"Eunji?" I felt Jungwon tap my shoulder as I turned around to him.

"What's up?"

"Do you get along with Aurora?"

My eyes widened slightly at his question.

For some reason he didn't stop talking about her ever since they worked together, "Why?" I raised an eyebrow, feeling slightly annoyed.

"Do you like her?"

"I do. I like her soooo much that I want to spend the rest of my life with her." I rolled my eyes, turning away from him again.

Just when I was about to continue writing down the date of our upcoming exam, he spoke again, "Don't like her."

"What?" I scoffed, dropping my pen.

And right before he could elaborate, Aurora was already walking up to our desk as if she heard us talking about her.

"Good morning, Eunji." She smiled brightly, giving me no choice but to smile as well, "And you too, Jungwon."

I watched her closely and noticed how her smile fell when she noticed that he wasn't looking at her.

"Jungwon." She called for him again, leaning really really really (really) close to him. To the point where she was whispering directly in his ear, "Can we talk...?"

My eyes widened.

What the hell were they doing at our desk?

When I was right next to them?

Clearing my throat, I stood up to leave, "There's something I need to do. You two...continue whatever you were doing."

I awkwardly spoke, turning away from them.

In the corner of my eyes, I could see Jungwon glancing at me after I rose from my seat.

But I couldn't care less.

If they wanted to talk, I was going to give them the privacy they needed.

The moment, I stepped out of the classroom I heard her heartfelt laughter fill up the whole room.

Immediately, I went outside to get some fresh air, ignoring the weird feeling and heavy weight on my chest.

Did they become this close already?

It took me so long to finally break down Jungwon's protective walls and become his friend.

My pride was hurt numerous times but I still crawled back and asked him again and again.

So how did Aurora manage to approach him just like that?

"And that stupid question..." I muttered to myself, kicking the little rock in front of me forcefully.

Of course I liked Aurora!

Everybody adored her, how could I not?!

Aurora was adorable, had good grades and her personality was one of those that you couldn't get enough from. Despite her shyness, she was the most considerate person to ever exist to the point where it wasn't an exaggeration to say that she was like an angel.

She was simply the complete opposite of me.

"If it wasn't for you, I'd fall for her too." I mumbled angrily, letting myself drop on a bench.

I always told myself to never be jealous of someone because I wanted to accept myself the way I was. Even though it was pretty difficult at some times.

But there are times where I can't help but wonder —

If I was more like her...would you like me more?

Jungwon on the other hand was feeling just as conflicted as Eunji was feeling.

He was now leaning against the black board in an empty classroom after Aurora had asked him to go somewhere quiet to talk.

"I told you not to talk to me anymore." He spoke, making her eyes widen.

"Jungwon...why are you being so cold?" Her eyes started tearing up, "I just wanted to help you! And tell you that I'm on your side!"

"By badmouthing Eunji? Behind her back?"

flashback

"Jungwon, the scenery is especially pretty over there!" Aurora clapped her hands and happily walked towards a bench in front of a flower bed.

She sat down and immediately plucked the prettiest flower of them all, holding it up for him to draw.

"Please, draw me prettily." Aurora smiled, making him nod.

"I will." Jungwon replied with a slight smile.

"Why did you ask me to be your partner?" He asked her after a while, before he stopped drawing, "You asked me, making sure that the whole class was listening.

I had no choice but to agree or else people would have called me obnoxious for the rest of my life."

Aurora laughed, tilting her head, "Why? Don't you want to be my partner?"

"I wanted Eunji to be my partner." Jungwon spoke calmly, suddenly noticing a flower petal in the girl's hair. It was bothering him.

He couldn't stop staring at it and eventually decided to take it out, "There's something I wanted to ask you anyway. What did you want to talk to me about? Earlier? Right before the break ended."

The other girl's hand froze at his touch and her face turned beet red as she dropped the flower to the ground, "Jungwon, do you like her?"

"What?"

"Do you like Eunji?"

Jungwon thought about it carefully, "No."

"At least not yet. I'm not sure about my feelings." He added, making Aurora's eyes widen in shock, "But friendships do exist, you know."

"It doesn't make sense for you to be friends with her." The girl continued, more to herself but Jungwon caught it, "Isn't it exhausting...? You two are polar opposites!"

"What?" The boy narrowed his eyes, putting down his drawing utensils.

"You know how she is! She is...so loud. And the way she speaks...is so..." Aurora shuddered, looking away, "Don't get me wrong, I like Eunji. I just knew something was wrong the moment the two of you started spending more time together out of nowhere..."

"Aurora..what are you trying to say?"

"Eunji is holding something against you, am I right?"

Jungwon had to take a moment to process the enonsense the girl in front of him was saying, "Sorry?"

"Is she blackmailing you?"

The boy couldn't help but chuckle, "You must be out of your mind."

"She always acted like she was on top of the world when she still was class president." Aurora continued, "But I never thought she would stoop so low and abuse her power like that."

"Wait..." Jungwon was slowly understanding what was going on, "Eunji me to be her friend? Is this what you are trying to say right now?"

The girl stayed quiet.

"I'm going to be honest, it hasn't been long since I got to know her. But I've been in her class for a little longer than you and I can assure you that she never once abused her power. There must be a misunderstanding." Jungwon tried to stay calm but glancing at the enraged girl in front of him, he couldn't help but lose patience himself.

"You have to trust me! You just don't understand—Eunji, she—she's just trying to ruin you.."

"Ruin me? If there's someone ruining anyone, it's me." He started defending her, "I have no idea where the fuck you got these information from, but let me tell you something..."

"If you ever approach me or Eunji with this bullshit again, don't expect me to just sit back and listen."

flashback end

"Jungwon!" Her shrill voice made Jungwon narrow his eyes in annoyance, "Eunji isn't a good person.." Aurora shook her head, her glasses were getting foggy.

"But you are?"

This shut Aurora up causing a satisfied smirk to play the boy's lips, "I don't think you know Eunji enough to judge what kind of character she is."

"Alright, do whatever you want." Aurora wiped her tears harshly, glaring at the boy in front of her, "I-I just wanted to help you, because I know how stubborn she can be."

"Wow, you are so nice." He sarcastically spoke, rolling his eyes, "It's not like I can't stand up for myself in case anything happens, so quit playing the savior, Aurora. Do you think I need your help because I used to be alone all the time?"

"I.." The girl stammered, but was quickly interrupted by him.

"Is it because you pity me? Is this what this is?" The boy took a step closer to her.

The silence that awaited him answered his question.

"I can't believe you wasted my time like this." Jungwon mumbled, casually putting his hands in his pockets before rolling his eyes again.

"Nobody dares to speak up for themselves in front of her..." Aurora blurted out, causing him to look at her again, "Whenever she says something everyone just..agrees. I thought you would be different, Jungwon."

That was his last straw.

"You thought wrong then." Jungwon was preparing himself to leave. This conversation was going nowhere, "You are too much of a coward to actually say that to Eunji's face, am I right?"

The look on Aurora's face made him scoff.

"You should be glad that she is the type of person to forgive you anyway."

For some reason the boy couldn't stop himself. He had never spoken this much before, it was like he got possessed the moment the girl in front of him started insulting Eunji.

"But I am not."

"Who is she to you that you keep defending her like this?" Aurora spoke, grabbing the hem of his shirt to stop him from leaving. He shook her off with ease.

"She's my friend." He finally made his way to the door and just before he disappeared behind it, he added. "And the person I care for the most."

"Jungwon, wait—" The girl tried to stop him but he already left her.

Everything is ruined. Aurora thought, letting the tears fall as she felt anger take over her. The picture of Jungwon looking at her with disgust on his face didn't leave her mind.

Her image was ruined.

The image she worked so hard for.

And her plan on top of that.

"You..will regret this..."