BATHROOM ; J.JK

twenty-two.

"chaeyoung! i like you, will you go out with me?" minhee asked, holding out her rose to her beloved friend.

chaeyoung stared at her with sad eyes. "minhee," she croaked out. "i'm so so sorry, but i don't return those feelings back for you. i-i'm-"

"chaeyoung!!"

chaeyoung looked back and saw a girl with bright eyes and bangs waving at her with a smile. she looked back at minhee. "i'm dating li-lisa,"

minhee's heart plummeted and stared at the ground.

"oh minhee mouse, please don't be sad, i really am sorry," chaeyoung clutched the smaller girl's cheeks and forced her to look up at her. "i j-just think that you're more of a little s-sister."

minhee sniffed and nodded and chuckled softly. "i've always thought that chaelisa was the best ship."

chaeyoung sadly smiled and kissed her forehead.

"one day, i promise you'll find someone that'll love you... i need to go,"

minhee was left alone in the hallway with a rose by her side and a small puddle of tears.

days went by and chaeyoung and minhee barely nodded hello to each other while passing the hallways, everything was just too awkward for them after minhee's confession.

"hey dowoon!"

dowoon lifted his head from his swing and smiled at minhee, who was holding a small basket of his favorite sweets.

"minhee mouse! hi! so you wanted to hang out?"

"y-yeah! but before that, i just came to give you this!" minhee handed him the black basket filled with white and milk chocolate sweets. "i know you really love them so... also there's a note inside it,"

dowoon opened it and scanned the paper, his grin slowly turning into a frown with every word he read.

"'so i came to the final conclusion, i like you...'"

minhee shuffled quietly.

dowoon put the note back into the basket and handed the basket back to minhee. he looked at her with emptiness in his eyes.

"i'm sorry minhee, i don't see you in that way... one day, i promise you'll find someone that'll love you."

"oh it's o-okay,"

"i just remembered, i have a math test i need to study for," dowoon whispered and walked away from the swing-set.

from that point on, dowoon and minhee drifted away due to the lack of conversation. it seemed that minhee kept turning dowoon away, not wanting to meet his eyes any longer.

minhee then had vowed herself never to confess first, having the chance that she'll be turned down. she didn't want to keep breaking friendships she cherished simply because she liked the person in a romantic way.

"minhee mouse...?" jeongguk waved his hand in front of her face, breaking her out of her trance.

"d-don't call me that," she stiffened, pushing his hand away.

"are you okay?"

she gulped and turned her head.

"i'm sorry if i triggered you or something," jeongguk muttered and held her hand comfortingly.

"it's fine, i'm fine,"

"are you, are you sure?"

she nodded slowly and inhaled-exhaled slowly, facing jeongguk again.

"h-how," she paused for a minute. "so how many girlfriends have you had in the past?"

"hey!"

minhee giggled and smiled at him. jeongguk softened at the sight.

"wifey, you should smile, like smile a real smile,"

"that's something a cat-caller would say,"

"hey!"