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“Staring from afar, Miss Lee?” Chaeyeon snapped back to reality. Her Science teacher, Miss Yumi, is already beside her, leaning towards her and flashing a knowing smile. “Miss Miyawaki will not disappear from your sight. Trust me.”
Miyawaki Sakura, their Japanese classmate, stopped from writing on the chalkboard the moment she heard her name. “I’m sorry, Miss Yumi. What is it again? I did not understand what you were saying.”
“Nothing, dear. I just complimented you. Your handwriting is improving.” Miss Yumi lied and Sakura, not being fluent in Korean, just muttered a thanks and then continued with what she was writing.
It was not in Chaeyeon’s intentions to stare at Sakura. She was merely waiting for the other girl to finish writing her answer so Chaeyeon could compare.
Miss Yumi smiled again at Chaeyeon and then walked away. That did not ease up Chaeyeon because Miss Yumi’s presence was replaced by her classmates’ meaningful glances. She can even see Yena and Hyeongseop chuckling over what had happened. In her embarrassment, she lowered her head, letting her long hair cover her flushing face.
“So even Miss Yumi knows?” Yena asked her. Yena placed her lunch tray on the table and sat beside Chaeyeon. Hyeongseop was already sitting across the two of them, enjoying his lunch.
“I did not tell her!” Chaeyeon sighed and started picking out cucumber cubes from her kani salad. “Remember when Sakura was absent last Friday? And she asked me in our group chat to get her test results from Miss Yumi? I did, right? I went to Miss Yumi’s office and asked for Sakura’s test results and Miss Yumi told me something like I’m getting a feeling about the two of you.”
Yena nods at Chaeyeon while she stuffs her mouth with rice. “Like what feeling? I’m just getting her results! Because she asked me to! Like the good classmate I am!”
“Chaeyeon, everyone can hear you now.” Hyeongseop hushed Chaeyeon. “And doesn’t everyone know that you have this fat crush over Sakura?”
“Shut up, Seop. I don’t go around and kiss someone like you do,” Chaeyeon rolled her eyes and Hyeongseop blew a raspberry at her.
“I never did that!” Hyeongseop argues.
“Stop, stop, stop. Why are you my friends again?” Yena started to go between Chaeyeon and Hyeongseop. She knows that this will just end up in a nonsense bickering and her ears won’t be able to stand it. “First, Hyeongseop, you did kiss Euiwoong at the kissing booth. And Chaeyeon, didn’t you declare that Sakura is yours?”
Hyeongseop started laughing. A flash of memory crossed Chaeyeon’s mind. At least these two doesn’t know what she said to Euiwoong that day. “Shut up, Yena.”
“Sakura, nekkoya,” Yena mimics, a bit too dreamy than Chaeyeon’s version.
“Shut up!” Chaeyeon repeated loudly. Even the people from nearby tables stopped talking causing Yena and Hyeongseop to laugh.
Chaeyeon remembers that moment too well. It was when she became one of the leaders for their PE class game. It was when Sakura first arrived in their school, with little knowledge on Korean language. She was just being considerate when she said that word.
Nekkoya. Mine.
She knows Sakura can only understand bits and bits of Korean and she wanted her in her team. Was that really a big issue?
But she would be lying if she denies that she has a crush on Sakura.
Who wouldn’t have? With that intelligence and good personality? With that perfect smile of hers? Her thin lips, beautiful nose, her doe eyes. Sakura’s eyes that melts Chaeyeon’s heart whenever she looked at her.
“Miss Lee, what happened?”
Chaeyeon looked at the paper that Miss Yumi handed her. It was the result of her science quiz, with a barely passing score.
“Ah. I’m sorry, Miss Yumi. Don’t worry! I will study well for the exam.” Chaeyeon smiled shyly and folded the paper. She was actually grateful that she passed when she wasn’t even able to study for that quiz. Well, she always gets decent scores in Science and maybe that is why Miss Yumi got concerned.
“Please don’t hesitate to ask me or your classmates if you did not understand anything, alright? You should study well especially the exams are coming,” Miss Yumi tells her and Chaeyeon nodded politely. “Oh! Miss Miyawaki?”
“Yes, Miss Yumi? What is it?” Sitting two desks in front of Chaeyeon, Sakura responded.
“Why don’t you study together? You can study together, okay? It will help the two of you for the exams,” Miss Yumi suggested. Chaeyeon pouted. It is not like she’s not doing well in Miss Yumi’s class.
“Okay, Miss Yumi.” Sakura nodded and Miss Yumi smiled. Sakura then glanced at Chaeyeon who is still sulking and gave her a smile.
“Chaeyeon.”
Chaeyeon stopped walking. Yena and Hyeongseop followed. They were about to leave to school and eat at their favorite tteokbokki place when someone called Chaeyeon’s name. The three of them looked at the direction of the voice and saw Sakura smiling at them.
“Are you free on Saturday? Do you want to study together?” Sakura asked. Chaeyeon could hear Yena and Hyeongseop’s stifled giggles.
“Uh… Yes. I usually… I don’t have any schedule on Saturday. I’m free! We can study together,” Chaeyeon says and then she laughed nervously.
Maybe it was Sakura’s bluntness, or her kind heart, that she can easily ask Chaeyeon to go study together. Or maybe she just can’t beat round the bush in Korean and just asked Chaeyeon straight away. Nonetheless, it made Chaeyeon stutter.
“That’s good. I usually study at the public library. Are you okay?” Sakura asked again, trying hard to converse in Korean. She sounds like she’s squeezing her brain for some Korean sentences that she learned.
“Yes, Sakura. I am okay with that.”
Sakura flashed a bright smile. “Alright! Let us meet on Saturday. 8 in the morning, okay? Chaeyeon?”
Chaeyeon nodded and smiled. Sakura smiled back and waved a goodbye to her as well as to Yena and Hyeongseop. “See you, Chaeyeon!”
It was 7:30 in the morning and Chaeyeon was already in her way to the public library where she and Sakura will meet. The public library was only a ten-minute walk from Chaeyeon’s house and she’s obviously early.
Even though she’s brushing away the fact that she’s excited for today, Chaeyeon made sure she is in her best appearance today. Nothing too flashy. Just something that she knows she will look good with which is a simple statement shirt and a mermaid tail skirt that falls just above her knees. She even decided to finish her look with a beret.
Good morning, Chaeyeon. I am already on my way to the library. I am early but do not rush yourself. I will wait for you. Chaeyeon can’t help but smile at the message she just received from Sakura. It was too cute. Even more when she read the message in Sakura’s voice.
I got your number from the class’ group chat. Another message from Sakura came.
Chaeyeon tore her eyes away from her phone’s screen and looked around. She’s just a couple of feet away from the library. The sign Closed hanging on its huge glass door is already in her sight.
Good morning, Sakura. I am already here. I live near the library. I will wait for you. Chaeyeon sent the message. She started looking out for an area where she can sit while waiting for Sakura. As there were no empty benches around, she decided to take a seat on the edge of the tree box.
A few heartbeats after, Chaeyeon’s phone vibrated. A couple of messages from Sakura.
I’m sorry. We are almost near.
The library is still closed, right? Have you eaten breakfast?
Chaeyeon started typing a reply but before she can even hit send, a voice called her name.
“Chaeyeon!”
Chaeyeon put her phone down and stood up, her head turning around to look for Sakura.
“Chaeyeon.” A hand grabbed Chaeyeon’s arms. It was Sakura, breathing heavily and her bangs in disarray. She looks like she ran from wherever she was from. “There is a café on the other side of the road. Let us eat breakfast first?”
The two of them started walking towards the café. Chaeyeon and Sakura were walking side by side. It was a little bit sunny, so Sakura pulled out her umbrella. It was when Chaeyeon realized that Sakura is a bit shorter than her. She initially thought they were of the same height but now, Sakura is struggling to extend her arms to make sure they covered by her umbrella.
Chaeyeon decided to get the umbrella from Sakura and be the one to hold it. Sakura smiled at her as a thank you.
They immediately went to the library after grabbing a breakfast of hash brown and fruit pancakes. Chaeyeon also drank an iced latte while Sakura preferred fresh orange juice. Apparently, Sakura doesn’t drink coffee at all which amuses Chaeyeon.
It has been an hour since the two of them decided to study on their own, agreeing to quiz each other afterwards. It has been an hour and Chaeyeon’s mind was already out of focus and was just watching Sakura through her peripheral vision.
Sakura laid out her review materials neatly. Her notebook lying on the table and her pencil case nearby. She even brought a bookstand for her textbook, and occasionally she watches tutorial videos or searches something with her iPad. There is also a water bottle beside her. It reminds Chaeyeon of the people who upload their study with me videos on YouTube.
“Are you finish?” Sakura asks.
“Ah,” Chaeyeon quickly adjusted her seat. “Just taking a break.”
Sakura put down the colored pen she was using and adjusted her seat as well, to a position more comfortable to her to face Chaeyeon. “Do you want me to ask you questions now?”
Sakura innocently blinked her eyes. It was too adorable that Chaeyeon thought her heart skipped a beat.
The two of them started quizzing each other. Sakura perfectly answers every question that Chaeyeon throw at her, as if she had memorized every bit of their lesson in Science while Chaeyeon got some questions wrong.
“Hmmm. You need to review more on photosynthesis, everything else is okay,” Sakura commented after she had quizzed Chaeyeon. Chaeyeon chewed on her bottom lip, embarrassed.
“I don’t like plants,” Chaeyeon murmurs, a little soft that Sakura was not able to catch her words. Sakura tilted her head, inquiring at Chaeyeon.
“I don’t like plants, and I won’t be using my knowledge on photosynthesis when I work, right?” Chaeyeon ranted. She looks at Sakura, waiting for the other girl to agree with her.
“Ganbare. Fighting!” Sakura even raised her two fists. Chaeyeon can’t helped but to chuckle, her heart thumping erratically inside her chest. “Plants are beautiful! I will teach you.”
Chaeyeon is a hundred percent sure that Sakura was not able to fully understand what she had said and just resorted with cheering. It was odd, really odd, but Chaeyeon still found it cute and amusing.
“Thank you, Sakura. In turn, I will do my best to teach you Korean.” Chaeyeon offered and Sakura nodded enthusiastically.
The two of them proceed to studying. Sakura went over the whole photosynthesis lesson to help Chaeyeon, trying her best to explain everything in Korean, while Chaeyeon squeezed some Korean language lessons and helping Sakura to read words in hangul. They did that for almost three hours, perfectly reviewing the whole coverage of their Science test. They dedicated the half of their day in the library in studying individually. Sakura even told Chaeyeon that she can review on other subjects if she’s done with Science.
At exactly seven o’clock in the evening, the two of them packed up and decided to leave the library. Chaeyeon offered to accompany Sakura while she waited for her driver to pick her up, and Sakura gladly accepted it.
When Chaeyeon got home and had eaten dinner, she proceeds to her bedroom to continue studying. She still has a couple of hours before her bedtime and she still have the energy to study.
While unpacking her stuff, a note fell from one of her notebooks. She picked it up and unfolded it. On the paper, she noticed a potted plant drawn on the edge. A wave of happiness immediately course through Chaeyeon as she read Sakura’s note, written in both Japanese and Korean characters: fighting!