ripples. [girlgroups]

Kim Minji (NWJNS)

| back to you

"you're late once again kim minji." everyone inside the room turned to look up at minji who had just entered the room. the exams had already started and almost everyone was already busy with their test papers.

including you who sat in the second to the last row of the classroom.

your eyes trailed over minji who sheepishly laughed and placed her bag in front of the class where everyone also left their bags, crouching down to dig for her pen before approaching the proctor of the examinations.

"i'm sorry ms. jang, i had an emergency at our house." minji muttered. this doesn't usually happen, well maybe minji gets late at least once during their exams and at least five times during normal classes — but you swore this doesn't happen a lot.

minji reached for the attendance sheet and signed her name, passing it back to the proctor before taking a test paper and making her way to her seat, you sat from afar and could only watch.

though, you were quite confident during the exams, a part of you was extremely worried about minji. you love her so much but you also cannot dismiss the fact that minji is being reckless and is starting to fail half of her classes.

you couldn't understand why, because as someone who cared for her you were truly trying to do your best to help her, sending notes to her that could help her, even making videos explaining the topic she didn't understand — but it seemed like none of those were working.

you wanted to believe that she still cares for her education, because you do and it would hurt seeing people judging her for how bad her results were.

but you didn't want to make her feel like she's not doing her best, minji's trying — and obviously you can see it but everyone else didn't care for minji's efforts.

minji's eyes met your eyes when she turned around to look at you, it hurt to see her round eyes shine so bright when she saw you.

all you could do is give her a small smile before returning to answering your paper.

"kim minji, mr. kang is calling you to his office after the last exam, the assistant principal wants to talk to you." ms. jang, the proctor stated, and everyone were silent, sharing the same fear they had for minji's fate.

after the second exam, you had your recess, so you decided to give minji some space and sit with your friends.

"the test was kind of easy, wasn't it? that's weird because i really thought it was gonna be hard." hanni shrugged, leaning on the table with her notes in her hands. there is only thirty minutes for them to review the next test, even though you were trying your best to study you can't help but think of minji.

you are so worried for her, because this is one of those moments where students would be all gossiping around what trouble a student is facing, making assumptions of what punishment they'll get.