Chapter 9

                                    

                                          
“Okay.” Jae-eun's expressions seem puzzled, as if he's not sure if he can believe me, but it also somewhat looks boring as if I just gave him useless information, and any moment he'd go “well, who asked?” 
This is why I was not convinced to share anything, I hate his non-reactive face, him sitting next to me right now—
“What are you going to do?” He asked in a very low tone, for a moment I thought he was making sure that no one could hear him, but it's just he's too close, he doesn't have to be loud. 
“I’m not doing anything.” I tell him, and he nods and makes a face that is somewhat ‘understandable.’ 
Is this it? He doesn't take this as an issue? 
“But isn't it risky—” he begins to voice but without letting him complete his sentence, ji-yo speaks up.
“exactly! I was telling her that she should back down.” 
“Oh.” he reacts to her exclaim. 
Just like that, it gets awkward. Ji-yo has never agreed with him at all, not even once. If anything, she has only spoken ill words about him, in front of him too. 
“Uh, so.. are you going to back down?” I ask and his eyes shift to mine from ji-yo in the span of millisecond, making me internally flinch. 
“I…don't think so?” Right. 
Now that he replied it's even foolish to imagine that he'd back down from something, he's too full of confidence and pride to do that. 
The three of us sit in silence thinking about whatever our brains allow us to do. After a minute or two I realize that he's not even supposed to be here, at our bench. 
“You can go back now, I'm done.” I inform him, he looks at me as if I woke him from a deep sleep, all clueless. 
“huh—? Oh. Okay.” he immediately gets up, sliding the chair back to its original place and walking to his own bench. 
“Da-hee,” ji-yo calls for my attention once he left, “See, even he thinks it's risky.” she tells me. 
I consider her concern but since when did we care much about his opinion? So what if he thinks it's risky? He can back out anytime he wants; it has nothing to do with my decision. 
“My answer is still the same. What if there's actually nothing? Should I give up this opportunity for nothing?” I ask her, 
She doesn't say anything and quietly disagrees with my decision, muttering under her breath. 
“Have you decided about participating in the school band? What is the position you're applying for?” I divert the topic and ask with genuine curiosity. 
“Guitarist.” 
✧  ✧  ✧
[ Ji-yo’s pov ]
“Wait for me here, okay?” I yell to da-hee as I run towards the office after school. 
She looks tired, but doesn't really let it slip on her face. Instead, She smiles signaling me to go. 
The students have already left, making the school look lifeless and lonely, a sad feeling drowns in my chest. 
I look at the form in my hand, The messily scribbled information such as name and hobbies, The tick on the box in front of the ‘guitarist’ is dull and full of doubts. 
I wonder if they'll even see the faded ink. 
As I walk in the direction, I realize It's been a while since I played guitar, two years actually.