You Belong With Me

Chapter 5: Friends?

Yeji's POV

Monday morning arrived, and I cautiously stepped into the school's familiar domain. Surprisingly, the morning passed without anyone tormenting me.

It was a rare reprieve that I could only attribute to Lia's timely intervention. A silent expression of gratitude formed within me as I navigated the bustling hallways.

The fourth period signaled the start of biology class, and by some twist of fate, I found myself sharing a classroom with one of Lia's friends.

My curiosity swirled with questions about the interactions this would bring.

As the class unfolded without incident, I gathered my belongings, preparing to leave the room. Just then, the girl I was talking about approached me with a friendly greeting.

"Hi," she said, her smile exuding warmth.

I eyed her warily. "Hi," I replied, taken aback by her sudden approach.

"So, you're Yeji, Hwang Yeji," she remarked, her tone curious.

"Yes," I replied, my voice tinged with suspicion. "Why are you talking to me?" I added, ready to move past her. I noticed Chaeryeong exiting the room as well, and I hastened my steps to catch up. However, the girl stopped me once more.

With an air of innocence, she explained, "Nothing, I just want to make friends." Her smile remained genuine.

I couldn't help but remain skeptical. "Is this some kind of joke? Are you sent by Winter to ruin my day?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she hastily denied my suspicions. "What? No, babe," she responded with earnestness. "I'm here because I found this girl who's beautiful, smart, and has a strong personality. And let me tell you, she's quite interesting, cute, and different." Her gaze bore into mine, conveying a deeper curiosity and intrigue.

Despite her flowery words, I couldn't deny that her compliments felt surprisingly good.

I fought an internal battle to maintain a composed exterior, resisting the urge to break into a smile. Still, a small grin managed to tug at the corners of my lips. I quickly looked down, hoping she wouldn't catch it.

However, she was keenly observant, and with a gentle touch, she lifted my chin, making me meet her gaze.

"Did I just make you smile?" she inquired, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"No," I retorted, my expression feigning indifference. I took a step to walk away, but as expected, she kept pace and followed.

"Hey, wait. First of all, Winter didn't send me. Second, I was sincere when I said I wanted to be friends with you," she persisted.

I paused and turned to face her, my arms crossed and an eyebrow raised in skepticism. "And why is that?" I questioned, my curiosity now piqued despite my initial reservations.

"Didn't I tell you already? You're interesting, you're beautiful, and you're someone I want to get to know more about," she explained, her words sincere and earnest.

I remained stoic, not giving away my intrigue. "So?" I challenged her.

"So, can I treat you to lunch or dinner?" she offered, her tone holding a sense of genuine warmth and curiosity.

"Not interested," I replied, deciding to play hard to get and resume my stride. She walked alongside me, her persistence only deepening my curiosity about this intriguing new acquaintance.

"Really? Okay, I'm not going to force you if you don't want to. I respect you," she replied, her sincerity palpable.

I came to a sudden halt, turning to look at her. It was as if I'd entered an alternate reality because evryone had painted a completely different picture of this person, who was now showing such genuine respect and consideration.