Sigh - Nishimura Riki / Ni-ki

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓮

Narrator's POV

When class ended, Juyeon got up, no rush whatsoever, and waited for everyone to be out of the class before she left. When Eunbi wasn't there, she didn't talk to anyone, and her confidence plummeted really low. Because of that, she didn't want to cut anyone out of the classroom, afraid that someone might notice her and give her a dirty look.

Juyeon always thought of herself as a two-faced person. When she was with Eunbi, she was loud and bubbly, wasn't afraid to speak her mind, and she was actually happy. When Eunbi wasn't around, it was like she was a completely different person. Not a single word left her mouth, she barely looked anyone in the eye, and she was scared to offend anyone. She called that being two-faced, but others would just call that being comfortable around someone and shy around others.

Finally walking out of class, she jumped when she bumped into someone who was leaning on the doorframe. Apologizing silently with a 90-degree bow, she flew off into the hallway, not even stealing a glance at the boy who was watching her attentively. He wanted to run after her but decided otherwise, as he didn't want to be late for class. He told himself that it didn't matter, what was he going to say to her anyways? But the more he pushed the thoughts away, the more his mind was invaded with her face. He tried to imagine what her voice sounded like according to that sigh, the only sound he'd heard her make. Trying to forget about her, he walked to his next class, this time shared with his friend Sunghoon, and started thinking about what dance him and his friend group would perform at the next talent show.

***

At lunch time, Juyeon usually sat down alone, on the roof. Eunbi usually sat down with some of her other friends, and even though she always invited Juyeon with her, her invitation was always declined out of shyness. Juyeon would chose eating alone over eating with a bunch of strangers any day.

Climbing up to the roof, she brought her lunch box with her, hoping it was available. Most of the time, nobody ate up there, but sometimes some new kids ate there and she was obligated to eat in a bathroom stall. This time, though, nobody was sitting in the area, so she smiled and sat down, letting out a relieved sigh. She was so glad that she didn't have to eat in the bathrooms again, as the only stall big enough to eat in it was the handicapped stall, and that stall was crusty-musty from all the stuff that probably happened in there.

As she let out that sigh, seven curious boys opened the door to the roof, surprised that they had never been there before. A friend had told them about that place, raving about how beautiful the view was.

Realizing someone had opened the door, Juyeon turned around, surprised, and looked at the boys. She had a slight blush on her face, shocked at the seven pairs of eyes staring at her. She tried to get herself together and looked away, hoping that they would walk away before she had to speak to them.

"Hey guys, it's so pretty, let's eat up here!" A boy with a toothy grin and a mole on his nose, named Sunghoon, said. Everyone agreed, taking their lunches and sitting down a few meters away from Juyeon. Sighing, she got up and prepared herself to leave, accepting her fate to eat in the crusty-musty bathroom stall.

Beside her, a certain boy heard that noise again. The sound that had been haunting him since the morning. Without thinking twice, he stood up and followed the girl who had just stepped down the stairs.

Words: 641