COLLIDE [PARK SUNGHOON]

13.

It's all your doing. Frowning at my hot cheeks as this phrase once again pops into my head, I walk through the corridors with my friends on either side of me. Sunghoon's words keep haunting the back of my mind and somehow they make me feel frustrated. Was he so affected by my words that he said or rather did that?

"Yahhh! Yah! Yaaah! Yah!" Chae-Won screams out in rhythm and stomps her foot on the ground. "We've been trying to get your attention for the past few minutes. What's going on in that mind of yours?" She is seemingly frustrated and Eun-Ji shrugs her shoulders, not denying the statement.

For some reason, I feel like I've been caught committing a crime and I blink, making Chae-Won smirk and Eun-Ji smile. "So you've been thinking about something!" she exclaims loudly and stops abruptly in the corridor, pulling us aside so we don't just randomly stop in the middle. 

Eun-Ji pushes against my arm. "Is it Ye-Jun? Are you guys finally something?" She squeals with delight and I quickly shake my head, throwing my arms to either side. "God, how many times do I have to say this, we are not dating!" Eun-Ji holds her hands in mock surrender, but still has that teasing smirk on her face, as does Chae-Won. At this point, it seems like an obsession for them.

Speaking of the devil, my phone lights up and a message comes in from Ye-Jun. Don't forget training tonight, sunshine. Seeing my friends reading along, I quickly turn my phone away and look at them with a scowl.

"He called you sunshine!"

"Omg he's so in love with you!"

Feeling conflicted, I huff and cross my arms, walking again. "He's not- whatever" They grin and tease me all the way to class, making me go crazy. As I ponder, would Ye-Jun really feel something for me? I certainly don't feel that way about him, I see him more as a best friend or even a brother I can rely on and joke with, but he's been calling me sunshine lately.

Dropping the matter in my mind, another thought comes to me and I let it out. "Eun-Ji, how did biology go with Heeseung?" She had not expected this question and now she is the one blushing as her steps falter. This makes me wonder what happened. Chae-Won suspiciously raises her eyebrow and I can only watch with the same expression. I thought she would be more annoyed, but it looks like she has been put under a...love spell.

It's silent and she presses her lips together, then decides to shrug. "Maybe he's not so bad, guys." As I mentally slap myself, I do my best not to roll my eyes. She needs to make up her mind. First she loves him, then she hates him and now, god, I don't even know how her mind works.

"What do you mean not that bad? He made you cry." Chae-Won declares as a fact and I irritatedly exhale some air. Always so subtle. Eun-Ji frowns at this and sighs as she makes a distraught face. "He apologised and I forgave him. Can't you just be happy for me for once!" she suddenly exclaims as she flings her arms in the air, startling us with her sudden outburst. It was unexpected. But one characteristic of Chae-Won is that she never backs down, even though she might be wrong.

"Come on Eun-Ji! The playboy from school magically apologises and now you tell me you guys have a thing? I didn't expect you to be so naive." I watch with unsure eyes. Should I do something? Eu-Ji gasps and grits her teeth. "It's still my choice Chae-Won! Why are you...why are you always like this?"

"Like what?" Chae-Won steps forward with her arms crossed and a challenging eyebrow. Okay, that's my cue to intervene. Taking a step forward and stopping their angry stare session, I lower my voice. "Can you maybe talk about this another time, there are students listening in" For a moment I think they didn't hear, but then Chae-Won adjusts her backpack and walks away, passing Eun-Ji who leaves seconds later. 

And here I am. In a fight between my two best friends. A group of three is so unfortunate sometimes.

Sighing deeply, I look down at my shoes and walk unmotivated to my class with no friends by my side. How did it come to this? I completely understand Chae-Won, Heeseung is a jerk who plays with many hearts, but on the other hand, Eun-Ji has made the choice, so sooner or later she will see his true self. 

I have an internal struggle and groan when I realise I forgot my Korean book. This day is getting better and better. Swearing, I turn on my heel and walk past chattering students to go to that damn locker and retrieve it.

Arriving, I quickly take off my backpack and unzip it. I open my locker and see that the hall is quiet except for a few late students. Shit, I hurry to be on time, throw my locker shut and rush to class, I still have a few minutes, but not that many.

Panting slightly, I enter the classroom and see that the teacher was just about to start. Making two deep bows, I apologise and with a stern tilt of her head I can take my seat. Relief overwhelms me and I take my seat, miraculously next to a snoring Jake. 

The scraping of my chair has woken him up and he sends me a lethal glare, but it quickly turns into a sly smile. "I didn't know you were in this class too?" He leans his head on his hand and a smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth.

"We are almost halfway through the school year, how can you not know?" I remark, noting that I prefer him sleeping rather than bugging me. This day is already so fantastic.

He shrugs nonchalantly and then I shake my head in disbelief, finally opening my book on the right page. I feel a tap on my back and a sound of frustration leaves my lips.

"Yes Jungwon?" With my attention on him, he says nothing which is strange, but after a few seconds he tries to suppress his laughter and points to my table. Frustrated, I turn around again and see Jake copying my notes from the previous lesson. Smacking his head, he pulls back with a groan of dissatisfaction.

Why are these guys always so chaotic? God, this lesson will take forever.

≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

Rushing out of the classroom, my head is about to explode. First we had Korean, which is a good reason for my headache, but the other, god, Jake and Jungwon kept nagging and teasing. Their energy today was too much.

Since it's lunch time now, I walk to the cafeteria, which is packed with chewing students as if they will starve from hunger. When I lift my head, I notice Eun-Ji waving towards me. Her arm is wrapped around Heeseung's and I frown as he somehow sends a taunting grin at me, but what irritates me most is that the deal was to leave us alone and since Eun-Ji has chosen to be with him, I am practically defenceless.

Averting my eyes, Chae-Won also waves at me a few tables away, she sits next to a few other friends from one of her classes who I don't actually know very well. I heave a deep sigh and let my eyes wander from side to side. What should I do?

As if some spirit above heard my frustration, they decide to end it with an incoming option. An arm is slung around me and I turn my head to see Sunoo escorting me to his table with all his friends except Heeseung who is too busy feeding his new girlfriend of the week, also known as Eun-Ji.