imessage, real life

SUMIN had another shitty night of sleep. It happens sometimes and the next day Sumin is an awful, brooding mood, the lack of sleep affecting Sumin more than the average person. So, Sumin walks through the halls of Hanlim with her earphones in and music turned up. She moves swiftly through the crowd, narrowly avoiding bumping into students rushing past her.

      The only good outcome of today so far has been securing the front seat on the ride to school, leaving Beom-Sook to sit in the back with their younger siblings. Sumin's phone chimes through her earphones and she glances down at the screen, seeing Aika had sent a text to the groupchat. Sumin decides it's too early to deal with the groupchat and places her phone on Do Not Disturb — something she promised never to do after a fight that occured a year ago between Sumin and her parents. But, since it'll only be for a short while, Sumin decides it'll be okay.

      Walking into her homeroom Sumin sits down at the desk by the window. Her usual seat. She places her bag on the seat beside her so no one thinks to sit beside her. Slumping forward, Sumin buries her head into her hands and focuses on Red Velvet's voices instead of the loud, over-eager voices filling the early morning air.

      Just as Sumin grows used to the peace settling, someone pokes her shoulder. Sumin grinds her teeth together and doesn't move, hoping the person gives up. Another poke and Sumin thinks someone says her name. Sumin continues to ignore the poking and the far-away voice saying her name. Eventually the poking stops and the feeling of someone standing over her disappears.

      Ignoring people and things really worked in Sumin's favor.

      Finally quiet settles all around Sumin as her homeroom teacher's voice booms into the small classroom. Sumin raises her head and moves to turn down her music, she catches sight of familiar bleach-blond hair sitting in the desk in front of her. It was almost scary how Sunoo turned around even with Sumin making no sound, and he flashes her a smile.

      Sumin only diverts her attention to the phone in her hand as she turns down the volume to her music and checks the notifications she recieved from Aika and Jaehyun blowing up their groupchat. Sumin had tried to convince Aika and Jaehyun to use private messages because Sumin rarely ever responds to any kind of group text, but Aika and Jaehyun were adamant in including Sumin in every conversation they have, maybe because there were aware of previous friendships Sumin had where she was constantly excluded just because of her personality. (Is it a crime to not want to go out into the world and socialize every chance you get? Sumin doesn't understand how people can have multitudes of friends. Two is enough for Sumin.)

      Homeroom ends and Sumin easily melts into the wave of students exiting their classrooms to head to their specially assigned departments. The first half of the day is reserved for whatever department you enrolled yourself in, so for Sumin, she heads down to the dance department block. After lunch, comes the basics of high school; English lessons, maths, science — boring to Sumin, but at least she shares most of her classes with Aika and Jaehyun.

      Sumin enjoys the first part of her day, it's always enjoyable when she spends time dancing rather than sitting in a classroom and listening to a teacher rattle on about something she'll forget moments later. The only downside to dance is having to take out her earphones and place them in her bag. It always felt weird to Sumin as she tuned in to the sounds of laughter and talking more clearly than she usually would.

      Staring out the window as if she were in a drama, Sumin waits for their practical dance class to begin. There's a momentary lapse in conversation, and then it starts up again but this time it's much more louder. Peering over her shoulder, Sumin finds Jay talking to familiar classmates as they get ready for the lesson.

      An hour into class is when Sumin finally makes eye contact with Jay as she stares into the mirror to work on some movement they were just taught. Sumin stills and Jay flashes her a warm smile. Sumin only nods in response and goes back to working on her own movement. Sometimes, she wonders if there were people out there who truly didn't understand social cues — isn't being cold and not smiling back a sign that someone doesn't want to be friends?

      Sumin's content with having Aika and Jaehyun by her side. Sumin doesn't want any more friends because that means she'll only have to prepare herself for inevitable disappoinment when they realize Sumin doesn't change, even if they grow close to her walls. Sumin will always be this — she'll always be closed-off and unwilling to speak, she'll always be angry at the world, she'll always be pessimistic.

      During one of their breaks, Jay approaches Sumin with a smile. "Hey, Sumin."

      "Hey."

      "Could I walk with you after class?"

      Sumin raises an eyebrow as a question.

      "JJ invited Sunoo and I to eat lunch with you again and since we're going to the same place, I thought we could walk together," Jay explains and Sumin can easily identify the hope in his eyes.

      "Sure," Sumin steps around Jay and heads for her bag.

      Class ends as the lunch bell rings and for the first time in a long time, Sumin hangs in the practice room rather than dashing out the door. Sumin fiddles with her earphones as Jay converses with some classmates. It comes as no surprise to Sumin that Jay's a social butterfly, basing off what ENHYPEN videos her sister, Nari, forces her to watch. Sumin decides to listen to some SEVENTEEN this time, instead of her usual girl-groups.

      "Thanks for waiting," Jay says and Sumin turns down her music, "I talk too much sometimes."

      "It's alright." Sumin thinks it's fine because as they walk down the hallways it's less crowded.

      "I like your Instagram account," Jay pipes up after a few minutes of silence, deciding it's better to make conversation with Sumin than flouder in awkward silence. "Do you post daily?"

      "Once a day," Sumin responds, "Aika and Jaehyun convinced me."

      "You must've started recently. It was day eight on your post yesterday."

      "Yeah, I got Instagram two months ago but never used it." Sumin can't help but respond curtly. Her lack of sleep, experiencing arguments early in the morning, and listening to Nari complain her ear off in the car this morning all added to the frustration, anger, and annoyance Sumin felt. It's not that she didn't like Jay — something about him was oddly calming — she just wasn't in the mood to talk more than fifty words.

      "There they are!" Aika calls out as the pair enter the classroom. "Hey Jay! Hey Susan!"

      Sumin scowls as she drops into the seat beside Aika, "I thought I told you not to call me that."

      "Don't tell me what to do. How was dance lessons? Exhausting I bet?"

      Jay responds instead of Sumin who was quite happy about that. She pulls out the lunch her mom made for her and can't help but feel anticipation seep through her blood as she wonders what food her mother made for her today. Though, knowing her mom, it was something store-bought.

      "Hey," Sunoo says, bright and eager as ever as he leans over.

      "Hi."

      "I think you were asleep in homeroom today," Sunoo says, "because you didn't answer me when I poked you and called out your name."

      "Sorry."

      "It's okay! I was going to ask you if I could sit beside you," Sunoo's smile didn't falter. It maintained its brightness and Sumin begins to wonder how someone was so bright in a world plauged in darkness.

      "No," Sumin picks up the store-bought Tteokbokki and slowly chews on the food.

      "Oh," pouts Sunoo, "why not? I'm a good seatmate!"

      "We're not friends."

      "Can we be friends?"

      Sumin opts to shrug instead of voicing out a response and turns her body inwards, to focus on Aika's conversation with Jay. Sunoo draws his body away from Sumin and copies her actions.

      "I heard you could speak Japanese, Jay!" Aika pipes up, a bright smile on her face and red cheeks.

      "I can," Jay affirms with a nod of his head.

      "I'm from Japan! I can speak Japanese cool."

      Jay's smile is soft, "that's cool, Aika."

      What follows is awkward silence and Sumin makes eye contact with Jaehyun, who frowns. He's about to become ten-thousand won poorer.

      The lunch bell rings and everyone packs up their things. Sighing, Sumin turns to Sunoo who instantly looks up, still wearing a smile. "You can walk with me if you want."

      "Of course!" Sunoo says goodbye to Jay, Aika, and Jaehyun and follows Sumin out of the classroom.

twice first everyone else second

aikadeeznuts
today was fun

aside from the awkward conversation i had with jay

loser jj
fuck u

i am now poor

fuck you aika

aikadeeznuts
there jj goes again! blaming women for his problems!

loser jj
this time it IS YOUR fault!!!!!!!

aikadeeznuts
no its urs for even betting in the first place

#girlpower

so glad sumin got that bag

sumin
saving it so i can escape this hell hole

ten thousand won added to my savings

aikadeeznuts

should i post this?? do i look good?? pls jay is going to see my post. pls let me know if i should post.

sumin
u look fine aika

loser jj
ugly

so yeah post it

aikadeeznuts
my friends such

fine

u better go and hype me up in the comments

loser jj
as long as u pin my comment

aikadeeznuts
fine.

loser jj
what is ur post gonna be for today sumin????

sumin
some cats and maybe a picture of my textbook idk

aikadeeznuts
Cat Lady.

sumin
and what about it

loser jj
can they sit with us tomorrow?

aikadeeznuts
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sumin
yeah idm

loser jj
look at us getting more friends!

aikadeeznuts
i am now popular

loser jj
in ur wildest dreams

aikadeeznuts
i am becoming friends with TWO idols jj stfu

loser jj
thats nothing compared to me

aikadeeznuts
we can't all be like YOU jj. jeez.

hourlysumin posted a new story!