The One I Want

13

Yena steps into a neighbouring class, going to Yuri. Well, they got close after the basketball matches the other day.

"Lunch?" She asks the girl.

Minju sees them, wondering what was going on. But she didn't want to dwell on it.

"You coming?" Yena asks the brunette.

"Uhh..." She didn't know why it felt awkward. "Where's Yujin?"

"Oh, you don't know," Yena remembered. "She didn't come to school today."

Wonyoung hears them, listening in.

"Why?" Minju asks. Yena shrugs. "She didn't tell me anything."

–

On a day like this, Yujin tries her best to stay happy. It has been two years but that very day has never left her. Whenever she thinks about it, it only brings tears to her eyes, inflicting the feeling of bawling for hours.

The one that got away.

She usually skips school whenever she likes, but on this day, it was for something.

To remember the girl who never got a chance to hear how she felt.

In a vast field, near a small hill, Yujin sits in front of a small stone plaque that had the name Kim Chaewon engraved onto it.

She could spend hours here without contact with the world. She ever wonders what her fate with Kims was. They both have anger issues.

"How are you?" She sighs, dusting the surface. "It's been two years. How fast..." Yujin places the latter's favourite snack, steaming hot cheeseballs from the store near their previous school.

"Do you wanna know what happened? In the past year." She crosses her legs. "I met a girl." She presses her lips together.

"She's really pretty. If you were here, I'd say she's much prettier than you." She jokes as a way of coping, reminiscing the times Chaewon would smack her shoulder when she decided to play around. "But no one's cuter than you so don't worry." She sighs, flattening her lips.

"I didn't know I could like someone again. I didn't want to because...it wasn't you. She gives me the same feeling as you do." Yujin smiles briefly.

"What's different is she's taller and hates mint chocolate." She chuckles. "I still don't know what's so good about it. It's toothpaste." Yujin picks on the grass.

"I want to keep her," she softly says. "Really." She goes into deep thought, digging through her feelings.

"If only you were here." She would love Chaewon to see who this girl was. "I'm sorry and I love you." Yujin sniffs, preventing those tears to fall. She hates crying. Makes her look weak.

She looks up, drying her eyes just for a cast of shadow to appear.

"You're here." Minhyun had an umbrella opened above him. It was sunny, but clouds were making their way here.

Yujin puffs a sigh, moving to the side for him to sit. This day would be the only day she'll be this close to him and the only day she wouldn't call him an asshole.

Okay, maybe he's still an asshole in her heart.

"You brought cheeseballs?" He was about to reach for it but Yujin smacks his hand away.

"Ah, why? She'll want to share."

"Not yours."

"You're just going to leave it here then?" Yujin gave him a flickering glare. "Fine, fine. I won't touch it." He quickly picks one up and shoves it into his mouth before the girl could stop him.

Yujin gave up, earning a teasing head shake. "You skipped class?" Minhyun nods. "Not so model student of you."

"It's just one day." The guy thought of it lightly. "Chaewon-ah. Can you ask her to stop glaring at me?" He drops a finger at Yujin. "It's unsettling."

The girl smacks the back of his head, making him laugh. When Minhyun sees how serious she was, he decides to stop playing around. All he wanted was to make this whole thing a little happier.

The dark sky wasn't helping.

"I get it, I get it. I'll be quiet. Just don't cr—" He stops talking when he notices tears dripping off the latter's chin. This wasn't any different from the past years.

As soon as he tries to do something, droplets of rain land on them. Minhyun quickly takes the umbrella to shelter them. He didn't suggest leaving but decided to stay with her.

Yujin didn't want to cry. She tried. However, the moment she came here, all she could think about was Chaewon and what she has failed to do.

Minhyun of all people understood, and all he can do is to be with her on a day like this. He felt bad as much as it was painful for him.

An arm wrapped around her shoulder, keeping her close, knowing she was in a vulnerable state.

Yujin's not the type of person to cry. But when she does, people around her could feel how agonising it was.

Minhyun rubs her shoulder. "Let it all out." He softly spoke, caressing the back of her head in an attempt to comfort her.

It was just them, sitting in the rain.

–

In the study room of the library, all Minju was hearing were soft sniffs coming from Yujin. She puts down her pen, getting the attention of the girl. "Are you okay? Do you want to go home?"

"Why?" Yujin answers with a tissue stuck up her nose.

Minju flattens her lips. "You're sick."

"I'm not. It's just a cold."

"Where were you yesterday to suddenly catch a cold? Did you run in the rain or what?" The brunette reaches into her bag, taking out some pills she always has with her.

"Eat this." She shifts a bottle of water to the girl.

"What?"

"Medicine. For cold. You're going to drench your whole paper if you continue like this."

"Are you drugging me?"

Minju wanted to think that way. "If I could," she said. "Eat it."

Yujin knew she was joking. "Are you Doraemon? Why do you carry this around?" She pops the pill into her mouth, sipping on the water.

"I'm always prepared." Minju shows her the small pouch of her bag. "Fever, headache, cough, sore throat. I have everything."

"Weirdo."

Minju acted as if she were going to hit her and retracted her fist. She went back to doing her work.

Yujin looks at her before pulling out eyedrops from her bag. "You don't have this." She shoves it into Minju's palm.

"Oh? How do you know? My eyes are a little dry."

"I'm not blind," Yujin said, gesturing to her eyes. She noticed Minju blinking way more often. Why? She doesn't know why she's noticing these things.

"What are you doing over the break?" Yujin asks, handing her some tissues so she could dry the edges of her eyes.

"Huh? Exams are not over and you're talking about the break?"

"It's just. I have something in my head," Yujin said. "Road trip. You, me, and them."

"Who's them?"

"Yena, Yuri. Minhyun, Wonyoung. You don't want that? I'm helping you."

Minju gave it a thought. It would be a great opportunity for her to come clean. "But no one can drive."

"I have my bike, Yena has her scooter. Minhyun drives."

"He does?" Yujin nods. Impressed, Minju goes, "So cool."

"So? Yes, or no?"