THE TRANSFER STUDENT

The Aftermath

"No, it's fine. But I just- I just don't know how I'm going to face him after this." Her voice was still shaky, but she had calmed down significantly.

"Hey- listen. You care about Jimin, don't you? I always had the impression that you both liked each other - why did you reject him?"

"I think... I freaked out at the idea of us being something more than friends because... I can't imagine what would happen if we broke up. Jieun-" Yoojung took yet another shaky breath. "You don't understand what we have between us. I can't afford to lose any one of my friends." A pause. "Especially not Jimin."

So that was why. The relationship with Jimin was not what Yoojung feared. She knew the possible consequences a relationship with Jimin may lead to. And that was what she feared.

"But avoiding Jimin isn't going to solve anything, is it? I think you should just go for the meeting at school later, and try to talk to him."

Yoojung bit her lower lip. She knew Jieun was right - but she was so afraid. Jimin looked so mad. She had never seen him this mad, sad, heart-broken in her whole life. What had she done?

"I'll give it a try."

~

"I'm sorry I'm late, I was stuck in traffic and I-" Yoojung ran into the workroom a while later, stopping in her tracks when she saw Jimin already seated somewhere near the back of the classroom, next to Taehyung.

Taehyung had his eyebrows furrowed, as he mouthed a "What's wrong?" to Yoojung. Yoojung's eyes darted over to Jimin next to Jimin. Jimin glanced up briefly, but when he saw that it was Yoojung, he turned back to what he was working on, totally ignoring her presence. Yoojung had to fight back her tears.

"Oh- it's alright, Yoojung!" Minhyun smiled kindly. "Jimin just arrived not too ago as well. And Jennie isn't here yet. I was working on the paper mache with Doyeon. Why don't you go help Jimin and Taehyung out with preparing the newspaper strips and mixing of glue?"

Yoojung nodded, taking a few small steps forward, observing Jimin's expression carefully. He didn't react but as Yoojung drew closer, she could see that his eyes were red. From crying.

"Jimin, I-"

"Take this glue and mix it with water. 1 to 1 ratio." He sounded so cold, almost robotic - utterly devoid of emotion.

Yoojung took over the glue from his hands, still eyeing him with her teary eyes. "Jimin-"

"You're already late. Let's talk less and do more."

He really was mad, wasn't he. Yoojung knew that it was her fault, but she couldn't help but feel mad. Is this really how their friendship was going to end after 10 long years? Just because of one rejection?

Yoojung dumped a whole dallop of glue in the bowl, walking over to the sink to get water. As the water trickled into the bowl, Yoojung looked down at the small burn scar on her finger.

If she knew this was going to happen, she would have just taken the leap of faith, loved him as much as she could - only then, she wouldn't have regretted anything. She sure cared about him, just as Jieun had mentioned. But did she really like him as more than a friend?