NOW PLAYING: THE HAPPIEST GIRL - BY BLACKPINK

❛I can stop the tears if I want to
I can stop the tears if I want to
I can stop the tears if I want to

But tonight I’ll be the happiest girl in the world
You’ll see like it never happened❜

✦ ⎯⎯ㅤִㅤ୭ ୨♡୧ ৎㅤִ  ⎯⎯ ✦

With exam season just on the horizon, everyone was crammed like sardines, nibbling on whatever information their fried brains could process. Some people had varying spaces when studying, the classic library, the chattery canteen, or some people just opted for the calm and usual atmospheric classroom, and Yu-ri was one of them. After the somewhat unfortunate incident in the library she crossed it off limits. She’d rather stuffer in the stuffy classrooms than come face to face with that imbecile with an IQ of Einstein but the class & face of Archaeopteryx. She snorted, what was so great about him anyways? What magnetism did he have exactly that had him preening and strutting around like a pompous peacock. Yu-ri shook her head. Why would she care? Clearly, he didn’t give a rat’s ass about her, that self righteous prick!

However, the same couldn’t be said for his mates…yes they had evolved from being simply ‘lackeys.’ All thanks to Daesung, Yu-ri sipped her milkshake, mango and passionfruit, swirling the straw around aimlessly trying to gather her foaming thoughts. They weren’t that bad, sure they hung around a pretty big dickhead but they weren’t malicious by intent, like they weren’t raised badly, just the environment. Or rather the influence of a certain someone.

Whilst being lost in her own haze of memories, she didn’t notice a certain brunette approaching her, Kang Daesung. Fiddling with the tassels of his hoodies he nervously walked towards the girl, her work ethic and dedication was astounding beyond measure, she deserved all the praise. But, like a piranha nipping at its prey relentlessly - he just couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was deeply wrong. Something had disrupted her, ruptured her to the core. No. It was slowly, slowly destroying her, she was masking something - masking something she had lost.

Yu-ri was suffering, the weight of her burdens entombing her like a vicious sand storm, in which there was no escape, a relentless cycle. Daesung gripped his bag, with a newfound and stronger resolve, he was determined to save her from herself, if she was blind to the scars which bled her heart. He’d be the gauze to cushion and comfort her - tending to her.

“Hey, is this seat next to you available?”

Yu-ri blinked, the question pulling her out of the swirling vortex of mango-passionfruit flavored thoughts. One moment, she'd been mentally crafting the perfect smoothie recipe, the next, the real world had rudely intruded. She looked up, surprised to see Daesung standing awkwardly beside her desk, his usually confident demeanor replaced with a hesitant shuffle. The fluorescent lights of the library glinted off the silver rings adorning his fingers as he fidgeted. His hoodie tassels danced a nervous jig, mirroring the butterflies she suddenly felt fluttering in her stomach. Was he...nervous? About talking to her?

“Oh, uh, yeah. Sure,” she replied, gesturing to the empty chair with a half-hearted wave. Her voice sounded breathier than she intended, and she cursed herself internally for sounding so flustered. Keep it cool, Yu-ri, she told herself. Just act natural.

Daesung practically melted into the seat, a wave of relief washing over his features. He placed his worn backpack on the floor with a soft thud and cleared his throat, the sound amplified in the otherwise quiet study area. “So, exam season, huh? Brutal.” He ran a hand through his already tousled hair, leaving a few strands sticking up at odd angles.

Yu-ri offered a noncommittal hum, her eyes drifting back to the open textbook in front of her. A complex diagram of interconnected carbon rings blurred slightly. She wasn't exactly brimming with enthusiasm for small talk, especially considering the mental gymnastics she'd been performing just moments ago, trying to decide if a pinch of lime zest would truly elevate her imaginary smoothie to new heights.

“What are you studying?” Daesung persisted, determined to breach the wall of concentration she’d erected around herself. He leaned slightly forward, peering at the page, his brow furrowing slightly in what she suspected was a feigned display of intellectual curiosity. “Organic chemistry? Oof. That’s… intense.”

Yu-ri actually chuckled a little at that. The sound, though quiet, was genuine. “Intense is an understatement. It’s like trying to decipher a foreign language while juggling flaming torches. And the torches are also on fire.”

“Tell me about it,” Daesung said, a genuine smile spreading across his face, crinkling the corners of his eyes and revealing a hint of the dimples he usually tried to hide. He was making progress! The ice was cracking. "Honestly, I'm more of a history kind of guy. Give me dates and battles any day over benzene rings.” He shuddered dramatically, exaggerating his distaste for the subject.

They chatted for a few more minutes, the conversation meandering through the treacherous terrain of upcoming exams and the relative merits of different study techniques. Yu-ri found herself actually relaxing a little, the tension in her shoulders easing. Daesung, with his easy smile and clumsy charm, had a knack for putting people at ease. He, however, had ulterior motives. He found himself subtly steering the topic towards Yu-ri, trying to glean any insight into the shadows he’d sensed lurking beneath her surface. He casually inquired about her hobbies, her favorite subjects, anything that might offer a clue to the subtle melancholy that seemed to cling to her. He’d noticed it weeks ago, a quiet sadness that seemed at odds with her sharp intellect and surprisingly dry wit.

“So, you’re really dedicated, always studying,” he said, hoping to lead into something more substantial. “Do you ever, like, do anything fun? To unwind?” He tried to make it sound casual, like an offhand question, but his heart was pounding a little in his chest.

Yu-ri paused, her eyes clouding over for a moment. The light in them seemed to dim, replaced by a distant, almost wistful look. Fun. It felt like a distant memory, a concept she’d read about in books but never truly experienced.

“I… I watch dance sometimes,” she said quietly, almost reluctantly. The words seemed to be dragged from her, as if she were revealing a carefully guarded secret.

Daesung's ears perked up. “Dance? Really? You dance?” He tried to keep the eagerness out of his voice, but he couldn't quite manage it.

Yu-ri shook her head quickly, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink. “No, no. I just… watch. There’s this street crew that practices near my house sometimes. They’re really good.” She spoke of them with a quiet admiration that surprised him. He hadn't imagined her noticing, let alone appreciating, something so expressive and vibrant.

Daesung was intrigued. He knew Yu-ri wasn’t the type to actively participate in something like dancing, but the fact that she enjoyed watching it was a revelation. He saw an opening, a glimmer of light in the darkness he suspected haunted her. He had to seize the opportunity.

“That’s awesome! I’ve always been fascinated by dance,” he confessed, a genuine excitement bubbling up inside him. “Actually… I’m auditioning for the dance club at school this week.”

Yu-ri's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Really? I didn't know you danced, Daesung." She couldn't quite picture the slightly awkward, eternally hoodie-clad Daesung as a graceful dancer.

He grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, it’s kind of a secret passion. I’ve been practicing in my room for months, much to the annoyance of my downstairs neighbors. I’m probably terrible, but hey, gotta try, right?” He paused, a mischievous glint appearing in his eyes. “If I make it, you should come see me perform. I promise I won’t fall on my face… probably.”

Yu-ri couldn’t help but smile. His genuine enthusiasm was infectious, a welcome contrast to the academic drudgery that usually filled her days. "I'll think about it. Don't get your hopes up though."

“Come on, just one show! You can even bring a sign that says ‘Go Daesung!’” He struck a dramatic pose, flexing his bicep, which, despite his efforts, remained stubbornly unimpressive. “I guarantee it’ll be the most thrilling three minutes of your life!”

Yu-ri actually laughed, a genuine, unrestrained laugh that chased away the shadows for a fleeting moment. The sound was like music to Daesung’s ears, a sweet melody he longed to hear more often. He had managed to break through, even if just a little. He’d seen a glimpse of the Yu-ri beneath the guarded exterior.

“Alright, alright,” she said, still chuckling. “Maybe I’ll consider it. But no promises.” The warmth of the moment lingered in the air between them.

Suddenly, the air around them seemed to crackle with tension. A dark shadow fell across Yu-ri’s desk, and a heavy textbook, probably filled with even more complicated organic chemistry, slammed down beside her open chemistry book with a resounding thump.

“Distracting the poor student, Dae?” Kwon Jiyong’s voice dripped with sardonic amusement, each word laced with a subtle disdain. He didn’t even bother to look at Yu-ri, his impossibly perfect face turned towards the open page of her textbook with feigned interest. It was an act, Daesung knew. Jiyong knew perfectly well what Yu-ri was studying. “Shouldn't you two be studying, instead of gossiping like school girls?”

He tossed a condescending smirk in their direction and sauntered away without another word, his perfectly tailored blazer swaying with each step, leaving a lingering scent of expensive cologne and simmering resentment in his wake. The scent, usually associated with wealth and sophistication, now smelled like poison.

Yu-ri's good mood evaporated instantly, like a spilled drink in the scorching sun. Her jaw tightened, a muscle ticking nervously in her cheek, and her fingers clenched around her pen, threatening to snap it in two.

"Ignore him," Daesung said, his voice tight with suppressed annoyance. He knew exactly what Jiyong was doing. He’d witnessed it countless times before. Jiyong seemed to take particular pleasure in targeting Yu-ri.

Yu-ri took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She knew Jiyong thrived on her reactions. He was a predator, and she refused to be his prey. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

“Yeah, whatever,” she muttered, forcing her attention back to her textbook. But the words swam before her eyes, forming meaningless patterns on the page. The complex structures seemed to mock her, their intricate bonds taunting her with her inability to focus.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur of equations and chemical structures, but Yu-ri found it impossible to concentrate. Jiyong’s presence, even in his absence, hung over her like a dark cloud, blocking out the light and casting a long shadow over everything. She glanced at the clock every few minutes, counting down the seconds until she could escape the oppressive atmosphere of the classroom and the even more oppressive weight of Jiyong's disdain. She wondered if maybe mango-passionfruit smoothies were better left as a dream.

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CHAPTER BY ; SEOIN & JAY

WORD COUNT !
1,893