Hearts Entwined || PpoToz

CHAPTER 10

NO ONE POV

The next day, Seoyeon entered the classroom with Xinyu's advice to ignore Yooyeon still fresh in her mind. She was determined not to let Yooyeon get under her skin. But the moment she sat down, she could feel the weight of Yooyeon's presence beside her. The rivalry, which had seemed to take a brief pause, was clearly about to resume.

As the day went on, Yooyeon's usual calm and collected demeanor started to shift. She answered every question with a sharpness that bordered on cocky, making sure she got to the answers before Seoyeon could even open her mouth. It wasn't long before Seoyeon realized that Yooyeon was trying to provoke her.

But Seoyeon remained unbothered, or at least, she tried to. She could tell that Yooyeon was deliberately trying to frustrate her, but she was determined not to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. Still, something about Yooyeon's behaviour seemed different-it was less about winning and more about getting a rise out of Seoyeon.

By the time lunch rolled around, Yooyeon was already seated with her friends, Sohyun and Yubin, both of whom had noticed the subtle change in Yooyeon's demeanour. As Yooyeon dug into her lunch with a smirk on her face, Yubin couldn't help but tease her.

"So,unnie," Yubin began, a playful grin on her face, "what's with the extra attitude today? Trying to get Seoyeon's attention, or what?"

Yooyeon looked up, rolling her eyes at Yubin's teasing. "Please," she scoffed, "I'm just having a little fun. She's so easy to mess with."

Sohyun raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of curiosity and amusement. "Really? Because it seems like you're going out of your way to push her buttons. And all this, after she's been ignoring you? Sounds like you're trying to get a reaction out of her."

Yooyeon shrugged, though there was a glint of mischief in her eyes. "She's been too quiet lately. I'm just reminding her that the game isn't over."

Yubin chuckled, nudging Yooyeon playfully. "Uh-huh, sure. You're not doing this just to see if she'll crack,unnie? Maybe you miss the banter."

Yooyeon shot her friend a mock glare. "I'm not trying to get her attention. It's just boring when she doesn't react. Where's the fun in that?"

Sohyun leaned forward, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. "You know, Yooyeon, sometimes the line between having fun and wanting someone's attention is pretty thin. Especially when it comes to Seoyeon."

Yooyeon huffed, "Whatever. She's the one who started ignoring me. I'm just giving her a reason to stop."

Yubin grinned, clearly enjoying the way Yooyeon was trying to downplay her actions. "If you say so. But don't be surprised if people start thinking you've got a thing for her."

Yooyeon nearly choked on her drink, her eyes widening in horror. "Are you kidding me? No way. She's just fun to compete with, that's all."

Sohyun chuckled softly, exchanging a knowing glance with Yubin. "Alright, alright. But just remember, sometimes a little competition can lead to unexpected places."

Yooyeon rolled her eyes again, trying to brush off their teasing. "You two are ridiculous. It's not that deep."

But as lunch went on, and Yooyeon kept glancing over at Seoyeon, who was sitting with Nakyoung and Xinyu across the cafeteria, she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe her friends were onto something. Maybe she was trying to get Seoyeon's attention, even if it was just for the thrill of the rivalry.

As the lunch bell rang, signalling the end of their break, Yooyeon stood up with her friends, still determined to keep the upper hand in her and Seoyeon's ongoing competition. But as she walked past Seoyeon's table, she couldn't resist a quick, teasing comment.

"Try not to fall asleep in class, Seoyeon," Yooyeon said with a smirk. "Wouldn't want you to miss your chance to finally beat me."

Seoyeon glanced up, catching Yooyeon's eye for a brief moment. She didn't respond, but there was a flicker of something in her gaze-annoyance, maybe, or something else entirely.

Yooyeon walked away, satisfied that she had at least gotten a reaction, even if it was a small one. As she headed back to class, Sohyun and Yubin trailing behind her, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, there was more to her rivalry with Seoyeon than she was willing to admit.

But for now, she would stick to her story. It was all just fun and games-nothing more, nothing less. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.