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She's staring at her again. Across the quadrangle, under the tree, sitting on the picnic bench with Chaeryeong and Ryujin, laughing like they're the best of friends. Yeji hates it - no, hate is too strong of a word. She dislikes the idea of this new girl from Canada. She didn't finish freshman year in Canada, apparently. Her parents sent her back to Korea to continue her studies. For all Yeji knows, Miss Canadia did something sketchy to be sent back home. No one transfers so suddenly like that.
Her piercing eyes dart between her two friends and Miss Canadia and it irritates her when she catches her eye and she smiles - a smile too friendly, it's suspicious - and she scoffs. A girl with a sweet smile and eyes that form into little crescents cannot be trusted. She walks the other way, ignoring Chaeryeong's calls and Ryujin's frantic waving.
In the middle of Ryujin and Chaeryeong's unsuccessful calls, Lia, yes Miss Canadia has a name, slumps in her seat and sighs.
"She hates me," she proclaims, frowning. It's only been two months since she transferred and all she got from Yeji were icy stares and a face she can't paint.
"No...Lia unnie!" Chaeryeong answers, voice seemingly unsure. "She's just...introverted."
"Yeah, she's nice...I promise." Ryujin adds. She side eyes Chaeryeong and they both look at each other, as if telepathically speaking that they're screwed for saying a white lie because they don't know how Yeji actually feels about the new friend.
But Lia isn't dumb nor is she blind. She just wants some sort of reassurance that no, Yeji doesn't hate her. She hasn't done anything to be hated at all!
So, she devises a plan.
At the library where Yeji usually spends her time to do her readings, Lia sits in front of her, smiling.
"Hi."
Yeji is annoyed. She shuts her book, loudly, shoves her things in her bag, gets up too intensely that the chair screeches, ultimately disrupting the silence in the library, and walks away.
Lia runs after her but Yeji only walks faster, weaving through the aisles like a corn maze until she meets a dead end. Lia smirks. Yeji has nowhere to go.
"You hate me. Why?"
"I don't." Yeji whispers aggressively, gritting her teeth.
"Sure. If looks could kill, I would be dead by now." Lia snorts. "You hate me."
You can tell by the way Yeji's eyes slit into an even sharper glare that she's pissed off and want nothing more than to get out of the stupid confrontation.
"I already told you, I don't!"
"Then what's with the glare? Why ignore me?" Lia pushes on with the questions, unrelenting. "Did I do something to offend you?"
"I don't trust you."
"What? Why?"
"I just don't."
"There must be a reason why," Lia eyes her, now annoyed at Yeji's petty reason. She doesn't even know her and yet she's judging her?
"Why are you so adamant that I tell you?" Yeji retorts. Lia is unmoving. "Fine. I don't trust you because you came out of nowhere in the middle of the semester. You're sketchy to me."
"Excuse me? You don't even know me." Lia is dumbfounded. Can Yeji be any more petty?
"Exactly. I'd like to keep it that way."
"No, let's change that." Lia huffs. She stands firmly in front of Yeji, arms crossed across her chest and stares at her with finality. "Go out with me. You're going to love me."
"What the hell? No way." Yeji attempts to walk past her but Lia blocks her way. "Get out of my way."
"Why? You scared you might like me?" Lia taunts, lips curling into a devilish grin.
"In your dreams. Now, move!" Yeji almost growls at Lia and pushes again but to no avail. For a small girl, Lia is quite strong.
"No. Go out with me for the whole day and if you still don't like me by the end of the day, I'll stop bothering you." Lia counters.
"Why are you so keen on making me like you?"
"I'll even stop spending time with Chaeryeong and Ryujin." She throws Yeji a bait. Lia knows - no, she's sure she'll win Yeji.
Yeji looks at her, sharp eyes sweeping past the entirety of Lia's face. If she wasn't so suspicious of her, she would find Lia attractive. But she is, so she dislikes even the way Lia purses her lips in anger.
"Fine."
A smile slowly creeps on Lia's face and she fishes her phone out of her bag.
"Give me your number. I'll text you the details."
"Go karting?" Yeji asks raising her eyebrows at Lia's questionable choice.
"Yes. I did some research on you, Yeji, and found out you don't go out often. So, I'm showing you the world of fun!" Lia announces throwing her hands in the air. Yeji only sighs.
"Prepare to unfriend my friends."
"We'll see about that."
If there's one thing Yeji doesn't like, it's to be proven wrong. And so far, Lia is proving her wrong. She's having fun...just a little bit.
Chaeryeong is right, she is introverted. She doesn't like going out. To her, fun is staying inside with her dogs and watching dramas. However, she didn't expect the thrill she got from driving a go kart recklessly.
Adrenaline surges inside her that when they finish their lap, she asks Lia to go again. Lia is not surprised. She knew this was going to happen.
So they go again. And again. And again.
"Do you like me yet?" Lia teases when Yeji finally decides she's had enough driving. Yeji doesn't respond. She only places the helmet on the rack and walks away quickly because she doesn't want Lia to see her face beaming with so much joy. No way.
"You will like me, Yeji!" Lia calls out, laughing as she trails behind Yeji.
"Can you hurry up? I'm hungry."
Lia brings Yeji to a chocolate factory. Judging by the way Yeji's eyes go wide and her nostrils flare at the smell of chocolate, it's safe to say that Lia has won her over. Maybe.
"You can grab anything you want here. They weigh it and then you pay for it." Lia explains. "But of course, it's my treat." She grins at Yeji and it takes all of Yeji not to dash towards the first pail full of chocolate.
She doesn't want to admit it but Yeji is impressed that Lia knows her weakness. She must have done her research well, a.k.a Chaeryeong and Ryujin.
Yeji is surprised when Lia hands her a white chocolate bar with nougat.
"It's your favourite right?" She only nods, face stoic as if she's not dancing on the inside. Again, she doesn't want to give Lia the satisfaction that she's enjoying herself. So very much.
Three things Yeji discovers about Lia: one, she's relentless. She does not stop until she gets what she wants. Two, she's chatty. Currently in the car to their next stop, Lia chats Yeji's ear off about her life in Canada. Yeji is surprised that she's not complaining or making any rude comments. But maybe it's because of number three, Lia's laughter is infectious.
Lia is telling a story about the time she fell in a hole because it was covered by snow and she's laughing uncontrollably. It rings inside the whole car and her laughter is so contagious that Yeji gives up from gritting her teeth and laughs with her. She covers her mouth and turns to the side hiding her enjoyment. But her shoulders shake and next thing you know, Lia is poking her at the sides.
"If I didn't know any better, you're enjoying my company." Lia teases again
"Shut up." No, Yeji will not admit it.
"Come on, Yeji. Let's not lie. Your face is red from laughing and for the first time ever, you're not glaring at me." Lia declares, shooting her a smile. "It's not a crime."
"Just...whatever. Eyes on the road, Lia." Yeji huffs.
"Oh? That's the first time you said my name ever! We're making progress, people!"
Yeji only mutters in her seat and looks out the window. She tries so hard to frown but Lia's laughter is still ringing in her ears that she can't help but smile.
Unbeknownst to her, Lia catches it.
"What are we doing here?"
They're at a pub. Lia leads Yeji to the back and goes outside the patio where a stage is set up for an open mic night.
"We did stuff you like, now, we're doing something I like." Lia winks at her before ushering Yeji to their table. They order their food and soon the band plays, calling for volunteers to sing.
Lia stands up. Yeji is about to protest and tell her not to leave her alone but Lia only smiles and says, "just watch" before stalking towards the stage and grabbing the mic.
Yeji discovers a fourth thing about Lia: her voice makes her melt.
The whole time Lia sings with the spotlight on her, Yeji's mouth is agape. She actually has to look away from time to time because she's blushing? And it doesn't help that everytime Lia sings "all the pretty girls in the world," she would point at Yeji and wink at her. So, Yeji bows her head, face heating up at the attention.
When Lia finishes and goes back to their table, Yeji whispers a compliment.
"What? I didn't hear you." Lia cups her ear and leans closer to Yeji, acting as if she didn't hear her. "Say that again?"
"I said, you're good." Yeji bites her lip and looks at Lia in total admiration.
"I know." Lia laughs. Yeji sighs and shakes her head and goes back to nursing her bottle of coke.
Lia stops in front of Yeji's house, putting the car in park. She's flushed from all the singing she did and the talking, too. She talked Yeji's ear off again. Yeji didn't mind, of course.
"So, what's the verdict, Yeji?" Lia asks, unbuckling her seatbelt and turning her whole body towards Yeji's direction. "Did you have fun or did you have fun?"
Yeji is quiet. She's contemplating whether she should give in or not. She leans back in her seat and turns her head towards Lia who's smiling so sweetly at her and she decides that she lost.
"Fine. I had fun." Yeji's shoulders slack. She unbuckles her seatbelt too and faces Lia, arm resting on her head. "You win. You can still be friends with Chaeryeong and Ryujin."
Lia does a mini dance which makes the car shake a little and she giggles.
"And you too, right?" Lia asks.
"Hm?"
"You're my friend now. I got you to like me."
"Hm, wasn't the deal to make me love you?" Lia raises her eyebrow at this and she smirks at Yeji knowing where this conversation is going. "I don't love you."
"Not yet." Lia leans across the centre console and brings herself closer to Yeji. "But I'll take that challenge, Yeji." Yeji is surprised and leans away but Lia only reaches to open the door. Her heart is racing and she swears Lia can see the beads of sweat that's forming on her forehead. "Good night, Yeji."
Yeji stammers a "good night" before exiting the car and closing the door.
Yeji doesn't like to be proven wrong but this time, she wants to be proven wrong again and again.