Chapter Text
It’s February 14th. The date means absolutely nothing. It’s not a holiday. Not a birthday. It has no significant meaning. Just another day in the long list of days that spand the calendar.
“HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, HYE!”
So it was valentine’s day. Big deal.
“Thanks, Yerim.”
So what everyone else is excited? It’s not like Hyejoo has anyone special to spend the day with. She also doesn’t expect any gifts from anyone. So, she really has no reason to like this holiday. Plus, the couples at school use it as an excuse to make out in the hallways or hold hands. As sweet as the gestures are to everyone, it repulses Hyejoo more than anything.
“So, any plans today? I mean, besides staying home.”
“No.”
Hyejoo pushed past her friend. She wasn’t up for conversations in the hallway. Especially when there were couples everywhere, practically sucking the souls out of each other.
“Then you should come over! We could be single together~”
Yerim was a good person. Honest, smart, brave, even a little funny. She was a good friend, really. But, on days like these, where Hyejoo is extra miserable, she prefers the comfort of herself. Silence and all that. As unusual as it was, Hyejoo just couldn’t bare someone trying to cheer her up when she was clearly in a mood.
“Yeah, I’m going to pass on that.”
Yerim frowned. Though it was a typical response from Hyejoo.
“Why~” Yerim whined.
“Me and my pc have a date tonight. You know, road to challenger.”
Hyejoo couldn’t care about relationships. It would be nice to have one but she was content with one as well. Besides, if she hit challenger 5 tonight, then this valentine’s day wouldn’t completely suck.
“You’re such a loser sometimes,” Yerim huffed. She was clearly unamused by Hyejoo’s decision. “You would really rather play a shitty game then hang out with me? You’re best, most amazing, friend?”
“Yup,” Hyejoo responded dryly. She didn’t want to sound like an ass but she really would rather a good game of league then watch cheesy rom coms in Yerim’s room.
Yerim continued to pester Hyejoo about her choice of activities while they walked to her locker. She wouldn’t shut up so Hyejoo began zoning her out. As much as she loved Yerim, she could admit that the girl was too much sometimes. Especially for a low energy person such as herself.
“So then, I’m both her girlfriend and not her girlfriend if I never open up her text. Boom, schrödinger’s cat.”
“What are you on about?” Hyejoo asked, inputting her locker combination.
“Were you not listening?” Hyejoo shook her head, causing Yerim to let out a sigh. “I was saying that if I ask out my crush and never open the message she sends me afterwards, then, technically, I’m her girlfriend.”
“That’s stupid.”
“It’s not!”
She slammed the locker door open and just then, a little paper flitted out.
The paper was no bigger than her palm. It looked like an index card but the texture felt more like a cut sheet of loose leaf. It was poorly made which probably meant it was made last minute.
“Oh! Is that a little letter of love?” Yerim teased.
Hyejoo scratched the back of her neck. A habit she had when she was confused “Let’s find out.”
Dear Son Hyejoo,
Hello :3 You probably don’t know me well or maybe you don’t know me at all. I don’t know what it is about you but you have this sort of allure. Maybe it’s the triangular lips or your puffy cheeks. I think it’s both. Oh! Also your personality. That’s cute too :). Well, I hope this isn’t weird. It’s valentine’s day so I thought I’d finally fine the courage to talk to you. You probably have a thousand more letters but I hope you find mine. Hehe, I love you (At least I think so!) so please talk to me! We have chemistry together.
See you then,
Park Chaewon
Yerim spat out her water (when did she get that?) at the last line.
“Park Chaewon!?”
“I guess so... Why?”
Yerim almost fainted. It seemed this Chaewon was someone famous or something.
“She’s the most popular cheerleader at school! Hyejoo, a popular girl likes you!”
Hyejoo read over the letter. She had a hard time believing that someone who was so ‘popular’ would find her appealing.
“That’s cool.”
She stuffed the letter in her pocket, reaching into her locker to grab her books. Did she care about some popular girl liking her? No. Absolutely not. Sure she was surprised but she didn’t give a single fuck that someone popular liked her.
“That’s cool?!”
“Yup,” Hyejoo said, popping the p.
“God, you are weird!”
The first bell rang which meant Hyejoo had to get to her class. She thanked god that she had chemistry last period so she wouldn’t run into Chaewon for a least 5 hours. It would be awkward if the girl tried to talk to her or ask if she got the letter.
“Well, see you later, Yerim. Hope I’m not as weird by the time lunch rolls around.”
With that, Hyejoo sent off towards her geometry classroom. What a way to start off her day.
++
“Kim Hyunjin!”
It was the seventh time in ten minutes that someone called her name. Seven times in ten minutes. Being hot was the worst sometimes. Especially on a holiday such as valentine’s day. A holiday where everyone thinks they have a shot with an all star because no one could possibly reject someone on valentine’s day. Especially in the middle of a crowd.
“Kim Hyunjin, please go out with me.”
Hyunjin turned around, looking at the pathetic man in front of her. Not only had he had the audacity to ask her out but he also had the audacity to be a man.
“No. Stop asking me out.”
The boy looked so distraught. It’s almost like he thought being rejected on valentine’s day was nonexistent.
“Give me a chance! I’m a good guy. I swear!”
Hyunjin felt the need to bang her head on a hard surface. Maybe she’d get another concussion and have an excuse to not listen to another boy say something stupid.
“No,” Hyunjin growled. She was frustrated and frustration always comes out as anger. “Fuck off.”
The boy glared at Hyunjin now, completely flipping his facial expression. No longer was he a kicked puppy. He was now a pathetic caged tiger who thinks he could intimidate using his eyes. Oh how wrong he was.
“Fuck you, evil bitch.”
Hyunjin shrugged. “Cool.” She walked off, heading towards her locker and avoiding all looks that were aimed her way.
While on her walk to her locker, she bumped into her friend, Im Yeojin. She and her other friend, Jeon Heejin, were the only people who have successfully interacted with Hyunjin. She thinks it’s because they don’t flirt with her while her friends think it’s because they buy her food. Both answers are correct in their own fashion.
“So, how’s today going?”
“Horrible. Thanks for asking, though.”
Yeojin nodded. “Too many confessions?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
The younger laughed. She was aware of Hyunjin’s good looks, as everyone was, and always joked about how many confessions she gets. Once, Heejin called Hyunjin a church for a day since they get about the same amount of confessions. It was pretty funny up until Hyunjin punched Heejin in the chest. She knocked the wind out of her and everything.
“Any good ones? I bet it’s just men.”
“Oh, yeah. One girl and six men. I’m keeping count until the end of the day.”
“You’ll have to keep me updated then, Hyun.”
Hyunjin focused on putting in her locker combination, going silent for a couple of minutes before responding. “Of course, Jinnie. As long as you finally tell me about that girl you like.”
“Playing dirty, Hyun? I can’t believe you.”
Hyunjin’s locker opened up after a minute of prying. It usually got jammed because of Hyunjin’s sports bag but today it was something different. A lone piece of stationary was caught between the door and where it closed. It was a dark pink sheet of paper with tiny drawings along the side. The person who wrote it must’ve put a lot of effort into it.
“Wow. A letter. This has to be a girl then.”
Hyunjin laughed. “Maybe! I mean some men are literate so let’s see.”
Dear Kim Hyunjin,
My name is Jeon Heejin but you know me as your best friend. It should be no surprise that I’m writing you this letter. After all, I have loved you from the moment we became friends in the first grade. It just took me awhile to figure out my feelings I guess. I hope this doesn’t change our friendship. If you don’t like me then that’s fine but please don’t let it ruin me and you. No matter what, you’re still my best friend. Though, I hope you know I will be avoiding you all day since I wrote this.
Sorry for my feelings,
Heekie <3
“Wow.”
Hyunjin’s eyes were open in shock. Heejin liked her. What a fucking moment.
“I can’t believe Heejin likes you,” Yeojin said. She was breathless as she spoke. She couldn’t believe her friend’s feelings either.
“What do I even say?”
“I don’t know dude. That’s something I never thought I’d see.”
The pair looked at their other friends note. It was such a weird sheet of paper. Not because of it’s contents but because of who wrote it. It just didn’t seem real.
“I have to talk to her...”
“Duh.”
“Ok now is not the time for that.”
Hyunjin folded the paper neatly before gently putting it into her pocket. She didn’t really know what to think. Did she like Heejin too? She didn’t think so but maybe she did and she just doesn’t know what love feels like. Who even knows?
“Ah the bell’s about to ring. I’ll catch you at lunch,” Yeojin said, adjusting her bag on her shoulders. “Bye, Kim.”
Hyunjin waved. “See ya, Im.”
As soon as Yeojin left, the bell rang. Hyunjin quickly scattered to grab her books from her locker before or slamming it shut and racing towards her first class of the day.
History was going to be fun today. Especially since she had something to think about other than Ms. Paul’s drawls about politics.
++
“So then I locked the door and the girl started screaming so loud that the principal thought someone died!”
Hyejoo sighed. She needed better friends.
“So that’s why you have lunch detention?”
“Yes! But don’t worry! I have Yeojin in here with me so I have company~”
“Who will I sit with then, dumbass?”
“I don’t know! Make a new friend or something...”
Hyejoo hung up. Yerim was insufferable at times. Like the time she hung up a minion’s piñata at Hyejoo’s 10th birthday party. Hyejoo was incredibly scared of minions so imagine her reaction when she lifted the blindfold and saw one right in front of her.
While she walked down the isle in between tables, she scouted each one. She needed a good place to sit where she won’t have to have a discussion and she could just text Yerim the whole period. Maybe she could even annoy Heejin a little and ask how it went with Hyunjin.
Speaking of which, Hyejoo noticed her friend’s crush sitting alone, staring off into space. Hyejoo figured that was her best bet as she at least kinda knew Hyunjin. Well, just what Heejin told her.
“Hey, mind if I sit here?”
Hyunjin looked up from her intense stare at the linoleum tiles. She made eye contact with someone who she had barely ever seen and was curious as to why the girl wanted to sit near her. Maybe they had a class together or the girl was here to confess but at the moment, that didn’t matter. Hyunjin could use a friend especially since Yeojin had detention for a prank and Heejin had been too much of a coward to approach her.
“Nah. Sit down or whatever.”
Hyejoo smiled and took the sit adjacent from Hyunjin’s. She thought it would make them look more buddy buddy and less awkward silence.
While Hyejoo took her seat, placing her bag next to her, a call came through on her phone. She assumed it was Yerim so she groaned internally. She wasn’t expecting Heejin’s contact to pop up.
“Heej?”
Hyunjin’s ears immediately perked up.
“What’s up?”
“Where are you sitting right now? I’m trying to avoid Hyunjin and you and Yerim are not in your normal area.”
Hyejoo sighed.
“Yerim is in detention for pulling a prank with Yeojin. I’m sitting with Hyunjin, aka the person you are avoiding, so I suggest you find somewhere else to sit unless you just stop avoiding Hyunjin.”
Heejin laughed from the other side. “Me? Stop avoiding Hyunjin after confessing? No, I don’t think I will.”
“Ok, more Hyunjin for me then. I might just still your woman.”
Hyunjin snorted but covered it up quickly with a cough. Hyejoo shouldn’t know she’s peeping in on the conversation.
“Whatever, Hye. I’m going to sit with the cheerleaders since Chaewon actually entertains my thoughts of a healthy relationship with Hyunjin.”
“Well maybe if you stopped being a coward and talked to Hyunjin about your so called confession, you’d have that.”
Hyejoo hung up and shot a nasty glare at Heejin from across the lunchroom. Heejin noticed it and rolled her eyes. Hyejoo watched as Heejin sat down with the cheerleaders. While she was glaring at her friend, a blonde cheerleader raised from her seat and met Hyejoo’s eyes. She began walking over to Hyejoo who was confused as ever.
“Son Hyejoo!” A small, 10pt font esc voice called.
“Hi?”
“I’m Park Chaewon!”
The gears and Hyejoo’s head started moving causing Hyejoo to have a realization. This was going to be bad.
“Did you get my letter?” Chaewon asked.
Ok, so she was attractive. But, Hyejoo barely knew her! She knew more about Hyunjin then she knew about Chaewon. Still, Chaewon liked her. It was so strange.
Despite it’s oddity, Hyejoo didn’t feel the same way. She had to put it down before Chaewon got false hopes of being in a relationship with Hyejoo.
“Yeah, I got it.”
Hyejoo had to think fast. How would she dodge this one?
“Ah, hehe... What do you think?”
An idea culminated in her head right there and then. A genius idea at that. One that would surely get Chaewon away from Hyejoo.
“I’m sorry but we can’t date. I have someone already.”
She thought back to Yerim’s earlier words. The schrödinger’s cat. Technically, if Hyejoo said she had a girlfriend and no one knows who said girlfriend is, then no one can confirm or deny her relationship status. She was both taken and single as there was no way to prove or disprove her claim.
Hyejoo smiled. She’d have to thank Yerim later.
“Really?” Chaewon pouted. “Who is it?”
“She’s not out yet. Sorry.”
Chaewon brushed it off. “Don’t worry about that! I hope she finds a way to come out one day! She has my support.”
Hyejoo nodded. “Thanks.”
With that, Chaewon skipped away. She didn’t seem too heartbroken which left Hyejoo feeling satisfied. A crisis was averted.
“Wow. That was pretty slick.”
Hyejoo looked to Hyunjin who was looking at her with awestruck eyes. She must’ve knew Hyejoo was bluffing. Otherwise, her surprised wouldn’t make much sense.
“How’d you even do that so smoothly?”
“I’m a good liar. Plus, my friend brought up this paradox earlier. Schrödinger’s cat, you know? So I incorporated her ideas into my lies.”
Hyunjin smirked deviously. “That’s smart, Hyejoo. Might steal it from you.”
“Go ahead. I know you wanna let Heejin down easy.”
“Yeah. It’s just, I don’t feel it, you know?”
Hyejoo nodded. “I get it. My best friend Yerim confessed to me in my freshman year and I had to let her down easy by telling her my mom said I couldn’t date anyone until 16.”
“Also a nice one.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty good at getting girls off my back.”
At that moment, Hyunjin had an idea. With Hyejoo’s brilliance and her natural charm, Hyunjin could easily stop being an ass to get people away and just use her charms instead.
“This is going to sound weird but I need you to be my fake girlfriend for today.”
Hyejoo nodded. “For how much?”
“I’ll give you all the chocolates and candies I get from my valentine’s.”
“And teddy bears?”
Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. “Wha- I guess?”
“Ok,” Hyejoo smirked, extending her hand. “Deal.”
“Deal.”
With no evidence that disproves or proves the realness of Hyunjin and Hyejoo’s relationship, they were both girlfriends and not girlfriends. No one would know any better that they were just friends. Well, maybe Yerim but everyone else was fair game.
Now this was a valentine’s day Hyejoo and Hyunjin were interested in.