sucked in a breath of air. insomnia hit hyejin like a truck after yongsun and byul visited her. it started with six hours of sleep, to five, four, and eventually no sleep. the exhaustion washed over the girl as she laid her head onto her arm.

she couldn't think straight. everything in the lioness's mind was muddled.

no one really questioned the change in hyejin's actions until yongsun pointed out the extremely dark colored bags under hyejin's eyes. hyejin's mental state began going downhill because of the lack of sleep. the stress of being able to maintain her grades began to affect the black haired girl.

"hey, are you okay, jinnie?" wheein asked "of course. why wouldn't i be?" she tiredly answered. wheein stopped and looked at the girl worriedly. "i'm worried about you, hyejin. you look paler than ever and exhausted,"

wheein paused for a moment as she put her hand onto hyejin's shoulder.

"are you really okay?" hyejin looked down at her feet. "i haven't been able to sleep. don't worry about it," hyejin gave a small smile and ran to catch up with byul and yongsun.

wheein pushed her glasses up back onto her nose. she began to unconsciously worry about hyejin's well-being. "she'll be fine," wheein told herself before running up to the other three, forcibly pushing away the awful thoughts.

—

yongsun pulled byul aside. "there's something wrong with hyejin," byul cocked her head to the side. "and what is that?" the other looked as if she was talking to a madman. "do you not see the bags under her eyes? she hallucinated wheein for gods sake," byul scratched at her arm.

"hyejin's got everything handled. don't worry about that yong," yongsun began to harden her stare. "you're hiding something from me," she took one step forward. yong hated when byul hid things from her. especially right now when she was obviously lying straight to her face.

"what are you talking about?" byul took one back. "something's up with you and hyejin. i know it," a small chuckle left byul's lips at yong's persistence. guilt tugged at the younger's heart. she hated lying too yong.

"it's nothing for you to worry about, alright?" yongsun pouted and dropped the subject. "fine." yongsun stuck her tongue and began walking towards the class the two shared. whatever i'll find out eventually.

hyejin placed her head onto her arm. oddly, her eyes were heavy, but whenever she closed them the fear of missing class and failing her end-of-the-year exam jolted her awake

wheein, who sat behind the dark haired girl, began to worry. she's never seen hyejin so anxious, tired, and upset before. the thought that she was the problem began to eat at her slowly. that can't be right? hyejin should be focused on studies, not me wheein bit at the inside of her mouth.

at the end of the day, yongsun and byul decided that they'd go on a date, leaving wheein and hyejin to go home by themselves. "wanna hang out my house?" hyejin thought for a moment and nodded.

when the two got to wheein's home, hyejin bolted towards the shorter's room. she collapsed onto the bed and laid there for a few minutes before getting up. "let's get our work done," wheein smiled and got her books out of her bed.

"i should thank you for getting me to care more about my grades," wheein scoffed and swat her hand to gesture 'no problem'. "it's nothing. you were already determined, just," wheein paused for a moment. "not enough?"

a small smile played on hyejin's lips. this is what she loved about wheein. her naive curiosity that would make anybody melt. the lioness began to unconsciously stare at wheein. "uh, are you okay?" hyejin's eyes widened and a blush began to color her cheeks. "yeah, of course," hyejin smiled and looked back at her homework.

—

the work was finished and hyejin was absolutely exhausted. wheein felt the guilt poke at her again. they were watching a random show before hyejin passed out in wheein's arms, finally being able to fall asleep.

the scent of wheein's perfume intoxicated hyejin and she entered the dream world in just a few seconds. wheein looked at the girl closely snuggled up against her with a smile. the butterflies that erupted from her stomach were running wild.

wheein ended up having to move hyejin's head away from her chest (even though she really didn't want to) because her stomach began grumbling loudly.

the shorter held her warm cup of tea in her small hands. she pulled her phone out of her back pocket, occasionally checking her social medias. anxiety began to itch at wheein. the acceptance letter was right in front of her. what if i didn't get in. the girl quickly held her breath and ripped open the letter.

wheein's eyes skimmed throughout the letter.

joy overfilled the girl and she screamed in happiness. "what is it?" hyejin grumbled. "i—i got in!" wheein yelled and punched the air. hyejin smiled and congratulated the girl. "how about you, yong, byul, and i get dinner tonight. i'm sure the other two got into their colleges," wheein smiled and glanced at the other girl.

she seemed dead.

"oh! you should check your mailbox!" wheein pulled on the girl multiple times. "alright, i'm getting up!" the black haired girl tiredly got out of the very comfortable position she was previously in.

(wheein had to drag hyejin out of her room because of how unmoving the other girl was)

—

hyejin and wheein bumped fists with each other. "i got accepted!" wheein hugged the girl and gave a large smile. "i knew you could do it," a light shade of pink painted hyejin's ears. "thanks," she mumbled out.

"i texted the others and we're going at seven to have dinner together," wheein let out a chuckle and began typing (oddly) fast at her phone.

this is the perfect time, isn't it? sooner or later she's gonna have to give me an answer, right?

"hey wheein?" the said girl looked up. "yes?" an overwhelming sense of fear began to eat at hyejin again. geez, it's worst than seeing if you're accepted into a college. "um—so i wanted to talk about the elephant in the room," the look on wheein's face began to fall.

"hyejin, i—," wheein stopped herself. "i like you. i like you a lot, and not in a friendship kinda way," wheein began. "i like you so much, but i'd really like if we started out slow," the puppies face was beet red.

"is it okay if i kiss you right now?" hyejin timidly asked the other girl. wheein smiled and instantly connected their lips together. there was no electricity, but untold feelings being shared between the two.

it was if all the overwhelming anxiety was disappearing and fizzing away. hyejin was so inlove with wheein. the older retracted her lips after not being able to breathe. "oh! i also wanted to tell you," wheein's face contorted into an odd face. "don't stress yourself out with the exam," wheein "lightly" hit hyejin in the head.

"ow! why'd you do that," hyejin rubbed at her head. "i hit all the stress away." hyejin let out a chuckle.

wheein is so childish

hyejin checked her watch and smiled "we have two hours until the dinner," a small smile was planted onto wheein's lips. "let's continue our show!" wheein laid down and pulled her phone out of her back pocket. "what's with you and watching netflix all day,"

"what? are you saying that you don't do that as well?" hyejin rolled her eyes and snuggled close to wheein.

as the show was continuing, hyejin glanced at wheein. there was still—if not more—butterflies swarming hyejin's stomach. wheein looked back to hyejin, their eyes meeting. a small smile played onto the two's lips.

this time, hyejin attached her lips onto wheeins. the butterflies were multiplying, spreading all throughout her body with so much love and assurance.

hyejin was sure that she was in love with this puppy.