Five days later, Y/N tapped her pen against her thigh, waiting for the bell to ring so she could get out of physics class without giving in to the urge to look over her shoulder at Jungkook sitting in the back of the room. She'd managed to avoid him since she'd heard about his plan to ask her out.

At the health office the other day, she used agonizing menstrual cramps as her need to go home—she was in the middle of her period, so it'd been an ideal excuse. Her mother wouldn't question it since she'd had bad cramps a few times before. Thankfully, the nurse had taken pity on her and allowed Y/N to go home since she did look like she was in a lot of pain. If only it hadn't been from a broken heart. The only downfall was her mother had made an appointment with their gynecologist tomorrow for an examination.

Y/N sighed, feeling the familiar dull ache of anxiety settle in her chest. She couldn't keep avoiding Jungkook forever, but the thought of facing him made her stomach twist. How could she look him in the eye knowing what she knew?

Her mind wandered to the upcoming gynecologist appointment. It was just another thing to stress about. She knew her mom meant well, but the thought of the examination made her feel exposed and vulnerable, especially after the emotional turmoil of the past few days.

The bell finally rang, and Y/N quickly gathered her things, eager to leave the classroom. She kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone, and made her way to her locker. As she swapped out her textbooks, she couldn't help but feel the weight of her classmates' stares and whispers.

"Are you sure she's gonna come to the prom? Ugh, gross."

It had been a rough few days for Y/N—first, the mess with Jungkook, and then finding out her father's company was transferring him, and they were all moving to Seoul after the end of the school year. While she couldn't care less about going to a new school, she hated the thought of being away from their extended family, especially Lia and Aunt Emily.

After her father had broken the news the other night, her aunt invited the two girls for a sleepover to create as many memories as they could in the short time they had before Choi's family moved. The two girls often spent weekend overnights at Aunt Emily's house, complete with pizza, movies, dancing, gossiping, and painting each other's nails.

Once her aunt had gone to bed, Y/N confessed to Lia what Jungkook planned to do, and her cousin's response, after threatening to kick his ass, had been simple. "When he asks, just raise your chin, look bored, and tell him 'No, thanks.'" They'd even practiced it a few times, with Lia playing the role of Jungkook. Y/n still wasn't sure she could pull it off, but she really didn't have any better ideas.

"Are you sure it's gonna work? I don't wanna embarrass myself," Y/N groaned, slamming down on the bed. Lia replied, bored, "Come on, it's the best response."

*******

In school, she'd managed to get out of tutoring for the rest of the year by using the upcoming move as an excuse, claiming she no longer had time to stay after school.

"Are you sure you can't stay, Y/N? We really appreciate your help," Mr. Kim had asked with concern.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kim. With the move out, my schedule is just too packed now," Y/N replied, forcing a smile.

Mr. Kim nodded understandingly. "I see. Well, thank you for all your hard work so far. We'll manage with a backup tutor for the remaining weeks."

With that taken care of, the only times Y/N couldn't avoid Jungkook were the two classes they had together.

Physics was easier since he sat far away from her, but chemistry had been excruciating. She tried not to glance at him or burst into tears whenever he asked a question or tried to engage her in conversation. Unfortunately, it hadn't seemed to deter him one bit.

In the bustling hallway, Y/N meticulously arranged her books in her locker, trying to focus amidst the chatter and footsteps echoing around her. Jungkook and his friends, including Ryan, clustered not far away, their voices blending into the background noise. 

She couldn't discern their words, but the way Jungkook glanced in her direction didn't escape her notice. Ryan, catching on, said something that set off a round of laughter among them, including Jungkook. Y/N's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and a lump formed in her throat as she swiftly closed her locker door and hurried away, avoiding the risk of meeting their gazes again. The long route to her next class seemed safer, offering a brief respite from the anxiety gnawing at her.

With only four weeks left until the school year drew to a close, Y/N eagerly counted down each passing day. The prospect of leaving behind Jungkook and the clique of mean-spirited peers brought conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she yearned for time to speed up so she could escape their judgmental eyes and whispers. On the other hand, she cherished each moment, hoping time would slow down to savor more sleepovers at Aunt Emily's cozy house with Lia, where laughter and camaraderie provided comfort from school drama.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of another tedious class, Y/N wasted no time in gathering her books and pen, stuffing them into her bag with a sense of urgency. Determined to avoid any potential encounter with Jungkook, she hurried towards her locker, her steps purposeful and quick. With practiced ease, she spun the dial to unlock it, the mechanism clicking open to reveal her neatly organized belongings within.

"Hey, Y/n" She tensed at the sound of Jungkook's voice. It seemed deeper now, stronger than before. Despite herself, the rich tone sent a chill down her spine.