Sheets | Chaelisa converted

Chapter 5

Lisa was already out of the classroom before the lunch bell even rang, leaving Chaeyoung with the plans for their experiment sprawled out on the table. Sighing, Chaeyoung pulled all of the loose sheets together and stuffed them into her folder. Most of the scribble on them was in her own fluid handwriting, but on a few Lisa's heavy-handed text was scratched onto the pages. Lisa's handwriting was coarse and sharp, the pen digging into the paper roughly as her hand moved. Chaeyoung had done most of the thinking, but when Lisa chimed in with a few short ideas, she took them in, grateful that she was least making an effort to look like she was trying. Chaeyoung was sure that Jackson would have been on his phone the whole time, not even bothering to pretend he was working.

As long as she got the grades she wanted, she was fine.

Thanking Ms Levenson as she exited the room, the woman not looking up from her notes as she waved her hand, she quickly made her way to her locker, Jennie already there and waiting for her impatiently.

"Taking your sweet time," Jennie complained, punching Chaeyoung on the arm as she unlocked her locker, Jennie's knuckles making her wince a little as she shoved her books into her locker. When Chaeyoung pulled out her bag, Jennie almost made her stumble as she rushed them to the canteen, which was already packed with people trying to buy something to eat before the daily stocks ran out. "It's because you took so long that there's probably nothing left!"

"Shut up, Jennie," Chaeyoung complained, though she frowned as she tried to push through the crowd which had somehow grown thicker than how it was when she and Jennie had entered the fray. Slipping into momentary breaches in the mass of people, she somehow managed to get to the counter, the lunch ladies giving Chaeyoung tired looks under their hair nets.

"What do you want?" one of them asked, yawning slightly as Chaeyoung pointed to a box of rice and curry, shoving the money into her hand before slinking out of the crowd. Retreating along the edges of the canteen, she tried to peer above the heads of the remaining crowd for Jennie, who was still struggling to get to the counter.

"Hey, Chaeyoung!" a deeper voice cut through the crowd, making her glance around, confused as to where the voice came from. A laugh erupted from behind her, followed by a tap on the shoulder. Turning, her confused face turned brighter as she saw Mingyu beaming down at her. He held a brown paper bag in his hand and had a water bottle tucked under his arm as he looked past Chaeyoung and into the crowd. He raised a brow as he saw Jennie cry out triumphantly as she raised her box of pasta above her head like it was her newborn child.

"I didn't know our school was doing a live action production of the Lion King," Mingyu said as Chaeyoung laughed, shrugging.

"I don't know that girl, if you're wondering," Chaeyoung said, Mingyu snorting, his nose crinkling adorably as he laughed so genuinely. Feeling Jennie's weight resting on Chaeyoung's shoulders as she loosely hung around her, she sighed.

"Yep, you definitely don't know her," Mingyu said, Jennie giving Chaeyoung a look before turning to Mingyu, a warm smile on her face.

"Thank you for talking to Chae, I was starting to think that she batted for the other team since she never talks to guys. Ever," Jennie said, letting out a fake sob as Mingyu smiled and tried not laugh as Chaeyoung froze, the images of Lisa's tattooed arm around her springing to mind without missing a beat. Shaking her head, she stepped out from under Jennie's arm, jabbing her in the side before turning to Mingyu.

"Ignore her," Chaeyoung said, Mingyu saluting as Jennie whined. Giving Chaeyoung a gentle smile, Mingyu nudged his head behind him to a group of people sitting around one of the undercover tables in the courtyard.

"My friends and I are having lunch here. Want to join us?" Mingyu asked, eyes hopeful as he tenderly rubbed Chae's elbow.

"I don't have to give you my maths notes in return, right?" She teased playfully, pressing a hand over her heart as she pretended to be hurt as Mingyu winked, doubling over as she faux-groaned. "That's cold, Mingyu."