love me // i.jb

02

It's so cold, Solmi thought as she walked in streets.

It was definitely cold on that day.
There was a thick layer of snow covering everything in Goyang but the sun was shining brightly on that winter day. Solmi was wearing her large red scarf, a big coat and small gloves but her efforts to stay warm were in vain because of the school uniform. The obligatory skirt which was short wasn't to her advantage.

She turned a street and began walking a bit faster. The teenager stopped abruptly in front of a house and knocked three times. The door opened and a smile appeared on her lips.

"Solmi!"

"Jaebummie, happy birthday!"

She hugged him tightly and he hugged her back.

"Thanks! How was your winter break?" He closed the front door and they resumed their walk to the school.

"A bit boring. I stayed in Korea and I saw some family in Busan."

"Ah, about the move?"

Solmi breathed in. A few weeks before December, her father had expressed the need to move because of his job. The options were between Jeju or Busan. Both were far away. Her parents had agreed for Busan since they had family there. It was a taboo subject for Solmi but she was trying not to show it. She preferred changing the subject than talking about the move.

"Yeah...but I want to know about your winter break. France, was it?"

He smiled but there was something strange about that smile. It wasn't genuine. Jaebum looked sad for half a second before remembering that Solmi had asked him a question. "Ah, it was so fun. Paris, Nice, Marseille, Lyon. Next time, you should come with me."

"I would like that." She nodded.

---

Soon enough they were climbing up the stairs to their class: A-4. While Solmi talked with Jaebum, she listened to the sound of laughter and chatter in the halls. Everyone sounded happy to be back, or at least they were happy to see their friends.

Solmi walked over to her seat in the back of the class while Jaebum stopped at his at the front. She sat down, surprised at herself that she could remember her seat.

She emptied her bag, being careful not to damage the small gift she had made for Jaebum's birthday. As the girl raised her gaze to the front of the classroom, her eyes met Jaebum's. He reacted by doing a heart with his thumb and index finger and did a quick wink.

Before she could reply, the bell rang and the homeroom teacher entered. Jaebum had turned his back but Solmi couldn't help but stare. He had recently become so...flirty. It was...different, but she didn't mind...

She could faintly hear the teacher making a long speech about the new semester and how they should work hard. Solmi was only processing half the information when...

She felt someone slap her on her arm. Solmi looked over at the person and mouthed an 'ouch'. The girl she was looking at had large eyes, thin brows, and short brown hair.

The other teen was Jin Chaehwan. Another one of her longtime friends.

"What are you doing, staring at him like you've never seen him before!"

Solmi felt her face turn red in an instant. She suddenly felt embarrassed to have been spotted so quickly but Chaehwan always had an eye for that.

"What are you talking about?" Solmi pretended that nothing had happened.

"You're not fooling anyone when you're making faces like that at him." She smirked.

"Shut up, will you?" Solmi whispered, bringing her index finger up to her mouth.