that's my girl || yeonji

ch. 4

...

when yeji saw the moon, it was usually from outside her bedroom window, when she cared to look outside. some nights when it was at its fullest, it didn't fail to catch her attention, no matter how focused she was on her studies.

yeji wasn't naturally smart. it would be her downfall, she predicted, but she tried her best anyways. she never had a choice.

now, however, she sees the moon from a different angle. this time around, it's a full circle, and a faint halo of light catches in the clouds around it.

she had gotten into his car, and they had been driving for the past fifteen minutes. where they were going, she had no idea, but she had been looking out the window the whole time, ignoring the singing of yeonjun along with the radio.

driving always cleared his head—he figured that was just what she needed. her head looked full of useless stuff like—like she was a hoarder of her thoughts.

so when the buildings began to clear, and they reached the forest road, he drove a little faster, humming.

she noticed, and side-eyed him but didn't feel called to remark on it since it wasn't so fast. the ocean came into view.

"where are we going?" she asked, suspicious.

he smiled. quicksilver. it made her narrow her eyes.

"my favorite place in the world."

...

his favorite place in the world was a cliff, with only a small railing but with a view of the city like a dream—lights reflect on the water like a mirror.

the air is fresher here—goes in and out of her lungs easier. she breathes it all in as she stands there. they were both leaning on the railing, looking out at the view.

he watched her, silently, wondering what she was thinking but decided against asking her. she may snap at him for doing so. so he was quiet, about to ask her what clubs she was signing up for this year, and if she wanted to sign up for the music club.

but she sniffed, and broke the silence with an odd question.

"do you think i'm dumb?"

for a moment, all he did was stare at her. she stared back, and he, even in all the shadow could see the result of her crying. he pushed away the crack of a joke brewing in the back of his mind and scoffed lightheartedly

"no? if your dumb, then i'm as smart as a rock."

she sniffed again, and was silent for a moment.

"you're right."

he frowned at that but she didn't notice.

"is that why you were crying earlier?" he just took the plunge. "cause you think your dumb?"

she glared at him—fiercely. "no."

... or was it? she supposed that was a part of it? maybe?

"it's none of your business!" she bit.

he wasn't deterred—not one bit—and scoffed. "whatever. you're smart enough to compete with taehyun anyways—you'll be fine."

she scoffed too. but she fought the nice feeling his words gave her and stuffed them back whence they came. "taehyun competes with me."

he raised an eyebrow, smiling. "i'll tell him you said that—it might piss him off." he chuckled. "you might lose your spot if he tries hard enough."

"tell him," she said, "and tell him i said good luck too."

that did make her feel uneasy, but if there's one thing she can have confidence in, it's her ability to power through. where there is will, there is a way, they say. and there is always will, and always way.

yeonjun laughed, imagining that conversation. "it might be nice to see him lose at something."

losing would be terrible, she thought. but the idea also captivated her in that moment...

idiot. she chastised herself—that was the very thing she was just crying about in the library, and yet. and yet.

"maybe it would be nice to see you lose at something too."

she turned to shoot him a nasty look (she would hate that) but he winked at her, a good-natured grin on his face.

"study hard, girl. maybe i'd be interested in stealing your place too."

she narrowed her eyes at the nickname. "sure you would—but you'd have to listen in class first."

he chuckled at that.