To Be With You | hoshi

xv

"Okay, class. We have a new transfer student."

Me and Mingyu were just having our random conversation when our homeroom teacher announced this. A girl came in our room. She was wearing make-up in the midst of a class where the girls come bare-faced. And she had her hair styled diligently. You could say she was an idol. 

"Hello~ My name is Ahn Yerim. It's nice to meet you!" She bowed in front of us and flashed a smile. The girl was cute and you could sense the guys already coming after her. 

"Yerim-ah, you can sit beside Seokmin. The one near the back door."

She scurried over to Seokmin's side. Seokmin smiled at her and she did the same. I can see Seokmin's really happy with his new seatmate, maybe a ship line forming...?

The rest of the day became normal. Things were boring. Mingyu would follow me but I told him he could go to the boys if he wanted. Seung-ah and I bicker over different stuff but get on with life anyways. Everything was fine for that day. 

But it was only that day that was fine.

By her third day, Yerim's already comfortable with everyone. She got along with boys and girls of different ages. Her cute appearance attracted an amount of boys. She didn't seem bothered by them at all but she wasn't a snob to them either. Her group of friends were the girls who talked about make-up and boys. 

Friday that week, she bumped into Mingyu in gym class while putting back the things in the storage. She fell down and Mingyu held his hand out for her. Me being his girlfriend thought that this was just an act of kindness from Mingyu. I mean, he is a very nice guy.

The next week came. Yerim came to school late. Coincidentally, Mingyu came in late too. Apparently, they lived in the same neighborhood and got late for the bus together. Yerim would come close to him that day. I let Mingyu have his time with her thinking it'd be nice for her to be more familiar with someone else other than those girls.

Mingyu and I were going on an afterschool date the next day. Yerim grabbed Mingyu right after classes and dragged him out of the classroom. I looked outside the classroom and saw Yerim plug earphones to Mingyu's ears and he started nodding. It was probably good music. I called for him. He said goodbye to Yerim then. I looked back at Yerim and I could see she was pouting.

Yerim asked me what my relationship with Mingyu is. I told her he's my boyfriend. She seemed shocked as her eyes grew slightly wider. There was obvious disappointment on her face. She left me right away. She didn't talk to me at all since then.

Me and Mingyu were having a random conversation at our lunch table until I excused myself for the comfort room. I was inside a cubicle when I heard girls talking at the sink area. 

"Is Miyoung really dating Mingyu?", one voice said, to which I recognize was Yerim's.

"Yeah, they are.", one other replied.

"Since when?"

"About a week or two ago..?"

Yerim sighed. "Ugh, I was just starting to like Mingyu..."

Then, there was silence with the girls. "Nevermind that, I already like Mingyu.", Yerim said. "I'll just have to pursue him."

"That'd be easy. I don't think Miyoung even likes him.", one of them said.  Excuse me?

"True. It was so sudden when I learned they were dating."

"Mingyu's just being played by her. Poor boy..."

These people are saying awful things about me. Talk about being mean. I was just about to let it slide but then someone said something even worse.

"Could she actually be just a whore?"

"Oh my god. What if?"

"She does hang around those boys quite a lot. And she hangs out with Seung-ah and we all know what happened to Seung-ah."

"Why? What happened to Seung-ah?", Yerim asked.

"Seung-ah had an abortion when she got pregnant with our sunbae last year."

"That sunbae transferred somewhere else but Seung-ah's left alone with that child inside her."

"She got suspended for that issue for a week."

I'm not even sure if what they're saying is true but they can't just talk about my friend like that. I was pissed. After they left, I got out as well and went back to the lunch table. I went back to casual talk.

After classes were over, Mingyu said he had to do something so I let him be. Soonyoung didn't know I'd be going home right away so he didn't pick me up. 

"Seung-ah!", I called my friend's name. "Wanna go home together?"

She smiled at me. "Sure."

Her house is closer than mine so went the other direction of my house. 

"What were you like during first year?", I asked.

She seemed surprised and hesitated but answered anyway. "I'm the same as last year."

"Did anything happen to you last year?"

She stopped walking. "What do you mean?"

"Who was that sunbae?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "How do you know about that?" 

I stayed silent. "Nevermind that,", she said. "Who  told you?" She glared at me.

".... So it's true?", I said, not answering her question. She threw her hands in the air and walked away from me.

I was greeted at home by my brother. He was surprised to see me home early because I should've been with Mingyu by now. I wonder why he's home early and not with his girlfriend.

I went up to my bedroom, thinking if what I asked Seung-ah was okay. Of course, it's not. She's probably mad at me. Sigh. I wonder if she's okay ....