be my girlfriend | k.s.w

18

Mirae arrived at the athletics field, and after being scolded by her coach for being late, she got changed and began her stretching. Once training was over, she said goodbye to everyone before being left alone to pack up the equipment once again.

Eric stood from a distance as he watched the girl lifelessly pick up cones and collect the equipment, putting them away into the storage. He could see how troubled she was by the way her joy, in even packing up the athletics equipment, was gone.

He watched curiously as she sat down on the grass next to her stuff for a while before standing back up and jogging on the track. Eric observed her run around the field a couple times, her energy dropping more and more as she ran.

All he did was sit there, without her knowledge, as he watched her run round and round the field over and over again. She kept on going, not stopping until she tripped, falling to the ground.

Eric immediately ran down and across the field towards Mirae after seeing that she didn't move.

"Mirae!" Eric collapsed next to her, as he looked at her face which was covered in sweat, her chest rising and falling rapidly with every breath she took.

"Eric..."

Eric immediately held Mirae's back, helping her sit as she shook violently, hands reaching to her calves as she massaged them.

"You okay?" He asked quietly, watching the girls face change as she sniffed, a tear falling, making Mirae quickly wipe it and hide her face. Watching her shake her head, Eric was quick to embrace her in a tight hug.

"No don't." Mirae pushed him away as she continued the cover her face. Slightly hurt, Eric looked at her confused.

"I'm all sweaty and gross..."

Eric laughed as she sniffed, he pulled her close as he hugged her tightly. "That's okay, you kinda need a hug right now."

"I really like him Eric. I really do." Mirae cried quietly as she held tightly onto Eric's arm.

"I know." The boy, sighed, knowing that the girl he was comforting wouldn't ever be able to accept his feelings. "It's okay, just don't ever run that much ever again, you nearly fainted."

"Okay." They pulled apart as Mirae wiped her face, they looked at each and smiled, breaking into a laughter.

"Your so ugly when you cry." Eric laughed flicking Mirae's forehead.

"Hey!" Mirae punched Eric's arm as she let out a giggle too.

"You know you've become one of my best friends right?"

"Well of course, if we spent so much time together how could I not be." Mirae flicked her hair with a proud expression.

"That means you can always talk to me. Okay?" Eric smiled, looking at Mirae as she nodded eagerly.

-

"Joha?" Mirae stood just inside the school gate as she sees her 'friend' standing against the wall.

"Mirae." Joha took a step forward looking directly into the girls eyes, almost glaring at her.

"What do you want?"

Joha widened her eyes, taken aback by the sudden coldness spread across her voice.

"Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends." At this, Joha scoffed.

"We were friends? I was your shadow. Everything I did was compared with you, how you did it so much better, how I was nothing compared to you."

Mirae curled her fist, not looking away.

"How do you think it felt, having a mum who wanted you as a daughter rather than me. To have friends who liked you better. To always be second choice after you. You have always thought about yourself and yourself only. You never took my situation into consideration and you never had any problems because your life is so perfect."

"Your not serious right?" Mirae spat as she took a step closer to Joha. "You don't know anything about me do you?"

Joha took a small step backwards as she rolled her eyes.

"What, you have supportive parents who let you live by yourself so you can pursue whatever career you want. You were loved by everyone in middle school, while I was bullied. Now you got the chance to date the most popular guy in school and also your crush."

Mirae sighed, looking down as Joha scoffed.

"You never knew me did you Joha? Did you ever TRY to know me? Understand me? I lived with my grandparents and now I live by myself because my mum's abusive and my dad's been absent my whole life. My only friends in middle school were you and Haerin. Wasn't it weird that I only ever hung out with you guys rather than people from my school? I was outcasted Joha, no one talked to me. And how can you say I dated Sunwoo when you KNOW that it was fake."

Joha opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"But you know it hurts more that someone I trusted would go behind my back like that."

Mirae laughed sadly as she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Joha, holding her in a hug.

"You were my best friend Joha. We spent a lot of time together."

Mirae let go as she gave Joha one last smile before passing by her and walking out the school. Joha turned around as she watched the girl walk away, her arms limply by her side.

-

By the time Mirae arrived at the street of her home, she noticed a figure sitting down at the foot of her home. Confused, she walked quickly to see who it was her face dropping to see Sunwoo sitting there.

"Mirae..." Sunwoo stood up, walking towards the girl, but she just moved to the side walking past him.

"Mirae please..." Sunwoo held onto her hand tightly as he watched her turn around.

"What is it Sunwoo?" Mirae turned around with a tired expression looking at him with cold eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking in that moment and I know I shouldn't have done that but I promise the kiss wasn't just nothing. Mirae I..." when he looked at her face, her eyes had widened and the hand he was holding was shaking and her pupils shook as they looked past him.

"Mirae what-" he turned around to see a middle-aged woman standing right behind them, looking directly at the girl.

"Mirae?"

"Mum."