Mi-jin lounged on the rooftop, the sun beating down but doing nothing to cool the heat in her chest. She folded her arms and shot a quick look, trying to play it cool, but inside, her heart was racing. Why do I keep looking at her like that? she thought. Is she into me, or am I just messing with myself? She wasn't the type to hide how she felt, but this? This was different. So, she kept her mouth shut and let the silence stretch.

When asked about coffee, she almost snapped, "I don't have time for that," but then the studying thing was mentioned, and suddenly she was caught off guard. Okay, maybe this isn't so bad, she admitted silently. Instead of brushing off the invitation, she shrugged and said, "Fine, but only because I don't want to fail math." She didn't want to admit it, but she liked having company here, even if it was just to quiz her on formulas. She stole quick, nervous glances, trying to figure out if the same feelings were present..without making it weird.

As she talked through the problems, Mi-jin felt this strange heat inside her chest, like maybe she was finally close to something real. She wanted to tease or say something bold, but the words stuck. Come on, say something. Don't chicken out now.