Bella barely heard a word Emily was saying as they walked home together. Her mind was a tangled, buzzing mess filled with the image of Yunho leaning against the wall outside her classroom, all cool and collected like a scene from a drama she had accidentally wandered into. She kept replaying his awkward request for her number, the almost shy way he had scratched his neck, and the way the entire hallway had gone silent when he spoke to her. It was surreal, like her life had suddenly been hijacked by someone else's storyline.
Beside her, Emily was in full force, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet as she threw out outfit ideas and date scenarios with the energy of someone who had already mentally storyboarded the entire weekend.
"So, what are you gonna wear?" Emily asked, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Something casual? Like the cute 'I just woke up like this' look? Or are we going full impact with a wow factor outfit?"
Bella blinked, trying to rejoin the conversation. "It's not a date."
Emily scoffed. "Please. He came to your classroom. He asked for your number in front of half the school. This might not be a date in words, but in vibes? It's screaming date."
Bella frowned. "He said it was a thank-you meal."
"Which is the most obvious fake excuse anyone has ever used," Emily replied with a dramatic eye roll. "No one goes through all that trouble unless they actually like the person. Besides, he looked like he was trying not to combust when he talked to you. It was adorable."
Bella let out a quiet sigh, still unsure what to do with all the attention she was suddenly receiving. Her phone had been buzzing all day with messages, half of them from people she barely knew, all wanting to know what was happening between her and Yunho. Some were curious. Some were downright intrusive. A few were borderline nasty.
But even with all the noise, one moment kept rising to the surface: Yunho's voice, low and certain, when he had said, "I'm not letting you dodge it." That sentence had replayed in her head more times than she was willing to admit.
Emily interrupted her thoughts with a gasp. "Oh my god, you should wear that floral wrap dress you wore to the school picnic last spring. You know, the one that made even the grumpy math teacher compliment you?"
Bella gave her a sideways glance. "You remember what I wore last spring?"
"Of course I do. I'm a fashion historian when it comes to my best friend." Emily winked. "It was soft but bold. You looked incredible. Yunho will lose all remaining brain function."
Bella shook her head but smiled, despite herself. "You're being ridiculous."
Emily linked their arms. "No, I'm being supportive. There's a difference."
"I just don't want to overthink this," Bella murmured.
"You're already overthinking it," Emily said matter-of-factly. "Which is why I'm here. Let me handle the fashion part. You just focus on not overthinking."
They stopped at Bella's dorm. Emily leaned her arms on the top rail and looked at her seriously.
"Look, if you're nervous, that's okay. But don't pretend like this isn't a big deal to you. It's not just a free meal. You like him."
Bella opened her mouth to deny it but closed it again. She did not have the energy to lie to Emily, who knew her too well anyway.
"I don't know what this is yet," Bella admitted. "But yeah… maybe I do like him. A little. It's hard to overlook those abs." Trying to make light of the situation.
Emily's grin could have powered the city.
"That's all I needed to hear. We are officially entering prep mode. Hair, outfit, confidence. Leave it to me."
Bella laughed and nodded. "Fine. Just don't make me look like I'm going to prom."
"Please. You'll look like the main character, not the prom queen."
They said their goodbyes and Bella stepped into the house, grateful for the quiet after a day that had felt like one long performance under a spotlight. She headed straight for her room, dropped her bag and flopped onto her bed.
For a few minutes, she just stared at the ceiling, her mind flipping between thoughts like a playlist on shuffle. Yunho's smirk. Yunho's serious eyes. The quiet way he had said her name. The crowd parting like waves when he walked away.
This was not normal.
She sat up, dragging her laptop onto her lap, intending to finish her English assignment. Instead, she opened a blank tab and typed:
"Do thank-you dinners count as dates?"
She stared at the search results and immediately closed the browser. There was no internet result that would give her the clarity she needed.
Instead, she reached for her phone and scrolled through her messages. Most were from classmates still gossiping, but one stood out.
Logan:
Heard Yunho pulled a grand gesture in the hallway today.
You okay?
She smiled a little and replied:
Bella:
Survived. Barely. I'm trying not to die of shame.
A few seconds later, his reply popped up.
Logan:
It's definitely going down into school history. If anyone gives you trouble, tell me.
Bella appreciated the sentiment. Logan wasn't particularly loud or flashy, but he always had a quiet way of looking out for her. Ever since Jake and Keith had visited the school and played a few pickup games with him, turning what had started as an ordinary day into something unforgettable, Logan had held Bella in high regard.
He had always idolised them from afar and the fact that they came just for her had left a lasting impression. They treated him like he mattered, passed him the ball, laughed with him like he was one of them. It gave him a kind of quiet confidence he hadn't known he needed.
But now, there was Yunho.
Yunho, who had gone from emotionally distant to awkwardly sweet, from intimidatingly quiet to low-key endearing. He was confusing. He was nerve wrecking. And he made her heart race in ways she had not felt before.
Her phone buzzed again.
Emily:
Sent you outfit options. Check your messages.
Also, don't forget: eyeliner makes you feel invincible.
Bella opened the attachments to find several photos of outfits laid out on Emily's floor. There were captions like "option one: lowkey goddess" and "option two: I just happened to slay."
She laughed, the tension in her chest easing slightly.
Then, without meaning to, her mind shifted to something else.
The bet.
The conversation from earlier came rushing back. The whispers about people placing bets on whether Yunho would actually ask her out. Some were saying it was all a joke, that he was just bored or showing off. Bella did not want to believe it, but the knowledge sat heavy in her chest like a stone.
What if he was only being nice because everyone was watching? What if it really was just about attention? What if she had imagined the nervous look in his eyes and the gentle way he had stood beside her?
She flopped back onto the bed with a groan.
The outfit could wait. The questions, unfortunately, could not.
But despite everything, there was one thing she could not deny. The excitement building within her as Saturday approaches. And now, all she could do was wait for the day to arrive.