Seventeen

"I'm going home."

Siren announced and walked away. Peach looks at her in surprise and runs toward her.

"Hey, don't go!"

"What? I'll just text them that-"

"Can we just enjoy this day?" Peach holds her hand, much to her surprise. It is still cold like she's holding a piece of ice. "Just for today, Can you forget you hate me and enjoy this day?" She continued with a pleading voice, a tone completely new to Siren.

"I told you, I don't..." Her voice trails off as she stares into Peach's eyes. There must be something in her eyes that seems to suck her in that she agreed without hesitation.

"Then, let's go!" Peach's face lights up and gets excited like a kid dragging her somewhere.

'Whatever.'

-

And to her surprise, she enjoyed the amusement park. It is the second time she gone here, the first was when she was a kid, and not remembering it much.

'Yeah, it was fun being with her but there's no way she will hear it from me.'

"Let's rest." Peach announced and drag her inside a fast-food chain. They've been holding hands for a while now and every time she tries to take it off, Peach will just squeeze her hand and holds it tightly.

"Have you contacted them? Did they call you?" She asked when they found a seat.

'Finally, air-conditioner...'

"No, they didn't. Lea and Hana didn't call you?"

"No."

"Yujin?"

Siren glances at Peach when she felt like hearing a cold voice coming from her.

'I think it's just my imagination.'

"Nothing too."

'Come to think of it, I don't have her contact information. Maybe I'll just ask for it later.'

Peach leans on her seat and smiles. "They'll feel hungry too and maybe a grab food here. We might see each other here then."

"I hope so. Yujin invited me here and yet I lost her..."

'I can picture her already. I hope she's fine. Lea and Hana are with her, anyway.'

She takes a peek at a person in front of her when it got quiet. Peach looks at the glass window beside her, watching people outside.

"Siren."

"W-what?"

'That surprised me.'

"Do you..."

Peach's words got eaten by a loud, crying kid behind them and she didn't get to hear what she was saying.

"Ha? What is it?"

She shakes her head and flashes a smile. A smile different from what she usually has. It looks sad from her point of view.

'Again, I must be imagining things.'

"Never mind. I'm hungry. I'll order for us."

"Oh. B-burger and fries for me."

"Okay." Siren watched as she walked away and head towards the counter.

'Why would she be sad? I'm thinking too much again.'

Siren stares blankly at the hand Peach was holding earlier. Until now, she could still feel the coldness of her hand against hers. But it's a cold that she's slowly becoming familiar too. And she's afraid that she will come to like it and look for it. She shakes her head at that thought.

'Ha, there' s no way. Me... And her?'

She glances at the glass window and watched the people as they come and go while feeling her heartbeat go wild.

-

It's soon getting dark. The park's slowly becoming quiet, with the occasion of kids crying not wanting to leave the place. They've failed at finding the others that she gave up already when they finished eating.

"Can we go home now? It's getting dark."

"Let's ride that one." Peach said, ignoring her words and pointing at a huge Ferris wheel not too far from them. The Ferris wheel is pretty, adorned with Christmas lights and other cute decorations.

"Ha?"

"Last one. Then we'll go home." She drags her again, leaving her no room to protest.

-

The sun's about to set, and it's just perfect where Peach sits as the sun illuminates her beauty with her hair turning golden brown and her eyes sparkling like a diamond.

'She' s really beautiful, huh?'

"Siren, look! They're so tiny!" She happily exclaimed like a child, pointing at the window.

"Hey! Don't move like that! It's swaying!"

"Ha?" She glances at her and giggles at her reaction before looking at the window again.

'What's with that... And what's wrong with me?'

Siren quietly places her right hand on her chest and almost got surprised at its loud beat. It was like this ever since she saw Peach when she reached the park earlier.

"I hope you had fun."

"Huh?"

Peach sits correctly and stares at her. "I said, I hope you had fun... Because I did."

Siren cannot say anything and just kept on staring at Peach, having to realize something.

'No... It can't be...'

"I don't know why you don't like me, Siren, and until now, it's a question I can't seem to get an answer to. So I hope this day changed your mind about me."

"W-what are you saying?.."

Peach flashes a smile that made her heart skip a beat.

"I hope you come to like me too, Siren."

'You don't need to wish for it, 'cause I already am, Peach.'

- - - -

"Siren!"

Hana's loud and high-pitched voice echoes the amusement park. It is now dark, and the place is slowly becoming empty. She ran towards them in a flash.

"We were looking for you, guys! Where have you been?"

"Where are they?"

"At the exit. I just got out of the CR and saw you two."

"We tried calling you several times but none of you were answering." Peach answered as they now walk towards the exit.

"Lea's phone got stolen! Mine's dead and Yujin has her on silent."

"That's bad. We've tried to look for you guys, too."

Hana clicks her tongue and shakes her head. "Yujin wanted to announce a missing person earlier. Good thing we stopped her!"

"How is she? Did she at least enjoy here?" Siren speaks after minutes of silence.

"I don't know... I think? I mean, she was smiling and laughing so maybe she did?"

They finally reached the exit and sees Lea and Yujin standing side by side. Yujin glances at her and her face immediately lights up as she ran toward her.

"Siren!"

"Yuji-"

"I was looking for you. Where have you been?" Yujin hugs her tightly. She patted her head lightly.

"You invited me in here and yet I got lost. I'm sorry."

She shakes her head as she hugs her tightly.

"We're going home. See you guys at school on Monday." Siren announced, slightly pushing Yujin away and holding her hand.

"Oh... Okay. Take care." Hana mutters quietly and waves at them. Lea and Peach are quiet.

"Let's go, Jin. It's getting late." Yujin just nods her head in answer and waves at them goodbye too.

"I'll go home too," Peach announced as she stand beside Siren. Maybe due to fatigue, Siren didn't protest about it anymore and just went with it.

The walk home is quiet but not awkward. Only the cicadas can be heard making a sound.

"Did you enjoy yourself today?" Siren asks, breaking the silence.

"I... I did. But it will be more fun if you were with me."

"Then, let's go again next time."

"Really?" She hummed as an answer. "Can we do that?"

"Hmmm? Sure. Let's do it say... before or after graduation."

"Okay!"

"Did you enjoy it too, Peach?" Yujin asks Peach, her tone hesitant.

Peach smiles. "Of course, I did. I hope I could go with you guys again next time."

"Of course, come with us."

"Thanks." Her smile become even brighter as she stopped walking. "I'm heading this way." She added, pointing behind the playground.

'So she lives in that area.'

"See you on Monday." Yujin bid farewell as she waves her hand slowly.

"See you... Siren." She gives the both of them a smile before she walked away.

'What was that? I hope she didn't do it on purpose.'

Then it got quiet again until they reached the road where they have to separate.

"See you on Monday, Yujin." Siren lets go of her hand and attempt to walk when Yujin stops her.

"What is it?"

"S-Siren..." She whispers, her head hung low again and hand holding on to her wrist tightly.

"What is it?"

Silence.

"Yujin-"

"I know I said that I didn't need an answer when I said I like you but..."

'I don't like where this is going.'

"What is it?"

"I really I like you so... W-will you go out with me?"

"..."