The One I Want

31

Minju marks off the last answer of the exam paper, capping her black marker. With five minutes to spare, she glances out of the window, at the soccer field.

She loves the spring season. However, it didn't feel like spring at all for her. Miserable was all she felt. 

She turns to the other side of the class and saw Yena out in the hallway waving as if something was wrong.

Students are allowed to submit their papers early and head home. Good for those who finish early and don't want to waste their time sitting around.

Minju wasn't one of those students. But with the panic in Yena's eyes, she stood up and submitted her exam paper.

Yuri notices but she's going to use up her full two hours.

Minju takes her bag from the hallway, going to Yena. "What—"

"Yujin didn't come today." The girl whispers a bit too loudly which made Minju pull her away from the door.

"What do you mean?" Yujin doesn't miss exams even if they're mock.

"I'm telling you she didn't come. I tried calling her but she didn't answer." For the first time, Yena was panicking. If she's panicking, anyone would panic.

"She might be sick?" Minju kept her worry in.

Yena shakes her head. "She doesn't skip school when she's sick. Even if she is, she would tell me."

Minju peeks into the class. Wonyoung noticed everything but could only keep her head down. She took it as a hint that it happened.

"I'll try calling her. You can continue waiting for Yuri. I'll head home first."

"I'll leave it to you." She passes the responsibility of contacting Yujin to Minju, walking to the class when the bell rings.

The brunette was the first to walk down the stairs, busy finding Yujin's number on her phone. She doesn't know what happened in the past few weeks, but Yujin's absence could mean a lot of things.

For sure Wonyoung has done what she has set out to do. The guilt her body encompasses, anyone would notice.

So where's Yujin?

For a second, Minju thought the call went through with the first ring, but it ends there. The girl had her phone turned off. That heightens her worry.

She didn't want any of this. She blames herself for making this happen, for making the deal with Yujin. At the same time, without it, would the girl ever enter her life?

Nothing happened to her, right? Minju hoped, leaving a few messages on her phone to Yujin.

What she could do was ask Wonyoung if Yujin was home. She should know. If the latter's at home, Yujin's safe. That's what Minju wanted to know.

Who knew what was going through the girl's mind?

For hours through the afternoon, eventually turning to night, Minju has been waiting for a call. Or at least to see her message being delivered.

But there was no call and no double ticks.

So she calls Wonyoung after making sure the girl didn't have night classes.

Dangling her legs off the bed, an arm around her body, phone at her ear. Wonyoung picks up after a few rings.

It was silent for the first few seconds. Minju didn't know how to articulate the basic words of hello.

"I heard from Yena," Wonyoung speaks up and Minju could only listen. "I did it if that's what you wanted to ask. She hasn't been answering my calls either."