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It never occurred to Mina’s mind that one day she would be suffering in vain. She was in deep pain right now, right in the ass. Thanks to the person who caused this; Im Nayeon, a senior, like her, she had to tutor so she could get that dratted recommendation from the headmaster for the university she wanted to get in.
Nayeon was nowhere to be found in the manor, the maids were helping her find the stupid brat. Mina had been assigned to help Nayeon graduate, her father was a close friend of the headmaster. Nayeon shouldn’t flunk.
Mina checked her watch and that’s it. She called the maid and asked for her car to be pulled out already. The old woman repeatedly apologized as she opened the car door for Mina. “I’m really sorry about Miss Im’s behavior today, young Miss.” Mina didn’t reply as she closed the door and nodded at her driver to leave the Im’s estate. She dialed her phone and sighed when Sana immediately answered.
“How is it?” Sana’s excited tone exhausted Mina more.
“It was a disaster.”
---
Nayeon was having the time of her life as she watched Mina leave. Nayeon watched them closely as she sipped her jello drink. Her smile of victory became a grin when she saw the car slowly moving out of their estate. “I won!”
She was startled when the doors burst open with her nanny sternly looking at her. “No, you certainly didn’t, young lady!” Uh oh.
Nayeon’s slouched figure with eyes too droopy as they were about to drop off their sockets while she played with her vegetables during dinner indicated that she was sick of hearing the same conversation all over again. She was already full with her father’s sermon right after her nanny reprimanded her about escaping her tutor. It was not her fault, that Myoui girl was a snob.
“-embarrassing to think that she only complied with what I had requested of the headmaster! And for god’s sake Nayeon, you chose to mess with a Myoui!”
Nayeon tried to suppress a yawn and resisted propping her elbow on the dining table for it was disrespectful and totally unlady-like but this conversation was getting repetitive. “What about them, dad?”
The sudden cluttering of her father’s utensils drew Nayeon’s attention and saw him wiping his mouth and taking a deep breath. Oh dear, this is going to be a long night .
Nayeon was in her room, hands hovering over her phone’s screen to touch the call button beside Mina’s name. Her father explained to her throughout dinner, yes, even during dessert, the importance of keeping their reputation clean in front of everyone, especially the Myouis for they could be a key ally or a major rival in their business.
“We must make a good rep to them, you should set a good honor on our name. For you’re the future of the company and they are a prospect business partner. We need them, we might need them so please, Nayeon. Besides, the headmaster told me that you might not be able to graduate at this rate.”
Ugh, in Nayeon’s defense, she was not dumb as what the populace thought she was. She’s known as a rich, bratty kid, served with a golden spoon who was taking her education for granted because she was rich enough. Well, to be fair, those were all somehow true, so she couldn’t contest them but she’s not dumb to the point she wouldn’t make it past high school. She closed her phone and delved into her bed, yawning on her pillows. She’ll just talk to Mina tomorrow.
Mina arrived at school early and was arranging her books on her locker when she felt a presence behind her door, there she saw Nayeon smiling sheepishly. “Good morning, Mina.”
She loudly closed her locker and turned around. Nayeon followed and cornered her, offering a box of sweets. “Look, sorry for last weekend. I promise, I’ll be a good girl for today’s session.”
This made Mina’s brows raise. “What session?” Nayeon smiled brightly and shoved the box into Mina’s hands. Apparently, they have a scheduled tutoring today, after class. She couldn’t protest because Nayeon was already running away. Great.
Just the thought of meeting Nayeon after class was causing Mina to dread for the whole day already. She’s in dire need of divine intervention to delay her agony no more and get this over with. She released a very deep sigh and slumped on her table. “Wow, that was so deep. Damn.” Sana teased and sat beside her, setting her full tray. The lunch was not enough for Sana to get filled in about her tutoring session after class.
Nayeon was clearly uninterested in everything Mina was saying in the past fifteen minutes. She was not even checking her notes, resting her head on her palm, Nayeon was dozing off. Mina nudged her arm and Nayeon’s face fell flat on the table. This Friday afternoon was not productive at all, just like their previous three sessions, Mina was not even sure if Nayeon listened to the surface deep philosophical discussion they had.
The school grounds were almost devoid of students. The jocks were still running around the field, but the halls were already empty. Mina was already leaving, ignoring Nayeon’s loud calls.
Mina didn’t know what happened, she just found herself running behind Nayeon as the latter pulled her. “Where are we going?” Mina panted as she tried to catch up. Nayeon for sure could run. “I’m treating you to the best ice cream.” Nayeon ran even faster and Mina’s running out of breath. They didn’t run off somewhere far, but Mina was not athletic and her stamina of a koala was not helping at all.
They stopped by the nearest convenience store. Mina was beyond underwhelmed. “I don’t think a convenience store sells good ice cream.” Nayeon pushed the glass door open and snickered. “Non sequitur. That’s bad.”
Mina was dumbfounded. Nayeon was listening after all. She remained standing near the entrance and watched Nayeon walk further into the small store. She had always wondered why Nayeon was struggling (according to the head master), whenever Sana talked about Nayeon, she had nothing but praises for the girl.
They were sitting at the tables just outside the tiny convenience store. Nayeon was excitedly unwrapping the ice cream. To be quite honest, Mina hadn’t tried eating any convenience store food. But seeing Nayeon’s anticipation, maybe she could risk a try on eating at least one cone of her tutor's “best ice cream”.
Nayeon shoved a cone in Mina’s face and smiled. “Eat it before it melts.”
Mina hesitantly accepted and was inspecting it before biting. Well it was not that bad. Only to see Nayeon’s scrunched face. “Who the hell bites their ice cream?”
Ignoring her rather offensive comment, Mina tried reading the label of her ice cream. “This does not taste like mango at all.” Nayeon unconsciously offered hers to Mina, of which the latter looked at the cone in front of her in so much confusion. “Mine’s a rocky road, try it.”
Oh. Right taste it. No big deal.
Mina, albeit hesitant, took a small bite from Nayeon’s ice cream and well it wasn’t so bad. “At least this one tasted just like what the label says.”
“Then try some more.” Nayeon shoved it closer to her face, just when Mina was about to have her second bite, the devil tilted her cone and it touched her nose. Mina groaned and she watched Nayeon laughing and running away like her silly self. Maybe she could ignore the fact that they just shared an indirect kiss.
---
“I told you to take notes during class. I can’t just always lend you mine.” Mina scolded Nayeon when the other girl told her she does not have any notes at all. They were walking towards the library now, which was getting more crowded than usual since the prelims were upcoming.
Mina found an empty table and started setting her books and notes while Nayeon sat in front of her, shuffling through Mina’s notes, waiting. She rummaged through her notes to see where they should start today when someone hovered on their table.
“Nayeon? God, it’s really you!” It was Jihyo, whispering loudly and couldn’t believe that Nayeon was inside the library not to sleep but to study.
“Yeah it’s me. Go away, my tutor is strict.” Nayeon pointed at Mina. Jihyo beamed at Mina and gave her a not so subtle warning about her friend. Well, that was a little late if you’ll ask her. “Mina, I hope you’re patient enough not to stab her.”
As usual, Mina was diligently teaching Nayeon while the brat was totally uninterested and was not even listening to her. It’d be like that. But reading Nayeon’s papers and quizzes, it seemed like she was really getting something in their sessions. Marking thirty minutes into their tutoring, the chair beside Mina moved and Sana appeared with her own very notes.
“Mind if I sit with you guys?” Nayeon, who was leaning on her propped elbow, just shrugged. However, Mina usually hated it when someone sat in with them while studying. Apparently, it’s distracting and it feels cramped.
“What are you doing here? I’m busy.” Sana just winked and opened her own notes. Mina squinted her eyes and was about to interrogate her best friend when Nayeon cleared her throat and sat up straight.
“Where were we, Mina?” Nayeon was suddenly focused and determined to study. Mina continued and stepped on Sana’s foot when she started giggling. It shouldn’t be a problem that her best friend decided to study with them while Mina was busy tutoring Nayeon, but it became one. Initially, Sana was studying for a different subject but she started asking Mina questions about it that interrupted her session with Nayeon.
“Can’t you see? She’s tutoring me!” Nayeon was annoyed now. And Sana’s smiling face was not helpful at all. “Can’t I ask my best friend about this?” Mina rubbed her temples as the librarian rather harshly shook her bell and glared at their table.
Sighing deeply, she proposed that they just do collaboration. Three heads were better than one anyway. It went smoothly, although Nayeon was glaring at Sana all the time but at least, they were civil. It was working until it was time to go home.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Let’s go home together.”
Nayeon and Sana simultaneously offered. Mina rolled her eyes and ignored the two, texting her driver. Nayeon’s scrunched face made Sana laugh loudly as they walked through the empty halls. “You’re going home with her?”
Walking down the stairs was never this stressful. “Yes, why not? I even slept over at her house.” Nayeon stopped walking and held onto the banisters. “You sleep in her house?!”
Sana smugly smiled and whispered. “Yes. In her house, in one room and in one bed. Jealous?” Nayeon did a double take, blinking quickly, stance getting defensive: scoffing while crossing her arms with obvious discomfort. “O-of course,” Nayeon coughed and cleared her throat. “not.” Sana ran with her annoying giggles echoing through the hall, catching up with Mina a few steps ahead of them.
Since the two of them continued bickering on who should Mina go home with, Nayeon ended up taking Sana in her ride and driving her home. “Not bad right? Now shoot me any questions about Mitang.” Sana wiggled her brow and grinned at Nayeon.
The latter endured a whole ride of Sana talking and randomly recollected stories of her adventures with Mina. Which was basically Sana pestering Mina, like she did with Nayeon. But Nayeon gathered that Mina has a dog named Ray and he’s pretty old. She liked doodling penguins and believed she looked like them, Mina hated having the same clothes as others so she always bought special editions and she loved playing games.
Not that anything Sana said mattered anyway.
---
Nayeon placed her hand on each of her ears as tightly as she could to save her eardrums from breaking caused by Jihyo’s screaming directly at her after asking if she had any notes for their math class. She grimaced when Jihyo screamed even louder when she saw Nayeon’s notebook that used to be void of any writings (she keeps them for aesthetic purposes) now filled with notes. “Wow, so you’re really doing this huh?” Jihyo scanned through her notebook in disbelief.
“What daddy wants, daddy gets.” Nayeon lied down on the bench and squinted when the sun hit her face. Jihyo was still muttering on the other side of the table and Nayeon could very much use a little reset and maybe also a little silence from her friend.
The sun was out and about but it was not that hot, it was actually a bit cloudy but the sun could still be very much blinding. Her right hand reached for its translucence. Her fingertips moved as if they were so close to touching it. Nayeon smiled at the mere thought of the sun, whose brightness shot through the gap of her fingers, was miles away and so tiny to look at. She was basking in the sun’s warmth when a figure covered her from it with both hands on their waist.
Nayeon removed her hand and saw Mina glowing like there was some kind of halo behind her. She was lost at words and Nayeon couldn’t hear anything other than the wind’s gentle breaths against the trees’ leaves rustling down the ground, drowning what the girl was talking about.
Nayeon blinked multiple times and watched Mina’s lips move in awe. That mole near her lips, I want to touch. She slowly rose from the bench and just stared at the other girl, still rendered speechless. “Were you even listening to me, Nayeon?”
“No.” She absentmindedly replied, mesmerized with Mina’s beauty. Has she been this beautiful? Since then? If she was then Nayeon hadn’t been paying attention. She slowly stood and inched closer. Now there’s more moles? One just right above her lips, two on the bridge of her nose, oh there’s one on her forehead too?
“What are you doing?” Nayeon was startled like someone burst her protection bubble. She stared at Mina’s right hand firmly holding hers which, by the way, was raised in the air, dangerously near Mina’s face. Myoui’s right, w hat the hell is she doing?!
Nayeon quickly retracted her hand and looked away. Hiding both hands behind her before they could do something bad again. Nayeon risked a glance and saw Myoui was glaring at her. Sana laughed watching the whole scene unfold before her. Nayeon turned to Mina’s best friend who was clapping her hands coyly beside Mina and yes, she hadn’t noticed.
“Wow, that was… bravo. Very cliche but endear- aw!” Sana touched her side after Mina pinched it and not so subtly gave her the ‘eye’: Mina’s eyes widened and her brows rose, with her lips close to sneering, directly translating to “shut the fuck up and don’t say anything more shitty.” However, Nayeon was not quite sure if Miss goody-two shoes Myoui even spoke profanities.
Mina cleared her throat and shoved notes on Nayeon’s arms. “I can’t tutor you later-” Nayeon’s eyes slowly widened at every word Mina uttered, starting from the ‘can’t’. “What do you mean you can’t?!”
The other girl was taken aback at Nayeon’s outburst. “I have somewhere to go. Why?” Sana snickered and clung into Mina’s left arm. “WE are going somewhere. SO~ Mitang has to skip tutoring, Im.” Oh, Nayeon’s itching to claw the smirk out of Sana’s gorgeous face. Maybe just a little scratch wouldn’t be so bad.
“If you’re so worried about our lessons, Nabongs,” Jihyo removed her spectacles and slouched on the table, twirling a pen in her right hand. “I can tutor her for today, Mina. Don’t mind her.” Mina beamed at Jihyo and left with the snake. Seven steps away, Sana turned her head to Nayeon and stuck her tongue out. UGH.
Jihyo grabbed some of the notes Mina just gave humming, satisfyingly nodding as she flipped every page. “Damn, Mina’s notes are even easier to understand than the old man’s discussion.” Nayeon folded her feet and hugged herself, looking down at the colorful notes on the table. “What’s the purpose of tutoring if the tutor is not around. Hmph.” She timidly whispered and rolled her eyes, then glared at the pathway Mina and Sana walked on.
Jihyo chuckled and pointed her pen on Nayeon. “If I hadn’t known better, I’d think you just like hanging out with Mina.” That was the most horrible thing Jihyo has ever said. It was horribly true and Nayeon hated it. And she would never ever admit it. Not even on the matter of life and death.
---
Mina left her class early. The professor dismissed them even before the bell rang so she took this chance to get all her things and wait for Nayeon. She was standing outside her room, standing near the back door, watching Nayeon leaning her head on her left palm, lazily writing and listening to the class. Maybe this tutoring was doing Nayeon good after all. Mina felt proud watching her tutee actually doing what a student should do. Mina smiled to herself and hugged her notes tighter, taking a peek on her watch. “Any minute now…” And the bell rang.
Nayeon gently packed her things and headed out to the front door. Mina surprised ambushed her. She waited for the girl to talk but she just walked past her. Huh, that’s an Im special right there, something she hadn’t seen for several weeks. She ran after Nayeon and grabbed her arm, turning her around. “What was that?”
Mina’s brow furrowed when Nayeon exasperatedly sighed. “What?”
“We have a session today, Nayeon.”
Nayeon chuckled bitterly, angrily removing her hand on her arm. “So, this is how it goes now?” Mina narrowed her eyes at Nayeon who was currently wiping creases on her blazer. “One day you just ‘go away I don’t want to tutor you’ and the next day you just pop out of nowhere and ‘come on, loser I’m gonna tutor your dumb ass.” Nayeon’s face was flushed as her breathing quickened after exploding at Mina. None of them understood what the hell was going on but certainly, Mina was confused on why Nayeon was acting like that and Nayeon too, was confused why she was feeling this way.
“If it was about last Friday, look, I already gave you detailed notes. You can’t accuse me of neglecting you.” Nayeon crossed her arms and glared at the other girl. She had not seen Mina for fifty-six hours thirty three minutes and nineteen seconds but she definitely looked more attractive than before.
Mina was waiting for Nayeon’s reply but they were starting to gain some audience so she grabbed Nayeon’s hand and pulled her away from prying eyes and ears. The least that they both need right now was to be campus’ new hot topic. She opened one of the club rooms and locked themselves in. “What do you want?” Nayeon was just whining if you’d ask Mina. She grimly stared at Nayeon before taking a deep breath. “You have been avoiding me the whole day, what is wrong?”
“Nothing!” Truly, it was just one day. Nayeon couldn’t understand why she was upset with Mina herself. Perhaps it had something to do with Sana tagging along with Mina last Friday, but saying that out loud would mean Nayeon liked hanging out with Mina. That would be absurd.
Mina didn’t press anymore, thinking Nayeon was just being her usual self. “Fine. Now, can we resume the tutoring session?” Okay, the whole reflection and accepting the truth would have to wait. Nayeon happily nodded and was about to head to the library when Mina held her arm. “Let’s study somewhere else. We could really use a new environment for once.”
Nayeon held her breath when Mina tangled their hands together while she was busy calling her driver, giving instructions about driving them to her favorite cafe. “It’s got this really nice interior and their coffee is great.” Nayeon only hummed and worried about her hand turning clammy the whole time Mina held her. She also had to calm herself down, repeatedly chanting: “This is not a study date. They’re just study buddies. This is platonic.”