THE TRACE OF LOVE // 양정원

제 15 과

I've been fidgeting in my mind since the morning today.
Today.
Jungwon and I are going to be alone at his place.

Things happen to keep happening to you especially when you are currently with friends with a seldom anxiety.

Entering the school, my heart thumps promptly at the sight of wonted white Jeep passing by me at the school gate. Rushing inside the nearest building to avoid meeting him at the entrance of the main building, I decide to dally in the cafeteria.

After first period, I head to the lockers for the Math materials. Instead, meeting them marching down the hall way from the opposite side gets me by all jolts. And I quickly flit inside the lavatory before he whom I'm even yet to make out sees me.

Nice two dodges in a row, Daffodil.

While waiting for them to pass, I check myself in the mirror and find the back of my shirt is slipping out of the skirt. Fixing it, Fixing the distinct thin black headband clasped over my tow-colored head, I finally walk out of the lavatory after minutes, almost sneakily as I take furtive glances around. Smirking at myself for the victory, I halt at my locker with such an ease.

"Hey"

A guy voice. My eyes slightly widen, I turn around hesitantly.
It isn't him. But taller. More popular; Known as the ice prince of the school.

Looking up to his towering height makes me dizzy.
"Hey" I say.

"What's your next period?" Sunghoon asks calmly, making me wonder why he's suddenly asking me such.

We've never talked before.

"Math." But I casually answer.

He nods then smirking, hands me the cloth inside his hand; a PE shirt.
"Can you give this to Jungwon at PE?"

"What—why?" I take the cloth, puzzled.

"I've taking a leave for the day. I won't meet him anymore." He shrugs.

"Oh, I'm meeting Jake in Math class. It's okay if I give him this? so that he can give it to Jungwon back?" I suddenly feel so smart remembering which member of their group would be in my next class.

But Sunghoon smiles as if he knew I would say this.
"Jake's coming with me."

"Oh" I hum.

"Alright, see you around, Daffodil." The former figure skater leaves me dumbfounded.

How come he knows my name?

. . . . .

Sunghoon is right. Jake is absent today. After Math period, I change my clothes quickly and enter the gym early as usual. But the gang is yet to arrive. Daisy and I sit at the corner of bleachers and watch the students entering groups by groups and after a moment, I spot Sunoo and Niki showing up with Jay.
Without him.

Daisy sticks with me in going up to them.
"Where's Jungwon? Sunghoon told me to give him this." I ask them.

They look amused, but with themselves or with my question, that I can't decipher.

Sunoo with the sweetest smile chuckles,
"He's in the boys locker room. You're holding his shirt here. How's he supposed to show up? Shirtless?"

Being slightly off-guard, I however hand them the cloth.
"Then, can one of you give him this? I can't enter the boys locker room anyways."

But none of them even moves their hands to take it.

Jay, putting his arm around Niki, gives me a small smile before walking pass me as his action makes Daisy distracted from the next words Sunoo says.

"I think it'll be fine because Coach Ashwood wants the guys to gather as soon as possible which means, by now, there's no one left in the locker room except our Jungwon. I'm sorry I can't help you, Daffodil."

He then steps a bit closer to me and lowly murmurs so that Daisy won't hear whatever he has to say next.

"Be careful though. He's a bit angry right now."