once friends, now more

Chapter 5

Third person pov:

Jungeun approached Jiyoon, who was laughing with her friends at their lunch table. As she neared, the laughter quieted, and Jiyoon looked up, her expression shifting from surprise to something unreadable.

"Hey, Jiyoon. Can I... talk to you for a sec?" Jungeun asked, trying to keep her tone casual.

Jiyoon raised an eyebrow but got up from the table, arms crossed as they stepped to the side. Her friends cast curious glances but quickly returned to their conversations, giving them a semblance of privacy.

"So, about the project..." Jungeun began, feeling the weight of Jiyoon's gaze. "I figured we should set up a time to get started."

Jiyoon let out a small sigh, looking off to the side before meeting Jungeun's eyes again. "Yea, fine. I guess we should get it over with." She replied, her voice edged with reluctance.

"Maybe we can book a study room in the library after school?" Jungeun suggested, hoping to keep the atmosphere light. "That way, it'll be quieter, and we can focus."

"Sure, whatever." Jiyoon answered, though her expression softened slightly at the mention of a more private setting.

They exchanged a few details about the time and room, and as they parted ways, Jungeun felt a mix of relief and anxiety. Meeting in a study room felt manageable, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it would also be a chance to confront the unspoken tension lingering between them.

Later that day...

Jiyoon and Jungeun met up in front of the study room, each feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety. Jiyoon's heart raced as she caught sight of Jungeun, who looked equally uncertain. They exchanged hesitant smiles before Jungeun led the way into the small study room.

The space was quiet, with a long table and a few chairs, setting the stage for their work. As Jiyoon pulled out her notebook, she felt the weight of their previous encounters pressing down on them. She needed to lighten the mood.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Jiyoon asked, trying to sound casual. "Do we want to tackle environmental science, or do you have something more... explosive in mind?"

Jungeun blinked, her lips twitching into a smile. "Explosive huh? How about we just avoid anything that might get us in trouble?"

"Good call. I'd rather not blow up the school before the year even gets rolling." Jiyoon chuckled, and for a moment, the tension eased.

After some light banter and a few jokes about their teachers, Jungeun finally took a deep breath, her expression turning serious. "So, um, I wanted to ask you something."

Jiyoon met her gaze, curiosity piqued. "What's up?"

"Why did you do it? You know, unplugging my mic during the competition?" Jungeun's voice was steady, but her eyes revealed the vulnerability behind her question.

Jiyoon frowned, confusion washing over her. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Jungeun's eyes searched for an answer, and Jiyoon felt a knot form in her stomach.

"Last year, a week after the singing competition, I heard a group of girls saying you sabotaged my performance by unplugging my mic for a few seconds." Jungeun finally said, her voice quiet but firm.

Jiyoon looked more confused than ever at Jungeun's words. "I unplugged your mic? No? Why would I?"

Jungeun, looking stunned at Jiyoon's response, replied, "...you didn't?"

"Yea, I didn't. Like I said, why would I?" Jiyoon scoffed at the ridiculous accusation, disbelief evident on her face.

Jungeun hesitated, her brow furrowing. "To get first place. To win me."

"I... I mean, sure I wanted to get first place, but you know me well enough. I would never do something like that. I told you I hate foul play. Remember when I said I wanted to be a lawyer in our first year of middle school, just to prevent such dishonest acts?" She looked at Jungeun with genuine eyes, hoping to convey her sincerity.

Jungeun's expression softened as realisation dawned. "Oh, that's... true. I'm sorry, Jiyoon. I didn't think to clarify with you. I just felt so betrayed hearing the rumour, that I couldn't help but immediately cut ties with you."

Jiyoon let out a sigh, a warm smile breaking through. "It's alright. I would do the same if I were you. I'm just glad we finally talked about that day."