universe is in favor for Yves to be with that pretty blonde girl, Jungeun. God knows they look good together. Which is why it surprises Joy when she finds Yves slouching over a locker beside hers, clearly waiting for her, judging from her grin when she spots Joy in the crowd.
“Yves, what brings you here?” Asks Joy, feigning cheerfulness. Yves, honest to God, gives Joy a smoldering look in response. Joy wants to crush something with her bare fists, it shouldn't be legal to look this good, dammit. She's trying to move on and Yves is not helping, at all. She clears her throat and opens her locker, so she won't have to look at Yves' face. “I wanted to thank you, for the chocolate.”
Joy resists the urge to slam her locker door shut. Yes, Yves, you're very welcome for the chocolate. Which, by the way, didn't you share that with Jungeun? Glad both of you enjoyed the chocolate. But Joy will never say that, so she settles with a little chuckle that is completely devoid of any mirth. “Uh, yeah. You're welcome.”
She expects Yves to leave, but she doesn't. Instead, she looks like she's having an internal debate with herself. So Joy patiently closes her locker again and waits. “Is there anything else you want to say?” Joy prompts gently, her eyes are unconsciously drawn to Yves' bottom lip, red and a little swollen from how much Yves has been biting it.
“Yes,” Yves says. “Jiwoo told me I've been a complete idiot, and I spent time mulling things over.” Joy doesn't say anything, but her face must be doing something because Yves takes one look at her and continues again. “And I was, an idiot, I mean. I'm so sorry for being so inconsiderate, especially about the chocolate. You've been wooing me, aren't you? I'm sorry for being such a fool. You see, it's always been me who did the wooing, so this is very new to me and I have never realized what it feels like, to be on the receiving end. And you're a junior, I never imagined a junior will take an interest in me, let alone someone as pretty as you. But if you're still interested, I would like to let you know that I am also very interested in you and I'll be free for next Saturday and I bought us chocolate to share.” Yves reaches inside her backpack for a big package of little heart-shaped chocolates and she uncertainly hands it to Joy, whose heart might as well have fallen out from her butt by this point.
Joy isn't proud to admit it takes her a while to process the entire situation. She takes the proffered chocolate, her mind racing. “Hey, Yves?”
“Yes?”
Joy bites her bottom lip in hesitation, “I'd really like to kiss you if that's alright?”
Yves grins wickedly and she steps closer to Joy, her long fingers grazing Joy's jawline slowly before cupping it. “Yes,” Yves says breathlessly, her lips only a mere inch apart from Joy's. “I would like that.” There isn't any time for Joy to reply, because Yves' lips are now on hers, kissing her slowly and softly as if she's afraid to bruise Joy if she presses closer. Yves tastes like happiness and milk tea, and Joy has never tasted anything more delightful in her life. She can hear people whistles and a whoop that sounds suspiciously like Jiwoo somewhere behind her. But nothing, not even apocalypse will be able to convince Joy to stop kissing Yves right at this moment. Joy presses her body flush against Yves, her hands snaking around Yves' waist to pull her closer, one hand planted firmly in the younger girl's waist while the other still clutching the chocolate Yves brought. She thinks she hears Yves let out a strangled yelp that Joy swallows down happily. They do need to breathe, though. So Joy reluctantly pulls back. She grins at the sight of Yves, who look so thoroughly kissed with her swollen red lips and flushed cheeks, it's indecent. Joy loves it.
“Want to skip the fifth period to make out somewhere?” Yves prompts after she finally comes to. “Why, I thought you'd never ask.” Joy grins and lets go of Yves' waist to lace their fingers together, ignoring the catcalls and lewd noises in their wake as they skip over the hall, ready to miss the next period in favor of trading kisses.