Chapter Text
Hanni is late. As happens almost every morning. The bell has already rung and the math lesson has started for 10 minutes now.
“This is how the cube root is calculated..” the teacher is facing the blackboard to explain, it is the perfect opportunity for Hanni. She snuck in when class started dozens and dozens of times. So without making the slightest noise she opens the door and enters, quickly sitting down at her desk, next to Dani, her best friend, who greets her with a wink, used to her friend's delays.
I did it today too , Hanni thinks, resting her head on the desk, ready to take the first nap of the long morning.
"You're incredible. How can you always be late?” Hanni already knows who is talking to her
KIM MINJI. The most unpleasant person in the whole school. Her greatest nemesis.
She is sitting in front of her, so Hanni leans over a little to answer her. “Can you mind your own business Kim Minji?”
“I'm the student council president, it's my duty to supervise all the students and you always give me a lot of work” Minji turns around quickly
“Would you like to share your thoughts with us, Miss Minji?” the teacher suddenly asks
“Excuse me Mrs. Shin” Minji returns her attention to the board and adjusts her posture
Hanni giggles behind her happy to hear the girl scolded
“If I were you I wouldn't laugh, Miss Pham. Oh and we thank you for honoring us with your presence”
"My pleasure"
Now the teacher glares at Hanni. Fortunately the discussion ends like this and Mrs. Shin starts the lesson again
“I hate her,” Hanni whispers to her classmate
“I mean you're always late for her lessons...”
"What? No, not Shin.” Hanni explains “Minji”
“Oh stop it” Dani rolls her eyes “when are you guys going to stop acting like cat and dog?”
“When will she stop being a total bitch”
“Maybe you like that about her...” Dani raises her eyebrows jokingly
“Dani please, no!”
“You can't deny that you find her attractive” another winking look from her friend
“I thought about it years ago for ten seconds, before I knew her. Now I have to focus on math okay?” Hanni takes the pen and pretends to copy the things written on the board, but she inevitably thinks back to the first time she met Minji.
…..
Things haven't changed with the start of high school: it's the first day of school and Hanni is late.
Dani is going to kill me Hanni thinks as she tries to figure out which class to go to
"Hey you" suddenly she hears a deep voice and turns towards that direction. she sees the person who spoke. A girl taller than her, with long straight hair and an angel's face.
Holy shit is the most beautiful girl in the world. So it's true that love at first sight exists.
"H-hi I'm Hanni. What's your name?" Hanni smiles
"You're late. You'd better go to the main hall, they're welcoming the first years" the girl replies snobbishly looking Hanni up and down completely ignoring the presentation
Hanni is speechless. How rude.
"And who are you to tell me what to do?"
“I'm Kim Minji,” she finally answers, “and I've been tasked to warn who's late and you're the only one. Let's go.”
Kim Minji, ugh as beautiful as she is unpleasant, I'll keep my distance
But Hanni's plan to keep her distance didn't work
Her best friend Danielle quickly fell in love with Kang Haerin, Minji's best friend
The two became girlfriends and despite the other girls' complaints, the four started going out together all the time. In their second year, first-year Hyein also joined, but the relationship between Minji and Hanni has not changed.
…
Hanni is brought back to reality by the sound of the bell announcing the end of the hour.
While she is packing up her things to move to the next class Minji approaches her "Pham I'll see you in the library after lunch. Don't be late"
Of course, it's not enough to have Minji in her friendship group. Minji is also her tutor. She's the best student in school, while Hanni...well Hanni isn't. Then the teachers thought it was right to force them to study together.
“You don't have to remind me every time,” Hanni huffs
"I think I have to. See you later, bye" Minji smiles at Dani and leaves
“I'm happy you're spending time together,” Dani cheers
----
Minji and Hanni are sitting at one of the tables in the library. "So are you done with the exercises on page 57? Let me check. Then we're done."
“Ooook” Hanni takes her phone to relax after studying “so I'll see you tomorrow for English right?” She asks
"Are you joking?" Minji looks up from the book "I told you a hundred times that we wouldn't study tomorrow, there's a meeting of all the students. You have to be there too."
“Oh right sorry” Hanni is already thinking about how to avoid it
---
The next day after lunch all the second year students are gathered for the meeting with the teachers and the principal. Hanni wanders the corridors ready to escape through an emergency exit. She is opening the door when she suddenly hears someone calling her. She could recognize the voice with her eyes closed
“Hanni Pham!” Minji runs towards her
"What is your problem?" Hanni gets scared
"I knew you would do anything to run off. You can't leave school without permission" Minji scolds her, but Hanni is now outside the building
The two girls begin to argue and without realizing it Minji slams her hand against the door and closes it. Now the two are both in the schoolyard.
“Look what you did!!” Minji shouts
"Me? You did it all! If only you had let me out.."
"Who cares. I'll go in now" Minji is about to open the door, but she is stopped by Hanni "wait you can't, if you open it from the outside the alarm will sound"
"I don't care. It's your fault," Minji replies
"Oh come on if I go to the principal I'll be suspended." Hanni protests
"Okay fine. Then I'll go through the main entrance" Minji says
"But the supervisor will see you and it will be the same thing" another protest from the Vietnamese
"How do I do it then?" The tallest one asks
"Don't go in. They won't notice that two students are missing."
"Maybe it applies to you! I'm the student president of course they'll notice" Minji is visibly worried
"Well, say you went to the bathroom because you weren't feeling well and left when the bell rang. They'll definitely believe you."
"What? No way I'm going to lie. I don't care if they suspend you"
“Do as you wish,” and she begins to walk
"Where are you going?" Minji calls her and then follows the shorter one.
Hanni giggles
-----
The girls have been walking for a while until they stop in front of a small shop with the sign "Ditto Bakery"
“Here” Hanni points excitedly
"A pastry shop?" Minji asks
"One of the best in the city." She explains before entering the shop
The pastry shop is small, but full of sweets. As soon as the girls enter, they immediately smell freshly baked biscuits.
Behind the counter a tall man with a thick beard greets her with a smile "Hi Hanni! Haven't seen you in a while, how are you? Oh, did you bring a friend?"
Hanni ignores the question about her friend, she doesn't know how to answer. "Good morning Mr. John, everything is fine thank you." Hanni smiles
"I already know what you want, there's only one left, here" the pastry chef offers a bag to Hanni "These are on the house instead" the man places two orange juices on the counter
Hanni pays and thanks. Both girls say goodbye and leave. Outside the shop there is a bench the girls sit down to drink their juice while Hanni unwraps her package.
"Bread?" Minji asks, seeing the contents "did you skip school for some bread?"
“It's not just bread,” Hanni says, “it's sweet bread.” Vietnamese breaks it and gives half to her classmate "here"
Minji looks at her strangely "oh come on take it. You have to try it ok?"
Minji does as she's told and takes a bite
"Wow, so good" Minji starts devouring it
"See? I told you!" Now Hanni also begins to eat satisfied
“So you like sweet things?” Minji asks
"Mhh yes. My true passion is cooking, especially desserts" Hanni replies
Minji nods
The two start chatting. Nothing serious, just talk about lessons, school gossip and TV series. They are both surprised by how natural and comfortable the conversation is, that they don't realize it's already evening.