Little Pranks
Lulu's Wednesday stream had wrapped up successfully, and Thursday had arrived.
With no Lulu broadcast today, it was one of those days I could afford to lounge around lazily.
"Ahhh... this is nice, so nice...."
I do love Lulu's streams, but honestly, when there's no stream, my body gets a real break, so I kinda look forward to those days too.
That's why I was stretching out languidly today as well when...
Poke poke.
I felt the tip of a pen jabbing my cheek from the side.
"Huh? What?"
The girl next to me—Im Lua—was poking my cheek with her pen.
Of course, not the sharp writing tip, but the button end, so it didn't hurt much.
"Oh? You're not sleeping."
"Didn't I just mutter to myself?"
"Sorry, didn't hear it."
These days, these little pranks were starting to pile up.
I really thought the pranks had increased a lot—like during PE when we play tee-ball lately, Im Lua's thrown the ball at me a few times.
Even when there was no reason to.
Plus, when I come back from lunch, she'd poke my cheek with her pen like this, or if I opened a book for the first time in ages, she'd start note-passing to mess with my "studying" vibe.
...Not that I was actually trying to study. I just had the book open like some decoration.
Anyway, compared to two weeks ago when we first got paired up again, things felt way closer now.
We'd actually gotten super close. She'd visited me in the hospital when I tore my ligament playing dodgeball, and I'd done the same for her when she hurt her toe.
Before that, we'd run into each other jogging and gone together, and even earlier, I'd recommended her a game.
Through all that, I realized Im Lua was way more normal than I'd thought.
More precisely, all my previous ideas about her were just prejudices.
It was embarrassing and I felt sorry about it.
I'd vaguely known our drifting apart was because of my preconceptions.
Feeling bad for her, I ended up grumbling at her more than necessary.
And Im Lua seemed to get it, keeping up the pranks even while I grumbled.
I figured we'd just keep getting closer like this when...
"Hey, you know finals are coming up soon... right?"
...Im Lua dropped a line that made me not want to get any closer.
"...Exams?"
"Yeah, only three weeks left."
Right. It was mid-June now.
Three weeks from now—early July—the finals would start.
To be exact, they'd end three weeks from now, so a little over two weeks left.
"You're gonna study, right?"
"...I'll give it a shot."
Siiiigh...
I could feel her stare. Like, You have to study. No way I could refuse or ignore it.
"...I'll try."
"For real?"
"For real."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Seriously? For real?"
"I said yeah."
Only when I snapped a bit did Im Lua finally grin.
"Okay, if you don't know something, ask me. Got it?"
"...Got it."
I nodded, and she nodded back before diving right back into study mode.
Man, morning homeroom just ended—how does she study this hard already?
Honestly, I was starting to feel actual respect.
We're second-years now, about to be third-years with college entrance exams looming, but still, we're only second-years.
Yet watching Im Lua study, it's like she's already a senior cramming.
"...Doesn't all that hard work tire you out?"
She flinched at my question, then looked at me and shook her head.
"Dunno. I just do it."
Just does it.
That's a mindset no normal person could even dream of.
Maybe that's why I think she's so amazing.
She's pulling off stuff I'd never manage, totally casually.
*
School ended before I knew it, and I was thinking I'd head home and chill when Im Lua naturally fell in step beside me.
"...Im Lua?"
"What?"
"...You're suddenly right next to me, it's weirding me out."
"We're going the same way home anyway—why act different?"
Couldn't argue with that.
I nodded and just kept walking home when...
...Im Lua threw a curveball question.
"Hey, Jinwoo-ya."
"Yeah."
"You like snacks?"
"...Snacks?"
Do I like snacks?
I answered without a second thought.
"Love 'em."
"What kind?"
"Anything except super weird ones."
I figure hardly any Koreans don't like snacks.
I'm a big fan myself—snacking in general, really.
That's why I exercise more. If I didn't, my crap stamina would balloon into full-on fat.
Survival exercise in the truest sense.
Im Lua nodded at that.
"Got it."
"Yeah... pretty much."
She nodded again, then casually said,
"...Good then."
Good then? What?
I tilted my head questioningly, and she shook hers.
"Nah, just talking to myself."
She sure mutters weird stuff, Im Lua.
Is that what they mean by "normies can't understand geniuses"?
...Nah, probably not. She's just quirky.
"What're you up to at home today?"
Only one answer to that.
"...Work a bit, then flop around gaming till bed?"
"Working today too?"
"Just a little. Not much to do."
"Hmm... okay."
She nodded, then eyed me suspiciously.
"But didn't you say you'd study earlier?"
"...I said I'd try."
"You're not even trying now."
Her glare hit me, and I threw up both hands in surrender.
"...Fine, I'll study."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good call."
Her smug smile was so satisfying to wipe off.
What was it—like calling for a flick?
No moment had ever made me want to flick her more.
"Hey, Im Lua."
"What?"
Thwack!
"Eek!?"
Her weird, hilarious yelp rang out.
"Pfft... khhkhkh..."
"Grrr... why'd you hit me outta nowhere...!"
She rubbed her forehead, glaring at me.
Ah, man, it's been forever. This joy of teasing Im Lua—pure bliss after so long.
"You were just so smug~"
"Smug my ass...! You're the smug one, saying you'll study then bailing!"
She huffed and started punching me, and I took it as best I could.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
She was play-fighting, but it looked cute yet packed a punch—actually hurt.
"Hey, Im Lua, stop, that hurts, hurts!"
"It hurt me too! Hurt me too!!"
No shaking off her furious flurry, so I surrendered first.
"Sorry, my bad."
"Really?"
"Yep, total screw-up."
"Hmph!!"
She whipped her head away, then turned back and pointed at me.
"Huh?"
"One more."
"What?"
"You take one too."
Me? After that barrage?
Another one? For real?
I hemmed and hawed, but she wasn't forgiving anytime soon.
She waved her hand, flicking her finger lightly—it was straight-up reaper vibes.
"...Call it a draw?"
"Shut up, you pervert who loves teasing girls."
Hearing her curse was rare—maybe even first time.
Historic moment, but no celebrations. I could see my future.
"Stick it out."
"No."
"Do it or I'm mad."
"Mad and then what?"
She puffed her cheeks and glared.
Instant regret—things were just thawing, this'd ruin it.
But our sweet Im Lua forgave me.
"...I'll mess with your sleep every second now."
With a mildly ominous warning.
"Sorry, flick away."
In the end, I meekly took the hit from Im Lua...
Thwack!
"Ow...!"
"Puhahaha."
And got properly nailed by her spicy flick.
Her laughing at my pain was smug as hell, but...
Separate from that, it felt like the old days—so damn fun.
Back to when we were each other's most precious friend. Yeah.