( 📚 ) 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 ❜ ˡⁱᵘ ʸᵃⁿᵍʸᵃⁿᵍ

part one

Three As.

That’s what Song Minju got on all three of Mr. Heinz’s German tests.

He gave her a nod of acknowledgement when handing the papers into her hands and by then, she already knew.

She did well.

German was a subject Minju didn’t fancy much but still want to somehow know how to speak it - as she was told by her ambitious parents, who wanted someone in the family who can speak a difficult language.

The library wasn’t far and Minju was lucky to find the best spot to sit in before some students flood the library.

Placing her test results, she scans through your backpack to search for your German textbook. Minju wanted to review the test and correct her few mistakes - just because.

As soon as she places your book down, her test results were taken by someone.

Minju looks up to see Liu Yangyang swiftly scan through them with his eyes. One of her eyebrows raised in confusion, watching him crash his against each other and going through every question on the paper as if trying to somehow find a way to prove her answers wrong.

“…A-Are you done?” She asks lowly, looking around awkwardly. Yangyang is someone she haven’t had the chance to talk to… or rather ㅡ she avoids to. He’s the best in the class and she has always noticed the death glares he sends Minju whenever it’s announced that she did very well or much better than he did.

He says nothing, only glaring at Minju one last time before tossing the papers at her direction. The papers bend, bracing the impact of the air, stopping midway before slowly floating down to scatter on the floor. Meanwhile, he clicks his tounge and turns his heel to leave.

Minju's face contorted in confusion, watching his glaring back disappearing out of the library.

“You are all going to be writing a short story in German. I want it to contain minimum 5000 words, a plot and well defined characters. You will all be separated into pairs. You have a month to finish this.” Mr. Heinz announced after going through famous German novellas.

Someone poke Minju's elbow and she turns to see Jeno looking at her expectantly, mentally saying that two of them should work together on this.
Jeno is good in German and the pair are somewhat friends so without a doubt, Minhu nodded yes.

“I will pair you all up.” Mr. Heinz’s words echo through her head loudly like a gong.

Minju's thoughts were only filled with ‘Please pair me up with Jeno’s that she didn’t hear Mr. Heinz saying her name.

“Minju,” Jeno’s call cut her chain of throughts and she suddenly notice the looks of her classmates on her. “.. you’re paired with Yangyang..”

Minju's eyes blow wide, looking at Mr. Heinz for reasurance, “Minju, in case you didn’t hear, you are paired with Liu Yangyang.” he raises an eyebrow and Minju didn’t quite decipher what that means.

Biting her bottom lip, Minju inhales a deep breath, heart beating nervously.

Dang. Minju knows Yangyang practically hates her guts and she plans to just do it all by herself ㅡ but she really needs Yangyang because he’s the best when it comes to writing fluidly. He knows his metaphors and idioms so damn well so he’s basically the spice in her lao gan ma.

“Good luck..” Jeno says quietly, tapping Minju's shoulder to somehow reassure her, before heading to his pair to discuss the project.

“Let’s go to the library.” Yangyang tells Minju without even looking her in the eyes and just leaves the classroom.

Minju stands still in her spot for a moment, trying to process whatever he is up to. Then he pops his head at the open doorway to see her frozen on spot, “Are you coming or what?”.

It sounded more like an order than a question.

Blinking herself awake, Minju walks past Mr. Heinz and out of the doorway. Walking behind Yangyang towards the library is awkward ( well, more for Minju anyways ).

The emptiness of the hallway doesn't help that she could only feel Yangyang's presence.

When they reach the reading area, he walks past it and continues to stride, leaving Minju in confusion.

“Uh- Yangyang. Where are you going?” She asks, but it’s as if he doesn’t hear it and rounds the corner to the stairs to exit the floor. “Liu Yangyang!”

He’s gone.

He just left her.