Citrus

Chapter 12

The two girls stared at each other, a frowning Jihyo and a calm (but nervous deep inside) Nayeon. Silence engulfed the room and Nayeon was the one to break.

"U-um... now that I think about it, wouldn't you be better off asking Jeongyeon?" Nayeon said while scratching her nape and slightly smirking.

"Jeongyeon?" Jihyo asked confusedly.

"Well, you're both on the student council." Jihyo suddenly stood up and moved closer to Nayeon's personal space, startling her.

"Wow, so you're on a first-name basis with the president!? What is your relationship with her!?" Jihyo asked while slamming the table, anger and confusion is evident on her face.

"Oh, u-um... our relationship? S-schoolmates?" Nayeon nervously answered, but to hide her nervousness, she smirked.

"Don't you dare lie to me, Im Nayeon! Our class is three classrooms away from yours so even I know that!" Nayeon winced because of how loud Jihyo's voice is. She is literally shouting on her face.

"And what are you to Jeongyeon, anyway!?" Nayeon retorted.

Jihyo proudly stood up straight and held her hands on her chest. "I've been the president's best friend since childhood!"

"Huh? Seriously?"

"I've known her for over ten years already. I've been watching over her since the day we met." Jihyo's eyes sparkled while reminiscing her past with Jeongyeon.

~~~~

Eleven years ago when Jihyo's family and Jeongyeon's family met for a business meeting. That's when Jihyo and Jeongyeon first met. They were both seven years old but Jeongyeon was older in months. From then on, the two girls were inseparable that's why Jihyo's family moved near Jeongyeon's grandfather's mansion. Everyday, the two had always walked to the academy together since it was near where they lived.

"Jeongie! Good morning!" Young Jihyo was running towards young Jeongyeon to walk with her to the academy. Jeongyeon looked back and smiled at her friend.

"Oh, Jihyo-ya. Good morning."

Both are wearing their proper uniform for grade schoolers, which are dark green-near-brown blazers, white polo blouse, brown below-the-knee skirt, and their brown ribbon tied on their neck, with their brown backpacks on their back.

While walking, Jihyo linked her arms to Jeongyeon. "Will your father be participating in Parents' Day today, Jeongie?" Jeongyeon sadly smiled and lowered her head.

"Seonsaengnim is busy with work." Jihyo looked at her. She was worried Jeongyeon would be lonely without her father in Parents' Day so she tried to cheer her up.

"Please don't make that face. I'll be here with you, Jeongie, so don't worry!" Jihyo clinged more that made Jeongyeon stumble a little.

"It's hard to walk this way, Jihyo-ya." Jeongyeon said. Because of that, Jihyo let her go and was about to cry when Jeongyeon turned to her and chuckled. "Thank you, Jihyo-ya." Jeongyeon said, enough for Jihyo to smile again and wipe her eyes.

Together, they waited on the pedestrian lane on the other side of the road to the academy hand-in- hand.

"Jeongie, why do you call your father 'seonsangnim'?" Jihyo asked out of curiosity because whenever she askes about Mr. Yoo, Jeongyeon always address him as 'seonsaengnim' and doesn't call her 'appa'.

"Because... he teaches me a lot of things that I don't know." Jeongyeon simply answered while smiling. "I want to learn more about the Yoo Family from him, and help him out one day."