Jisoo dangled the set of keys in her hand and let them make a slight clink noise on the top of the table as she stared at them. When Krystal, Jin, and Keun-suk entered the room, they all looked around in confusion. “Jisoo, where is Teacher Jang’s girlfriend?” Jin voiced the question they were all thinking out loud.

Jisoo rolled her eyes as she stood up out of her chair. “First, she said she’s not his girlfriend, yet.” She made sure to put emphasize on the last word making Jin and Krystal confused. “Second, stupid. She’s not here, so clearly she left.”

“How come?” Krystal asked.

“I asked her to stay but she didn’t want to.” Jisoo said. “I asked her, since she was already here, why not meet with the teacher, then leave.” She started to tell them everything that happened.

Jisoo wondered why the woman in front of her was in such a rush to leave. “Jin will be back with him soon, and you can see him yourself.”

Jangmi kept her emotions in check as she stared at the girl in front of her. “We can’t see each other. We’ve agreed, until after Wednesday, I won’t meet with him.” Even though she thought she was hiding it well, Jisoo could still see the pain in her eyes as she spoke. She knew how such a pain felt and part of her pitied the woman. “But I need to give this to him before Wednesday. So…may I ask you to deliver it to him?”

She held a thin wrapped present out to Jisoo with shaky hands. Feeling that it would be wrong to refuse her request, Jisoo gently took the gift from her. “Oh, ok.”

“Thank you.” Jangmi said giving her a warm yet sad smile.

Jisoo looked down at the present in her hands and observed it. “But…will he know what it is for?” She asked.

Jangmi set her sad eyes on the item. “He’ll know when you give it to him.” Suddenly remembering something, Jangmi started to look through her purse. After a bit of searching her hand emerged holding a small set of golden house keys. She also held them out to Jisoo, who raised her eye brow in confusion. “These keys. Can you also give them to him?”

“This?” Jisoo asked.

Jangmi smiled at the innocent girl in front of her. “It’s his house key.” Finally, she stopped hiding the pain and let it show on her face as she moved a finger over the cool metal of one of the keys. “I don’t think I will be using it for a while. Please.” She practically begged Jisoo as she held the keys back out.

Jisoo once more felt she had no other option than to grant her wish. “Ok.” She whispered as she grabbed the keys and placed them on top the present.

“Thank you.” Jangmi said before quickly leaving Jisoo alone in the club office.

“It’s this.” Jisoo said as she held the present out for Keun-suk to take. “And these keys.” Keun-suk blushed slightly as he also took the keys.

“What is that, teacher?” Krystal asked as she noticed him staring unbelievingly at the wrapped object in his hands.

Keun-suk took a deep breath to try and settle the mix of emotions that were now raging inside of him. “I searched for a long time but couldn’t find one. She’s found one for me.”

“Why did she say she had to give it to you before Wednesday, and that she can’t see you before then?” Jin asked.

“Wednesday?” Krystal repeated over and over as she tapped her chin as she thought about why that day sounded important. Suddenly recalling what it was, she turned to Jin with a big smile on her face. “That’s Lonna’s birthday.” Jisoo and Jin’s eyes went wide with shock. Krystal’s smile faded quickly as she slowly turned back to Keun-suk. “Teacher, your girlfriend couldn’t be jealous of Lonna, right?” She asked.

Keun-suk nodded his head in answer. “I wanted to be give this to Lonna for her birthday.”

Krystal let out a loud gasp of shock. “She actually dug around for Lonna’s gift?” She set her eyes on poor Jin who was surprised by the angry look that was there. “If it was me, I’d be mad as hell.” Jin feeling it was a warning for him as well as a statement just nodded his head. “Of course, she would be jealous.”

“That’s not it. She’s not my girlfriend, yet.” Just as Jisoo had, he made the word ‘yet’ the most important part of the sentence.

“She had your house key. What’s wrong with you?” Jisoo scolded him.

“We’re better than normal friends, but we’re not what you would call a couple.” Keun-suk tried to defend himself.

“Your girlfriend is so pretty, and you don’t want her?” Jin gave him a dumbfounded look. “Teacher, you’re very cavalier.”

Keun-suk didn’t like being judged for his choices, but he couldn’t deny they had every right to question him. “It’s all my fault. I’ve kept her in the grey area between friendship and love. To Jangmi, it must be cruel.”

Jangmi’s POV

Jangmi moved the hair that the wind kept blowing out of her face as she tried to look around at the beauty as she walked the trail. The river seemed so beautiful as she walked up to the point that would give her the better view. As she looked out over it, Seungwan walked up beside her.

Even though Jangmi didn’t know the young girl, she could see the same thoughtful look on her face, that she was sure was noticeable on hers. “This school is really beautiful.” She said trying to start a conversation.

“I think so, too.” Seungwan said as she turned and gave Jangmi a sad smile, she oddly felt a connection to the stranger beside her. “Too bad I’ll be leaving soon.” Seungwan let her smile fade as she looked sadly over the river in front of them.

“Why? Aren’t you a student here?” Jangmi asked.

“Actually, it was because I liked someone here that I came to study here. I’ve known from the beginning that I didn’t have a chance. Now that he has rejected me, I must give up.” Hearing the girl talk about her one-sided love story, it made Jangmi wonder if she too would soon come to the same ending. Part of her expected it to be her fate, but a small part still held on to some hope.

“Actually, for a relationship to have a clear stop sign, is not a bad thing.” She said. “Truth is, I’m like you. In the future, I may not have the opportunity to come back.”

“Why not?” Seungwan asked.

“I’m also here because someone I like is here. But he could never decide whether to accept me or reject me. It hurts. To keep waiting is an agony.” Seungwan listened silently as Jangmi laid all her feelings in the open. She couldn’t help but feel she was the luckier one between the two of them, but that thought made her sad for the woman who stood beside her, but at the same time she admired her. “I don’t think I have the courage to keep waiting.”

“To wait for happiness does require a lot of persistence.” Seungwan looked over to Jangmi. “Unnie, you’re remarkable.”

Jangmi smiled. “You, too.” She said. “Choosing to give up, letting yourself start over, that needed more courage. I’m envious of your courage. I hope you soon find the happiness you deserve.”

“I hope the same for you.” Seungwan reached in her purse and offered a chocolate to Jangmi. “Unnie, every time I eat this, it helps me restore energy.”

Jangmi smiled graciously at the young girl as she took the kind offering. “Thank you.”

 Just as quickly as they had met, they both said their good byes and left each other. As they walked further away, they felt as if the chance encounter had held the answer they hadn’t been able to find in themselves. They walked away with both their heads held high, confident that the decisions they were starting to doubt was the best ones for them.  

Seungwan’s POV

The next day, Seungwan came to the school just to say good bye to everyone. They were all sad to see her have to go, but RM, and the other three boys refused to let her leave until she took pictures with them. Jin quickly jumped at the chance to join in.

They all did different funny poses and constantly switched positions to make sure each of them had their turn beside Seungwan. Jisoo rolled her eyes at the annoying display.

Suga was in charge of taking the many pictures and seeing his friends having fun, made it hard for him to complain. “RM, can you smile?” He shouted out as he readied the camera for yet another picture. The flash went off a few more times as Lonna stood off to the side and smiled at the antics.

Once the pictures were over, Seungwan stood in front of RM, Jimin, Taehyung, and Jhope, who let off confetti canons over her head. After attempting to shake the tiny pieces of shiny paper from her hair as best she could, she bowed down to everyone. “Take care everyone.” Raising up, she opened the back door of the car and pulled out a glass jar full of her favorite chocolates. “This is my gift to the basket ball club. I wish…” She sent a mischievous smile in Jisoo’s direction. “For you, Jisoo, to accept it from me.”

Jisoo gave the girl a slightly angry look as Lonna and Suga tried to keep themselves from laughing. Jisoo forced herself to walk over and take the jar from Seungwan’s hands. “You know I don’t…” Seeing Jisoo’s hands full, Seungwan seized her opportunity to shove an open chocolate in the girl’s mouth.

Jisoo’s eyes went wide in shock. “Try it.” Seungwan encouraged her. Jisoo hesitantly took the sweet treat from Seungwan’s hand and took a tiny bite. She tried to hide the fact she liked the chocolate, by acting as if it was disgusting. Seungwan giggled at her failed attempt.

“Seungwan, oppa’s arms are always open for you.” Jhope said bringing Seungwan’s attention away from Jisoo.

“Seungwan, next time you want to date, consider me.” Taehyung also flirted with her.

“Seungwan, I like you.” Jimin’s voice came out high pitched and nervous making the others laugh at him. Even Jisoo lost her composure.

“I like you all. I’ll never forget you.” Seungwan said sweetly before getting in the back seat of her family car.

“Going, then go. Why leave chocolate?” Jisoo fussed. “Trying to get me fat?”

“Despite the bravado, I can tell your words are full of loss.” RM said as he walked up beside his girlfriend. “Like…” Before he could say anymore, Jisoo pulled the same trick Seungwan had on her and shoved the rest of her chocolate in his mouth.

“You talk too much.” Jisoo said. As the car pulled away, Lonna could feel the guilt start to bother her again, without another thought she ran down the steps and started to run after it.

“Seungwan!” Lonna screamed as she ran behind it.

Hearing her name being called, Seungwan leaned her head out the opened window. Seeing Lonna trying to keep up with the car took her by surprise. “Stop the car.” She ordered the driver, making him do as she demanded. Once the car finally stopped Lonna leaned against the open window out of breath. “What’s wrong unnie?” Seungwan asked concerned.

“I can’t lie to you…” Lonna’s voice was not shaking from the lack of breath, but from the fear of how Seungwan was going to react to her confession. Before she could talk herself into doubting that telling her was the right thing to do, Lonna quickly held the hand up that Suga had placed the ring on for Seungwan to see. “The ring…the person who wears it…is me.” Lonna felt like her heart was in her throat as she looked into Seungwan’s sad eyes. “To protect the love between me and Suga, I hid it from you…from the start. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to say sorry. You’re the one suffering the most, right? And I think Yoongi liking unnie is a great thing.” Seungwan said.

Lonna was shocked by how she was reacting. “You don’t blame me?”

“The roses next to the ring are my blessing to you. I bless unnie and Yoongi.” Lonna felt like she could cry because of the relief she felt. “Don’t forget, the person wearing the ring has to say the incantation of happiness often.”

Lonna said the words that Seungwan had taught her the other day when she passed her the ring. Seungwan smiled happily at the fact that she had remembered. “Unnie, good bye.”

Lonna simply waved as she backed away from the car that was starting to take off again. Suddenly, Suga ran up beside Lonna. “Seungwan!” Hearing her name again, she stuck her head out the window as the car slowed. “Remember chocolate isn’t your only choice! I think you’ll make your own decisions from now on, and not regret any of them!” He quickly threw something, which Seungwan caught perfectly in her hand.

She smiled happily as she looked at the pack of gum. “Yes! I’ll do my best!” She screamed back. Suga hugged Lonna close to him as they both watched the car drive away.

In the back seat, Seungwan gripped the gum tightly in her hands as all the memories that she had gathered with Suga since he had picked her up out of the road swam through her mind. She gently wiped the few tears that had escaped her eyes as a small smile spread her lips. She was sad that her first love had been a failure, but she was happy that it had happened.