Chapter Text
Everyone has a side of themselves they don’t want others to see.
Haseul knows.
She is ‘everyone’.
“Morning Seul.” Jinsol greeted, sliding into the seat in front of Haseul. Haseul doesn't know why Jinsol still greets her, they literally walked together to school this morning and the dark blue haired girl just went to go grab some banana milk from the vending machine.
But nonetheless, the brunette just nods along and greets her as well. “Morning.”
“Sooo-“
“Yes, I did the translations for English.” Haseul said.
She knew her friend, benefits of being childhood friends for as long as Haseul could remember. Jinsol sucked at anything that wasn’t math or science. She was that kind of nerd. Endearing and attractive, but also still a nerd.
“Ohmygod thank you!” Jinsol clapped her hands together in relief. “You are a literal god.”
Haseul chuckled, taking out her notebook and a pencil and eraser for Jinsol to write.
This has always been their kind of dynamic since childhood. Although Sooyoung would join in too, but Haseul guesses she’s busy with her girlfriend Jiwoo somewhere. She did leave them the moment they entered the school.
Haseul hands over the materials and Jinsol gets to writing immediately. She’s a quick writer, always has been. But it is at the expense of her handwriting's quality.
“Oh yeah.”
Jinsol looks up after a bit. “A friend of mine thought you were cute, he asked what your number was.”
Jinsol already knows the answer.
Haseul was popular, pretty, and smart. Guys and girls flocked to her but she never had any interest in any of them. They just weren’t her type. If she even had one. She knew she was lesbian, heck Sooyoung knew before her. She was the one who noticed Haseul never really being attracted to guys, plus the brunette doesn't think she could ever live down admitting to thinking that a substitute teacher they had once was hot.
But anyway, she has yet to find her ‘girl’ as her burgundy haired friend would say.
“Nah.” Haseul said absentmindedly. She placed her elbow on the desk, leaning against it. Her elbow nudged the eraser and it fell off the desk. “You already know why.”
“Of course.” Jinsol grinned. “Ms. Student Pres’ is hella gay.”
God, were her friends weird.
“Haseul-ssi.”
Haseul raised an eyebrow at the gentle voice that had called out to her.
Wong Kahei.
She was a Chinese student who had moved to Seoul sometime in junior high, probably around first year of junior high, she was rather fluent in Korean, barely slipping up. Haseul doesn’t recall seeing her in junior high so they must’ve gone to different schools.
Kahei always had a downcast look staring at the ground. Tucking herself away as much as possible as to be invisible. Haseul always wondered why.
“You dropped your eraser.” She held it out carefully.
Haseul blinked. “Ah- thanks.”
She and Jinsol watched as Kahei walked away.
There was always some kind of gloom that followed her.
“Hm.. Kahei-ssi’s kinda cute.” Jinsol mused. “That is if you get past that gloomy and dark vibe.”
Haseul raised an eyebrow at her dark blue haired friend, but nonetheless Jinsol to dropped the topic and instead shrugs to herself before jumping to another topic.
“Eh, nevermind her. A mystery for another time, I’m going to karaoke with Sooyoung and the girls, wanna come?”
Haseul pursed her lips as if she were actually thinking about it.
No matter what the answer would be no. She had too many things to do at home. From cleaning to picking up her younger sister. There wasn’t just any time in her schedule to do anything with her friends after school.
“Ah, no thanks.”
Jinsol let out a sigh, she knows about the things Haseul has to give up just to take care of her younger sister, why wouldn't she?
“Offer still stands, Seul, ‘kay?”
--
That’s how Haseul thinks things are.
After all, she’s the same.
She has a side of herself she doesn’t want anyone to see.
Only Sooyoung and Jinsol know of this side of hers.
Either way, after quickly waving goodbye to her friends after Sooyoung asked how Yeojin was, Haseul heads straight home.
She ties her hair up into a ponytail and immediately gets to vacuum cleaning and wiping the windows. It isn’t too long until she’s done and when she glances over at her phone’s time, it’s about time that she’s gotta pick up her younger sister from school.
Since she was young her mom's always been been busy. Work always kept her away from them, but she had to support them somehow. She doesn't mind, though, once you get used to it, you get used to it. It’s her responsibility to take care of Yeojin, so there isn’t much time to hang with friends after school.
And Haseul loves Yeojin more than anything.
“Unnie!”
Although this is a side of herself she doesn’t want anyone else but her childhood friends to see.
And that’s what her daily routine was.
That is until one fateful day.
Just as she’s folding laundry she hears Yeojin call out to her. Although the little girl’s nose sounds rather stuffy.
Allergies?
She doesn't think Yeojin is allergic anything, though? The docter didn't say anything about it. The brunette looked past her couch towards the doorway.
“Unniiiiie.”
“Welcome back Yeo-”
There was blood that dripped from Yeojin’s nose.
“YEOJINNN??! WHAT DID YOU DO???”
She immediately jumped up from her spot on the floor and grabbed a paper towel and got to wiping Yeojin’s nose. She didn't notice the person that was holding Yeojin’s hand in her panic.
“I fell.” Yeojin told her.
“How??!”
The person beside Yeojin clears their throat.
“Uhm.. excuse me?”
Haseul looked up at the person and choked.
Because god was this girl pretty.
The girl before Haseul had long black hair and a lot of piercings from what Haseul can see. She’s counting about four on the left ear as her hair was pulled back by hair clips there. The girl was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and some shorts, a simple outfit, but damn did she make it look good.
Ah shit.
Haseul came to the dawning realization she completely ignored this girl in her panic to get to Yeojin.
“It looks like she’s okay, so I’ll get going now.” The girl said, rubbing her neck.
“Uh- I think we’ve caused you some trouble so..”
The girl gave a slight smile and shook her head.
“Ah, not at all, I’ll just see myself out.”
The black haired girl promptly turned around to leave, but before she could take a step towards the door, Yeojin tugged at the hem of her sweater. She wore a pout as she tugged at the stranger.
“Unnie.. stayyy.”
The girl blinked. “Huh- uh well, but-”
“No!” Haseul spoke before immediately correcting herself. “I mean- please come in! I’d like to thank you anyway, please stay for a bit.”
The girl looked puzzled for a second but nonetheless nodded and slipped off her shoes before entering the living room with Yeojin and Haseul.
Haseul quickly prepared tea for her and this pretty stranger. While she was doing that, it seemed that Yeojin really had taken a liking to her. Haseul wonders why. Well then again, this girl really does have some kind of gentle and kind aura that makes it hard for her not to be likable.
“Sorry for the trouble.” The girl said once again as Haseul set a cup of tea before her.
“No, not at all.” Haseul answered, waving her off. “Thank you for bringing my sister home.” She glanced over at Yeojin who was blissfully scribbling in some coloring books. A paper towel was jammed up her nose to stop her from bleeding everywhere. “What happened anyway?”
“I think she was chasing some frogs and tripped on a crack in the sidewalk or something and fell down.” She explained. “And I was right there so.. I helped her.”
Haseul chuckled.
That really is something that Yeojin would totally do.
God that girl and her adoration for frogs.
“Yeojin-ah.. she’s a sharp kid.” The girl says.
“No, not really.” Haseul chuckled lightly. “She’s so reckless, I kinda don’t know what to do with her.”
The girl hummed in thought for a second. She glances around the house. “Though.. it’s pretty amazing you run the house by yourself, Haseul-ssi.”
“Oh- no, not at all-
Wait.
“WHA-”
The girl gave her a blank stare.
“Hm? What’s wrong, Haseul-ssi?”
Haseul had a whole malfunction.
Did she know this girl? If so, who is she? Does she go to Seoul High? Assumingly if she knew who Haseul was just by face. But Haseul does not recognize this girl at all. Is she a second year? First? But the way she holds herself seems like she's around Haseul's age.
“I- ah- wha.. do.. do you go to my school?”
Was all that Haseul could get out.
The girl raised an eyebrow at Haseul.
“What’re you talking about? It’s me, Kahei. We’re in the same class.”
Hah?!
This is Wong Kahei?
The normally gloom and aloof girl that sits by the window in class? The one who doesn’t really talk to others and prefers to keep to herself and totally does not look like she’d have all these piercings?
She’s Wong Kahei??
--
Sooyoung poked Haseul’s head with her pencil's eraser.
“What’s up with her?” She looked over at Jinsol. “You do something?”
“No? But she looks like she’s in despair.” Jinsol pointed out.
Because Jinsol, Haseul is in despair.
The brunette eyes trailed back to Kahei, was the girl she saw yesterday really her? She still can’t believe it, but more worse than anything..
Kahei saw her without makeup!!
Haseul let out a loud wail.
“Yeahh.. she’s not okay.”
Jinsol grimaced. “What happened? Yeojin brought home like ten frogs?”
Honestly, that’s probably better than her meeting Kahei outside of school, when she’s living on the other side that she doesn’t want others to see. Because at least she can get rid of the frogs, she can't really get rid of Kahei's memory.
But nonetheless, for Yeojin, Haseul has to talk to Kahei.
So keeping her sister’s wish (not her’s, very much not her’s) in mind, she stands up and walks over to Kahei.
“Is Seul making a move on Kahei-ssi?” Sooyoung whispered to Jinsol, surprised that Haseul is going over to the black haired girl.
“Maybe.” Jinsol shrugged.
“Kahei-ssi.” Haseul called out.
Kahei looked up from her book and at Haseul with a raised eyebrow.
“Do you have a second?
Kahei blinked. “Wait- really?”
Haseul nodded.
Kahei’s kinda like a puppy, she notes.
“I can come over and hang out again?”
But before she gets any ideas.
That Haseul is not getting by the way!!
“Not with me! It’s for Yeojin!” Haseul quickly added.
Smooth work.
“She keeps saying she wants to see that ‘pretty unnie’ again.” Haseul says with a sigh. She agrees with her sister’s words, calling Kahei pretty. Because now that Haseul’s really looking at Kahei, she is pretty. But not the point here.
“Oh, in that case I’ll buy her a book about frogs or something.” Kahei smiled.
“No need! Don’t spoil her, she’s already a handful.” Haseul jokes.
Kahei stayed silent as Haseul rambled on, seemingly in deep thought about something.
“It's surprising."
“What is?” Haseul raised an eyebrow.
“Just..” Kahei trailed off. “You coming to talk to me.”
Haseul blinked. “Why would it be?”
“I-”
Haseul going out of her way to talk to Kahei meant more to the black haired girl than Haseul could’ve even imagined. It was something that barely anyone had done at her nearly three years at Seoul High School. And even if it was because of Yeojin, Kahei couldn’t help but feel a littlehappy.
“Also..” Haseul stared at Kahei and the latter could feel herself tense up slightly. “You should really wear your hair like that more often, you looked pretty. And ditch the glasses.”
Kahei blinked.
Her?
Pretty?
She doesn’t comment on it, but the compliment means the world to her.
“Ah.. but my piercings would show.” Kahei said, moving her hair a bit out of the way to show her piercings.
“How many do you have?” Haseul asked, raising an eyebrow.
“..Eight?” Kahei said, a little unsure. “Four in each ear, I think?”
“That’s a bit too many if you ask me.”
--
Anyway, ever since Kahei started coming over more often, she’s learned a lot of a few things from and about the girl.
One, she prefers to be called Vivi by friends.
“Ah, by the way, you can just call me Vivi. We’re friends after all, right?”
And Haseul guesses that is the status that they’ve reached.
Two, her family runs a bakery.
Which is pretty nice considering that sometimes she’ll randomly bring cake for them and Yeojin.
“I got cake!”
Three, she used a safety pin to make herself piercings back in junior high school.
“Yeah, it really hurt when I made them.”
That Haseul wonders why.
And, she’s pretty proficient in her grades. Her Korean, isn't as good as her history grade. It’s passing, but it’s not anything to revere. But it kind of makes sense. She’s a foreigner. Though, she’s been living in Korea since junior high.
“Haven’t you been living here for a while?” Haseul asked as she stared at Vivi’s Korean grade papers.
“Speaking is much easier than writing.” Vivi answered simply.
Yeojin nodded up and down to agree with the older girl. Haseul sighed, man these two were going to be the end of her. They were like partners in crime, teaming up against Haseul often.
“Ah, by the way.” Vivi said, looking up from her papers. “I ran into someone from school on the way here.”
Haseul tilted her head a bit.
For some reason, there was this little twinge in her heart.
It was odd.
“Classmate?” Haseul asked.
“Yeah, uhh I think her name was something like Kim Aeri? Dunno, but I didn’t talk to her.” Vivi said, trying her best to recall the name.
Something felt weird.
Just something about people from school meeting Vivi looking like how she is now, was weird to Haseul. Like she didn’t want others to see this side of her. And as selfish as it sounds, Haseul did feel that way for some reason.
What in the world is she thinking?
Well more like.. what is Vivi doing to her?
Everyone has a side of themselves they don’t show to others.
“Hm? Haseul you look a little red.” Vivi reached over and touched the brunette’s forehead with the back of her hand. “Are you okay?
Haseul and Vivi may have stumbled into each other’s sides by chance, but..
“I’m fine! Just peachy!!” Haseul exclaimed, jumping back.
They ended up sharing time reserved for themselves only..
“Unnie, what’s peachy?”
With each other.