SpartAce I: School Love Affair

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For a month, they settle for just smiles and glances from afar, saying their sweet words through late night calls and good morning texts. And Ji Hyo's aunt has stopped her attempts in trying to make her point.

The others had also refrained from getting around her all at once. But once in a while, one or a couple of them comes and talks to her whenever they think it's safe.

Gary, being the president of the Music club, has a spare key of the music room. So once a week, Ji Hyo and Jong Kook meets there to catch up and steal some hugs and kisses.

The situation is better than not seeing each other at all that they do not even complain.

Until..

"Here.", Mi Ran says as she holds out a brown envelope towards Ji Hyo.

It is saturday and Ji Hyo is sitting in their couch.

"What's this? ", she asks as she receives it and sees what's inside.

"It's the result of that test you've taken, together with your admission at a top ranking school in Hong Kong."

Ji Hyo's head spins and all she could hope is that she heard wrong.

"Where? ", she asks.

"Hong Kong."

"But we haven't talked about this yet."

"I've already talked about this with your parents and they've agreed. And this is part of the deal where you obey me and I won't do anything that would hurt your friends."

"But you never said about a transfer, especially in another country. Do you think it would be easy? ", she asks, her voice getting louder as the weight of the idea sinks deeper in her mind.

She knew, she knew back when she answered the questionnaries that it would result to a transfer. But she never thought her aunt would go all out and transfer her to another country. Just how desperate is she to take her away from her friends?

"Of course it would not be easy, but it will be worth it. The school head is also so willing to accept you upon seeing your grades and your results."

"What's wrong with staying here? ", she asks.

"This school will help you in getting in a university later, Song Ji Hyo. You.are.going. there. End of discussion."

Then her aunt leaves, with Ji Hyo's mind still storming around so many matters to consider that she could not get herself to focus on one thing.

Her mind is just too blank that even the tears gathering somewhere in her gut could not come out of her eyes.

Kim Jong Kook has been observing Ji Hyo for weeks now. He had just gotten used to their set up when Ji Hyo suddenly showed some changes again.

She has become somehow distant, and their meet ups in the music room had gotten rare. They used to meet there thrice a week, as if it had been an unspoken agreement.

But then she starts flaking him, now only showing up twice or once a week.

Sure, she is still cheerful when they're together, but somehow he could feel her building up this invisible wall around her, as if she has been worrying about something. She has become distant and guarded. And it is making Jong Kook crazy thinking about the possible reason of this sudden change. He is certain that it is something about her aunt, but he is trying to find a way to find out what is it specifically without pressuring her.

Now while he is telling her about something funny that Jong Han did a few days ago, he could see her eyes drift further away as if she is getting sucked into her own thoughts.