Chapter Text
It is PE time for grade 11, and it's a special day because all the sections of grade 11 are gathered together in the gym. It's a medium-sized school, so there are three sections in total. Around 90 grade 11 students are lined up, and it's a ruckus because every student with friends from other sections is there; there's a lot of fun and filled with chitter-chatter. The energy is palpable as everyone can't help feeling the rush of anticipation.
It's an exciting feeling, especially for Milk Pansa, who is eyeing a girl from another section. It's been a year now or so. She remembers exactly when and where it started. It was the same place, here in the gym, during their first opening ceremony in grade 10.
When she looks at the third line to her left, she sees the pretty girl in Class A who is radiating like the sun. Even though the pretty girl was second in line and quite far from Milk Pansa due to their height differences, her eyes were only pinned on her and no one else. There is something about the pretty girl whose aura was very charming and captivating that made Milk's heart swell with admiration.
Now that they're in grade 11, Milk's feelings for the pretty girl haven't changed. She wants to know more about her but doesn't want to come off as creepy or step on her boundaries. But then, she thinks her thoughts are preposterous; only a worthy person can get close and reach Love Pattranite's heart yet, and she can never be that person.
Milk lets out a derisive laugh at the thought of getting close to Love, even just a bit. She shakes her head and thinks that looking from a distance is enough for her.
Love looks cute even when they are just wearing their usual PE uniform. Her ponytail bounces with every step, and there's a cheerful energy about her that draws people in. Milk watches Love from a distance, awestruck by her beauty. The way Love moves with such effortless grace captivates Milk, making her momentarily forget everything else. She notices how Love's smile lights up her face, radiating warmth and kindness, making Milk want to capture the moment.
Milk looks around to see if it's safe, then takes her phone out from her pocket and secretly takes photos of Love Pattranite swiftly.
“Do you have a crush on Love Pattranite from Class A?”
A voice from behind startled Milk, causing her to drop her phone. “No! It's not what you think! It's... it's...” She immediately retrieves her phone and puts it back in her pocket, panicking and unsure what else to say.
“Then what were you doing?” The girl smirks, teasing Milk and finding the situation amusing.
“I... umm, it's ummm...” Milk stutters. She can't make any dumb excuses when she's caught red-handed.
“I'm just messing with you!” The girl playfully slaps Milk's arm, laughing. “Chill. I won't tell anyone.” She looks at Love from a distance. “Well, Love is pretty and I understand your crush on her,” she nods in agreement. Who in their school doesn't have a crush on Love Pattranite? She's pretty, charming, smart, cute, has a good singing voice, and is a kind person. She's an all-in-one type of girl that everyone admires. It would be weird if someone disliked her; and if anyone hates her, everyone will spout hatred towards that person for disliking Love Pattranite.
Love is just a lovable person as a whole.
“Rutricha, please, keep this a secret.” Milk's eyes are teary. She holds the girl's hand, pleading not to tell anyone about the incident.
The girl’s face paints in horror as she hears that name. “Ew? First of all, don't call me by that name. Only my distant relatives call me that. Call me Ciize.”
“Aw.” Milk replies, furrowing her brows.
“Yeah, you should be ashamed for calling me by my legal name.”
“Ciize, please.” Milk doesn't give up until she hears her agree not to tell anyone to their graves.
“I said don't worry. I can even help you get close to Love.”
“Really?!”
“Yeah, how hard can it be?”
Milk remains silent, pursing her lips.
Ciize realizes it's not the case for Milk. “I'm friends with her,” she pauses, trying to emphasize her next words for a disclaimer. “But I'm not THAT close with Love. Not on that level of closeness.” She raises her index finger. “You see, she seems like a library with all sorts of books, but the books are closed. Do you get what I mean?”
Milk squints, trying to understand the analogy. “Ummm, you mean… she's not open with everyone?” She rubs the back of her neck, confused and uncertain.
“Boom!” Ciize pointed her a handgun gesture. “Precisely. She may be popular, and it seems like everyone knows her, but in reality, they don't know the REAL Love Pattranite. She's like the Darkhold or The Book of the Damned.”
“What's that?”
Ciize purses her lips. “I see, you don't get the references. You're not a fan, are you?” She looks at Milk with a puzzled look on her face. “Milk, just forget about the Darkhold reference, clearly you're not a Marvel fan. I just meant she's like a prohibited book. Not everyone is able to know her in depth. She's not very open to everyone. She's a reserved person. An introvert!” She's not sure how to explain it but it's the closest thing she can think of.
“Ahh...” Milk nods, just understanding what Ciize said. She's an introverted person as well. “I understand. That's why I'm already happy just by looking at her from afar.” Milk watches with a mix of admiration and wistfulness as Love’s laughter and animated gestures draw the attention of those around her. She savors the moment, finding joy in simply observing Love's happiness from a distance.
“And taking a picture of her like a creep?” Ciize teases, raising a brow, breaking Milk’s moment of awe and admiration.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'll delete this!” Milk takes out her phone and goes to delete the photos she took.
“I'm kidding! Don't!” Ciize doesn't expect Milk to take it seriously. In reflex, she slaps the phone from Milk's hand, so she can't delete the photos, making the phone fly away, dropping in front of Chao Planoy's feet. Milk and Ciize both panic when Chao Planoy is about to reach for the phone on the floor.
In a flash, Ciize lunges towards Chao Planoy, pushing her away so she won't reach the phone first. “Get your filthy hands off that phone!”
Milk runs to get her phone from the floor.
“Oi!” Chao Planoy is deeply baffled by the reason why Ciize pushed her. The students around them are looking at the fuss, but they don't give it much thought and continue chattering like nothing happened. Chao Planoy gets up and walks away like nothing happened to avoid embarrassment.
Ciize holds Milk's arm, guiding her back to their line. “That was close,” she looks at Milk in concern. “Did you get your phone?”
Milk looks at her phone, frowning. The screen is cracked, but she feels relieved to realize it’s just the tempered glass that's damaged and not the screen itself. “Yeah,” she nods and puts her phone in her pocket.
“I swear that Chao Planoy is nosy. She gets on my nerves!” Ciize looks at Milk. They are standing very close to each other. The height difference is very evident. Milk is so tall, she's 170 cm (5'7 ft). Literally, they don't meet eye to eye, and it kind of pisses Ciize off that she isn't gifted with tall genes in the family. “Anyway, as I said, I'll help you get close to Love.”
“Really? How?”
“Just trust me. I have my ways. I'll introduce you to her, and you'll just talk to her. It'll be easy.” Ciize pats Milk’s arm.
“That's impossible!”
“What do you mean? You’ll just say ‘hi’.” Ciize gives her a 'duh' face like it's obvious.
“I'm too shy to talk to people. I'm not even close with our classmates...” Milk furrows her brows. She has never talked to her classmates unless it's about school projects, homework, or activities. Beyond that, like hanging out after school, she doesn't go with her classmates as she doesn't have close friends within their classroom. So, she hasn't been invited to any outings yet.
Ciize realizes that she has been classmates with Milk since grade 10 but hasn't hung out with her, not even once. Milk is one of the tallest people in class, yet her presence doesn't stand out in class. She's a quiet person who doesn't talk unless you talk to her first. Ciize is friends with almost everyone at school except for Milk, who is her classmate. She wants to be friends with her and to know more about her. To be honest, she pities her for not having friends. It must have been lonely to be by herself and not rely on others. This gives Ciize the urge to take care of Milk. She wants her presence to be visible, not just to Love Pattranite, but to everyone. “Just believe in yourself.” Ciize cups Milk's face, pressing it like a sandwich panini. “You'll get to know Love Pattranite little by little,” Ciize smiles reassuringly. She thinks it's not hard to approach Love Pattranite, she's a kind and warm person. “How hard can it be?”