Daeun walked into the classroom, ignoring the greetings from her classmates. She didn't feel the need to greet them back eversince they started to take aria as a topic and made her much invisible than she already was in that class.
"good morning sunshine!" Daeun greeted loudly, casually sitting next to aria who went back to gaze outside the window after giving daeun a smile. "it's the time of the year again, you will join this year right? Of course you will, i'm so excited!"
Daeun was overwhelmed by her own energy that couldn't reach to aria.
"no, i'm sorry daeun." Aria replied, not really putting much thought on it.
"why not? It will be so fun, i can guarantee on that." Daeun ducked her head, raising one hand for an assurance but aria just smiled, a weak one.
"i really can't, daeun."
Daeun groaned lowly. "fine, fine. Now tell me, What's with that look?"
Aria stared at her, a long pause before looking down to her own hands. "i don't like whatever is happening to me now. It makes me feel so frustrating, makes me feel so helpless and yet, i feel like i'm being overdramatic."
Daeun scooted closer, reaching out to hold aria's hand. "to be honest, if i'm in your place, i will be enjoying all the attentions." She giggled, lowering her head down from the slight embarrassment after her confession, causing aria to crack a small laugh. "but really, i know you. You are just not used to this and it's not overreacting. But aria, you are sixteen now, you really need to get out, to open up yourself for others. You can't keep hiding yourself and being invisible, i know that's what you want but someone might come and dig into you, breaking what you build for your own and when they did that, just like what that rich kid is doing to you right now, you hate it right? Because you are not used to it, you can't accept it which eventually you are the one to get hurt. It's not the best to stay at where you are right now, make a step out, slowly and little by little, alright?"
Aria blinked, slowly taking in each of her words. Daeun was not wrong at all, but she didn't know the reason why aria chose to be liked this and no one had to know, ever. Aria nodded, pouring daeun's words into a box and put it in a corner of her heart.
"thanks daeun." She showed her gratitude towards daeun with a hug.
I will open the box and listen to your words when the time comes, when i'm able to step out my first step.
"welcome for always." Daeun said, patting the back of aria's head before pulling away from the hug and held onto aria's shoulders, looking directly into her eyes. "and about park jimin, what does he really wants from you? I thought he likes you but it is not just that right?"
Troubled much, aria looked away. Something would lead to something else and she wasn't ready to tell daeun something. She didn't even plan to be ready on telling her anything.
"i don't want to sound like i'm forcing you, but i need to know atleast a part of it so that i can help you." Daeun said. She always thought that she was good enough for aria, until yesterday. She realised that staying by her side and trying to be understanding without doing anything equal to nothing.
Bobbing her head in agreement, aria's eyes wandered off to somewhere else. Somehow the idea of breaking out made her felt uncomfortable and ashamed but maybe it wouldn't be that bad to break out a little bit. just a little bit for the one that she could trust. She exhaled. "his father and that man-my father want us to be a thing, for the purposes of their business."
Taken aback by the truth, daeun dramatically covered her mouth with her hands, gasping out. "that kind of thing still exist in this modern world?"
Bitting her upper lip, aria nodded sadly.
