02. rejection

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"Let's enter the music festival's competition

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"Let's enter the music festival's competition. I want you to play the violin and I want to be your accompanist."

Her eyes opened widely as she clenched her fists.

"Who exactly are you, Lee Heeseung?"

"Just a piano player from Gyeonggi-do," he responded blatantly, shrugging his shoulders, "So what do you say?"

"No."

"Aw why not?" he whined.

"I've never told anyone in this school about being a former violinist. And I haven't played for 2 years. I am not playing that instrument ever again," she spat coldly, walking away from him, "If you're going to ask me to play, don't even bother."

Leaving him dumbfounded, Heeseung stood there, thinking hard.

"This won't do," he thought, "There has to be a way to convince her. There has to be because I need her to play again."

**

After school...

The scent of chlorine lingered in the air as Eun byul sat in the bleachers, watching the boy's swim team go through drills. The sound of whistles was blown constantly as Jongseong made quick broad strokes in the celeste pool.

Just as the boys finished up, Jongseong quickly got changed and grabbed his duffle bag, attempting to leave the cramped locker room.

"Off to see your gloomy girlfriend?" Beomgyu teased.

"Hey, she's not my girlfriend and she's not gloomy," Jongseong shot back.

"Stop being an idiot, Beomgyu," Yeonjun the captain of the swim team exclaimed while smacking Beomgyu's head.

"Ow," he whined, rubbing his head.

"Wait, Jongseong has a girlfriend? Spill the tea," another voice chimed.

"I just said it's not like that, Sunghoon. She's just a friend," Jongseong said, trying to defend himself.

"But we all know you like her," Sunghoon retorted.

"I do not-"

"Yeah you do," Jaeyun exclaimed while walking to the group, "It's literally so obvious. You always ditch us for her and you invite her to every swim tournament. How could we not notice, Jongseong?"

"On the topic of Eun byul," Yeonjun started to say, "I saw her talking with the new kid. You know the pretty city boy."

"She talked to him?" all the guys questioned in surprise.

"Eun byul doesn't even talk to anyone. How?" Sunghoon questioned.

"Seriously she never talks. Not even to us," Jaeyun chimed in.

"What was she talking about?!" Jongseong asked almost immediately.

"I didn't hear the full conversation, but something about music and the violin. Those are the only two words I really heard," Yeonjun exclaimed, shrugging his shoulders, "But it shouldn't mean much. Don't worry too much, Jongseong. It probably won't get in the way of your relationship. Now go, I'm sure Eun byul's waiting for you."

"Music and violin? What are those two things have to do with Eun byul?" Jongseong thought, leaving the locker room.

**

"Hey, Eun byul!" Jongseong smiled, heading over her way, "Did you see me at practice? I just beat my time again!"

"Yeah I saw," she exclaimed, "You did great!"

"Do you want to go and grab some ice cream? My treat," Jongseong exclaimed.

"You ask me that every time you finish swim practice," Eun byul laughed, "Even in the winter, but sure. Let's go."

Jongseong glanced in admiration at the petite girl as the golden sunlight shone upon the two and Eun byul's dark chocolate brown hair flowed in the summer breeze.

"She's beautiful," he thought in awe.

**

"What are you getting today?" Jongseong asked Eun byul as they stood in front of the pastel ice cream shop.

"The usual, green tea ice cream. What about you?"

"The usual, pistachio," he smiled at her.

The two sat at the bench of the local park and watched the sun begin to set.

"Hey, Eun byul?" Jongseong began to say.

"Yeah?"

"I heard you talked to the new kid today? You know, Heeseung."

"Oh, right," Eun byul murmured.

"How is he? He seems nice, right?" Jongseong questioned.

"I guess so. I don't really know him well though," she responded quietly.

"Eun byul, I don't mean to pry, but did he say something to bother you?"

She stood up from the bench and grabbed her school bag, "Nope, nothing to worry about. I'm going to go home now. See you tomorrow."

She was definitely hiding something and it seemed like something incredibly big. And all Jongseong wanted was for her to be okay.

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