Mirage

24

Haeun laughed heartily till the extent she felt the tears brimming in her eyes. Her cheekbones started to hurt from laughing too much but the story she just heard was too hilarious.

She might have seen enjoying herself too much but the story teller was not having it. Sunwoo rolled his eyes, mocking her secretly with all the face muscles he had. 

It was shocking how he had fallen into Haeun's trick that he ended up spilling everything to her. Now and then, she was still laughing.

"Are you done?" he sternly asked, lazily glancing over her.

"You're funny", she wiped out those tears filled in her eyelids with her finger, sniffling in the process. "For all these times you thought that I am a spoiled kid and you hate me for that? Oh my god Sunwoo."

"I'm not hating you", he corrected her almost instantly. 

"Then.. what do you call it?"

Sunwoo sighed, his head dropped forward before he lifted it again, striking  a stare towards her, "it's a skeptical thought".

"It's.....the same", Haeun shrugged, pursing her lips in the process. "Don't you think so?"

"Whatever floats your boat", the boy once again rolled his eyes, madly unboxing the box he was given.

Haeun was just watching, anticipating of his reaction. Her smile broadening when Sunwoo's eyes lit up upon seeing a slice of cake inside the box.

He looked at her as if he was questioning through a gaze. Though it was unspoken Haeun seemed to get it as she nodded, motioning him to take a bite.

"You were not at the party, so I bring the party to you", the glimpse of the paper bag by her desk made her slightly flinch, almost forgotten about its existence. "Sunwoo, this is for you".

The boy scrunched his face, knitting his thick brows together. It was indeed her birthday but why he was the one who received a gift? 

Despite the questionnaire listed out, he did take the paper bag from her. However, the content inside made his heart skip a beat, he was doubting his eyes. 

Every so often he flickered his gaze from the bag to the girl, hoping that he could find a tint of lie inside her eyes, but she got none. 

"T-This is Harin's f-fanclub kit", those words finally escaping his lips, Haeun firmly nodded, confirming it. "It's limited edition. How'd you-"

It was then Sunwoo paused himself from finishing the question that would only make him look dumb. It was clear now that Haeun was Harin's sister, from where did he think she get this for him?

"Like the branded things I wear", she emphasized the last word as she looked at him teasingly, "I've put some good words to my sister to get you this small gift".

A part of Sunwoo was so done with the constant teasing from her, but another part of him was touched by the effort she did. Unlike anyone else, she was a supportive friend, someone who would always be respective of whatever he did or decided.

"Kim Haeun", he called her with a tone he never used to anyone. It was somewhat loving, Haeun unknowingly hummed with the same tone given. "Happy birthday".

Though it was short, Haeun could feel the sincerity, she could tell that Sunwoo was really meaning it. Because of that, the corners of her lips instantly tugged upwards without she needed to do much.

It almost felt unreal.

The swift push of the door had brought their attentions towards the certain direction, questioning faces of Jia and Eric by the door were hilarious as well. They almost thought that they were in a dream, watching Haeun and Sunwoo in such a good mood was rare.

"Oh, I'll be back", Haeun told Sunwoo as he pushed her chair backward, the presence of her best friends was a cue for her to leave the class. "And... thank you for the wish".

Sunwoo briefly nodded as he took another scoop of the cake. He did try his best to containing his smile but he indeed had failed. The sweet crescent on his lips made its appearance effortlessly that he needed to look elsewhere not to let Haeun see.

"So you think Sunwoo slowly has opened his heart for you", Jia tapped her finger on her chin, concluding the long clarification from her friend. "Are you sure?"

"100% sure!" Haeun beamed, clapping her hands like a seal. "That means he lied when he said he doesn't like me, right?"

"I think he's just being nice to you knowing that you are Harin's sister", Eric spoiled the mood, taking a bite of his cream bread innocently. In no minute, his back was getting slapped by Haeun before Jia took her turn afterwards, Eric's groan echoed on the rooftop. "What is that for?"

"I feel offended", Haeun said, shrugging nonchalantly.

"And I just wanted to hit you", Jia added in which Eric let an airy scoff out, biting his bread more harshly. Deep down he wished one of them noticed the fury firing inside him.

At times like this, once again he did hope that there would be another male species within their circle. It would be less lonely.

"You better be nice to me, Kim Haeun", Eric smugly announced, earning such a look from the said girl. She blinked ever so slightly, deciphering those words like it was some sort of coding appeared in computer system. "You do remember that I know Sunwoo the most, right? I probably have all the info you need about him."

"Oh", the girl flinched, placing a palm on her chest. She then pondered, considering the offer her best friend was trying to sign with her. "It's okay. I don't need you".

"What?" Eric surely did not see that coming, it was totally different from his expectation. "Why?"

"What else?" she jolted up from the old chair placed on the rooftop, fixing her uniform. "I'm sure I can handle Kim Sunwoo by myself".

At that, Haeun bid her friends goodbye, ready to leave for her class - the only place she could stay close to her crush. 

Strangely, Eric felt no offense by her remark because secretly he too was thinking the same. He was unsure of how long this story of the two would be written, nor how far Sunwoo would be treating Haeun better, but he believed they soon would be seeing the rainbow.

"So...." Jia suddenly spoke up, earning Eric's attention. "What about Sunwoo will you spill to me?"