Open-Door Policy (oneshot)
Title: Open-Door Policy
Pairing: Gayoon/Hyunah
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2905
Summary: Written for mockerybespoke for unniesanta. Hyunah doesn't come to Gayoon's rescue, but makes everything much worse.
The final bell tolls cheerfully and around Gayoon teenage bodies burst from their desks like coiled springs. In a flurry of fluttering notebooks and swinging backpacks, her classmates make for the doors in tight bunches with laughter in their eyes.
She takes her time and slips her worksheets into her folder, slides her notebook and textbook into her simple messenger bag and, with a glance around her, rises out of her chair. The halls are swarming with excited kids trying to get out as quickly as they can, and a few carelessly knock into Gayoon as she shoves herself in the opposite direction. One boy stomps on her foot and she smacks him on the head with her bag; he doesn't even look back. Wincing at her bruised toes, she breathes a sigh of relief as she finally pushes through the last wall of classmates and finds herself at her destination-- the library.
Time stills as soon as she passes through the doors. The sudden silence is almost a roar in her ears, but a far more welcome one than the shouts and cries she dealt with outside. She nods at the librarian who gives her a smile, kind smile in return, and heads for the tables in the back.
The library is anything but empty. She passes through rows of crowded study tables with students hunched over their books. Not all of them are studying. One pair at a table are pouring over and idol magazine and giggling as discreetly as possible; a boy and a girl sit at another, the boy's hand unsubtly groping at the girl's knee under the table where he thinks one can see. Gayoon rolls her eyes and presses on past the crowded tables.
Beyond those first few rows and through the seemingly endless shelves of books in the very, very back of the library, is Gayoon's favorite spot. Isolated by stacks of books yet to be sorted and shelved, one single table is tucked away beside the emergency exit. She tosses her backpack onto it with a triumphant smile and glances at the stack of books behind her chair, but the book on top isn't anything new. There goes the one possible instance of spontaneity in her day. She shrugs off the mild disappointment and slides into her chair. She has one earbud in and the other in her hand when the calm silence is broken by a shuffling sound followed by giggling from one of the aisles of books.
A small face with wide, bright eyes pops out from an aisle a ways from Gayoon's desk. The girl's mouth forms a surprised 'o' at Gayoon before she glances behind her to whomever is there. Two more girls appear on her sides, one tall, classically beautiful with long hair and one short and cute. Trying her best to look casual, Gayoon returns her attention to the notebook before her and places the second earbud in her ear. She doesn't turn on the music and can just make out the girls' excited whispers.
"I told you there was a table back here," the first girl says smugly.
"But there's someone here already," the little third one corrects her. "We can't hang out here if someone's already here."
"True, I guess."
Gayoon can feel all three sets of eyes boring into her back and has to fight back the urge to glare back.
"Hyunah," a new voice says, presumably the tall one, since she's the only one who hasn't spoken yet. "It was your idea to come here. Can't you make her leave?" There's shuffling or feet and whines of protest, but after a few moment a single pair of footsteps clack their way toward Gayoon's table. Gayoon takes the opportunity to hit the play button on her mp3 player and flip to a clean page of her notebook. Though she can sense the girl hovering right next to her, she pretends not to notice. She counts down the seconds in her head, scribbling random English words in her notebook and praying the girl doesn't catch on.
A perfectly manicured hand waves in front of her face and Gayoon curses in her mind. Reluctantly, she removes head headphones and gives the girl an attempt at a stern look. What she gets in return in a cheerful, almost clueless wide-eyed smile and a quick, chipper wave.
"Hi! Why are you all alone?" she asks as soon as Gayoon has her headphones off. For a moment, Gayoon is speechless because that was the last thing she imagined the girl would ask. "Anyone in there?" the girl giggles, waving her hand in front of Gayoon's vacant face.
"I don't know," she replies, shaking her head with confused frustration. "I mean-- I'm studying, of course I want to be alone."
The girl cocks her head as if she doesn't believe it. "You don't like studying with others?"
"I don't mind it," Gayoon mumbles.
Leaning on the table with her hip, the girl idly plays with the pages in Gayoon's notebook. "Then why are you by yourself?"
"Because I want to be!" She slams her notebook closed. "Look, what do you want? I'm a little busy here."
The girl's eyes widen even more, which Gayoon can't believe is possible, and she twirls a strand of her long hair around her finger. "So what's your name?" she asks, biting her lip and looking at the table, not Gayoon's face. Gayoon opens her mouth to ask why the hell she needs to know, but instantly the girl brightens up, and chirps, "I'm Hyunah!"
"I'm... Gayoon." Hyunah grins and Gayoon feels oddly defeated. Out of the corner of her eye she spies the other two girls, Hyunah's friends, who are watching them expectantly. "Just tell me what you want... Hyunah." She tries to ignore the elated look in Hyunah's eyes when she hears her name.
Unfortunately, it seems the only word Hyunah registers is her name because she asks with the same cheer, "So why do you like to study by yourself?"
It takes all of Gayoon's dwindling restraint to force out a clipped, but polite, "Didn't you come over to say something to me?" She looks over at the other two girls to emphasize her point. Hyunah follows Gayoon's gaze and gives a bouncy shrug.
"Oh, them?" She grabs Gayoon's pen and turns it over in her hands. "They wanted me to get you to move," she says in a rush. "But," she adds, "I don't really want you to move." Satisfied with her answer, Hyunah flashes Gayoon a stunning smile and waits for a reply.
"Well, thanks," Gayoon mumbles, feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed, for what reason she has no clue. She's even grateful even the other two girls finally come wandering over, the shorter grabbing Hyunah by the arm.
With a meaningful glance at Gayoon, she whispers audibly to Hyunah, "Well?"
Hyunah blinks at her, then at the taller one. Giving them a vague shake of the head, she waves her hand and says, "Forget it, let's go somewhere else, okay?" Both girls hesitate and the tall one gives Gayoon an incredulous look, but doesn't argue as Hyunah starts off back through one of the aisles, dragging the little one the entire way.
Despite her best attempts, Gayoon isn't able to get any studying done that afternoon.
"You said her name was Hyunah?" Jiyoon's sleepy voice asks through the speaker of Gayoon's cellphone. Gayoon grabs in the dark for the stuffed animal closest to her and hugs it to her chest. She closes her eyes and can still picture Hyunah's permanently excited expression, and how much it had brightened when Gayoon had said her name. "Hello? You there?"
"Yeah," she groans, squeezing her eyes more tightly shut. "And yeah, her name is Hyunah."
"You sure?"
The skepticism in Jiyoon's voice is grating Gayoon's already shot nerves. "Of course I'm sure," she grumbles and tosses over onto her side in bed.
"Don't be grouchy," Jiyoon scolds in between yawns. "You're the one who called me at three in the morning."
"I couldn't sleep." She covers her face with her stuffed animal because she can feel herself blushing and even in the dark she can't stand it. Silently she thanks whatever higher power gave her Jiyoon, the only friend she could ever comfortably call at such a ridiculous hour about something so... ridiculous.
Said friend is quiet for so long that Gayoon worries Jiyoon has fallen back asleep. "Kim Hyunah?" she asks again. "Average height, longish hair with bangs and great legs?"
"Well I didn't exactly notice the last part," she replies, her face heating up even more.
"That's the only Hyunah I know," Jiyoon continues. "She's on the dance team and is really, really good. She's so popular guys line up to greet her in the morning."
Gayoon gulps. "Seriously?"
"It's a slight exaggeration, but very slight." Jiyoon pauses, waiting for a response, but Gayoon finds herself struggling for words. Her face is incredibly warm and her throat tight. Great, the last thing she needs is the flu with exams approaching. "You sure it was her?"
"Probably," she says and attempts to sound as nonchalant as possible. The result is horrendously high-pitched and fake, but Jiyoon is luckily too tired to notice.
"Imagine my best friend being visited by the school goddess!" she cries dramatically. "So, can I sleep now?" Jiyoon yawns, loud and obnoxious.
Gayoon rolls her eyes. "Yeah, see you tomorrow." With that, she hangs up the phone and sets it on her nightstand. With another deep, inexplicable sigh, she curls up into a ball in bed. Not that she feels a bit sleepy.
"Alone again?" a familiar voice whispers and Hyunah's pretty hand pops into Gayoon's view, waving before her Biology notes. At first she can't believe it, but sure enough standing by her chair is the same girl, smiling as always. "How are you?"
"What are you doing here?" Gayoon asks before she can stop herself. Hyunah looks confused, but not even a little put off. She pulls out the chair opposite Gayoon, nearly toppling over a stack of books in the process, and settles herself down with her chin resting on her hand.
She slides Gayoon's notebook toward herself with her other hand. Flipping through the pages and pages of notes, her expressions changes from mild amusement to even astonishment. "Wow, you really understand all of this stuff?"
"Pretty much," Gayoon replies.
"So cool," Hyunah sighs. "You're so smart; no wonder you're always in the library." Her hand freezes and she peeks up at Gayoon in panic. "I mean-- you always seem to be here. I've noticed you a few times. Not like every day or something weird like that." She slides the notebook back and fiddles her fingers. "Sorry," she almost whispers when Gayoon doesn't respond.
Gayoon wants to laugh badly, because the sheepish look on the other girl's face is so endearing, but her voice is stuck in her throat. It's such an odd sensation, one she only started experiencing the day before. If there is one thing Gayoon can always rely on, it's having something to say.
"Hyunah?" a voice calls quietly from the shelves.
"Jihyun-unnie," Hyunah answers with what Gayoon swears is embarrassment in her eyes and voice. The tall girl from the day before gives Gayoon a seething glare before stepping up to the table. "What's up?"
"Practice is starting soon, silly," she says kindly and places a hand on her hip in fake annoyance. "Did you forget?"
"No," Hyunah mumbles. "I was going to skip it today. I was thinking of studying for a little while." She smiles proudly at Gayoon and sits up a little straighter. "Gayoon is so smart! She's going to help me."
Gayoon goes to argue, because she certainly didn't agree to anything like that, but Jihyun interrupts, "You, study? Since when?" She rolls her eyes and gently pulls Hyunah to her feet by her elbow. "Come on, stop playing around." Hyunah doesn't argue and lets herself be led away, but she throws Gayoon one last sad glance over her shoulder before disappearing into the aisle.
With a start, Gayoon realizes that she's never told Hyunah her name before.
Gayoon thinks it must be a stroke of bad luck that her outside shoes go missing that afternoon. When her locker is jammed beyond all help the next day, and the janitor discovers after breaking it open that a ruler had been forced into the hinges, she gets an uneasy feeling in her stomach but tries to brush it off.
The tacks left on her chair in class is harder to brush off.
The threatening notes dropped into her now-broken locker are even more difficult to stomach: "Get the fuck away from Hyunah." "Who do you think you are?" "Go die."
Her knees go a little wobbly when she finds her special table in the library covered in angry red messages of the same theme, made with permanent marker. Before Gayoon can leave, the librarian stops her and questions her crossly about the mess, not letting her go until she's warned her thoroughly about how much school property costs.
The one, tiny bit of pride she is able to retain is that, the entire time, she doesn't cry. She is able to get all the way home, into her room and buried in her bed before, finally,letting herself go in a fit of bitter sobs.
Gayoon is prepared the next day. She acts quite convincingly like the burning stares in the hallway don't bother her and tosses out the fresh influx of notes in her locker without so much as a flinch. In class she buries her faces in her books and notes. She's proud of herself for holding up so well and feels good enough by the end of the day to head right back to the library.
Whatever composure she has cracks when she finds Hyunah waiting for her by the table in the back. Hyunah traces the messages from the day before, poorly scrubbed into large smudges, with her fingers. She looks at Gayoon with a pained expression when she hears her approach.
"What are you doing here?" Gayoon demands as she practically tosses her bag onto the table. The slam makes Hyunah jump.
"I wanted to apologize--" she begins, but stops mid-sentence and bites her lip.
"You have nothing to apologize for," Gayoon says with a frown.
"But--"
"It's not your fault," Gayoon snaps, folding her arms. "It's not your fault that some people like you too much, okay?" She takes a deep breath. "But it would really make my life easier if you just... wouldn't come around here anymore."
"Why?" Hyunah asks, and the fierce tone of her voice takes Gayoon aback. She crosses her arms and steps up to Gayoon with narrowed eyes. Gayoon has to struggle not to find the expression adorable.
"Because you're giving people the wrong idea," she insists as calmly as she can.
"The wrong idea?" Hyunah raises her eyebrows.
"Yes, the wrong idea," she repeats, though she has no idea what it's supposed to mean. It seems to mean something to Hyunah at least as she nods her head slowly and even smiles a little.
"So, we shouldn't give anyone the wrong idea," she says, so quietly as if to herself. She claps her hands and grins. "That's exactly right." With another decisive nod, she skips past Gayoon and out of the library.
A feeling of cold dread comes over Gayoon, mixed with a strange kind of excitement.
Though she isn't surprised to find Hyunah waiting for her the next day at her locker, Gayoon can't help the way her mouth falls open. She can feel all eyes on her as she approaches the girl, who casually leans against the locker and waves in greeting. Fresh notes are taped to the locker, but Hyunah doesn't acknowledge them. Gayoon tries to ignore both Hyunah and everyone else in the hall, but it's very hard when those big, happy eyes are waiting for a reaction.
When she gets none, she instead turns to their audience and announces in a loud, screeching voice, "We don't want to give anyone the wrong idea!" Students look to one another in confusion and Gayoon can't take her eyes off of the girl before her who smiles so confidently. "Today we're going to give you all the right idea!"
With that she turns back to Gayoon and spreads her arms. Gayoon stares at her in disbelief, earning a frustrated shake of the head. As she stands, stupefied, Hyunah steps up to her and wraps her thin arms around Gayoon's shoulders, giving her a forceful peck on the lips. Gayoon tenses as the hall goes deathly quiet. When Hyunah pulls away after what feels like forever, Gayoon can feel herself blushing from the base of her neck up to her forehead and she wishes more than anything to disappear.
"Great idea, huh?" Hyunah's voice whispers in her ear. Gayoon wants to cry for many reasons, but all she can do is nod and watch Hyunah laugh happily next to her.
Eventually the crowd disperses, and eventually Gayoon regains ability to think and move. Despite knowing that her life has just gotten far too complicated, deep down Gayoon senses that somehow, somehow she is okay with Hyunah's 'right idea.'
Pairing: Gayoon/Hyunah
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2905
Summary: Written for mockerybespoke for unniesanta. Hyunah doesn't come to Gayoon's rescue, but makes everything much worse.
The final bell tolls cheerfully and around Gayoon teenage bodies burst from their desks like coiled springs. In a flurry of fluttering notebooks and swinging backpacks, her classmates make for the doors in tight bunches with laughter in their eyes.
She takes her time and slips her worksheets into her folder, slides her notebook and textbook into her simple messenger bag and, with a glance around her, rises out of her chair. The halls are swarming with excited kids trying to get out as quickly as they can, and a few carelessly knock into Gayoon as she shoves herself in the opposite direction. One boy stomps on her foot and she smacks him on the head with her bag; he doesn't even look back. Wincing at her bruised toes, she breathes a sigh of relief as she finally pushes through the last wall of classmates and finds herself at her destination-- the library.
Time stills as soon as she passes through the doors. The sudden silence is almost a roar in her ears, but a far more welcome one than the shouts and cries she dealt with outside. She nods at the librarian who gives her a smile, kind smile in return, and heads for the tables in the back.
The library is anything but empty. She passes through rows of crowded study tables with students hunched over their books. Not all of them are studying. One pair at a table are pouring over and idol magazine and giggling as discreetly as possible; a boy and a girl sit at another, the boy's hand unsubtly groping at the girl's knee under the table where he thinks one can see. Gayoon rolls her eyes and presses on past the crowded tables.
Beyond those first few rows and through the seemingly endless shelves of books in the very, very back of the library, is Gayoon's favorite spot. Isolated by stacks of books yet to be sorted and shelved, one single table is tucked away beside the emergency exit. She tosses her backpack onto it with a triumphant smile and glances at the stack of books behind her chair, but the book on top isn't anything new. There goes the one possible instance of spontaneity in her day. She shrugs off the mild disappointment and slides into her chair. She has one earbud in and the other in her hand when the calm silence is broken by a shuffling sound followed by giggling from one of the aisles of books.
A small face with wide, bright eyes pops out from an aisle a ways from Gayoon's desk. The girl's mouth forms a surprised 'o' at Gayoon before she glances behind her to whomever is there. Two more girls appear on her sides, one tall, classically beautiful with long hair and one short and cute. Trying her best to look casual, Gayoon returns her attention to the notebook before her and places the second earbud in her ear. She doesn't turn on the music and can just make out the girls' excited whispers.
"I told you there was a table back here," the first girl says smugly.
"But there's someone here already," the little third one corrects her. "We can't hang out here if someone's already here."
"True, I guess."
Gayoon can feel all three sets of eyes boring into her back and has to fight back the urge to glare back.
"Hyunah," a new voice says, presumably the tall one, since she's the only one who hasn't spoken yet. "It was your idea to come here. Can't you make her leave?" There's shuffling or feet and whines of protest, but after a few moment a single pair of footsteps clack their way toward Gayoon's table. Gayoon takes the opportunity to hit the play button on her mp3 player and flip to a clean page of her notebook. Though she can sense the girl hovering right next to her, she pretends not to notice. She counts down the seconds in her head, scribbling random English words in her notebook and praying the girl doesn't catch on.
A perfectly manicured hand waves in front of her face and Gayoon curses in her mind. Reluctantly, she removes head headphones and gives the girl an attempt at a stern look. What she gets in return in a cheerful, almost clueless wide-eyed smile and a quick, chipper wave.
"Hi! Why are you all alone?" she asks as soon as Gayoon has her headphones off. For a moment, Gayoon is speechless because that was the last thing she imagined the girl would ask. "Anyone in there?" the girl giggles, waving her hand in front of Gayoon's vacant face.
"I don't know," she replies, shaking her head with confused frustration. "I mean-- I'm studying, of course I want to be alone."
The girl cocks her head as if she doesn't believe it. "You don't like studying with others?"
"I don't mind it," Gayoon mumbles.
Leaning on the table with her hip, the girl idly plays with the pages in Gayoon's notebook. "Then why are you by yourself?"
"Because I want to be!" She slams her notebook closed. "Look, what do you want? I'm a little busy here."
The girl's eyes widen even more, which Gayoon can't believe is possible, and she twirls a strand of her long hair around her finger. "So what's your name?" she asks, biting her lip and looking at the table, not Gayoon's face. Gayoon opens her mouth to ask why the hell she needs to know, but instantly the girl brightens up, and chirps, "I'm Hyunah!"
"I'm... Gayoon." Hyunah grins and Gayoon feels oddly defeated. Out of the corner of her eye she spies the other two girls, Hyunah's friends, who are watching them expectantly. "Just tell me what you want... Hyunah." She tries to ignore the elated look in Hyunah's eyes when she hears her name.
Unfortunately, it seems the only word Hyunah registers is her name because she asks with the same cheer, "So why do you like to study by yourself?"
It takes all of Gayoon's dwindling restraint to force out a clipped, but polite, "Didn't you come over to say something to me?" She looks over at the other two girls to emphasize her point. Hyunah follows Gayoon's gaze and gives a bouncy shrug.
"Oh, them?" She grabs Gayoon's pen and turns it over in her hands. "They wanted me to get you to move," she says in a rush. "But," she adds, "I don't really want you to move." Satisfied with her answer, Hyunah flashes Gayoon a stunning smile and waits for a reply.
"Well, thanks," Gayoon mumbles, feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed, for what reason she has no clue. She's even grateful even the other two girls finally come wandering over, the shorter grabbing Hyunah by the arm.
With a meaningful glance at Gayoon, she whispers audibly to Hyunah, "Well?"
Hyunah blinks at her, then at the taller one. Giving them a vague shake of the head, she waves her hand and says, "Forget it, let's go somewhere else, okay?" Both girls hesitate and the tall one gives Gayoon an incredulous look, but doesn't argue as Hyunah starts off back through one of the aisles, dragging the little one the entire way.
Despite her best attempts, Gayoon isn't able to get any studying done that afternoon.
"You said her name was Hyunah?" Jiyoon's sleepy voice asks through the speaker of Gayoon's cellphone. Gayoon grabs in the dark for the stuffed animal closest to her and hugs it to her chest. She closes her eyes and can still picture Hyunah's permanently excited expression, and how much it had brightened when Gayoon had said her name. "Hello? You there?"
"Yeah," she groans, squeezing her eyes more tightly shut. "And yeah, her name is Hyunah."
"You sure?"
The skepticism in Jiyoon's voice is grating Gayoon's already shot nerves. "Of course I'm sure," she grumbles and tosses over onto her side in bed.
"Don't be grouchy," Jiyoon scolds in between yawns. "You're the one who called me at three in the morning."
"I couldn't sleep." She covers her face with her stuffed animal because she can feel herself blushing and even in the dark she can't stand it. Silently she thanks whatever higher power gave her Jiyoon, the only friend she could ever comfortably call at such a ridiculous hour about something so... ridiculous.
Said friend is quiet for so long that Gayoon worries Jiyoon has fallen back asleep. "Kim Hyunah?" she asks again. "Average height, longish hair with bangs and great legs?"
"Well I didn't exactly notice the last part," she replies, her face heating up even more.
"That's the only Hyunah I know," Jiyoon continues. "She's on the dance team and is really, really good. She's so popular guys line up to greet her in the morning."
Gayoon gulps. "Seriously?"
"It's a slight exaggeration, but very slight." Jiyoon pauses, waiting for a response, but Gayoon finds herself struggling for words. Her face is incredibly warm and her throat tight. Great, the last thing she needs is the flu with exams approaching. "You sure it was her?"
"Probably," she says and attempts to sound as nonchalant as possible. The result is horrendously high-pitched and fake, but Jiyoon is luckily too tired to notice.
"Imagine my best friend being visited by the school goddess!" she cries dramatically. "So, can I sleep now?" Jiyoon yawns, loud and obnoxious.
Gayoon rolls her eyes. "Yeah, see you tomorrow." With that, she hangs up the phone and sets it on her nightstand. With another deep, inexplicable sigh, she curls up into a ball in bed. Not that she feels a bit sleepy.
"Alone again?" a familiar voice whispers and Hyunah's pretty hand pops into Gayoon's view, waving before her Biology notes. At first she can't believe it, but sure enough standing by her chair is the same girl, smiling as always. "How are you?"
"What are you doing here?" Gayoon asks before she can stop herself. Hyunah looks confused, but not even a little put off. She pulls out the chair opposite Gayoon, nearly toppling over a stack of books in the process, and settles herself down with her chin resting on her hand.
She slides Gayoon's notebook toward herself with her other hand. Flipping through the pages and pages of notes, her expressions changes from mild amusement to even astonishment. "Wow, you really understand all of this stuff?"
"Pretty much," Gayoon replies.
"So cool," Hyunah sighs. "You're so smart; no wonder you're always in the library." Her hand freezes and she peeks up at Gayoon in panic. "I mean-- you always seem to be here. I've noticed you a few times. Not like every day or something weird like that." She slides the notebook back and fiddles her fingers. "Sorry," she almost whispers when Gayoon doesn't respond.
Gayoon wants to laugh badly, because the sheepish look on the other girl's face is so endearing, but her voice is stuck in her throat. It's such an odd sensation, one she only started experiencing the day before. If there is one thing Gayoon can always rely on, it's having something to say.
"Hyunah?" a voice calls quietly from the shelves.
"Jihyun-unnie," Hyunah answers with what Gayoon swears is embarrassment in her eyes and voice. The tall girl from the day before gives Gayoon a seething glare before stepping up to the table. "What's up?"
"Practice is starting soon, silly," she says kindly and places a hand on her hip in fake annoyance. "Did you forget?"
"No," Hyunah mumbles. "I was going to skip it today. I was thinking of studying for a little while." She smiles proudly at Gayoon and sits up a little straighter. "Gayoon is so smart! She's going to help me."
Gayoon goes to argue, because she certainly didn't agree to anything like that, but Jihyun interrupts, "You, study? Since when?" She rolls her eyes and gently pulls Hyunah to her feet by her elbow. "Come on, stop playing around." Hyunah doesn't argue and lets herself be led away, but she throws Gayoon one last sad glance over her shoulder before disappearing into the aisle.
With a start, Gayoon realizes that she's never told Hyunah her name before.
Gayoon thinks it must be a stroke of bad luck that her outside shoes go missing that afternoon. When her locker is jammed beyond all help the next day, and the janitor discovers after breaking it open that a ruler had been forced into the hinges, she gets an uneasy feeling in her stomach but tries to brush it off.
The tacks left on her chair in class is harder to brush off.
The threatening notes dropped into her now-broken locker are even more difficult to stomach: "Get the fuck away from Hyunah." "Who do you think you are?" "Go die."
Her knees go a little wobbly when she finds her special table in the library covered in angry red messages of the same theme, made with permanent marker. Before Gayoon can leave, the librarian stops her and questions her crossly about the mess, not letting her go until she's warned her thoroughly about how much school property costs.
The one, tiny bit of pride she is able to retain is that, the entire time, she doesn't cry. She is able to get all the way home, into her room and buried in her bed before, finally,letting herself go in a fit of bitter sobs.
Gayoon is prepared the next day. She acts quite convincingly like the burning stares in the hallway don't bother her and tosses out the fresh influx of notes in her locker without so much as a flinch. In class she buries her faces in her books and notes. She's proud of herself for holding up so well and feels good enough by the end of the day to head right back to the library.
Whatever composure she has cracks when she finds Hyunah waiting for her by the table in the back. Hyunah traces the messages from the day before, poorly scrubbed into large smudges, with her fingers. She looks at Gayoon with a pained expression when she hears her approach.
"What are you doing here?" Gayoon demands as she practically tosses her bag onto the table. The slam makes Hyunah jump.
"I wanted to apologize--" she begins, but stops mid-sentence and bites her lip.
"You have nothing to apologize for," Gayoon says with a frown.
"But--"
"It's not your fault," Gayoon snaps, folding her arms. "It's not your fault that some people like you too much, okay?" She takes a deep breath. "But it would really make my life easier if you just... wouldn't come around here anymore."
"Why?" Hyunah asks, and the fierce tone of her voice takes Gayoon aback. She crosses her arms and steps up to Gayoon with narrowed eyes. Gayoon has to struggle not to find the expression adorable.
"Because you're giving people the wrong idea," she insists as calmly as she can.
"The wrong idea?" Hyunah raises her eyebrows.
"Yes, the wrong idea," she repeats, though she has no idea what it's supposed to mean. It seems to mean something to Hyunah at least as she nods her head slowly and even smiles a little.
"So, we shouldn't give anyone the wrong idea," she says, so quietly as if to herself. She claps her hands and grins. "That's exactly right." With another decisive nod, she skips past Gayoon and out of the library.
A feeling of cold dread comes over Gayoon, mixed with a strange kind of excitement.
Though she isn't surprised to find Hyunah waiting for her the next day at her locker, Gayoon can't help the way her mouth falls open. She can feel all eyes on her as she approaches the girl, who casually leans against the locker and waves in greeting. Fresh notes are taped to the locker, but Hyunah doesn't acknowledge them. Gayoon tries to ignore both Hyunah and everyone else in the hall, but it's very hard when those big, happy eyes are waiting for a reaction.
When she gets none, she instead turns to their audience and announces in a loud, screeching voice, "We don't want to give anyone the wrong idea!" Students look to one another in confusion and Gayoon can't take her eyes off of the girl before her who smiles so confidently. "Today we're going to give you all the right idea!"
With that she turns back to Gayoon and spreads her arms. Gayoon stares at her in disbelief, earning a frustrated shake of the head. As she stands, stupefied, Hyunah steps up to her and wraps her thin arms around Gayoon's shoulders, giving her a forceful peck on the lips. Gayoon tenses as the hall goes deathly quiet. When Hyunah pulls away after what feels like forever, Gayoon can feel herself blushing from the base of her neck up to her forehead and she wishes more than anything to disappear.
"Great idea, huh?" Hyunah's voice whispers in her ear. Gayoon wants to cry for many reasons, but all she can do is nod and watch Hyunah laugh happily next to her.
Eventually the crowd disperses, and eventually Gayoon regains ability to think and move. Despite knowing that her life has just gotten far too complicated, deep down Gayoon senses that somehow, somehow she is okay with Hyunah's 'right idea.'