Love, Friendship And Confusion

Episode 9: Third Wheel

Next Day
Setting: Yonsei High School

Ha-rin: Soo-ah, I guess I forgot my math textbook in my locker! I will just go and get it! (She realized when they almost arrived at the parking spot)

Ha-rin made her way to the locker hallway and opened her locker to take her textbook when she heard some girls gossiping...

Girl 1: Yah you know today Seo-jun greeted Soo-ah!
Girl 2: Yeah and I heard that he helped her with her studies as well! Lucky girl...
Girl 3: I knew they would get together now or later! I mean c'mon, they have been together since childhood! I'd been waiting for their love story for quite a while now!
Girl 1: Well I ship Seo-jun and Soo-ah! 

Listening to these gossips, Ha-rin felt a sense of dejection for some reason. She just took her textbook, closed her locker harshly and returned.

Ha-rin: Why on earth did I feel bad? Instead I should have been happy seeing their true friendship! 
Soo-ah: Yah what took you so long?
Ha-rin: Nothing, I...I just forgot my locker combination. (She fiddled with her fingers which didn't go unnoticed by the boys)
Il-deung: Everything fine? 
Ha-rin: Mm hmm...

Soo-ah and Il-deung bid their goodbyes as Ha-rin was lost in her own thoughts. Seo-jun noted her every action.

Seo-jun: Ha-rin, where are you lost? Don't you wanna go home? (She still was on her thoughts so Seo-jun held her hand and turned her towards him) Yah Kim Ha-rin? Are you fine?
Ha-rin: Yes yes! I am fine, totally! Well I am not going home now! I have to go to the café.
Seo-jun: Then let's go together. 
Ha-rin: Do we really have to? 

Seo-jun took the helmet from her hands, ignoring her questions. Ha-rin was left with no choices as she eventually sat behind him.

Seo-jun: Are you planning to fall?
Ha-rin: What do you mean?

He gently grabbed her hands and made her held onto his waist. However, she retreated. Seo-jun rolled his eyes as he repeated the same thing as last time. He started the motorcycle and stopped it with a jerk making Ha-rin fall over his back. 

Seo-jun: Probably, your battery needs to be recharged for the day...

Setting: The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf café
Seo-Jun got off the motorcycle and put the helmet back to its place. While Ha-rin got off, she stumbled back but Seo-jun was quick enough to support her by her shoulders as he was just standing behind her. They both looked at each other but not for long as the gossips constantly echoed in her head. She stood up straight and faced him. Before she could say anything, Seo-jun started knocking on head, leaving Ha-rin confused and annoyed. She stepped away from him...

Ha-rin: What are you doing?!
Seo-jun: Checking if it was empty or not. 
Ha-rin: You...
Seo-jun: ... are very handsome! Thank you but we are late already; let's go inside now...

Ha-rin pointed at him but Seo-jun held the same finger when he replied... Seo-jun entered the cafe first, followed by Ha-rin. They both were working as usual but Ha-rin didn't talk much. Seo-jun sensed some sort of zemblanity but chose to remain silent at the moment. Their work hours soon ended and they rode back to their homes.

Setting: Sinchon Alley
Seo-jun was waiting for Ha-rin's good night wishes whereas Ha-rin was still in her thoughts. Seo-jun was a little disappointed as they both started walking towards their homes when Ha-rin decided to push her thoughts away for a while...

 Ha-rin: Yah Seo-jun, good night! 
Seo-jun: Good Night. (He smiled secretly but turned around with a poker face which anyway made Ha-rin smile too as she thought..)
Ha-rin: Maybe I am just thinking too much! They both just are best friends from childhood that's why they are so close. 

Setting: Yonsei High School
Ha-rin and Soo-ah were in the locker hallway taking their belongings. Ha-rin was standing on the opposite side of Soo-ah. While Soo-ah was taking her books, she dropped her pouch which was open, resulting all her stationery to scatter. Ha-rin heard something so she turned around to see what happened. She saw Soo-ah's stationery fallen and was about to approach her for help but...

Seo-jun: Yah Lee Soo-ah! What are you doing, can't you be careful with your stuff? (He complained while helping her pick up the stationery)
Soo-ah: It was just an accident!

Ha-rin was just looking at them expressionless. Soon there was only the eraser left on the floor. Both Soo-ah and Seo-jun reached out to it together to pick it up which resulted their fingers to brush. That's when Ha-rin's expression changed as a visible frown appeared on her face. The gossip of the girls started flashing in her mind which she tried so hard to keep away. "I'd been waiting for their love story for quite a while now". She turned around, closed her locker and went to the class.

Soo-ah: Where did Ha-rin go? She was just behind me!
Seo-jun: She might have gone to the class. (They predicted as they went to class too)
Soo-ah: So guys, we are meeting today, right?
Il-deung: I guess yes. 
Seo-jun: Ha-rin, today we will complete our assignment as well. (Ha-rin just hummed in response)
Soo-ah: By the way guys, I want to say something to you all!
Ha-rin: What is it?
Soo-ah: Well I know that we all haven't known each other for long but I feel a connection between us. I feel we all will be best friends lifelong! You all are the sweetest people I have ever met so, if you guys agree, I brought these friendship rings for all of us!
Ha-rin: Soo-ah, we... (She got cut off)
Seo-jun: I love them. Nice choice Soo-ah. 
Soo-ah: So will you guys wear it? (She asked with a hopeful smile)
Ha-rin: Hmm. (She smiled but it wasn't a true one)

All of them wore their  colored crystal rings. Soo-ah's ring was pink, Ha-rin's was purple, Seo-jun's was blue and Il-deung's was green! They all smiled at each other and put their hands forward to check out how they looked...

Setting: The Library
Soo-ah was the first one to reach the library. She took a book and read its title when Seo-jun took the book from her as he coldly informed...

Seo-jun: I will be issuing this book next. 
Soo-ah: (She took the book from him back again) So what? I am not gonna eat it!
Seo-jun: Yeah whatever. (He said as he tried to take the book from her again)
Soo-ah: Why can't you just let me read what it's about? (She whined while holding the book high above her head)
Seo-jun: How do you think that will help shorty? Do you really think that holding the book like that will help you to prevent me from taking it back from you? 

Soo-ah moved back and kept hiding the book behind her while Seo-jun kept trying his best. Suddenly, while stepping back, Soo-ah tripped over the couch. As Seo-jun was trying to take the book from her, he too tripped over her. Soo-ah quickly covered her face with the book. She then slowly slid the book just to meet Seo-jun's eyes. They looked at each other with narrowed gaze. Meanwhile Ha-rin entered the library, fiddling with her new ring which she stopped when she saw the scene in front of her.

Ha-rin: I guess I was always the third wheel...