✓Pivot || MCND Bic

CHAPTER 1 - 🍪

Seungmin's POV

It was dusk when I heard her crying from my bedroom window on the second floor of our house. At times like this, I usually look at her window across mine but I've long stopped doing that ever since we refrained from hanging out with each other.

Her crying stopped after what feels like half an hour or so but after a few moments, I can hear her snuffling again but, this time, it's less muffled than her crying. When she went on like that for few more minutes, I decided to take a look.

The sun had already set. Her window is shut and her room is dark and I realized she isn't in her bedroom. I looked down below and, sure enough, she's there sitting on the garden bench that our dads installed between our houses when we were younger.

That bench used to be our own private space where we play around and talk about everything or nothing at all. It just felt like a safe place but I haven't been down there for a long time.

"Are you okay?" I asked from my window.

She frantically wiped her eyes with the back of her hands before she looked up at me. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was I too loud?"

I shook my head. "No." But I have no doubt my parents from somewhere in the house also heard her bawling.

"I'm sorry. It's just been a rough day." She said in between sniffs. Her voice is still uneven from crying.

"Do you want to talk about it?" As soon as the question left my mouth, I wanted to take it back. Hyebin and I haven't talked for years. What made me think she's gonna tell me about her rough day?

But then, to my surprise, she nodded.

I was gonna say 'Really?' but thought better of it. "I'll be right down." I said as I went straight to my cabinet to pull on a hoodie. I fixed my hair with my fingers in front of my mirror and rush down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Mom asked when I was about to open the front door. I haven't even thought of asking permission to go out. "We're about to have dinner. Don't you wanna eat?"

"I..uhm.."

"Also," Mom continued as if she didn't notice that I was out of words. "Is Hyebin okay? I heard her crying."

Okay, this...is weird. I have no idea why she asked about Hyebin because both my parents know we aren't close anymore.

"Actually," I started. "I was about to go check on her," I tentatively pointed at the direction of the bench. "At the bench, if that's okay?"

"Good!" Mom said, too enthusiastically. I rolled my eyes. Really, mom? "Tell her I'm worried."

"Okaaay," I said as I open the door, eager to go out of there before I could see her frenzy more about the fact that Hyebin and I are talking again, which we aren't really yet. She nagged at me a few years back when she found out we aren't exactly friends anymore. I mean, should parents really be involved on things like this? Apparently, in my family, yes.

"Wait, wait, wait!" She said as she hurriedly returned to the kitchen. A few seconds later, she came back with a bag of cookies and handed it to me.

"Mom, it's fine." I pushed it back to her.

"No, tell her it's from me." She insisted. I sighed and took the bag. "Take your time." She chimed. Really?

When I turned the corner to the side of our house, she was still wiping back tears.

"Hey." I said as I neared.

"Hey," she answered as she scooted over to one side of the bench. I took a seat on the other end.

"My mom wants me to give you these." I handed her the bag. "You don't have to eat it. Just leave it on your kitchen table and I'm sure it'll disappear." Hyebin have a big family, one older sister and two younger brothers. There's quite an age gap so I don't really get along with her siblings and even though her older sister adores both of us when we were little, she never stick around to hang out, not with the six-year age gap. And her brothers are so much younger.

"I love these." She said as she opened the container. "Your mom used to bake chocolate chip cookies when I come over."

"She still makes them once a week. I can give you more if you want." I offered and I immediately realized how awkward that sounds.

"That'll be great." She smiled at me and I noticed how red her eyes and nose were, even in the dim light. But I didn't expect her to agree. It's some sort of commitment. Are we finally friends again? I brushed the thought away. One conversation, then friends again? Impossible.

"So.." I said. "Are you okay?" She sighed. And then I realized what I've said. "Sorry, that's a really stupid question considering you were crying your heart out for more than thirty minutes.."

"So I was being loud!" She half grunted, half chuckled.

"No!" I started to protest but I figured it's no use so I just laughed with her and said, "Okay, yes, you were pretty loud. My mom heard you and probably my dad, too if he's not too much into whatever he's doing."

"The whole neighborhood might've heard me, for all I care." She said and even though she's smiling, there's no doubt about the sadness in her eyes.

"What happened?" I asked. Maybe she doesn't want to tell me. But why am I here, then?

She groaned the way she does when she hesitates to do or say something. I smiled at that, some things doesn't change. "Should I tell you?" She asked as she leaned her head on the backrest and tilted her head up to look at the stars.

I did the same. We used to do this all the time as we imagined how it's like to live up there instead of here. We used to think the stars are worlds full of sparkles and sweet things. Leaning like this right now feels so weird.

"I'm not forcing you to say anything." I said. "Why'd you even agreed to talk? It's not like we talk...talk." I didn't know how to put our situation.

"I'm sorry." She said. Although I wasn't sure why she's apologizing. "I just thought I needed some company to distract me from thinking about..." she sighed as if that completes her sentence. I don't even need to look at her to tell that she's tearing up again.

"You can tell me." I just said. I watch the stars twinkle and I can't help but think of them as scattered fairy dust that could make all pain away.

We were silent for a while but afterwards she said, in a whisper. "Haneul broke up with me today."

"What?" I sat up to look at her, surprised. But something tugged in my chest.

Hyebin and Haneul are like the power couple of school. Role models, excellent grades, and part of a lot of extra curriculars. This coming semester, they were assumed to run for the school election together.

"I know." She just said and I watch her fight back tears. I tentatively put my hand on hers but I pulled away when I felt too awkward. "He said there's someone else and that he doesn't want to lie to himself anymore so he asked me to let him go." Her voice was trembling now.

"Hey," I tried to say in a comforting tone. "It'll be alright."

"I started feeling insecure about myself." She continued. "Am I not pretty enough? Talented enough? Bright enough?"

"You're perfect." I said and I wondered if that's the right thing to say. It's not a lie, though. To me, she's really perfect. I've always thought that.

"You think so?" She asked, turning to me.

"Of course." I answered as confidently as I can. "It's his loss letting you go."

"Thanks" she said.

I watched her wipe her eyes again and when she'd calmed down a bit, I stood up. "I know what you need."

"What?"

"Just follow me." I said and I pray to the stars to help me out.