2. white rose 》jeongmi

III

thursday morning, i got up early and went to school to rehearse and prepare my presentation. i couldn't do so as i was stopped by someone in the middle of the hallway near our classroom. there's not much people around, and it's incredibly silent.

"hi, jeong-ssi. goodmorning." she greeted. and if it's a little more silent, she could probably hear my almost heavy breaths as i stare back at her.

i smiled and continued walking, "goodmorning to you too, mina-ssi." she smiled back and walked beside me. "what brings you here this early?" i asked.

i hear her hum, "i was practicing. how about you?"

"just about to practice my--"

"your presentation?" she cut me off. "yeah, i know." she continued and i can imagine her smile. i hear her sigh a little, "i thought you're gonna pretend i'm invisible again."

she knew i was avoiding her since last week, i didn't know she was this upset.

and this is where i regret things i did. i entered our classroom, and i'm not surprised she came in too and roamed her eyes around, while i started putting handouts on the tables.

"you're not." i replied. i noticed her looking at me. i pretended to read my notes to hide the fact that i'm really happy right at this moment. "how can i even pretend you're invisible when you're all i see?"

i was embarassed for dropping some words like that, but had the courage to drop my notebook on the table and look her in the eyes, and just how i imagined it, she was smiling.

"i-i think i gotta go." mina said and started to walk out of the room, "see you around."//