aurum | ko kyung-jun

[1]

Step.

Step.

Step.

Breathe in.

Step.

Step.

Step.

Breathe out.

Kim Misun felt her heart burn as she pushed her legs further and further down the track. The pressure on her ears made her obvious to the many shouts around her.

Not much longer.

Time seemed to pass in slow motion as Misun stepped over the line and into a new beginning.

Finally.

***

„Congrats, Misun-ah." Subin patted her friend on her shoulder as they walked back into the changing room.

„Thanks, Subin-ah." Misun tiredly looked back at her friend, a slight smile on her lips. She considered Subin to be one of her best friends, though Subin and her neither lived in the same area, nor went to the same school. They met through their shared passion: Running track.

„Ugh, i'm so tired and now i'll still have to go to the class retreat.", Misun said as they walked through the doors into the womens changing room, sitting down and taking off her medal.

Gold.

Subin followed her friends example, sitting down next to her good friend, while pulling a grimace. „Your teacher really won't let you miss this one retreat?"

"I wish," Misun snorted through her nose, while collecting her shampoo and fresh clothes, "My teacher told me he would think about it, so i really thought i wouldn't have to go, but today he called me to tell me i have to be there." They entered the shower cubicles and stripped before sighing as the hot water started pouring out of the shower head.

"I didn't even bring clothes for the retreat, all i have are another track set and some sweatpants," Misun's lips formed into a pout as she complained to her friend in the cubicle next to her.

Subin rolled her eyes, annoyed at the situation her friend was put into. "Isn't that so weird? Normally teachers just overlook when we miss class because of track competitions, especially when its the nationals like today." She scrubbed her hair with her fingers to get all of the built up sweat out as she contemplated about her friends dilemma.

"Don't worry, Misun-ah. I think i have another sweatpant with me, that you can borrow. So cheer up, yes?"

"Really?," Misun's heart felt lighter at her friends idea, momentarily forgetting about her bad mood and the exhaustion, "Thanks, a lot Subin-ah. You know, normally i don't feel uncomfortable walking around in our track uniform, however there is this guy in my class..." She stopped talking as she walked out if the cubicle fully dressed in her matching baby pink tight running shorts and cropped top and with glistening hair, not fully knowing how to describe the situation. Subin was already busy drying her hair in front of the mirror, as Misun approached her, following her suit.

"What about him?," Subin glanced at her friend to encourage her to finish her thought process.

A uncomfortable expression spread in Misun's face as she combed through her hair, "I don't know, he stares a me a lot in class... but not in a cute way, but in a like- creepy pervert way, you know?"

"Don't give him the power to make you uncomfortable," Subin scolded her friend, before smirking as she zipped her makeup bag open and nudged her friends hip with her own.

"Besides, if he makes you uncomfortable, just tell your boyfriend to beat him up, no?"

"Yah!," Misun shouted as she looked at her friend, shocked by her words, "what boyfriend? You know i'm single!"

Subin burst out laughing as she saw her friends reaction, "I mean, you two might as well just get together at this point. You really aren't subtle about your feelings and from what you have told me, he isn't neither."

Misun just rolled her eyes at her friends teasing and pulled out her own makeup. She started to draw a fine eye line as she retorted, "What feelings, huh? Annoyance? Frustration? Hate? Sure."

Subin started laughing as she poked her friends waist from beside her, "Hate? Come on, don't lie to yourself. You're down bad for Ko Kyung-jun and you know it!"

A smile broke out in Misun's face as she tried to dodge her friends attacks to apply her clear lip gloss. Her cheeks blushed at the thought of the fox-eyed boy. "We'll see."

***

A little while later the two girl walked out of the stadium, looking back and waving at the other girls as they made their way to the bus station. Misun's black shiny hair created a nice contrast against her fair skin and fresh baby pink track set. Additionally she had put on her friends hot pink sweatpants, her black sports bag hanging off her shoulder. Her face without blemishes was painted with minimal makeup, revealing her natural beauty as she was the epitome of the korean beauty standard. Subin next her, wore her tracks set in baby blue, enthusiastically talking to her friend about the newest album released by BPS. The two friends had always attracted a lot of attention with their rivaling beauty's, resulting in them modeling for various sports brands.

Beep. Beep.

Misun looked up from her phone, checking out the albums tracks as a yellow taxi stopped at the bus station. She compared the license plate on the car with the plate her teacher had sent her.

"Oh- I think that's me," she said to her friend pointing at the taxi. They approached the vehicle and Misun bent over to look at the taxi driver. A bright woman met her gaze and Misun was temporarily stunned at the familiarity she felt while looking at the woman.

"Student Kim Misun?" the woman asked her, as Misun gathered herself and nodded, "Yes, that's me."

She opened the taxi door to the backseat and dropped her sports bag into the car, before turning around to Subin to hug her friend.

"I'll better get going first. I'll call you later, Subin-ah," she tightly hugged her friend and tracks rival.

"Sure," her friend retorted, "my bus should also be coming in a few, so you go ahead." Subin broke the hug as she saw the taxi driver observe as them with a strange look on her face. She turned her attention back onto her friend as she a cheshire smile made it's way on her face.

"Have fun with your boyfriend and don't give him a hard time, okay?"

"YAH! Seo Subin!" Misun's eyes and lips were widely open in shock at her friend's words. Her friend only responded by quickly running away, waving back at her, while making her way to her bus station.

Misun's cheeks heated up in embarrassment as she sat down in the backseat of the taxi.

"Hello, my name is Kim Misun, i'll be in your care", she introduced herself to the taxi driver. The woman in the front smiled back at her through the rearview mirror as she started the car by turning the car keys.

"Hello, i'm Park Seeun."