|14 Days Before The Practical Exam|
After the encounter with Mr G-Dragon, Jeongyeon's focus was on the cube for the entire day. She even cancelled her usual tutoring lesson with Nayeon to try and figured out what the cube was.
Rubik's cube is a form of 3-D combination puzzle, that was often used to fill the void of boredom or just to practice someone's intelligence.
A Rubik's cube usually has different variations of colour, yet this one only has one solid colour which was the colour dark grey and the mechanism seems to have been jammed on the inside or it wasn't meant to be move in the first place.
So, there wasn't exactly any clue on how to solve it and most importantly, what she was supposed to solve in the first place. Other differences she could quickly distinct from the others were the faces texture.
The texture of some was rough, while the others were smooth. But it still didn't give Jeongyeon a clue on how it works and to solve it. So for the rest of the day, Jeongyeon was focused on the cube and how to solve it.
There was no information whatsoever about it. She asked all of her friends and the answers were always the same either, "Maybe it was broken?" or "Sorry, We have no clue." There wasn't even a mention about this kind of cube in the books.
So, how in the world was she supposed to solve it?
Asking Mr G-Dragon was her only option. She walked towards the teacher's lounge and wait outside of the door to meet him. But to her dismay, Mr GD was assigned to do some fieldwork outside of the academy and that is to survey the place for their practical exam.
In two weeks, their fight would be broadcasted and graded in front of thousands of spectator. And Jeongyeon might not join that practical exam at all. If she still couldn't figure out the cube's intention.
|12 Days Before The Practical Exam|
It has been 2 days since she got the cube and the image of it haunts her every night. The daunting structure of the cube scares her, how even until now she still doesn't know what to do with it.
She tried moving it like any normal Rubik's cube but to no avail, the cube was harder than a rock. Tzuyu even tried using her super-strength to move the mechanism, trying to change the order of the faces. Yet, even with that amount of strength it still wouldn't move.
So, Jeongyeon tried the only thing she could do. Destroy the cube and assemble it again to see how it actually works. But destroying it also wasn't easy.
She has tried every way in the book, striking it by a bolt of lightning, smashing it with a boulder, burning it and so on. Nothing works, it seems that the material that was used to make the cube is resistance to everything Jeongyeon has offered.
"I'm losing my mind!" Jeongyeon groaned, for what has been the third time, for the past few minutes.
She's in her room now, resting on her bed. Her head hiding behind the pillow, that she decided to use to cover her face off, suffocating herself.
Jihyo gasp, resting her hand on her chest, acting all surprised. "Really?"
Jeongyeon clicked her tongue and throw the pillow, right on her face. She missed, unfortunately. "Not. Cool."
"I could say the same to you—focusing yourself too much on the cube, neglecting the rest of your friends. Using me as your shield. Do you want to know how many times, I have to cover up for you?" Jihyo pointed out and Jeongyeon looked at her confused.
"Why do you need to cover me up from? I was never absent in class. I always come to the basketball practice and I talk with every one of our friends. Who are you covering up for?"
Jeongyeon was right, she was never absent on anything or any event in school. The cube might make her focused swerve for a while, but she never forgets. And she always talks to her friends, there's no way they'll feel neglected. She honestly didn't know what Jihyo was saying.
The other girl sigh and massaged her forehead. "Jeong ... when was the last time you talk to Nayeon?" She asked and Jeongyeon froze.
There wasn't an immediate answer out of her and Jihyo already knew, the gig was up. "See, what I'm talking about?"
A beat and then she continued. "Are you ... avoiding her?"
"No .... ? What makes you say that?"
She lets out another sigh, "Oh ... I don't know—since, she's been asking me thousands and thousands of times about where you are, what happened to you, or why aren't you tutoring her anymore? I don't know to be my guess!" Jihyo said, exasperated.
"She ..."
"She ... ?"
Another sigh, "Jeong ... just—talk to her. Who knows, maybe she could help you out?"
"I doubt it. She's more of a distraction than some help." Jeongyeon covered up her mouth immediately after she said that, seeing the smirk growing on Jihyo's cheeks.
"I always knew she was a distraction for you. No more—annoying Nayeon—huh?" Jihyo said whilst smirking back at Jeongyeon.
Jeongyeon scowl. "She's always annoying, Ji."
Jeongyeon got up from her bed and picked the pillow that was on the floor, putting it back on her bed. She didn't want more questions to resurface out of the blue, so getting out of the room seems like the most reasonable option.
Jeongyeon was right at the door, hands covering the doorknob when Jihyo stopped her. "Jeong ... talk to her. I'm sick of her asking me about you all the time." Jihyo said, still sitting on the study table not looking back.
"I will." I think?
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The Cube was driving her crazy. "Ck!" She clicked her tongue, this was going nowhere.
It was design to control, manage, and contain, the gifts that she has. Powers beyond her own hands. Yet, a slight movement from the cube was never made.
"This is hopeless!" Jeongyeon stops, and lay down the grass. Arms resting on the side of her body, fingers tight gripping the rubix.
The place was quiet and empty, unlike other locations around the academy. It was her safe haven, a place where she could be alone with herself.
Sounds of leafs crunchy as the breeze hits it and one bye one, they leave their branches and falling right on to her.
This part of the hill, near the Academy has always been her favorite. No one seems to know it existed, hide under plane sight. You have to go over the railings at the end of the school and go through the forest.
The thick and sturdy bushes was wall like, yet it hides and opening to a beautiful clearing top, giving you a mesmerizing view of the city from the top.
It was more beautiful at night, the building's lights looked like firefly's from afar. However it was more beautiful in the afternoon, with the clear blue sky. It looks like a painting was made by God himself.
Jeongyeon found this place by mistake, only she knows this place. A perfect place to wind up and maybe... solve something.
She was wrong tho.
She closed her eyes, feeling the wind passing through her skin. It was so comfy here, she could just fall asleep forever. The breeze was like a sweet comforting lullaby for her.
But then... there was a melody.
A melody so captivating, it invites her to listen. It lull's her, deeper to sleep. Until, it went louder, closer and then a crunch of leafs.
Jeongyeon's eyes went open and she was about to push herself up. Until she saw her from the corner of her own eyes.
"So, I was right. You were here." The same familiar tone Jeongyeon hated, yet somehow miss...
"How...- did you?"
"I-" Nayeon's mouth hangs open, wanting to continue. But Jeongyeon could feel she was holding the urge to say it.
"Nay-"
"I followed you here, okay?" She burst, hands flailing to the side and Jeongyeon could just froze on her spot.
She was still looking down at her, like a dead corpse laying on the ground waiting for her burial. However, it never happened.
Nayeon closses her eyes, taking an incredible amount of breath. As if the oxygen around her wasn't enough to consume.
"Look, Jeong. I get that we have a practical exam to go through, and I understand we don't have any tutoring session. Because, technically it's useless right now." Nayeon says and stops when she sees Jeongyeon went to a sitting position, staring at her. Confuse...
"Continue?"
"What I'm trying to say..., Is that- Just because our tutoring stuff or whatever you call it stops. Doesn't mean our "friendship" stops too." She made a special mark on the friendship point, just for Jeongyeon to understand.
Clearly the latter couldn't say anything. She never thought she was going to come here?! She never thought it would've been a big deal when Jeongyeon stopped talking. Because... truth be told... Jeongyeon never felt-
"Friendship?" She never felt like they were friends
"What?" Nayeon looked at her puzzled and Jeongyeon stands up, patting her back.
"I'm your friend?"
"I- What?! Of course you are my friend. What makes you think we're not?"
"I'm just your tutor, Nay. Tutor and friend are two different things."
"So, you just tutor a random person?" Nayeon knitted her eyebrows, angry and confused by Jeongyeon's statement. She never felt they were friends?!
"I honestly..., still would." She walked towards the edge of the cliff, looking at the city.
The cube was still resting on her palm, she looked at it and looked at the building. And then... the coils-
"So, we're never- friends?" The coil's were gone and Jeongyeon looked at Nayeon.
The thin blue coil like blood vessels, streaming down the tress, wrapping around the branches. What is this?
"Jeongyeon!"
Jeongyeon snapped out of her trance, and it was gone.
"Well?" Nayeon looked at her, arms crossed infront and she sighed.
"Look, I know I've said this once but We were never off from a great start-"
"No Kidding." Jeongyeon mumbled and Nayeon heared and bear no mind.
"But trust me when I say, I consider this as a friendship."
Jeongyeon tilted her head, "You want to be my friend?"
"Of Course." And Nayeon smiled.
Before she walked closer to her and pulled her sleeves a little, tugging. "Come on, lunch on me?"
And Jeongyeon just can't say no, "Yeah... sure. Why not."
They walked side by side beside of that, and Jeongyeon just can't seem to understand, what was those coils were and why did they shows up.
She looked at the cube, hiding behind her jeans pocket. The thin blue coils, wrapping at edge small cubes, like blood vessels. It never happens.
But Jeongyeon didn't have time to understand, nor to care.
The tteokbokki was good and Nayeon was funny.
Funny how there was another thing she couldn't understand. She couldn't understand the tingle that she felt nor the goosebumps that went over her body. Everytime she's near or talk or even see Nayeon smiles again.
Probably just the wind. Right?
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"Hey, Momo?"
"Yeah?"
"Is it normal?"
"What normal?"
"Is it normal to feel this tingles?"
"Oh, unnie... Of course- having a crush is always normal."
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"Jihyo,"
"Hmm?"
"I think she's not annoying anymore."
"That's great then."
"Yeah, but..."
"But...?
"But... I think, I like her."
"That's good then. You finally tolerate someone other than me."
"No... I meant- "like" "like" You know?"
"Ohhh... Wait what?!"
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Hi 👋
Happy New Year! Your lazy author-nim is back 🙃