When We're Together [양정완]

15.

Sighing with relief, Yang Jungwon finally released Chae Aera's wrist. She looked at him with an extremely confused expression, expecting an explanation, but instead the boy simply took the strawberry milk carton from her hand and poked the straw into it before handing it back to her.

"Huh? Why are you-"

"It's for you," the boy casually said as he sipped on his own banana milk. Aera blinked a few times then stared at the drink in her hand. Might as well, she thought as she took a sip.

~~~

The library was quiet. Yang Jungwon sat alone at he and Aera's usual after-school-study table, quietly scrolling on his phone.

Ever since the day she had asked him to tutor her, the two had been studying almost every day after school. Today was no exception. The boy thought back to when they had run into each other for the second time in the library. It was strange to think it had already been over two months.

He checked the time on his phone. 3:36 pm. Classes let out at 3:30, so he wasn't too thrown off that she wasn't there yet. She was usually a bit late anyways.

~~~

Aera had just finished her last class of the day and emerged from her classroom ready to meet Jungwon in the library for their daily studying session. She was about to make her way down the hall when she was stopped by an aggressive, female voice.

"Chae Aera!"

Aera turned to find a tall, strawberry blonde girl walking towards her. Her expression was a cross between annoyance and anger as she stormed down the hallway, getting closer and closer to her. The girl looked vaguely familiar.

"Hey." The girl said in a low voice when she finally reached Aera. "Can you do me a favor?"

Aera confusedly tilted her head. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the other girl.

"Stay away from Min Yuhan. I don't like that you keep hanging around him."

"Hanging around him? He's my friend, of course I hang out with him?" Aera furrowed her brows at the girl.

That's when she finally remembered where she had seen her. Park Haneul, the third year Yoona had been talking to that day a while ago, and the girl she had spotted with Yuhan all that time ago in the library.

"Listen," Haneul scoffed and took another step towards Aera. "I know you went to his house last night. That's not something girls just do to their guy friends."

Aera was dumbfounded. She sighed before she started, "I've known Yuhan for my entire life. I was dropping off food at his house for my mom. I don't like him like that." She crossed her arms over her chest and was about to turn to leave when the older girl grabbed her arm and whirled her back around.

"Hey. Do you think I'm stupid or something? Yuhan told me you confessed to him. Just stay away from him and it won't be a problem."

Aera felt her ears turn red, partially from anger and partially from the embarrassment of her past rejection. "That was months ago. I don't like him anymore. Now, leave me alone." She turned to leave again but once again Hanuel grabbed her, causing her to let out a small shout of frustration.

"Let go of me."

"Not until you stop trying to get with my boyfriend."

"I told you already. I don't like him." Aera felt angry tears starting to form in her eyes, but she blinked them away quickly.

"And you expect me to what? Just believe you?" Haneul scoffed and clenched her jaw. Aera pursed her lips and and sighed before sharply pulling her arm out of the older girl's grasp.

"Fine. I'll leave him alone. Is that what you want? You want me to stop talking with my life long friend just so you can stop feeling insecure?"

"Excuse me?"

Aera quickly turned and walked swiftly down the hall and out of view as she felt her angry tears coming back. It made her even more upset that she was about to cry. Of all emotions, why did she always cry when she got angry? It was annoying and stupid and she hated herself for it every time it happened.

She pulled out her phone as she furiously wiped away a tear with her sleeve.

Aera:
I can't study today. Sorry.

The girl shut off her phone and shoved it into her backpack as she made her way out of the school.