40 The Group Study...

Gyuri came back from her tennis tournament in 2 days.

She didn't get through the quarter-finals.

The day since she came back, she was in a really bad mood.

"…Those girls were worse than me…but still, they got to go to the semi-finals…

This is not fair…." Gyuri complained.

"It's okay. This was your first tournament. A lot of are coming ahead.

So, don't worry. You'll do better next time." Mia tried to encourage her.

"Oh No, Mia. You are not getting it. Those girls cheated, I'm sure."

Gyuri said as she clenched her fists.

Mia could do nothing but sigh.

~

For those several sulky days, Mia didn't talk with Gyuri about the things she wanted to.

Hana also came back to school after 4 days of rest.

She was looking a lot better now. The classmates were also not talking anything about her.

So Hee came to Mia, telling her that Hana had nothing to do with those rumors, and then she explained the same thing to others also.

Soon, everything between classmates and Hana became normal.

~

"So, students, your mid-term exams are starting from next Monday.

I hope you all are studying well. All the best to you all."

The homeroom teacher said as she left the classroom.

"Oh, God! The exams!" So Hee said turning back to Mia.

Mia just smiled a bit.

"I don't wanna study, Mia."

"But, you have to, So Hee."

"Yeah. I know…." So Hee said lying down on her table.

As she remembered something, she quickly got up and said,

"Hey, Mia?"

"Yeah?"

"We are doing a group study at April's tomorrow. You wanna come?"

"A group study?....Well….Um…"

"Gyuri is also coming!"

"She is?"

"Yeah. I asked her yesterday and she is totally coming.

Didn't she tell you?"

"Umm…Yeah...Right...I forgot…" Mia laughed awkwardly.

"So? Are you coming?"

"Well…Okay…I guess…"

"Thanks, Mia. Cause I really need your help in studies."

Mia smiled as she thought. 'So Gyuri is still not telling me everything….'

~

~

The next day,

"Hey, Mia…." So Hee smiled as soon as she saw Mia at the door.

"Hey.."

Mia entered the living room and she saw Baek Ye Rin sitting on the sofa while April was standing beside her.

Both the girls greeted her as she came towards them.

"Welcome, Mia." April smiled.

"Hi there." Ye Rin said.

"Thanks, Mia for coming here today. We really need you." April said as she smiled goofily.

"Yeah. You can tell by looking at our faces.

We really need to study. And without you, we are like three idiots who would end up chatting and gossiping!" Ye Rin said.

"Well…Yeah. That happens every time." So Hee said as she came beside Mia.

"But not this time!"

As Mia said it, all three girls looked at her and then at each other.

"Well, sure. Whatever you say, Mia. We'll work hard today." April said enthusiastically.

Mia smiled and nodded.

As now, Mia's study mode was on, everyone was going to see her other side.

The sweet, friendly Mia was now getting into the serious and sincere mode.

Suddenly the door knocked.

"I'll get it." April ran towards it and opened the door.

"Hey, April!"

Mia heard the familiar voice.

It was Gyuri.

Gyuri came inside right away with a huge smile on her face.

But, as she saw Mia sitting on the sofa beside Ye Rin, that huge smile disappeared.

Standing still, she looked at Mia confused.

"Hey, Gyuri," Mia said.

"Um..H...Hey…" Gyuri said and turned back towards April.

Then again she looked in front.

"Why are you so surprised Gyuri?" So Hee asked.

" Are you saying that you didn't want her here?" asked Ye Rin as she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh..No…I mean…I didn't know..she was coming today. So, I was just confused. "

"Yeah, I asked her yesterday only. As she heard you were coming she agreed right away," said So Hee.

"Yeah, Gyuri. It's just like we study every time. Right?" Mia said.

"Actually I was the one who was surprised, as you didn't come to me for the studies like you always do." Mia continued as she was looking at Gyuri, trying to see her reaction.

"Um…Yeah…I made plans with these girls…

But why didn't you tell me before that you were coming?"

Gyuri was looking upset as she was talking.

"Well, you didn't tell me either," Mia said with a smirk.

"Besides, why does it matter so much?" Ye Rin asked as she folded her hands looking suspiciously at Gyuri.

"Isn't she, your best friend?" April looked at her confused.

"It's a better way for you and her to patch things up now. Just like you said." So Hee said.

With everyone's gaze like that, Gyuri started sweating a bit.

"It's…um….Actually –"

But then, the door knocked again.

"Now, who's this? We all are here." April said as she walked towards the door.

"Did anyone call someone else?" Ye Rin asked looking at everyone.

Mia and So Hee shook their heads, denying it.

While, Gyuri was standing there, with her head down.

"Ray? What are you doing here?"

Everyone in the living room heard April.

"What? Ray is also here?" So Hee said as her face lit up.

'Ray? I didn't know he was coming here….And maybe these girls also didn't know…'

Mia thought as she looked at Gyuri, who was looking really upset now.

While, Ye Rin, who was sitting, now got up and stared at Gyuri, as she was feeling something weird about her expressions.

April and Ray entered the living room.

The moment he saw Mia standing there looking right at him, he quickly broke eye contact and looked to the other side.

'So….Both of them didn't want me to be here….' Mia sighed sadly inside.

"Hey, Ray!" So Hee said with a happy smile.

"But what are you doing here? We didn't call you, right April?" asked Ye Rin straight away.

"Oh yeah…Um…but it seems, Gyuri called him here," April answered.

"She did?" Mia looked at Gyuri.

"Yeah…Um…I...I called him…So we would study with him….As I didn't know Mia was coming…

..Mia is not the only topper we know, right?"

Mia's eyes saddened a bit.

While, Ye Rin was standing there, observing Mia and Gyuri's expressions had narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

~

Soon they started studying in the big Study room.

Gyuri was looking really surprised as she was looking around of the big room; the bookshelves, the sitting area.

Everyone started the study as one group, but after a while, they were divided into two.

The one where Gyuri and So Hee were busy asking a lot of queries and explanations to Ray,

And the other where April and Ye Rin were studying and solving the problems on their own and if they found themselves stuck somewhere, or if they didn't get any point they were asking it to Mia.

On one side, everything was getting chaotic as Gyuri and So Hee was racing for who'd get to ask him first or more, while on the other side everything was going smoothly and systematically.

~

"Let's take a break, guys." So Hee said.

"Okay. Let's take a snack break!

I'll bring the snacks and something to drink." said April as she got up from her seat.

"I'll help you." Ye Rin also got up.

"Wait! Why aren't you telling your servants to bring the snack?" Gyuri asked.

"Oh...Actually, I don't like to tell them to do such things for me," answered April.

"She loves to do her work on herself. She does it as much as she can.

And if she can't, then she asks them." Ye Rin added.

'That's so nice of her..' Mia thought.

"What a waste! If I were you, I would have told them everything to do for me." Gyuri said.

April just smiled at her and then she took Ye Rin towards the kitchen.

An awkward silence spread throughout the whole room.

'I need to go to the restroom.'

Mia got up from her seat. "I'll be back in a minute," she said and walked out of the room.

~

"Is there anyone you like?" Gyuri's voice echoed through the corridor.

"Huh?" Mia was just out of the restroom when she found Gyuri standing in the corridor, waiting for her.

With her sudden question like that Mia was startled.

"Just tell me, Mia. Is there any guy you like?"

"…"

"Mia?"

"Um..No...."

Gyuri looked at her surprised.

"No. There is no one." Mia said looking straight into Gyuri's eyes.

"So…What do you think about….Ray?" Gyuri asked the next unexpected question.

"What?" Mia's eyes widened.

"What do you think of him?

I mean, last year you guys were really close, right?"

Mia didn't say anything.

"You were really good friends.

But do you….Do you like him?

Do you have any feelings for him?" Gyuri kept asking.

'What is wrong with her? Ughhhh…' Mia was getting frustrated now by these questions of hers.

"Tell me! Do you have any or not?

Last year, when you guys were together, was there a thing in between you two?"

"NO!" Mia yelled and her loud voice echoed through the whole corridor.

"Really?!" Gyuri exclaimed.

"I…Um…It's ..just that…."

Mia couldn't talk properly, as she was caught off guard.

'Why is she asking me such questions? Even I don't know the answers to these….'

Mia looked at her confused.

"So it's a 'No'," Gyuri said trying to be as calm as she could.

But victorious satisfaction in her eyes was undeniable.

"Okay then…Come fast. The tasty snack is waiting for us."

Quickly turning back Gyuri walked towards the room.

Mia was left there, in the huge corridor….Alone…..