( lunchtime realization ! )

───── TO SAY RYUJIN WAS SLIGHTLY ANNOYED AT THE EXTRA GUESTS, would be an understatement in every way possible. for one, ryujin didn't know that three extras would be joining them for lunch again. for two, ryujin absolutely despised the way yerim would talk with food in her mouth, albeit she would cover the disgusting sight with her hand, it still bothered ryujin to know not everyone was raised with the table etiquette her and her friends were raised with.

"yo, you look like you're about to pass out? you good?" kang lena, the tall puppy eyed girl that ryujin had a long lasting competition with, nudged her slightly.

it started when they were in 7th grade, around the time they were just hitting their teen years, and basketball season had started up. everyone knew that ryujin was a shoo-in for captain... then kang lena announced she would be dropping soccer for basketball as she had gotten to learn and love the sport over the break. they were the star athletes in their respective sports, but now lena was joining the basketball team and ryujin's star athlete title was close to being taken away.

the only thing ryujin had going for herself besides her intelligence with her father's business was her natural talent for sports. one thing about the shin family, they were go getters, and they would stop at nothing to be at the top of everything they do. shin yuna, ryujin's younger sister was the star of her volleyball team, she even had scouts looking her way. the same for ryujin, she had always been the top player on their team... until lena joined.

the girl was a natural for sports, she rarely missed a shot and her teamwork ethic was at an all time high due to her energetic and hilarious personality. it was a strong contrast to ryujin's laidback and sarcastic demeanor. it was fair to say that lena enjoyed their competitive friendship, even if she sometimes felt that ryujin wasn't her biggest fan, she knew how it felt to be the best at something only for someone better to swoop in. that's why after they won the championship during their freshman year, lena dropped basketball.

"yuhoo~ earth to shin" lena snapped in ryujin's face, the latter blinking slowly as she was pulled out of her thoughts while lena couldn't help but chuckle. "are you okay? i've called your name like 10 times"

"fine. just thinking" ryujin looked down at her lunch, the chicken salad not looking as appetizing as it had when she first bought it.

"here" lena tossed something ryujin's way, leaning back in her chair from the feeling of being bloated.

ryujin caught the foil wrapped square with ease. she pressed down on it, it was soft.

"what's this?"

"the other half of my sandwich, i was gonna save it but you look like you need it more than i do"

"is that a—"

"no, call it worrying for a fellow athlete" lena shrugged nonchalantly before jumping back into the conversation between yeojin and eunji.

why did lena stop playing basketball? ryujin thought. her eyebrows furrowed slightly with her head titled just a little bit to the right as she observed lena.

the long haired brunette met ryujin's gaze, sending her a soft smile before her attention went back to the conversation about eunji having bleached her hair for so long that she was sure she would have brain damage from the chemicals.

"haven't you all had blonde hair at one point?" lena questions with furrowed eyebrows as she waved her finger between the trio across from her.

"i had pink" ryujin corrected. "similar to yerim's bubblegum color"

"bubblegum?" yerim mouthed to yeojin who only chuckled at the spot on comparison.

"yara was only blonde for a week" eunji scoffed with the roll of her eyes. "that doesn't count"

eunji shooting yara a pointed look as she finished her statement, to which the lee girl only raised an amused eyebrow.

"ummm yeah it does" yeojin corrected "got any pics?"

"hell yeah, lemme find it" eunji quickly pulled her phone from her back pocket, going through her gallery from a year ago to find the pics of yara with blonde hair.

"hey" yara called out to yeojin who was sat in between her and yerim. "do you need a ride home?"

"thanks but i have plans to grab ice cream with a friend right after school" yeojin sent yara a slightly awkward smile, yara nodded her head.

"do i know them?"

"you might, it's park chaerin"

"chaerin? we're friends, we met from the basketball team" yara confirmed.

yeojin then remembered that she had vaguely recalled seeing yara at a few of the games during their freshman year. however, the girl hadn't played on the team since that year, yeojin was curious as to why yara had stopped playing basketball. it was clear to yeojin that yara had enjoyed the sport just as much as ryujin.

"have you ever thought of picking up basketball again?" yeojin questioned.

yara went silent for a few moments, almost as if she was debating on telling yeojin or thinking of if she would go back to the sport or not. just as yara was about to open her mouth, eunji squealed in excitement.

"i found it!" eunji flips her phone around to show everyone a photo of a 16 year old yara with platinum blonde hair.

"holy shit! you look hot" yeojin compliments yara who smiles smugly.

ryujin watched her best friend in disgust, her face scrunched up for a quick second before she rolled her eyes. yara was a lot of things. arrogant was, without a doubt, one of them.

eunji, who had coincidentally looked up, made eye contact with chaewon for a few seconds before the blonde focused her attention on yara and yeojin. scoffing, eunji's smile was wiped clean off of her face.

"wow, this girl" eunji couldn't help the scoffing laughter she lets out. "is she asking for a fight?"

"calm down cinderella, what are you even talking about?" ryujin sighed out with furrowed eyebrows.

"princess" was the only thing eunji muttered.

ryujin and lena turned their heads to see what eunji was talking about. yara didn't have to do much looking around because as soon as she looked up from the tiktok yeojin was showing her, chaewon was already staring her eye, the blondes eyes narrowing as yara met her gaze. yerim, who was confused about whoever "princess" was, followed ryujin's hardening gaze to see chaewon.

ryujin, being someone who loves to get under other people's skin, slowly raised her middle finger up with a tight lipped smile. chaewon scoffed inaudibly and rolled her eyes before going back to her group of friends.

"how annoying" ryujin started, turning back around in her seat. "she didn't even greet me back"

yara stifled a chuckle behind her hand. yeojin and yerim made eye contact, confusion clear on both of their faces. lena also noticed this, and decided to help the two out.

"they're talking about park chaewon, everyone's been calling her princess since middle school, you two probably wouldn't know since you're her closest friends... but even hyejoo still calls her that..."

"we know hyejoo calls her princess, i thought it was just a pet name" yerim shrugged.

"nope, the name was created by yours truly" lena giggled as she gestured to yara. "hyejoo just stuck with it"

"you two were friends, right?" yerim questioned yara who seemed a little confused by the way she pinched her eyebrows together. "you and hyejoo?"

"friends would be an understatement" eunji started.

"right, hyejoo was like yara's shadow, even me and eunji got a little jealous"

"speak for yourself third-wheeler, i was perfectly fine" eunji shrugged out.

"how did you guys even meet?" yeojin asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"school, we became friends through our parents but we meet in school" yara confirmed.

"really? why don't i ever remember seeing you before 9th grade?" yeojin furrows her eyebrows as she stares up at yara.

"didn't like attention, that's probably why" yara shrugged out. "how about you?"

"what about me?"

"how did you meet hyejoo?"

yerim couldn't help the laughter that slipped through. yeojin sending the older a subtle and teasing glare.

"what's funny?" ryujin questioned.

yerim pointed to yeojin while still laughing. "shrimpy" she managed to say in between.

"yah, did you have to bring that up?" yeojin playfully slapped yerim's shoulder.

"shrimpy?" yara raised an eyebrow.

"before she knew my name, hyejoo used to call me shrimpy" yeojin explained. "she bullied me quite often in 1st grade, then one day, during snack time, i offered her some shrimp chips and she just laughed and said 'thanks, yeojin-ah'"

ryujin snickered while lena straight up laughed out loud. yeojin contemplated on throwing a grape at the girl but decided against starting a food fight. after all, the semester had just started.

"sounds like hyejoo" eunji chuckled out. "but props to you for making it into a joke instead of taking it seriously, not even adults can do that"

"thank you" yeojin smiled smugly, sending yerim a look that made her roll her eyes but a playful smile rested on her lips.

"are we having lunch again tomorrow?" lena questioned once the bell rang, signaling lunch was over and it was time to go back to studying.

"i'm down" eunji spoke with no hesitation.

swinging her bag over her shoulder, yerim raised her fist lazily. "same"

"we planned on having lunch together anyways" yeojin said, gesturing between yara and herself.

"figured. shin?"

"do i even have a choice?" ryujin panned.

"nope, you two walk me to my locker" eunji grabbed onto ryujin and yara's arms. "see you girls later"

"i'll see you in class?" yara turns to yeojin, ignoring eunji's tugging on her sleeve.

"yeah" yeojin nodded, almost getting lost in yara's gaze once again.

she snapped herself out of it. her breath coming back to her, she didn't even realize she had stopped breathing for a second or so until yara was finally dragged away by eunji.

"fuck..."

"whats wrong?" yerim questioned.

"i'm fucked, that's what"

( author's note ! )

hey luvs! i know it's been a hot minute since i've update and there's honestly no other reason besides the fact that i lost motivation for writing. i decided to take a long break from writing and focus on dancing and saving up my money for my own apartment. fortunately, i have been getting tons of inspiration to start writing again from tv shows, movies, webtoon, pinterest and tumblr. i'm officially back, and i've also been working on another story on my second account chairbarton so pls look out for more stories on both accounts!

that's all, you all stay safe and healthy! pls don't forget to vote and comment as it does give me motivation to keep writing when i read you all's comments 🫶🏼🫶🏼 love y'all!