In the realm of dreams

Part 11 - One week later

Baek Yoona

The boys of class 2 were playing a friendly basketball match against the boys of class 3 after the school day was over. A few of other students were dotted around the court showing support for their respective classes with various degrees of enthusiasm.

Soobin and I sat on the steps sucking on our strawberry lollies.

'Class 3 boys are no match for our boys'. Soobin commented. Even though I could tell her knowledge of basketball was considerably less than mine and her comment was fuelled more out of loyalty for her classmates rather than an objective assessment of their skills. Soobin was the unrelenting champion of class pride and at times when she couldn't contribute to class reputation through her activities she was always there with moral support.

'Hmm....I think they are quite evenly matched. In fact, class 3 are ahead by 1 point so it could go either way.' I gave her the cold, hard facts.
She scrunched her eyes in disapproval. Whether it was for my comment or the fact stated in my comment it wasn't clear.

Sooho scored. We cheered for him, egging him and the team on. 

'Our Banjang looks rather cool playing basketball doesn't he?'

'Hmm.'

Soobin had a point. Dribbling, dodging Choi Sooho was indeed very cool, very manly. Was the whole 'aloof nerd' persona a pretention? Was he really a manly man on top of having brains? That's an irresistible combo. I am not sure why but I got goosebumps thinking about that.

'Yoona-a, I have been thinking of mentioning something to you.

'What?'

'He keeps looking over at our direction.'

'Does he?', I feign surprise but I have noticed him glancing at our direction a few times already.

'I have been noticing him lately. I think he has a crush on you.'

'Boyaaa!', that came out of nowhere. I didn't expect Soobin to come out and say this outright.

A grain of hope that was buried deep in my heart crystalised at Soobin's words.

'I have seen the way he looks at you, with softness in his eyes. He is different with you. Not as aloof as he is with other people. Even Me and Jisung. And he has known us for years!!'

I don't want to give her words more weight than they already have. In case the words become so heavy that they settle down on my heart.

'He is just comfortable with me because I am kinda silly. Don't think anything of it.' I said to Soobin, hoping she would leave it at that.

'If you say so.'

Soohoo managed to basket the ball just as the final whistle went. A clear lead and a victory for class 2. Loud cheers for our boys all around. Soohoo is very much the hero of the hour. A couple of girls timidly approach him with water bottles. He declined them before heading over to his bench. I catch his eye as he sat down to wipe sweat from his forehead.

Soobin handed me a water bottle.

'Quick, take that to him. Since he is comfortable with you.'

I walked over to him and handed him the water bottle. 'Congratulations, you played really well.'

He took a sip from the bottle and smiled. 'Thanks, you like basketball?'

Did his eyes really go soft when he spoke to me? I couldn't tell. Not for certain.

'Yeah, I quite enjoy a good game of basketball.'

'Cool. There's a match next week. We are playing our arch rivals, SK High School. Wanna come and cheer for us?'

'Sure. Would love to.'

'Great. Ahem are you training after school tomorrow?' He wiped his forearms with a small towel. I tried not to stare.

'Yeah, I skipped today to support our class so have to make up for it tomorrow.'

He nodded. 'Cool, I will come by after your session and we can get the bus home together. I have to spend some time in the study hall tomorrow.'

The next day he arrived at the old gym just as I was tidying up the equipment after my training.

'I will tidy up here, you can go freshen up.'

'Thanks Banjang'.

I didn't bother drying my hair after showering and let my loose hair hang down my back.

'You are not gonna dry your hair?'

'It's gonna take long, plus it's so warm today it'll dry out once we are outside.'

We walked to the bus station outside school. There were some boys loitering on the pavement who kept looking at me. Of course I hadn't realised my wet hair was going to drench my white t-shirt and it was sticking to my back. They made me feel uncomfortable. It was stupid to wear a white t-shirt.

Sooho took a hoodie out from his backpack.

'Here, put this on.'

I took it, grateful that he was so observant. And sensible.

His jaw hardened. He gave the loitering boys a look, I assumed an angry one, and they soon scuppered away.

'Banjang, we haven't had a study session in weeks now. You think you don't need any more sessions?' I asked once we settled into our usual seats on the bus. Did I teach him so well that he got good and didn't need my help? Well, I still needed help with Maths so I hoped he didn't give up on the idea of study sessions. And I kind of missed them as well. I could talk to him about poetry unbridled and without reservations. He was a very good listener. No matter what weird and crazy interpretation I gave of a poem he never laughed at me or dismissed me. Yes, that's what I missed about our study sessions.

'Ani.' He turned on his seat to face me. The low sun reflected on his glasses, making him squint. 'In fact I was going to talk to you about restarting them. We have exams coming up in a month, so...when do you think we can resume?'

We agreed to resume our sessions from next Wednesday, the day after his basketball match. I gave his hoodie back to him once we reached my house.

He looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated.

'I made a silly mistake, won't happen again. I will be careful next time', I said pointing to my t-shirt. I immediately regretted pointing to my t-shirt as that would have brought his attention to my body. Thankfully he had enough grace not to follow the path of my finger.

He nodded. 'Good night'.

Choi Sooho

My hoodie smelled of her shampoo. Or her lotion.Something of her. I doubled back from her house to mine, walking the length ofthe bus stop and going back a couple of lanes to my street with the hoodie inmy hand. Her scent lingered around me - an invisible whiff of her presence.With a little bit of wishful thinking I might even think of it as a goodnighthug.

Eomma was setting the dinner table as I walkedin to our flat.

'You are spending a lot of time in the studyhall. I hope this means you will get a good score in next month's exams.'

I do get good scores, they are just never good enough for you. Of course I didn't say that aloud. Just nodded in assent.

'Is that hoodie dirty? Does it need washing?'She asked me.

'No. This...this is fine as it is.'

The next day at lunchtime I sat with Soobin andJisung when Yoona walked into the lunch hall with a boy from class 3.

'Who's that with Yoona? Jisung asked.

'Isn't he a basketball player from class 3?'Soobin said.

'Yes. It's Eugene Yeo from class 3'. I replied. What was he doing with her? He has no reason to talk to Yoona.

Yoona walked over to our table after she wasdone talking to Eugene.

'What did he want with you?' Soobin asked.

"He wanted to know if I wanted to do studysessions with him." She looked at me.

An awkward silence. I didn't say anything but Iwanted to know what her answer was. Thankfully Soobin's inquisitiveness and herinnate propensity to asking questions means I didn't always have to.

'And, what did you say?'

"Well, I told him I already have a studypartner and between training and existing study sessions I don't have time toform another study session.'

It was uncommon for students from differentclasses to form study groups isn't it? I bet he was trying to get close to Yoonaon the pretext of study sessions, what a schemer! I was pleased she rejected Eugene Yeo. He was apopular guy with the girls with his American accented English and trendy hairstyle.It would be better if he stayed away from Yoona.

I look at her to find her looking at me,smiling.

'Well we are happy you didn't abandon oldfriends for new ones.' Soobin to the rescue again.

As it was Soobin's birthday that day we went tothe Noraebang. It was hard to dodge eomma, in the end I told her I had a studysession. Noraebang's were not my favourite, I always get very self-consciouswhen I sing so I tend to just sit and watch others have fun.

One of Baek Yoona's many talents turned out tobe singing. She sang the words to Lee Sun Hee's Destiny so beautifully I couldn't help but stare at her. She got soimmersed in the mood of the song. The hypnotic cascades of her long hair as shekept to the beat, her arms waving above her head, the gentle sway of her hips,I could watch her sing all night.

But of course we didn't have all night. After aquick meal at a riverside booth, Yoona and I boarded our bus home.

When we got off at our stop I bumped into Eommaon her way to the night shift.

'Choi Sooho that was a long study session', shesaid eyeing up Yoona.

'Oh Eomma, this is Baek Yoona my study sessionpartner.' I said. It was embarrassing that Yoona found I had lied to Eommaabout tonight but I hoped she would take my cue.

'Annyeong Haseyo,' Yoona greeted Eomma formally.

Thankfully Eomma was in a hurry and didn't havemuch time to investigate further.

'Sooho get home quickly okay' she said and leftfor her work.

Yoona didn't ask me about my lies to Eomma andthe reasons for it.

"Banjang, where is your house? How about Iwalk you home today for a change?" Yoona asked.

Maybe she was trying to cover my embarrassment. But I didn't want her to walk me home. That would only add to my embarrassment. If she walked me home she would know that I had been walking her home even though my street was closer to the bus stop than her street. That I deliberately walked the extra bit just to spend more time with her and to make sure she reached home safe. No, I couldn't let her find that out yet.

"Gwenchhana, let's get some banana milk instead." I said heading to the convenience store.