Are we friends yet?

Yours

We had our snacks in the locker room and Chanyeol said that we were certified losers. We didn't look for my money. Instead, we laughed at the smallest joke we threw to each other. Then, I asked if Toben had been back from his aunt's house and Chanyeol laughed why I wanted to talk about his dog all of a sudden.

"So where are we going?" I asked in the end as Chanyeol collected our trash and proceeded to find a dustbin. 

He had mentioned that we should spend more time together and I agreed.

My heart tingled. I shouldn't have expected much, but he was like this-- acting sweet and had said that he would get me more gift later. 

I really didn't know why he was like this.

"This is your turn to decide," he said, smiling.

"Yeah, it has been you all this time." And I stopped.

Those moments were real. We were excited and on the same page. We aimed to be happy with each other's company. We called those moments date.

Would it be the same this time?

"Chanyeol, do you really want to spend some time with me?"

The words of doubt had escaped my mouth again and Chanyeol was quiet just long enough for me to feel the regret of questioning him.

"Yes. Why?"

And obviously I could only shake my head. I shouldn't have doubted him.

And I was relieved when he smiled and beckoned me to leave.

We met our friends at Sehun's stall and they didn't hide the fact that Chanyeol ignored their group chat the entire time he was with me. I tried to avoid their eyes, but Jongdae didn't fail to send me a teasing smile. I felt the warmth across my cheeks. And I welcomed the memory back. It was like the old days all over again.

Next, we were distracted by Tao's mother who wanted to take a picture of her son with his friends. I silently questioned if they needed me in the picture and my question was answered when Chanyeol got my wrist to bring me closer to his side. Then, his hand gradually held mine as we posed for the picture. Standing so close by his side, I'd never felt this happy to have his friends as mine. Or perhaps, I was happier. I was happier because of our linking hands that I shyly brought to my side, hiding from others to see.

We spent some more time with our friends before we had homeroom. We promised to wait for each other and I didn't realise that Soojung was staring. She gave me a smile before she jogged to Chanyeol who had walked to their classroom.

And homeroom shouldn't have been pressuring, but the discussion of our college plans never sat well within me.

My homeroom teacher reviewed the survey forms that we had collected and asked a few students to stay a little longer when she dismissed us-- I stayed with the other three students.

She handed us another form and let us know that we were scheduled to have consultation sessions with school counselor.

I didn't wish for that.

When she let us leave, Chanyeol had been waiting for me. I was glad that he didn't question my delay exit.

Then, we walked without any decisions of where we would spend our time together.

I don't know-- clearly that wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"You ok? You've been suspiciously quiet," he voiced it when we stepped out the main gates.

"Of course," I replied then I added, "Let's go to the arcade!" I decided.

Hearing that, his face showed a big smile. "So you're quiet because of thinking of it?"