"Here, Minhee, make one, too," one of my girl classmates gives me pieces of colored paper and a huge cartolina for me to use.
"Uhh...okay then?" I couldn't refuse as she already went for another unsuspecting classmate to give some materials to make banners to support our university's basketball team.
I sigh. Why am I stuck with this?
Jaehyun goes to my seat, seeing me holding things, knowing what these were for. "You're going to make a sign cheering for me? Oh, how thoughtful of you."
I tsk at him and lay down all the materials on my desk. "You wish. I'm making one for that junior...what was his name? Ah, Choi Bomin." I smirk as I get my scissors from my bag, getting ready to cut out some letters.
Jaehyun's face suddenly falls and I laugh at his foolish face. "Why not me? I'm the best in the team."
"Bomin has the best visuals in the team," I stick out my tongue at him, making him more pissed. "Sorry not sorry."
I didn't know Joochan was eavesdropping on our conversation until he speaks up. "If I was great at basketball and was on the varsity, you would have been making that for me."
I give Joochan a look, implying he should stop. "If you were there, I wouldn't even watch a single match."
Joochan raises his eyebrow. "Because you'd die every time I shoot that ball, or seeing me sweaty, that's why."
"Correction, I'd die from the second-hand embarrassment seeing you fail, I mean probably you'd be the type to give a point to the other team when you shoot at the wrong ring."
I turn to Jaehyun who's looking at me and Joochan back and forth, and smile at him. "Don't worry, I'll do this for you."
Really, I just said this so Joochan would be more annoyed.
As if a light switch was turned on, he instantly brightens at my words, slinging his arm around my shoulders. I look briefly to my side and Joochan, as I expected, turns to look away at the sight.
"Thanks, MM! I'll make sure to win just for you!" He winks at me.
"MM?" I question, tilting my head to the side.
At first Jaehyun wonders why I asked and then responds, "Oh, that. I shortened my nickname for you so it wouldn't be that disturbing to say. Plus, it's easier to say and more decent too."
"I love it, it's nice," I point out while cutting out the letters 'F I G H T I N G' first. "I missed having nicknames." I sneakily glance at Joochan, trying to see if he was triggered by that. I just wanted to catch his attention again.
No reaction.
I guess I want him to be affected by that, at least a peek or a flinch would be enough. But he didn't move and I felt disappointed.
"Speaking of nicknames, you haven't made one for me yet." Jaehyun pouts, being cute again for the nth time. "I'm still waiting for it."
"It's hard to create one, especially one that's perfect for you," I respond, pasting them on the cartolina. "But just wait for it, I'll come up with something."
He leaves to go to his friends and I continue to cut the letters. I already have the letters B and O, but I'm still not sure whether I'll make one for Jaehyun or for Bomin.
Joochan peeks at the letters placed on my desk. "Minhee, are you going to put that guy's name or Bomin? And when did you two seem close, huh?"
As much as I'd like to answer him, I ignore him, carefully thinking which player's name I should put. I couldn't lie, him talking first to me made my heart skip a beat, never getting used to this.
"You're being like this to me?" He rotates his chair so that he would face me. He crosses his arms. His face wasn't angry, instead it screamed concern.
I didn't respond.
"What are you doing?"
Exasperated, I finally reply. "Ignoring you."
His eyebrows scrunch. "And may I ask why?"
"I'm saving myself from embarrassment. I might say something I'll regret," I reply back, finally deciding on Jaehyun.
"So? Why will you be embarrassed?" His eyes try to find mine but I don't dare to. I feel my cheeks blush a crimson tint, and I try my best to hide it from him.
How can I ignore this gorgeous guy?
"Because you now know that...I like you...and it's really weird of you to know it, and so I'm trying to ignore you and try to erase my feelings for you," I say and whisper at the end, afraid people might hear. I hate that I become like this when it's him when I'm usually the one who's voice is confident and prying, not one that is soft and shy. "I'm trying to stop liking you."
Silence follows after. I become uncomfortable when Joochan still didn't respond so I just focus on finishing my banner for Jaehyun. I regret what I said and I wish I didn't say it, especially to him.
"What if I don't want you to stop?"